How To Journal Like A Stoic Philosopher

Summary

This video script highlights the value of journaling and the practice of maintaining a commonplace book, drawing inspiration from ancient philosophers like Seneca and Marcus Aurelius. It emphasizes how journaling helps capture insights, track personal growth, and maintain consistency in intellectual practices. The speaker encourages viewers to start journaling, even if they fall off track, and reflects on how journaling serves as both a professional and personal tool for understanding oneself. The script underscores the importance of staying engaged with the practice for continuous self-reflection and improvement.

Takeaways

• 😀 A commonplace book is a centuries-old practice of collecting ideas, quotes, observations, and reflections to facilitate personal growth and learning.
• 😀 Marcus Aurelius and other stoic philosophers, such as Seneca, used journaling as a way to reflect and track personal progress over time.
• 😀 Joan Didion's notebooks were not just professional tools, but a way to stay in touch with her evolving self and revisit past thoughts.
• 😀 A commonplace book helps you capture wisdom, insights, and memories that you may later find useful or enlightening.
• 😀 Journaling is about more than just recording facts; it's a means to explore your thoughts and connect with your inner self.
• 😀 Even when you fall off the journaling habit, it's important to come back to it and continue practicing regularly for ongoing self-reflection.
• 😀 The process of journaling helps you keep your thoughts at hand, revisiting them often to gain deeper insights and clarity over time.
• 😀 It's never too late to start journaling, and it’s always possible to get back into the practice after a break or missed period.
• 😀 Marcus Aurelius' Meditations was likely written over time, with periodic breaks, showing that journaling is an ongoing, flexible process.
• 😀 Journaling serves as a way to measure personal growth, providing a reflection of who you were in the past and helping you track your evolution.
• 😀 The act of writing in a commonplace book can offer relief and calm, especially during times of distraction or anxiety, as it refocuses your mind.

Q & A

What is a commonplace book, and why is it important?

A commonplace book is a personal collection of observations, quotes, ideas, and diary entries. It has been used for centuries by influential thinkers like the Stoics, Emerson, and others. It is important because it helps capture and organize valuable insights for reflection, learning, and creative use, aiding personal growth and intellectual development.

How does the speaker personally use a commonplace book?

The speaker keeps a commonplace book on note cards, where they transfer observations and ideas from their reading, particularly from books like 'Meditations'. Over the years, this collection of notes has become a foundation for their books, videos, emails, and personal practice.

What role did Emerson play in the development of the commonplace book tradition?

Emerson is mentioned as one of the most accomplished users of the commonplace book, filling numerous notebooks with excerpts and reflections. He was deeply influenced by the Stoics and would often index his notebooks to keep track of all the material he had collected for future reference.

How did Joan Didion use notebooks in her professional and personal life?

Joan Didion used notebooks not just for her professional work as a writer and journalist but also as a means to stay in touch with herself. She viewed notebooks as a way to record both what she overheard and her own reflections, helping her reconnect with her past self and measure her personal growth.

What did Joan Didion mean by saying her notebook was a way to keep in touch with herself?

Joan Didion saw her notebook as a tool to reconnect with who she was at any given moment. She used it to capture her thoughts and feelings, and later, when rereading them, she could track her personal evolution and gain insights into her past self.

Why is journaling considered an essential practice for self-reflection?

Journaling is essential for self-reflection because it allows individuals to capture their thoughts, emotions, and experiences at a given moment. This record helps in understanding oneself better, measuring personal progress, and providing clarity in times of confusion or self-doubt.

How does the speaker encourage people to approach starting a journaling habit?

The speaker encourages people to start journaling now, emphasizing that the hardest part is getting started. They suggest focusing on the process rather than worrying about perfection, and they highlight that even if you fall off the habit, you can always come back to it without guilt.

What advice does the speaker give to those who have fallen off their journaling habit?

The speaker advises that if you've fallen off your journaling habit, you should not feel guilty or discouraged. Instead, just pick it back up. Journaling is not a one-time task; it's an ongoing process, and it’s always ready for you to resume at any time.

How is journaling compared to playing music in the script?

Journaling is compared to playing music in the sense that when you fall out of rhythm, you can always return to the beat. The process of journaling, like music, is continuous, and even if you stray from it, you can always pick it back up without disrupting the flow.

What is the significance of Eugene Delacroix’s quote about journaling?

Eugene Delacroix's quote highlights the importance of journaling as a source of calm and relief. Despite distractions and distractions in life, Delacroix used journaling to reconnect with his core habits and find solace in times of turmoil. His experience reflects the Stoic principle of using journaling as a way to regain inner peace.