switching from an a6 notebook to an a5 (rip) ✸ 

i'm autistic and your description of having too many thoughts, it's so accurate. i would always describe it as a million thoughts filling my head, but i can't grab on to any one thought to focus on.

i could honestly listen to you talk for hours

Fellow autistic here about to cry knowing that other people feel the same way I do! I often feel like, ‘No thoughts, head empty’ because I don’t have an internal monologue at all. I don’t have the ability to think in coherent sentences. So when there’s a lot on, my head feels so full and yet so empty at the same time. I’m looking at optimising my journaling to help this!

I love the way you organise your pages!

this sounds so good! I'm rly glad it's working better for you!

thank you for these videos! commonplace books/journals are a special interest of mine, and yours give me such a warm happy feeling. your notebooks and illustrations are so calming and aesthetically pleasing. 👌🏻💜

I was debating on going back to an A5 journal and you have just convinced me I need to 😍 thank you so much❤️ also, your voice is so relaxing, your videos really help me when I’m anxious. And I look forward to more journal videos ❤️

I remember she mentioned that she didn't like the A5 because it's heavy and adds up weight in her bag... But now she's not in uni.. she won't have any problem ❤️❤️❤️ SOO HAAPPYYY FOR YOU

i absolutely love your notebooks and channel in general. i find myself coming back to it time and time again. keep it up, you’re amazing! sending love

It is incredible and empowering to see how you respond to challenging circumstances! Chapeau!! You are truly living out the best version of yourself! Thank you for sharing and by the way: your pronunciation of Leuchtturm was almost flawless. Greetings from Vienna, Janette

I am so happy that you make these videos! I learn so much from you: situations of people with autism but also ideas for the layout of journals, especially when you stick in pictures. Thank you for uploading!

really enjoyed seeing you explaining your whole thinking process and the struggle of way-too-dark grids because now i don't feel as alone! it was really helpful. i love your journal videos so much, thank you for sharing them ❤️

Your margin system is brilliant! I have the same problem with two thoughts at once and doubling back on previous thoughts. My notes tend to be messy with arrows everywhere, or trying to add tiny notes in previous notes, so I’m looking forward to working with margins. It’s such a lightbulb moment, because since I know I will be double back on thoughts, I can anticipate it and plan for room for it as opposed to stressing about it and trying to force everything to be linear.

Honestly adore listening to you talk about your system and this video was no exception. My next notebook arrived this morning and I had sort of similar plans for it but couldn't define exactly how it would differ from my small planner - this has helped me to figure that out, so thank you for sharing your thoughts and process!

So excited to hear about your notebooks again!

your voice and videos are so soothing ✨🥺

I've also been in a complete journaling slump for most of spring and summer. Started doing some weekly spreads recently and it's working ok, but with "everything going on" it's been so hard to feel the motivation to stay with routine things like planning and journalling, even though they are probably even more important when the world is in a mess. thank you for sharing your updated style!

i totally get you about the shade of grids! i thought i was the only one who couldn't think straight just staring at those dark grids... but happy to know i'm not alone! also been experimenting with B6 size which seem to be a good in-between. anyways glad to hear about your updates here and stay healthy :D

I use A5 Mont Marte blank books for my journal and I completely feel you on the space thing! I have a weekly habit tracker and daily to-do and reflection lists, then use the rest of the pages to journal and make notes.

I have the same problem with dark grids they're so horrible to look at. I can never decide between grids and dots. I like using mossery notebooks, they're a bit pricey but I like that they're B6, so not as small as A6 but not as big as A5.

I really love your planning system ! I really like how unique your videos are and I always enjoy watching them 💕 so far this year I have been kind of obsessing with planning things and being productive to the point that my system (I use a planner) has become too strict... I'm thinking of ditching it for a simpler planner or maybe a leuchturm just like you cause I like taking notes and being able to focus only on a few tasks but I'm not sure... Anyways ! Have a good evening 😊

Wow, you're a beautiful person and an incredible artist. You got yourself a new fan.

