Silk + Sonder is a monthly planner subscription that makes planning, reflecting, and achieving easy and fun by delivering a new pen-to-paper experience every month. Every month features new layouts that are "inspired by positive psychology, bullet journaling, and self-help books."
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
Silk + Sonder November 2023
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I am a planner. If you are new to my reviews, you will soon find out that I like things in order, I like things planned out, and when things change, I tend to panic. Having struggled with anxiety for about 5 years now, I have been working very hard to let go of some control, and live more in the moment. To be able to do that, Silk + Sonder has come to the rescue.
While Silk + Sonder is a journal, it is also a planner, coloring book, mood tracker, habit tracker, sleep tracker, and more! Centering around a new theme each month, this book has it all, and aligns with my needs perfectly. With 60 pages of amazingness, I look forward to opening this journal each day, and have found it to help keep my anxiety under control.
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Honestly, I can't believe that November is here already. I swear two days ago it was August, but obviously it wasn't! As we head into the holiday season, Silk + Sonder features the theme "Nostalgia" which is extremely fitting. Reflecting on the past, especially during the holiday season, I have been finding myself being a lot more intentional with how I'm spending my time.
Nostalgia: noun - a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations.
Like I mentioned above, I have been reflecting on the past, and with my mom living three hours away, find myself really missing her this month. After chewing on this word for a few days, I decided to tell her that, and realized it was exactly what she needed to hear.
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One of my favorite parts of Silk + Sonder is receiving a new planner each month. Starting "fresh" has been really helpful as yearly planners start making me feel overwhelmed. While this does feature an entire year calendar, it is too small to start filling, but big enough to reference for the future. To start my month, I fill in my calendar with dates I already know, and watch the month zip by! Staying organized is a huge help in managing my anxiety, and being able to quickly pull this calendar at the front of this planner is exactly what I need.
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On page 6 and 7, we are greeted with a "Future log" and "Scratch Paper". The future log includes two small calendars for the upcoming months. With just enough space to write small notes, my calendar generally stays pretty open. Because December is the busiest month of the year though, this one gets a little crowded. On the opposite side, you find scratch paper, and I love this inclusion! It gives me space to write random lists, reminders, and other things I just can't lose or forget!
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The next page offers a space to reflect on your last month, with a spot to set your intentions for the upcoming one. This page is one of my favorites, as it shows all of the month's accomplishments. Going through the wins, challenges, and favorite moments is a great way to be intentional regarding time and opportunities. Looking back helps me realize just how much one does in a really short amount of time! Going forward, I would like to "get comfortable being uncomfortable", stop whining so much, and continue listening to my daily podcast, low-carb diet, and exercise regimen. What did you list in this section?
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As we close in on the first quarter of school, and holiday season creeps in, I find it very helpful to set intentions for the upcoming month. I need to really focus on what's actually important, instead of what the world tells me is important. With 6 boxes available to meditate on yourself in specific categories, it truly is helpful to write these down. Life is so much more than waking up and going to work, and being intentional really proves that.
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Shaking things up from a traditional planner, this also gives you space to journal and track. Page 10 and 11 offer a mood tracker and habit tracker. If you don't like to do a ton of writing, these pages are definitely geared toward you. Using colors, codes, or symbols, you can track your mood throughout the month. When I first started this planner, I felt the need to complete every page perfectly, but in finding myself, have realized I can do whatever I feel on each given day. This is YOUR planner, and you can fill it out as completely, or not completely as you feel necessary. This same response goes for the habit tracker. Wonderful when you are starting a new habit, I write mine down and sometimes forget to fill them in. Is that okay? Yes! Do what works for you.
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Page 12 offers another tracker, this one being for sleep. Because I typically go to bed and wake up at the same times I don't generally fill this out, but it's here if you need it. The opposing page, however, is another one of my favorites. Gratitude is one of the most important traits I think a person can have, and this 30 day log gives you space to remind you exactly what you have to be thankful for. This month I opted to list smaller items, and it truly is a good reminder, as each day is an opportunity and a gift.
