The Bullet Journal Method Book Review & Giveaway!
/Hello Sunshine!
I’m excited to finally share a review on The Bullet Journal Method, authored by none other than my wonderful friend and creator of the Bullet Journal®, Ryder Carroll!
I’ve been so excited about this book ever since Ryder shared the news about it with me. I’ve been on this Bullet Journal journey for nearly all 5 years since he shared it with the world and it’s been an incredible experience! I’m thrilled he got to write this book. It’s available to pre-order in the hardcover version as well as Collector’s Set with a special “Stealth” edition of the Bullet Journal notebook.
The book comes out on the 23rd and different dates across different countries. It’s quite the treat to read! Especially since it’s even available as audiobook where you can listen to him read it to you! His voice is so soothing and graceful, I’m excited to listen to it/read it again once it’s released on the 23rd! Make sure to pre-order it! There’s also a Kindle version for you digital enthusiasts! And yes, I did pre-order all of the versions, in case you were wondering. Bullet Journaling has done so much for my life, more than I could have ever imagined, so I’m happy to support Ryder. If Bullet Journaling has impacted your life, you should also support him as a way to say thank you for everything he’s shared so freely over the years!
This article contains affiliate links which means that I’ll receive a small portion of the expense, at no extra cost to you. This helps keep Tiny Ray of Sunshine going, I very much appreciate your support!
I actually had the pleasure of getting to read an early version of his book earlier this year, it was a huge honor to have that opportunity!
Now let’s dive into the review, with a few peeks of how it arrived.
I received this lovely box from Portfolio Books, Ryder’s publisher, a little while ago.
Let’s open it up!
Here’s what I saw. I love that Ryder kept the tagline. I’ve always found it to be something instantly entrancing. It was originally, “Track the past, organize the present, and plan for the future” recently updated to “Track the past, order the present, design the future.” I love the update.
Why order instead of organize, you may wonder. Well, I think it’s because it’s more proactive. There’s a term I heard about called pro-craftinating, haha. Haven’t we all cleaned or organized something instead of getting something done? By using Order, it gently nudges and empowers you to focus on the present and order it in a couple of its meanings: order as in put in order and also order as in take command to take action. As for design instead of plan, same thoughts as before. It’s proactive. We can spend our whole lives planning and not living. Design gives that element of planning, but it’s also a word that encourages crafting something, in this case, the future. I can see where Ryder went with it and I love it.
Here’s the well-known lightning bolt. Because Bullet Journaling is lightning speed.
On the other side of the card…
Now removing the card, we’re left staring at some lovely gold tissue paper. I like how the whole box was themed with the colors of the book.
Now to take a look inside that wrapping!
A little close up of The Bullet Journal Method book.
Look at how beautiful it is! I don’t think photos do it justice, it’s really that lovely! They also kindly sent over a black official Bullet Journal notebook.
The lovely news is that they sent over another copy of the book and the notebook to giveaway! Hooray!
As I was taking photos, I noticed my rainbow friend arrived so I took a few photos with it and the book with my Bullet Journals joining in in the background. :)
I like how the rainbow was flared out in this photo, I wish it came out a little sharper. I was holding my camera in an awkward way so it was hard to hold it steady.
Eventually, I asked my boyfriend if he would help me and after a few snaps, he captured this beauty. Perfect. That’s exactly the shot I wanted showcasing The Bullet Journal Method book, the rainbow, and the Bullet Journal area I have that’s in the background :)
Who is The Bullet Journal Method for?
You may be wondering, WHO is the target audience for this book? You may be wondering whether you even need to read it if you’ve been Bullet Journaling for years. Well, as someone who’s been Bullet Journaling for nearly 5 years myself, I can tell you that yes, you can gain a lot of value from this book even if you’ve Bullet Journaled or done another kind of journalling or planning method for years. In fact, if you’ve never Bullet Journaled, you may find it especially inspiring! It takes away a lot of the overwhelm that can be experienced from seeing all of the inspiration all at once and guide you in a very soothing way.