I love the new size and the format! IInave both sizes. I am starting the A5 for fall planning and journaling ! I’m love your format! It is wonderful

your videos are the best meditative tool i have ever discovered. truly. thank you SO MUCH for sharing with us. all the best. 🤍

I was so relieved when I saw your tweets explaining the whole thing with the dark grids. I ran into the same issue about a year ago (I also use hardcover A5 with the grid) and I returned two books before I was forced to walk into a store and pick from whatever notebooks they had there. Which meant I couldn't get the color that I wanted :( My friends were looking at me like I was losing it for caring so much but it's comforting to know that this is a no-go for other people too

Thank you so much for mentioning the page count on the softcover A5! I always get to about 1/4 of the way through a HC and it already throws me off how much the book bulks up. It's sounds like a small thing but i think you just saved my journal life. =D

Please please post more on Insta and here about your planning and what you include in your notebooks you are honestly so inspiring.

Hey gorgeous! omg your voice just is soo soothing! id love to hear about what apps your using on your devices and I CANNOT WAIT for your book to come in! im seriously so excited!

It was so interesting to hear about your new system and see inside the new notebooks! I completely empathise with the stress of the black grids™ issue, it's like, this is the item that helps me make sense of the world and how everything is different and overwhelming, and now this item is different and overwhelming too?? So glad that the medium grids are workable for now, I can imagine the relief at figuring out the new system that works for you (: I'm in a similar position with my planner system not feeling effective for me as well and struggling to work out what to do about it. I'd like to move to a vertical planner with layouts that are already drawn out (which is like an opposite to how I've been planning for years yikes), but finding one with the Right™ layout, line weights/colours, paper weight/colour, and everything else is just A Lot. Seeing how other people are planning though is so soothing and gives different perspectives when I can't always imagine the plethora of possibilities for how I could be doing things, I can't imagine ever not being interested in hearing about/seeing yours (: Hope you're doing okay

I would love to see more videos about your planning/notebooks system:) Really informative video:):)

I don't think i've ever heard anyone explain the autism brain fog so well! especially in relation to notebooks, I use my notebooks in a similar way.

Hey Megan, I don't know if you'll ever read this but I thought I'd comment on your most recent video as I don't use other social media. Your book/zine came in the mail today and I happy cried 'cause lately I've been feeling so alone regarding autism, so thank you so much for turning your feelings and experiences into something you could share. Representation is key

I love your commonplace books!

So glad to hear I'm not the only one coming across the inconsistencies with the dark grid Leuchtturm notebooks and being very frustrated by them. Also, congratulations on the book. It looks wonderful 😀

loved this video!!

Great video Megan! It would be really interesting a video about all of your devices and how do you work/plan/deal with life with them!!! Hope you like the idea! Have a nice day ♥️🌿

I'll always be interested in your planning, Megan! Of course you're drawn to a bigger notebook now--you aren't having to walk everywhere. Please ignore any critical or harsh words if others comment--your system is being true to yourself. You are sharing to help others, and if another is mean, it's simply because they are hurting. It truly has nothing to do with you. I'm delighted you've found something that works and enjoy your notebook! (By the way, I 100% get what you mean by too dark of grid. You aren't alone, I assure you!)

Great video. the way you journal is awesome.

And here I am starting my A6 today after using A5's for about 2 years lol. I hope its working for you, I am hoping the smaller book keeps me more focused. The larger book felt like I had a of unused space. (I know this is a bit late to your post date.)

hi, I just want to say that I really enjoy your videos & you inspire me a lot to try out new things in my notebooks. ☺️ I’ve been bullet journaling since 2015 & I’m evolving / changing it up to fit my current needs all of the time. I had Leuchtturm notebooks in the beginning & then switched to other ones until I came back to them again now. This is the first time I’ve tried out the grid version and oh gosh what the grid is dark! I wrote to the shop where I bought it & they were like “no, we don’t know if certain colours of the notebook has lighter grid than others or not”. So… I’ve had to get adjusted to a quite dark grid, but at the same time I have a Stálogy notebook as well for other stuff & I feel that the grid is too dark in that one 😂🙈 I don’t have autism myself, but I have inattentive ADHD, anxiety and depression & I can really relate to the feeling that there’s too many thoughts in my head / it feels empty at the same time. Lastly, I love the margins you’re using & it makes so much sense to me when you’re explaining how you’re using them. It feels like “what? does someone else function similarly as I do?” I’m just thankful. And you’re inspired me to want to try something new by adding photographs I’ve taken in my new Hobonichi Techo Avec in A5 that I just ordered today. Can’t wait until it arrives! It may take between 2-10 business days & I want it now 😅🙈 Sorry for the very long comment, I just got carried away & excited 🙈

i know this is out of context but your bracelet is so cute. i just wanted to say that. the video is great. as someone who also uses notebooks to express my thoughts, i'm happy you found something that works for you right now. i love your videos btw

could you do a video on how you use your apple watch?

