Journaling for Beginners: 3 Ways to START (Didion, Da Vinci & Marcus Aurelius)

If you want to start keeping a journal, but do not know where to begin then this video is for you.
In this video we are going to explore three geniuses who kept journals and notebooks throughout their lives.
Those geniuses are Marcus Aurelius, the great Stoic philosopher; Leonardo da Vinci, a great Italian polymath; and Joan Didion, one of the most distinct writers of our time.
We are going to explore how each of them kept their journals, so you can choose whose style is the closest to your heart and personality.
You can select one, or combine the techniques from each of them.
I hope this video will be helpful to you.
Vashik.

[@creativecompanion]

I like stream of conscious- write about anything I'm curious about, responding to new learning in podcasts, videos, books, articles. I like to fill it with doodles too.

[@angelasargeant]

I just finished watching your commonplace book video and not even half way through this one, but I have to stop and say, your content is phenomenal. Wonderful insights and your editing is incredible. Subbing and ready to see your channel blow up as people find you, Vashik 👏

[@VashikArmenikus]

Wow, thank you so much for your kind words! Very warm welcome to my channel from rainy London :) Which topics/videos you particularly liked? :) It will help me a lot with planning my future vids. :)

[@angelasargeant]

@@VashikArmenikus I enjoy a variety of topics and I'm working my way through your channel. But it's just the way you approach the videos which is great. Bringing in Da Vinci, Virginia Wolfe etc into your videos is very cool. You also give a lot of value through your unique experience, knowledge and the way you explain your thoughts. (and thanks for going straight into the videos without a minute and a half of fluff :) Hope that helps

[@PolyMathWannaBe62]

Have to agree. I just subbed. Excellent video.

[@Noctem0wl]

I love how Da Vinci approached journaling. It's exactly how I want to write. Sometimes I don't want write about what's on my mind, I'm just curious about a lot of stuff.

[@VashikArmenikus]

It's perfect for curious people like us!

[@hekikoka5792]

you might also want to get tested for ADHD.

[@ryanbrownx1]

This is video is soothing to the soul.

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you Ryan! :)

[@marcusdelavilla]

This is a great video. It presents a concise summary of three different types of journaling. (1) Reflection, (2) Inquiry, & (3) Expression. I'm currently exploring the various types of journaling, and this video was really useful for where I am in the process. Thank you.

[@baturalp7043]

Man you deserve more subs.

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you so much! :)

[@Armenian_pie]

Great video!! This is an example how to express your passion of literature and to be open minded ! Like

[@Shirley61581]

I so very much appreciate you and your content on journaling. I’m 65 years of age and have been journaling since the age of 12. It’s only been in the last few years that I’ve been adding quotes, poetry, hobbies/interests & drawing a bit (more like doodling) and keeping sort of a commonplace notebook within my journal. I’ve gleaned many ideas from your video. I can’t thank you enough for your vlog is the first that truly speaks to me on my journaling journey. ❤

[@VashikArmenikus]

This was such a lovely comment to read! Thank you so much for writing it. You've been journaling for so long so it's an honour that this video resonated with you

[@Shirley61581]

@@VashikArmenikus ❤️

[@donnarichards2021]

Thank you for making this video! You have a wonderful creative and curious mind and spirit and I find you to be very inspiring. I want to be a journal keeper. I find myself paralysed to begin. I will NEVER tell you whether I manage to overcome my inertia, at your suggestion, but I may give it a go.

[@ehoenig]

I do bullet journaling since - I think - 9 months and it helped me to organize my day. Your approach is interesting and I will give it a shot as it could help improving myself and to find myself! thank you very much for your thoughts 💭

[@karenbota3118]

I’m a lifelong journaler and still learned so much from this video. Same for the one on commonplace books and commonplacing with Oscar Wilde. I look forward to your website, Vashik! I haven’t looked through everything but I would love to see a video on keeping a writer’s notebook.

[@teresam2023]

How inspiring your video has been for me! Thank you for all the energy you put into it ✨️

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you so much Teresa for your lovely comment! You cannot imagine how happy I get when I hear that my video inspired the viewer :) Thank you once again! You made my day :)

[@bard8499]

Fantastic video, some really insightful stuff here. I love journaling, I need to start again.

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you! I hope this video helps!:)

[@m.showers1242]

Great ideas! This got me thinking in yet-to-be discovered ways to journal. Thinking "out of the box" adds such creative flexibility. Thank you!

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you and let me know if you've got any questions you would like me to cover in the future videos!:)

[@debojyotibanerjee2832]

Vashik, you are one of a kind.

[@VashikArmenikus]

You're being far too kind! :) Thank you :)

[@carmenneumann6162]

I enjoy your thinking

[@chuusupremacy]

this video is not about journaling this video is about how to start living your best life

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you so much for your warm words! It's so inspiring to read comments like yours!

[@andreiadetavora8471]

Insightful and profound!! Thank you for this video :)

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you so much Andrea! It's so encouraging to hear and read comments like this! I am so glad this was helpful! Wishing you a Happy New Year! ❤️

[@penggunasepertinyatidakdik4374]

you helped me a lot man, i started journaling in a contrast with meditations by marcus, and you warned me to keep it secret because its called as a "self help" for a reason

[@VashikArmenikus]

It's such a simple trick isn't it? But it helps so much!

