I wrote the following about a week or so go, and have been sick so I’m just posting it now…
I saw a woman at Starbucks today, sitting alone with what was most likely an Americano (because that’s what the average Korean at Starbucks drinks), a small raspberry-pink leather journal and a pencil.
And I envied her…just a bit.
I have been craving to go back to the art of journaling again lately. Journals with crisp paper. Pens that write well. Time to get lost in thoughts. To breathe. To reflect. To inhale. Exhale. Stretch. Expand.
Expand. Life feels so compressing lately. We are doing so many good things, but so often I feel like there’s no time to breathe. To lay out and expand—in time, in space, in thoughts. Time to just enjoy being, for we are always doing something.
I miss reading, just for the sake of reading. I bought two Brené Brown books today on my e-reader and decided to just read during my two hour “lunch break.” No computer. No work. No planning. There are things that need to get done, but they can wait. I need to breathe again.
I need to remember what it feels like to stop.
To take breaks, and not always have to be “online” or getting things done. I remind myself that it’s the little things in life that often bring the simplest, but greatest joy.
So, since we’re talking about joy…here are a few of the things I’ve been enjoying lately:
- This chai tea with milk & honey is the perfect amount of warmth, spice and cozy sweetness on these cold, windy days we’ve been having lately
- The warmest, softest scarf I’ve ever had! And it’s so big, it’s almost like a small blanket. Perfect for burrowing into when I step outside into the frigid morning air.
- This men’s lambswool blend cardigan from UNIQLO (a fabulous Japanese clothing brand). I actually have two—one in olive and another in this speckled brown. They are so warm and versatile, I kind of just want to wear them every day. And it gets better…they even have pockets! Swoon!
- My turquoise Bern helmet with this winter knit liner that keeps my ears toasty warm and safe from the elements.
- These Manuka + Eucalyptus throat drops by Wedderspoon—and Manuka honey in general. How have I never discovered the wonders of this miracle honey before??
- Brené Brown. Okay, I know I’m sort of a latecomer with this…but I’ve only been hiding out in Asia for the last five years…and we’re pretty much in a bubble out here. I showed her two TED talks recently in my adult English courses and was so struck by her talks. Especially the one on vulnerability…I could go on, but more on that in another blog post ;)
- Lastly…homemade chicken soup (…and don’t forget the kimchi!). Doesn’t a little dose of homemade chicken soup just make everything a little better when you’re sick?
xo,
Mrs. Kim
Becoming Mrs. Kim 