thank you for making this video! its one of those things that makes me go "oh im not alone in this!". it's a lovely feeling

I make my own journals, and I have very specific sizes for very specific uses. my writing one has to be small so I'm not staring at a blank page, my daily planning (which I've also honestly stopped doing) is the size of a normal journal, then my more detailed planning (for both exploring creative projects and "how exactly do I go to the dmv in the middle of a pandemic?") is big and landscape, but also closer to a square than most notebooks. the size and shape on that one is the most important -- I really can't think in tall rectangles lol, it needs to be almost a square and I need room to draw diagrams and have arrows connecting different sections of thoughts and all that jazz.

i'm very curious about how you use your apple watch as an aid. do you think you might do a video on that sometime?

I would love to know how you attached the pages of that article together to make a little booklet. Did you staple them together or use some other method? I love your videos. They are so helpful, and I also found your post on Instagram on how you use your watch very helpful, too! Thanks for all the sharing that you do! ❤️

I love your videos. I really miss the notebook videos that you used to have on your channel. Is there any chance that you will put them back on? I also can't wait to see more new videos. And, yes, I know what you mean about the differences in the grid shade. I would love to see a video about that. By the way, you sometimes question whether what you are saying makes sense; everything you say makes sense, always.:)

What nail polish colors are those? They look fantastic. I have been enjoying painting my hands different colors and I like those 2 colors together.

I thought it was just me. I am so particular about the "darkness" of grids and I hate when companies change things...still mourning the grid paper I had in 2016...:/

i switched to archer and olive notebooks last year and really like them, the pages are really thick and lovely and the cover designs are nice and witchy/spooky

I completely get you about the dark grids, which is why I usually go the dots, but I always use either leuchtturm or Rhodia because most other brands dots are too dark/big. I have been struggling lately with my notebook and planning over the last couple of months too, starting layouts and not filling them in, leading to me not trusting the notebook. I too now use my Apple Watch for all my normal to dos as I can have them there on all my devices and see them at a glance, which works for me better. I also feel less shame about my tasks always running into the next week. I think I need to change it to more of a commonplace/journal type book because I might stick to it more and I really don’t want to forget my life.

Have you tried a stalogy notebook? They are a bit pricier but the grid are so light, like leuchtturm used to be. Plus there's like no bleed yet the paper is thinner ( more like the paper in travelers notebook inserts, if that makes sense?) also they have 360 pages but as the paper is thinner it feels the same thickness as a normal leuchtturm. Anyway, I'm only mentioning them because the dark grids on a lot of notebooks now (moleskine went darker too for a bit and the gamble of getting a dark or light grid is such a headache) and stalogy were the lightest I found.

That was fascinating, really. Glad to hear that the bigger format and change of approach is working out for you; not so happy to hear that you're getting wrist pain from writing, especially since I guess you spend a lot of your time with a pen in hand. Do you form letters mostly with finger movements? If so, this is probably something that it would be worth your while to work on. Will expand on this if you think it could be helpful.

I’m still working on finding a system that works for me. I also have found making detailed spreads too much for me when I am struggling with my enrgy and my ability to think clearly. Mostly I keep my journal separate now and write my to do list on a post-it note on my desk when I need to look at one, but I am looking to set up a new bullet journal when I go back to uni in September so that I can keep track of my coursework.