[@Youri-Proaqtif]

Amazing video!🙌

[@alanbejarano4940]

Instant subscriber! This is the video I was looking for; good explanation, great atmosphere and to the point. I started journaling with a pocket notebook; writing to do lists, critical information and overall highlights. But it wasnt until I bought some cheap Dollar Store Journaling books with predefined format (intentions, daily and weekly goals/gratitude, etc.) That I started to understand WHY I need to do it. I'm starting to do some sort of Marcus Aurelius and Da Vinci style mix. I need to do My self some sort of questions (how do I feel? Am I achieving what I want? What do I want to do next?), and have some sort of conversation with myself.

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you so much for a lovely comment! I started like Joan Didion but then slowly adopted Da Vinci’s style :)

[@kandywestmoreland5164]

My new favorite channel.

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you so much Kandy! :) Welcome to my channel and warm greetings from rainy London!

[@vikkihawkins186]

Excellent, as are all your videos!

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you so much!

[@designedwarrior]

Beautiful

[@vassilikiyiannou728]

I very much like your way of thinking and approaching your topics. We need quality in our lives, we need thinking, writing, journaling, reading and apriciating art. We need a new humanistic vision.

[@RafaelToscano]

One interesting thing happened to me. I keep a journal that I write VERY SPORADICALLY since 2019. Some days ago I took it and decided to read. I noticed on my entries that I promised to myself that I would do XYZ, but until today I’ve never done it. So the journal gave me a temporal perspective on a number of things I just promise I will do and years later I still didn’t do them. This made me rethink my approach to some of these things and made me realise how important it is to keep a journal. There is also the other side: the nostalgia and nice feeling of seeing the victories you accumulated over the years. I saw an entry of how I was anxious to move to Poland, and how I had no clue on how things would unwrap. Very nice. My goal now is to be more consistent with it.

[@VashikArmenikus]

How lovely Rafael! We have got similar experiences together . I also look back at my entries and see what promises I have made myself and what I have actually done. I can also relate to your experience moving to Poland. I moved a lot in my life and each time I was anxious about leaving my friends and finding new ones. It’s great to look back and see how much we have change so we time.

[@RafaelToscano]

@@VashikArmenikus very nice! Per what I saw, you lived in Czech Republic as well, right? I moved from Brazil to Poland, spent 2 years in Prague and now I'm back to Poland, living on the "country side" :D. I got tired of moving now (I guess the age is catching me), but travelling is still welcomed. Btw, I just finished reading "Borges and Me" which I saw you talking about in one of your videos. I loved it! I hope one day our paths cross and we can drink a coffee and chat about literature. :) Keep doing the amazing work!

[@carmenneumann6162]

I am very grateful I found you

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you so much for your kind and inspiration comment Carmen ❤️

[@guillermoarvizu1723]

Awesome video and message. I started journaling on 2023 but having that same struggle on that, not sure what to add to my journal, at the same time I want to use it as a tool to be focus on my job and personal life, but also want to have something to look after a couple of years and be happy to read, something more personal than a book full of groceries checklist and other meaningless things, your video helped me a lot!

[@VashikArmenikus]

I am so glad that it was helpful to you Guillermo! I guess your journal is like a friend you've to meet and get used to, find connections with. It takes time, but once it sticks, it becomes indispensable.

[@guillermoarvizu1723]

Thank you for your content! @@VashikArmenikus

[@jjrousseau6611]

wonderful. thanksss

[@VashikArmenikus]

Welcome 😊

[@McFly.]

very helpful. thank you!

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you for your kind comment! :)

[@vanessa8282vr]

Found your video in my feed. Good inform. Also u have a very calm voice

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you Vanessa! :)

[@rattybabby]

I love your channel, thank you for your content!

[@rattybabby]

My other comment on horror essays was actually meant for a different channel. My apologies for the mistake. Love all of your educational + philosophical content! ❤

[@VashikArmenikus]

Haha! :D That's funny :) Thank you so much for kind words:)))

[@gabrielelodigiani6587]

very nice video I also appreciate the beautiful pictures of Leonardo 💫👋🙏

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you Gabriele :) Welcome to my channel! :) It's nice to meet you :)

[@quirkyvixen]

Such beautiful, thought provoking, sincere content and yet clear and to the point. Yours is definitely one of the finest channels out there. Your first video I watched was on keeping a commonplace notebook and it was extremely helpful and encouraging for me to start right away. Likewise, this video gave such clear insights on journaling. Keep up the great work!

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you so much for your warm words regarding the video and my channel! It really helps me to keep going! :)

[@KG-dn4xh]

INSPIRING!

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you 😊

[@pauline5596]

Thank you so much for your videos. They are dso helpful and inspiring. Only the background music disturbs me a bit, when you talk. Maybe you could only have it, when you don't talk?

[@zenbrandon]

I've been journaling for the past 5 years, but I'm still going to be digging into videos like this cause I'm addicted. Excellent content, btw! Editing, clear thoughts, great audio, and professional video quality. Keep it up, man!

[@VashikArmenikus]

Thank you so much! I am the same here. I've been journaling for over a decade but also feel addicted to watching other people's ways of journaling :)

[@michaelhowells7790]

I liked the content a lot also that it was filmed Woodside ferry terminal and on the prom at New Brighton….cool.

[@VashikArmenikus]

I visit that place often! My wife is from the Wirral and we go to new Brighton frequently for some fish and chips 😁

[@danielwilliams8346]

While you make some interesting points, I am one who does prefer to write down what happened during my day, focusing on standout events. For example, I work from 08:00 to 17:00 M-F. That will not make it in, but something like being assigned will.

[@VashikArmenikus]

Of course there is nothing wrong about writing about your day. :) After all what happens during our days is what's important. What I wanted to convey is that there are monotonous and repeating tasks that should be ignored in order not to make journaling experience tedious. :)