So…how’s that whole journaling thing been working out for you? Mind you, if you answer “Great! I’ve learned so much about myself,” you’re not my target audience. No, you are too productive and put-together. This is a safe space for those of us who bought a pretty purple notebook two years ago just to promptly abandon it after three entries.
I’ve never felt like a more uninteresting person than when trying to journal. Suddenly, my brain felt devoid of any sensible thought worth putting down on paper. (Ironic, considering it buzzes constantly at any other time.) Do I truly have nothing smart, insightful, or self-aware to say?
The feeling of doubt and awkwardness (combined with a total scatterbrain) made me drop journaling rather quickly. Of course, maybe I just started it all wrong, trying to do too much at once, to be perfect for no reason. Or maybe it’s just not for me.
Either way, traditional journaling is out (for the time being, anyway). Perhaps what I need is a way to collect different ideas without pressure to perform. More of a database or a scrapbook than a diary. This leads me to…
A Commonplace Book: Your Second Brain (of sorts)
I’ve seen a commonplace book described as a personal reference book, a depository of ideas, or your own little Wikipedia. Essentially, it’s a way to compile and organize knowledge, information, musings, or experiences.
What Do You Put in There?
That depends on you and what you deem noteworthy. It could be quotes and sayings you deeply resonate with. It could be notes researching a particular topic, drafts of your creative process, anecdotes, useful concepts, or even prayers or recipes. It’s like a second brain — a central resource to put all the things you want to return to later. Your commonplace book could take the form of a physical book, notecards, or a digital album of sorts — whatever feels right.
A Bit of History
Commonplace books are an ancient tradition. Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius kept a record of his private thoughts and reflections, which later became Meditations — a pivotal work of Stoic philosophy. The art of commonplacing blossomed during the Renaissance and the Age of Enlightenment. It remained popular all the way to the nineteenth century and later — seems like it gets attention even today.
Commonplace books were used as databases or learning aids by all sorts of intellectuals and thinkers. Students were encouraged to keep theirs while in school and during adulthood. Women, excluded from formal higher education, used commonplace books as a way to gather intellectual references.
Now, these tools weren’t just for studying. Travelers often maintained such notebooks to record experiences from their voyages, and people in private homes used them to collect ethical or informative scripts alongside recipes or medical remedies.
Why Should We Keep A Commonplace Book?
The thing about a regular diary or a journal, it feels like a commitment. Often we try to have a set schedule, make an entry every night, etc. A commonplace book takes the pressure off. You write when you feel like it.
There’s also no need to set a specific agenda; if you’d like to make a collection of your favorite horror quotes, you can do that. Would you rather make some notes on the latest thing you fixate on? Maybe doodle something inspired by that book you read? Sure!
It’s easy to forget things, even when you like them a lot. Commonplacing could help you keep track of your favorite stuff and be more active about remembering. You can flip through your book and go “Oh, right, I used to really be into ancient Egyptian mythology, I should go back to it.”
At the risk of sounding pretentious, keeping a commonplace book might be a tool for self-discovery. And not in a way when you’re having an existential crisis trying to write about your feelings. It’s more of a low-key way to reflect on the things you keep and learn more about yourself in the process.
Tips for Keeping a Commonplace Book
- Don’t buy an expensive notebook for your book; you’ll be stressing about keeping it in good condition and not wasting paper, which defeats the whole purpose of starting a commonplace book.
- In the world of pushy algorithms, be mindful of the kind of content you consume. Whatever it is — a book, a song, a Tumblr post — make it worthy of keeping.
- Make steps to organize your collection. You could try dividing it into different categories or themes, color-coding the notes, or creating a table of contents. You don’t have to stick with one organization system forever, either: change it up according to the vibes.
- For the love of Marcus Aurelius, don’t be afraid to get messy. Your book is not supposed to be aesthetically pleasing or Instagram-worthy. Cross things out, rip out some pages, do mediocre collages. It’s fine.
- Your own commonplace book probably won’t become the foundation of a philosophic movement. This is also fine. You’re not out to impress other people or change the world.
What could a commonplace book be for you? Maybe a way to capture little moments of happiness in your life, or to learn more about all the things that make you you. Maybe something entirely different. It can be whatever you want. You can do whatever you want, and that’s beautiful.
Sources:
Blair, A. (1992). Humanist methods in natural philosophy: The commonplace book. Journal of the History of Ideas, 53(4), 541–551. https://doi.org/10.2307/2709935
Burke, V. E. (2013). Recent studies in commonplace books. English Literary Renaissance, 43(1), 153–177. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43607607