I have ADHD and relate to the feeling of your head being too full and also empty at the same time. My thoughts get tangled and even I can't comprehend any information inside. And I thought that I was the only one with the pressure feeling... The fact that other people also feel it makes me feel a lot better :)

Fascinating, as always! I'm so happy you've found a system which works for you in the present-and do please keep us posted with your notebook posts. They're truly gripping. I've become a huge fan of the Leuchtturm B6Plus notebooks, which are softcover and a bit smaller than A5.They probably wouldn't work for you as (1) they do dots but not grids; (2) they are probably too small for your needs. I totally agree about softcover being more user-friendly and lighter. Have tried the A5 softcover in Bellini (a sort of pastel pinky orange), which I find more soothing than the black cover which you were using. Just a matter of personal taste! Stay safe and happy! PS which Reminders app do you use? The Apple one or another? xx

I'm so glad you're back on RU-vid! I really missed your videos (no pressure on uploading frequently or anything, i just really enjoy your content) I was wondering if you would ever consider switching over to dot grid (since the grids are too dark and distracting) or is there a particular reason why dot grid wouldn't work out either? Hope you're having a lovely day!

If you feel comfortable with it, I would be really interested to watch a video of you talking more about memory issues in autism (and tips of how to work with them)!

i’d love to hear about the sorts of things you write in your journal. as someone who loves the idea of keeping a journal and can 100% relate to the head so full but so empty feeling, i find i cringe at my inner monologue once its written down and i wondered if you ever had those feelings and how you overcame them? any response from anyone would be greatly appreciated!! from a fellow megan who struggles with existence sometimes 🥺🥺

Your handwriting is so neat 🤩 my journal / notebook is a real MESS compared to yours. It’s full of crossing out and doodles. I use Moleskine with lines in softcover, always the black ones 🖤😅

Beautiful journal! Oddly, I just switched from Leuchtterm, back to Moleskine because I enjoy the larger books. Question: do you find, dealing with ASD, that you obsess over planning stages, yet struggle in taking action?

Megan we miss you 😭❤️

Where did you get the numbers for your notebooks? Are they stickers? They look great.

But it's all so pretty. I've just managed to note a few things, with colour - coded stars. They weren't joking when they said everyone's A is different! How did you start to just writing in a book? That may be an complex question, asked in an easy manner.

I just realized it’s kinda wild that you can’t picture anything in your mind, yet you’re an illustrator. Do you draw everything from references? I am so curious about this. Thanks!

where did you get the gold number stickers? i can’t find them?

Ahh a great thing to wake up to

yo are you doing prints of your notebooks on your website in the future for us to read? just wondering because that'd be a pretty neat collection to buy. anyways. hope you're doing well :)

I didn’t realize there is a term for aphantasia! I’ll have to do more research, but that’s me.

Can I ask if the little houses that you draw mean something or are they just cute little doodles? 🥰

Hi Megan :) Can you give me an advice to use a notebook to keep track of routines ? I saw you did it on the previous small notebook but you didn't really explain how it worked. I lost my routines right now, I feel bleak and burnt-out and I know that building new routines that work for me would be a great help but my brain is too foggy to be able to do it from nothing. (i'm autistic)

Lovely video!I'm interested to know more about your color code, can you make some examples please?

hey Megan, i love your little bracelet, where is it from or did you make it yourself?

It's an everything journal 💫

I was wondering if you have tried a dot grid version and if so what your experience was in terms of pros and cons?

Miss you on youtube, can you do more planning videos

Hi! You don’t have to answer this, but what happened to your room tour video? It was one of my favourite videos to watch and I really liked it haha so I was just wondering why you removed it.

hi! what have happened? i did come back to watch the halloween videos, i did really like them but they are gone :(

Please make a video on your watch and apps you use please!

I have aphantasia too and I remember finding out other people could see pictures in their head, it's still such an alien concept to me, hahaha

is pronounced ['loiçtturm] so about like loyshttourm with the word accent on loysht. But the is not like an english , it is spoken without touching teeth and the tounge presses the upper back of the mouth :)

Same here! I was in a Hobonichi weeks->Hobonichi weeks mega->Hobonichi a6 and now I am in a a5 and I love it🖤

why arent you making videos anymore??

I'm thinking to do the same change as you did , i need more space since now i'm getting some polaroids for it but i don't know if i'll be able since a5 notebooks are quite expensive here (i'm from brazil )

Hello ❤️

Are u been eating Cheetos?

What a total waste of time!