TikTok Users Love A “Commonplace Notebook” For Brain Dumps

If you have a crisp, new notebook you’re dying to write in, but aren’t sure where to start, why not grab a pen and start filling it with random thoughts and ideas? A journal that’s packed with scribbles, notes, and favorite quotes is called a “commonplace notebook,” and it’s a trend that’s taking off on TikTok.

Unlike a journal ecosystem, where you have a separate notebook for each area of your life, a commonplace book is a catch-all for everything that inspires you. It’s a place to jot down poems, lyrics, ideas, interesting words, things you want to research, conversations, observations — whatever feels interesting. As you fill it, it becomes a unique representation of your life.

On TikTok, @kileymann shared her love for commonplace notebooks, noting that they date back to antiquity, when scholars would use them to gather wisdom, but became popular in the Renaissance era due to the increase in info available to the general public. “The difference between a commonplace journal and a diary is that it has a quality of collected information,” she said in a March 21 video.

Instead of venting about a tough day or penning memories like you would in a diary, you might keep a list of meaningful mantras that caught your eye or jot down a quote that pulls on your heartstrings. Creator @arbela.elena said it’s essentially a book full of things you’ve consumed or learned, with maybe a few reflections, too. Here’s what to know about commonplace notebooks.

The Benefits Of A Commonplace Notebook

One of the best things about a commonplace notebook is that it gives you permission to brain dump. “I started one this year and it's been a game changer for my ADHD because I no longer need to store 717,272 things in my brain at once,” one TikTok commenter said. If an idea pops into your head, you can grab your notebook and jot it down.

According to Kirsten Hall-Baldwin, LCPC, a licensed clinical professional counselor and founder at The Modern Wellness Collective, this type of journaling also allows you to feel free when putting pen to paper.

Unlike a traditional journal, which you may worry about “messing up,” a commonplace journal becomes a curated cluster of fragmented thoughts that shape how you see the world. “A commonplace book allows you to engage with meaningful content without the pressure to be original or polished,” she tells Bustle.

That’s why many people carry their commonplace notebook with them wherever they go. If you keep it in your bag, you can take it out whenever you want to remember a song lyric, a book title, or an idea. It’s a lot like what you keep in the Notes app, only it all takes place in a cute journal.

Many people find that this journaling method helps them to get to know themselves better. “Although it doesn’t contain deeply personal writing, a commonplace book becomes a reflection of your intellectual curiosity,” she says. “The thoughtful ideas, images, and quotes you choose to keep highlight what’s important to you, what sparks your curiosity, and how you interpret the world.”

If you’re trying to be more creative, it can help with that, too. A commonplace journal is a space where you can write down ideas that strike in the middle of the day.

“A commonplace book can create a sounding board for your inspiration, leading you to create new connections and ideas,” says Hall-Baldwin. “The act of collecting can also help you to slow down and focus your attention on what matters most to you.”

How To Use A Commonplace Book

Commonplace notebooks are meant to be a scribbly, flexible space for you to jot, doodle, and dream, which means there is no one “right” way to do it. This approach is perfect if you’re looking for a less structured way to journal and a place to explore.

It’s 100% OK to open a notebook and start writing, but as you go, you may notice that you naturally start creating sections within your notebook. Maybe one page is full of mantras, another fills with words you’ve looked up, and another lists movies from a favorite director.

Some people like to create an index or a table of contents with page numbers so they can easily flip to a certain section and keep similar ideas together, while others switch up their approach depending on their mood.

On TikTok, creator @indiaswanderings said she’ll include leaves and pressed flowers in her commonplace notebook, sort of like a scrapbook, and it just goes to show you can put anything in there.

That said, here are a few more ideas for what to write about it:

• Cute things your friends have said
• Favorite quotes
• Mantras
• Words you had to look up
• Movies to watch
• Podcasts to listen to
• Thoughts after finishing a book
• Notes from topics you’re studying
• Things that inspire you
• Meaningful passages from articles
• Song lyrics
• Recipes

Source:

Kirsten Hall-Baldwin, LCPC, licensed clinical professional counselor, founder at The Modern Wellness Collective