KD: To be completely honest I journal in all different places. Sometimes it’s on my phone while I’m out on a walk or in my car or out in public at a coffee shop. Ideal set up though: candle lit, music on, clear desk or table, comfy clothes, blanket over me, and a cup of herbal tea...something like this photo, in my dining room or bedroom.
I love how you touch on all the senses. Why the candle? Why the tea? Why the music?
I think pleasure is super important in our lives in general. We have so few sensory pleasures in our life and we often miss truly experiencing them by just rushing through the monotony of daily life. We hear a lot of talk of self-care lately but not much emphasis is placed on pleasure in our beyond busy society, and our culture doesn’t emphasize the importance of hitting all of our senses with pleasure, so that’s why I thought it was important to engage as many touch points of pleasure as possible. For me there’s something so visually appealing and calming about lighting a candle, that soft light, plus the scent is amazing and makes the entire act of journaling seem more intentional. Same with tea, it’s so warming, comforting, and healing to me. Tea is like hugging your insides with warmth and love and so grounding to me. Then having music on is super essential too because it again sets the mood and helps bring you into the present moment of what you’re doing by drowning out outside sounds and keeping you focused on the space you’re in.
You mentioned journaling on planes in the book. I also love writing and journaling on planes. Somehow, for me, I think I get away from everything and it frees my mind. And I love your metaphor of being elevated! What are your other favorite places to journal?
I love journaling on planes so much. I always start out by writing about where I’m going and what I want that experience to be like, and on the way home I write about what it was like and compare the two. I’m sad planes are starting to have wifi now because I really enjoyed that uninterrupted time with myself free from distractions or even the ability for distractions.
I find myself craving that disconnection in life but really having to force myself into it, so sometimes at home I’ll turn my phone on airplane mode to be distraction free while I’m home. I also love taking my journal and a specific exercise I want to work through to a coffee shop and leaving my phone off or at home. It allows me to be completely present to what I’m there to do. You don’t have to do this every time you journal, but I think there is for sure value to distraction free, unplugged journaling and treating the journaling like you would a meditation, because stopping to look at your phone during a deep journal session can really take you out of it. Think of it like a conversation with yourself. Just like if you were having a conversation with someone else, try to not look at your phone in the middle of it, that’s rude. Give yourself the same respect you’d give to someone else.
by Anjie Cho
