If you are a long-time follower, you probably could recall that I did give Bullet Journal a try a couple years ago. Then I gave up because of all the time needed to make my Bullet Journal (BuJo) pretty, which (after the excitement was gone) turned into a chore. At that time, I agreed that BuJo helped organising my life, but I couldn’t be bothered to designing and drawing out boxes in my notebook every month. I heard about this book sometime last year, but I wasn’t convinced to read it. You know, sometimes, you just look at the book cover and you think to yourself, “I have already heard about it a thousand times, what more can you teach me!”. I was wrong. I got it on Audible first and I was listening to it half-heartedly, then it stroke me that it was offering me valuable information and insights. So, I got the Kindle version immediately, because there were exercises to follow.
The Bullet Journal Method by Ryder Carroll
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Often all it takes to live intentionally is to pause before you proceed.
– The Bullet Journal Method by Ryder Carroll
As many of you know that I got back into journalling in the latter half of 2020 due to busy schedule. It wasn’t Bullet Journal, I just used a random notebook to jot down tasks to do and checked them off by end of day. It was adequate but I wanted something more. So I started a new notebook in 2021, added on a few more things, and somehow I hoped I would be able to decode my life. Was it working? To a certain extent, yes! Am I happy with it? No, not really. I still feel something is missing. After reading the Bullet Journal Method, I think I know what’s wrong. I spend more energy worrying if my notebook is pretty enough or tidy enough, instead of treating it as a tool to think if each task is important or to use it as my life reflection.
Before reading the book, I thought it was just the “official book” from the guy who created BuJo telling you how to create Bullet Journal “officially”. But it was so much more. Honestly, apart from The Secret and The One Thing, The Bullet Journal Method is one of the best books I have ever read in a super long time. The background is still based on BuJo, but it also gives me insight on how to set goals, as well as, how to achieve them. I’m certain that we all know how to set goals using various method, one way or another. But how to achieve them is another whole new issue. It directs me to think differently, it helps me to break down my goals using questioning technique and it reminds me to stay on track.
We are all busy people in the modern society, and we play a few different roles in life (mother, daughter, father, son, spouse, employee, employer…etc.), each role comes with a set of responsibilities. It’s very difficult to keep up sometimes and it’s even more difficult to keep sane when we feel like we are failing. BuJo was designed to remind us to stop and think. It was created to help us living intentionally and focusing on what’s important. I like how the author uses various personal examples to illustrate how to use BuJo effectively. If I have to define this book, this is certainly in the “motivational book”/ “inspiring book”/ “self-help” book category more than just telling you how you should BuJo.
I find comfort in knowing how others use BuJo to get their life organised, which in turn de-stresses them. I am relieved to hear from the author that a pretty BuJo is not a must, rather, how it could help us building self-awareness matters. Yay, we don’t need to be fantastic artists to be able to BuJo, we just need to be honest with ourselves. I am happy to finally come to terms that I don’t need a whole stack of stationary to create my BuJo, a pen and a notebook are just what I need.
If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.
– Benjamin Franklin
I used to think planning takes too much time, and I used to think I couldn’t control how outside factors impact my plans. What’s the point to spend so much time in planning? I still believe that I cannot control everything, but planning allows me to control what I can control. And, that’s the important part. I would rather be really well-planned for something and fail than not being prepared and fail. You know the difference now? The first scenario is “you tried, but you can do better next time”; and the second scenario is “you haven’t tried and you don’t even bother”. I don’t know about you, but I always prefer to try than not try at all.
After reading this book, I immediately open up a brand new notebook following some of the goal setting exercises mentioned. I asked myself “what small thing I could do to achieve this goal?” Notice – it says “small thing”, not “big thing”. Big things are consisted of many small things, so if we can start by something small and not intimidating, we are moving onto the right path because at least we make the effort of trying. After spending a whole afternoon doing the mentioned, I started to feel hopeful, I came up with ideas, I knew what I needed to try to get moving, and most importantly, I started to feel unstuck. Thanks to this book! If any of you feel like you are not motivated, you are lost in the maze called life, or you are stressed all the time, or simply you just want to get your life together, I highly recommend this book to you. I am sure it will help you to get some much needed insight. Whether you are interested in BuJo or not, it’s a great and informative read.
