How to plan and organize a Word of the Year Bullet Journal

Starting the New Year early - Review to Reset

2020, I’m so ready for this year to be over… so I decided to set up my journal for 2021 early. What I love about setting up a new journal in a blank dotted journal is the versatility to include what is important to each person as an individual.

For the past 10 years, my yearly journal has been a modified bullet journal that emphasizes living out a word of the year. I usually begin my journal by looking up the definition of the word, and then doing a word study: looking up scripture and quotes for the word, and choosing which of those to include in my journal set-up. That way I can be inspired throughout the year and it’s all in one place. Toward the end of each year, I read through my journal and ask a questions to help transition into a new year, a new word and a new journal. Before I begin a new journal I review the current one.

Review

Review - to view or see again. 2 : to examine or study again especially : to reexamine judicially. 3 : to look back on : take a retrospective view of review the past. 4a : to go over or examine critically or deliberately reviewed the results of the study.

Each year as I look through my journal I notice what worked and what didn’t, and ask some questions. Here is a video that shows my process.

Links from above video

The journal I’m using in the video is: Wordsworth & Black Thick Classic Premium Bullet Grid Journal with Pen Loop | A5 5.8 x 8.3 Dotted Hard Cover Notebook | Index & Numbered Pages | Dotted Journal | White Pages | White 160 gsm Paper The journal has 186 pages. I chose this journal because my challenge for this year is to use watercolor paints, pencils, and sticks in my journal and the Leuchturm1917 A5 journal doesn’t have paper that is thick enough. I wanted as many pages as possible so that cuts out most journals with thick paper that have 160 pages.
NOTE about Wordsworth journal: After this video was done I experimented more with watercolor on the paper and also in an Archer & Olive dot journal.
The pros for the Wordsworth & Black are: has index/content pages and page numbers, sturdy cover finish of textured faux leather, the cost is about $15 less than Archer & Olive’s A5 192 pages. ($19.95 at the date of the making of this video), and ease of ordering through Amazon.
Compared to Archer & Olive, the paper quality is very close, but the Wordsworth paper didn't take quite as much water as the Archer & Olive, There was hardly any bleed-through or show-through, but a little more than the Archer & Olive journal. I really used a lot of water on both samples though. The dots are spaced just a hair closer together than the other A5 journals I’ve used: Leuchtturm 1917 journal, travelers journals, and Archer & Olive journals. I wouldn't have noticed except I use a grid stencil for my calendar and noticed the grid pattern stencil didn't line up exactly on the dots. I can since I can still use the grid stencil, the lines drawn with it just don’t land on a row of dots.
Stencils featured in video: https://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/stencils-valerie-sjodin-s/2044.htm
Word of the Year Bullet Journals, Calendar Pages & Videos: https://www.valeriesjodin.com/word-year-calendar-everyday-journals

Questions to consider:

What themed pages worked for me? Which ones didn’t I use or didn’t work (if any)?
What heading/theme pages would I change or add to my journal in order to have it function better this coming year?
What type of calendar pages work best for my lifestyle?
What visual aspects of my current journal do I want to carry on in this new journal? (Washi tape)
How has keeping this journal helped foster my creativity this past year? (Celtic knots, lettering, design options, color combinations)
What challenge can I give myself this coming year in order to grow in creative skill? Examples: using watercolors & water-soluble pencils/sticks, drawing Celtic knot on monthly calendar page, using Gelatos® & colored pencils on calendar pages
What new things did I experience and/or learn this year? What are my take-aways? Spiritual growth?
How did my journal encourage me to live out my word for the year? Could it be improved for the upcoming year?
What did keeping a journal do for my relationships this year?

Reset

Reset means to set again or anew; adjust, or fix in a new or different way.

When considering how to set up a yearly journal I do the following:

Make a list of the themes of pages I want to include in the journal for the upcoming year
Choose a journal that best suits my needs. In addition to the video, I have some listed links below. You can also search for bullet journal comparison videos onYouTube.
Write theme page titles separately on post-it notes and play around with their order in the journal.
Is there a particular style theme I’m currently drawn to and would like to experiment with in my journal for the upcoming year?
Is there an art skill, specific media to include, or a challenge to give myself to feature next year’s journal?

Would you answer a few questions in the comments:

Do you choose a theme word for the year to focus on?
Do you keep a yearly journal?
If you do keep a journal, what do you include and/or how does it benefit you?

Starting a new journal in a mostly blank journal has so many possibilities &benefits!

Will you keep a journal for 2021?

Thanks for stopping by.