Now, let’s open that beautiful book up!
The inside covers are adorned with THE BULLETS! How cute is that?! I love that!
Next is some well-earned praise from other authors. The neat thing about this is that all these authors are in some way connected to the Bullet Journal universe. There’s a lot of loveliness happening on this page.
Here it is! The Bullet Journal Method. Track the past, Order the present, Design the future. Ryder Carroll. I love that little gold lightning bolt.
Why The Bullet Journal Method?
Why should you get the book? That’s probably one of your first questions Why? Well, I believe that if you’ve gained any value from Bullet Journaling, it’s kind to give back. One way is by supporting Ryder by pre-ordering/buying his book. He’s spent a considerable amount of time deliberating over how to explain Bullet Journaling, and has put to use his skills as a developer to create a website, tutorial videos, and now a book covering all that Bullet Journal is. The Bullet Journal Method is a book for those who are inspired by Bullet Journaling. It’s for those who are overwhelmed by seeing everything online because Ryder breaks everything down in a digestible and approachable way. He has a great style of writing that includes vibrant analogies, relevant personal anecdotes that tie-in with lessons, and has simple yet visually appealing examples that help drive his points home.
Now getting into the nitty gritty. One of the most valuable parts of the Bullet Journal is the Index (It’s also the part that made the whole system appear genius to me), and I love that he includes a very Bullet Journal Index in the book. It even has dot grid and his handwriting! There’s even a little explanation on the bottom right of why it’s called the Index, in case you were wondering!
The book has 5 parts, as you can see highlighted in the image above, and each one begins with a lovely visual like this.
One of the very best things about the Bullet Journal is its community, and to highlight that fact, Ryder included many stories from Bullet Journalists around the world. Here’s one from Sandy.
Ryder describes the Bullet Journal as living in the intersection of Productivity and Mindfulness, and he goes into that in the book.
He includes a thorough guide that’s worth reading whether you’re a Bullet Journal Expert or a newcomer to Bullet Journaling. I certainly enjoyed his insights and found them refreshing. Even if you think you know how to Bullet Journal and get a lot of out of it as it is, I would still highly recommend picking up a copy of The Bullet Journal Method because Ryder shared so much behind the why.
One of the things I really enjoyed was how he incorporated concepts from his TED talk into the book about decluttering your mind and how the Mental Inventory, which is something new that you’ll enjoy learning about, can help you out. He included a visual that demonstrates how to put it into action.
He shares a lot of techniques you can incorporate to improve your Bullet Journaling experience. It’s great having it all in one place in a book format because there’s so much information out there, that Ryder did a fantastic job selecting the most impactful strategies and packaging them in a refined and welcoming way.
One thing that was especially exciting for me, personally, was to find out that Ryder quoted me! I am deeply humbled! It’s a surreal and wonderful feeling to see this :)
And here’s a little photo of Bullet Journals! Numbered by volume just like my Bullet Journals :)
The wonderful thing about Bullet Journaling is that it really can contain any and everything you want to get out of a notebook, in all its different abilities, under one place. Whether it’s a task list, journal, or planner, the Bullet Journal can help you with all three - and more!
Ryder shared so many images, it’s quite the visual feast. I like to think that that sunshine notebook with the tabs is my Bullet Journal. :)
The book is very much true to its Bullet Journal roots, both with Ryder’s underlying philosophies for what’s driving the Bullet Journal as a whole as a system and a methodology as well the way it’s presented. I think this is particularly helpful because it helps you connect with it in your mind, it’s not just typed out, but written as though it’s on a Bullet Journal notebook spread with real handwriting that makes the concepts more tangible. I think he did a great job of creating a book that has well-written explanations and examples that will connect with all kinds of Bullet Journalists.
Another great thing Ryder included is the hashtags to find inspiration!
