Few things are more encouraging to me in late February than glimpses of spring.
After six weeks of post-holiday W I N T E R, I’m beyond eager to see warm sunshine, green new growth and flowering things.
March, however, moves at its own pace. It is the quintessential in-between month, hovering between two seasons—neither fully one nor the other.
I’ll confess that in years past, I’ve pushed back against March’s pace and filled my journal pages with as much spring green as possible. But this year felt different. This year I’m challenging myself to slow down—to stop trying to rush to the next thing.
For this reason, you’ll notice that my March pages look different. For one thing, the dominant color is purple, not green. This is intentional.
I’ll explain more as we dive deeper into each section. Let’s get started…
March Cover: Setting the Visual Tone for the Month (which is still mostly wintery for me)
This is the first March cover I’ve ever created that evokes a strong feeling of winter instead of spring. I specifically chose this image because it exactly represents how March is in the Mountain West where I live.
I was drawn to it because I knew it would slow me down. The snowy scene will serve as a visual reminder to me about how March gradually gives way to spring—it doesn’t slam into it. This gradual pace is the one I need to adopt.
Make it Your Own:
Seasonal Inspiration: Use colors and imagery that authentically represent the March season where you live—whether it’s early blossoms (hooray for you!) or lingering snow.
Personal Touch: I couldn’t resist adding a splash of sparkle to my otherwise muted palette as a personal touch. I encourage you to do the same! Find a way to personalize your cover that brings a smile to your face.
Intro & Monthly Calendar
My monthly calendar is a hard-working spread for appointments, birthdays, and reminders. I always keep a digital calendar, too, but this paper version helps me remember things better and gives me a helpful birds-eye view of the whole month.
Make it Your Own:
Bucket List: Use the margins in your calendar to list experiences and feelings you want to embrace this month.
Photo Spot: If your monthly calendar is big enough, reserve space for a favorite March memory or add a quote that inspires you.
Embellish: Personalize your hard-working calendar with a little flair by embellishing it with washi tape and stickers for a seasonal touch.
Weekly Spreads: Flexible & Fun
March has five weeks, and my weekly spreads are ready to capture daily notes, reflections, and to-do lists. Each week features my signature peekaboo windows, a mix of magazine clippings, and coordinated stickers for pops of color.
Make it Your Own:
Experiment with Layouts: Add peekaboo windows for hidden journaling space, or play with different sticker and collage combinations.
Daily Focus: Use each day’s square to track habits, jot down gratitude, or reflect on small wins.
Plan Ahead: Set up your weekly spreads in advance to ensure you stay consistent throughout the month.
Feature Spread: March Goals & Intentions
This is my favorite spread every month. It’s where I set 30-day goals and challenges, often with a theme that ties everything together.
I walk you through March’s unique theme and challenges in my March goal video, coming to your inbox TOMORROW, so stay tuned for that!
In the meantime, you’ll see here how I set up the spread, including the collage images I chose, plus the layout.
Make it Your Own:
Monthly Theme: Choose a word or theme for March and let it guide your visual decisions. As I mentioned earlier, I intentionally selected cooler, muted imagery for March as a way to slow me down.
Be Flexible: Leave room for mid-month additions or reflections as your goals evolve.
Let’s Journal Into March Together
I hope these pages spark your creativity and give you some fresh ideas for your own March journal setup. I’d love to see how you’re planning for March—share your journal inspiration, spreads, or questions by replying to this email or leaving a comment on the video.
Here’s to a month filled with fresh starts and creative possibilities!
Cheers, Steph
Share this post