I don’t know how I functioned without a commonplace journal! Especially as a creative. A few years ago, I found a video on my favorite YouTube channel (Actualized.org), by Leo Gura, How To Keep The Ultimate Journal and I was so inspired by it. I’ve been keeping journals and various notebooks all my life, but this was the thing I was looking for!

The part that really made a difference was going digital. I am a very analog person, but after trying to keep a physical version of something like this for years and it not working, I realized I had to do it on a computer for longevity. I took his advice and tried OneNote, which is awesome and is what I still use today.

The great thing about it is that it’s a place to keep all of your ideas and knowledge.  I keep the songs I wrote in here and the ones that I am working on. It’s a great way to keep track of everything. I have many ideas and things I’m working on all the time and I’d totally lose track of them if I didn’t have this common place journal. 

I keep lists of ideas for paintings and also titles for paintings that randomly pop into my head all the time.  I have a few book ideas as well and outlines for them.  Also, I make notes of what inspires me and quotes that speak to me. I have tons of poetry I’ve written as well.  I keep my goals, insights and a journal in it. I also have a section for blog articles in various states, as well as just ideas for articles. 

I have my art plans, art goals for each year, potential business plans and ideas. I have a section for personal goals, including things I need to get done for my house. It’s so great and it’s all searchable! It really is an extension of your brain!

So if you’re a journal / writing kind of person, I’d really recommend watching Leo’s video about the Common Place Journal! Also, his channel is IMO the best channel on YouTube. I think I’ve listened to most of his videos and immediately listen to his new videos when I see them. The things he talks about deeply resonate with me. What I think is brilliant about him, is not necessarily the content (there are others who talk about similar things) it’s the way he talks about it. It’s so in depth and most importantly – he gives many, many examples. For me, examples are essential to deep understanding and so many teachers seriously lack in this! He would have made an amazing teacher in any subject and I do consider him a teacher in a way, just a digital one I’ve never met.