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Because this month's theme was nostalgia, we received three prompts regarding the topic to stimulate empathy, boost our mood, and make us feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. I had a very easy time filling out these prompts, and love going back and reading them as it truly does make me feel better. Page 15 offered a new type of prompt and asked us to create a playlist that inspires a sense of nostalgia. This was my favorite activity this month, but I had a really hard time only choosing 8 songs!
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The next activity was to take a walk down memory lane and think of major milestones in your life and how they made you feel. I listed my major milestones, but only reflected in my mind how they made me feel as most of them are pretty obvious. Because of the different obstacles, this activity brought up feelings of good and bad, but left me feeling at peace with how I've overcome some of life's hardships. This really is a powerful activity, and one I recommend everyone completing, as it helps your realize all you have done in a short amount of time.
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Page 18 and 19 offer two more fun activities: an owl coloring page, and a "Nostalgia Jar" to fill. The jar is so much fun to fill, and as the month progresses, you watch the jar fill up. There are so many things that bring on feelings of nostalgia, and a lot of mine are actually scents. Fun to reflect on, I now have some goals to focus on this month, such as baking Kringle, and sitting down with my boys and watching a few of my childhood shows!
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Each month we are gifted a recipe, and this month's recipe was for "Golden Milk". I didn't have a lot of these ingredients, and wasn't convinced by the photo that this was something I needed in my life, so we skipped it this month. If you made it, what did you think? Do I need to buy these ingredients and give it a try? On the opposing page, we received leaf clip art to list affirmations in. I haven't completely filled this page up yet, but have added a new one each time I opened the planner. It's definitely a good reminder to look back on, and does brighten one's day.
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Onto some more fun stuff, page 24 debuts a word search. Using nostalgia type words, this was a great brain warm-up for the morning. Also containing a riddle, I can never figure these darn things out! Any guesses? On a serious note is the tracker on page 25. This month's expense tracker can be used to track expenses. I don't typically fill this out because I have my tracker on a google doc, but could see how this might be useful to others.
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The most helpful part is the weekly planner. This area shows a calendar, weekly to-dos, habit and activity trackers, goals, and meal plans. Adding notes to each day, this is where I spend most of my time. I love that it condenses some of the other pages into a summary here, and it really helps me stay organized. I especially like being reminded how I want to feel, and what I am loving, because sometimes looking everything going on gets me a little anxious!
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Tidying up with one last quote, the dictionary definition of "Sonder", and the back cover, that's all there is to it. I have come to find that a key part of my day is the morning in which I sit and fill out my planner with my cup of coffee. This quiet time happens before the kids are awake, and I can snuggle the puppy all to myself! Now that our school routine is figured out, things have settled down and I am able to carve out time to stay intentional with this journal. With that, my mindset has shifted, and I am leading a more positive life.
The Verdict
Now that we are on to November, the busyness starts kicking up again. With the holiday season fast approaching, and basketball practice starting, our schedule is filling up fast. With all of these meetings, practices, and to-dos, I definitely call on my Silk + Sonder planner to stay organized and sane. Without this thing, I'd definitely be lost! This month's planner was especially beautiful, and the theme of nostalgia was perfectly chosen for this month. I continue to be impressed with this subscription, and can't wait to see what's in store for December!
I tend to allocate about 15-20 minutes a day to this journal and flip from front to back reflecting, adding to, and processing what I have previously written. By the end of the month, my brain feels much more organized and stable. The beauty of this planner is remarkable, and the packable size means I can tote it around in my purse. Being extremely impressed with all aspects, I am really looking forward to discovering more about myself, all while staying organized and offering myself a little daily quiet time and important self-care.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Your subscription will start with December as your first month but there is an option to add on November for 50% off at $10.99. A note from Silk + Sonder on shipping:
You can expect your SILK + SONDER issue to arrive 2-5 days before the 1st of every month.
Check out our list of the best women's subscription boxes for 2023 to see which boxes were recommended by MSA readers like you!
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