Here’s a part about Threading, which has found it way into many lives, including mine. Ryder included my expansion of the technique, Notebook Threading, in his book! It feels like the biggest honor to have been mentioned and included in the book. I have a deep respect for Ryder and his work and I’ve done my best to bring value to the Bullet Journal community. I am so happy that my idea made such an impact that he would include it in his lovely book!
He also included an awesome spread to help you set up your Bullet Journal with little visuals. The great thing about this is that it includes all the ideas he’s presented in the book, which are updated from what you see online, in a digestible and quick reference format. This is definitely one spread to keep tabbed for easy reference!
Next, it’s all about WHY. Why is the Bullet Journal so effective? What is it about analog that makes so much sense and how does it contribute to our lives in such a positive way? Ryder gets into the science of how it works. The thoughts behind Bullet Journal as a practice in a way few have probably ever thought about. It deepens the experience into one that is enlightening. It’s a really wonderful section that you’ll sink yourself right into.
The next covers the art of Bullet Journaling, where Ryder shares tips and ways to create what you need out of your Bullet Journal.
Ryder delves into so many topics, from intentionality, to reflection, to mindfulness, to goal-setting, and he shares a lot of great ideas with visual examples on how implement the ideas into your life. One of the most popular methods to help you improve your life is through Habit Tracking, which he covers and shares tips on how to get the most out of it.
Ryder included a lot of wonderful stories from Bullet Journalists from all over, he even included a special chapter on the Community and shared how much it means to him as well as examples from a few Bullet Journalists…
Such as yours truly and a few others!
At the end of the book, Ryder answers some frequently asked questions that will fulfill your curiosity.
Where can you get The Bullet Journal Method?
All over! Look at the links all over this article to grab yours today!
What formats is The Bullet Journal Method available in?
When will The Bullet Journal Method be released?
It will be released on October 23rd, 2018! I got an email from Amazon saying that the Collector’s Edition would be arriving on the 23rd, so go pre-order now!
Besides your sneak peeks, is there any way I can read some of it?
If you’re curious to check out The Bullet Journal Method, you can sign up to the Bullet Journal newsletter over at bulletjournal.com where you’ll be sent the first two chapters for free! The first two chapters are called “Introduction” and “The Promise” to give you a little taste of they are.
Do I need this book if I’m a long-time Bullet Journalist?
Well, there’s A LOT that Ryder hasn’t shared online that he really did need the format of the book to explain his thoughts. It’s connected in a cohesive and comprehensive way. It’s highly recommended reading. He has a way of pulling you in that you’ll be scribbling notes and examples before you know it.
Is there a book tour?
Absolutely! Here are the dates:
Oct 24 - New York, NY: NeueHouse
In Conclusion
I believe you will find a lot of tremendous value in this book and you should aspire to get this in your hands as soon as possible. The first time I read this, I read it in four days - that’s unheard of for me. I have a whole pile of books that I’ve yet to finish. This one is just the kind of reading your soul needs. It’s a wonderful mental snack to chew over and contemplate and take action. It’ll encourage and empower you with a chockfull of anecdotes from Bullet Journalists and from Ryder. Ryder has a great sense of humor and his imagery is terrific. He shares a lot of personal stories that tie-in perfectly with the point he’s trying to make and succeeds.
I could praise this book from here until the next century, the bottom line is that it’s a great read. It’ll make you laugh, it’ll pull at your heart strings, and most of all, it’ll inspire you. If you feel like you’re in a rut or just crave a lot of great insight about Bullet Journaling, there’s no better place to get that than from the source himself.
The Bullet Journal Method Book and official Bullet Journal Notebook Giveaway!
You recall the mention of an extra set to give away, right? Well here’s your chance!
Congratulations to Brittany W. for winning this giveaway!
If the winner doesn’t respond, I’ll pick a new winner!
I hope you enjoyed a peek into the book! Good luck with the giveaway! Now I’m off to read it again :)
