Commonplace books, at their core, are journals meant to be filled with quotes, ideas and/or any other musings you find relevant to your life and for general wisdom. Typically, these journals are not filled with your own ideas but the ideas of people you either find inspiring or have shared things that are prevalent and noteworthy to your own existence. Commonplace books are not a new concept; in fact, they are quite an old tradition. Philosopher Marcus Aurelias kept one, as did writers Virginia Woolf and Mark Twain. This ancient tradition has always been popular among philosophers, thinkers and writers. But we propose more people engage with this self-discovery practice, which can be quite therapeutic.
The good and bad news about this process is that there is no correct way to begin. All you need is a pen and a journal, and you’re off to the races, but it can be daunting. Unlike traditional journaling practices, this is not meant to be stringent with timing or orderliness. Instead, it’s an ongoing process with no specifications or guidelines. You simply jot down the quotes and ideas that speak to you as they present themselves.
TikToker @littlethingsarchive provides visuals of what these books can look like as well as an explainer:
Of course, we wouldn't suggest a new lifestyle practice if it didn't also have some incredible benefits. Keeping a commonplace book is a way of organizing thoughts that might otherwise slip your brain. In addition, it's a way to inspire you to continue reading and to hopefully find some unexpected connections between ideas important to you. It's a way to continually learn and maintain that zest for knowledge.