I’m spending the last week of August on a solo trip to unwind and disconnect, but I spontaneously wrote this on my Notes app the weekend before I left. So here we are! I hope you enjoy reading.

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I hate to break it to you, but some days (or, I guess, most days, if we’re being honest), writing about journaling doesn’t excite me.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m well aware that I work in this industry, and I genuinely enjoy the process of documenting my life and travels in a notebook. I always say that if this wasn’t my job, I’d still be talking passionately about notebooks because they’ve been such an important part of my life since the moment I learned how to hold a pencil and put my thoughts and drawings onto paper.

And yet, every time I open a draft with the intention of sharing my journaling process, I just…blank out. And close my window. Oops!

Instead of trying to sugarcoat this post with a compelling reason why I love journaling, I think the easiest way to show you what I mean is through a video.

Here’s how I’ve been documenting my days with a Hobonichi Techo, why I’ve been keeping up with the habit for 3 years and counting, plus some personal picks for 2027.

Around this time of year, the stationery world is celebrating Hobonichi season. After all, the company does its annual daily drop of new collaborations and designs to watch out for as the sales begin on September 1.

Personally, I love seeing them, but my decisions have been pretty firm for the past few years—a Techo is all I need. And maybe for 2027, the Weeks is going back in rotation.

I think it’s also a good time to rethink systems and whether they work or don’t. Right now, I’m pretty okay with how I’m using my notebooks, with a little bit of tweaking and experimenting based on the season of life I’m in.

After tinkering with several iterations of how to manage my adult life (including keeping a planner), I figured I really needed a place to log my fitness and nutrition goals, and to streamline some of what I write in my monthly meeting entries. So the planning part is definitely getting a lot of changes, especially as I figure out things that I feel are important to take note of, and carving out a better system to make my life less overwhelming than it already is.

And now, this September, I’m taking a month-long intensive German class (yes, the language) for the first time ever. Immediately, my brain went, “What size and notebook should I be using to take notes?”—and that’s on being a notebook girly!

Have you been rethinking your own notebook systems this planner season?

I find that some things don’t work and that’s okay! And maybe they will work in the future but at the end of the day, I just need a space to organize my ideas and tasks so that they make sense in what I do and how I spend my time, energy, and attention.

Any Hobonichi 2027 favorites?

I’m loving the Colors collection (I’m looking at you, Canaria Yellow) and have a soft spot for the Suica Penguin collection (if I can make my way to Tokyo station this fall).

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If you’re also in a Techo Kaigi mood, here are a few related posts you might enjoy:

I don’t know if that combination makes sense at all, but it has been how I’ve been navigating work and life in Berlin and just recently, from a trip to New York.

Summer, so far, has been great. At 33, I thought I had reached past the age of finding delight in experiencing new things, but man, was I wrong. From building new friendships to bouts of inward growth, to learning to redefine what home means to me, I feel like I’m just starting to settle into a version of myself that I really love.

And now that we’re onto the second half of the season, I feel this insatiable pull to retreat to my own bubble, take time to nurture my creative practice, and be a full-on introvert—complete with being less available (to others) and more attuned to the work that’s right in front of me. I was hoping to be more diligent about this, complete with a “no phone” Sunday, but as someone who has friends in different timezones, that’s not entirely possible.

But I have been carving out time for introspection, and finding little ways to fill my creative cup. These are some of the things that have been sustaining and sparking my creative energy lately.

Starting a thinking notebook

While on a café date with Caro, she showed me her thinking notebook: a bright red Leuchtturm1917 notebook full of ideas she’s been brewing and threads she’s been weaving. This inspired me to start one of my own. And while the temptation to pick up a Leuchtturm notebook of my own is real (I live in Germany, anyway!), I decided to start small and use up a TRAVELER’S notebook insert instead.

My mornings now begin with what I call a “download”, which is simply writing down what’s in my head, finding connections, and organizing my thoughts on paper. It’s been freeing to do this; in a way, I am able to process ideas before they becomes tasks on my planner. I’m always so focused on what I’m doing that it’s clearly very important to also remember why I’m doing it.

Reading creative nonfiction

I’m no art school graduate, but I can definitely say that much of what I know about creative work and mindset has come from reading creative nonfiction books since I started my career a decade ago.

The same principle holds true many years later: I’m always finding ways to learn and get inspired from fellow artists, so I deemed this summer to be the summer of nonfiction. I’ve put together a stack of books I have to go through, but right now I’ve been reading both Art and Fear by David Bayles and Ted Orland, and Don’t Call It Art by Austin Kleon.

I’ve been a loyal reader of Austin Kleon’s writing (he’s the reason I made an account on Substack!) so it’s been wonderful diving back into his books (I’ve reread Show Your Work earlier this year). I’ve been diligently taking notes and been enjoying the process so far. Next up, I have Make Your Art No Matter What by Beth Pickens waiting on my Kindle as I gear up for a quick trip to Italy next week.

Going on a drawing day trip

I’m all for less logistics and more fun, so when my friend Char suggested we go on a drawing trip, it made sense for us to pack our bags, leave for Dresden at seven in the morning, go oooh and aaah over the beautiful architecture, get some drawing done, and head home just in time for sunset.

Plus, a day trip means less money to spend, fewer logistics to plan (finding a place to stay being one of them), and less friction when it comes to actually getting the drawing done. The time constraint is also a good limitation.

I shared more notes and the guidelines we set for the day trip here. I’d totally do it again!

Watching films that mirror life

While I pride myself on watching films regularly as one of my hobbies, I’ve admittedly fallen off that wagon since the springtime.

I decided to slowly make my way back by watching Ghibli films, starting with Only Yesterday. This is such an underrated gem of a film, and it admittedly took me three hours to finish (I went with the original Japanese audio with English subtitles), but I basked in the beauty of every shot and the mundanity of it all. It’s also perfect to watch in the summer!

The story revolves around Taeko Okajima, a 27-year-old Tokyo resident, as she heads to the countryside and reminisces about her childhood years. The nostalgia of the past blends beautifully with the reality of the present, as the film moves between different points in time and takes you along for the emotional journey.

I watched a video essay explaining the film, and I loved this phrase as a summary of Only Yesterday: self-discovery through rediscovery. (I definitely stole this phrase to make it the title of this post!)

Acknowledging and respecting how far I’ve come

I have absolutely no idea how or why, but I somehow got emails from two of my all-time favorite magazines about being featured around the same time, too. Hey, universe, I see what you are doing here…

I’m feeling extra grateful for these little surprises in my inbox. Answering the interview questions gave me a renewed sense of respect and appreciation for the work I’ve been doing all my life. In the process, I picked up my trusty Sharpie and Manila paper and updated my brand values and goals moving forward. Feels great!

Being an artist is hard! But deliberately choosing to walk this path has always been the way I’ve felt most like myself.

And doing these activities since I got back from a long trip has definitely restored my creative energy. More than that, they’ve reminded me that I’ve been doing these exact same things since my twenties—only now, in my thirties. Same same, but different.

It’s funny how I’ve been discovering that I keep going back to the person I was back then, just a little bit older and (maybe) wiser. I keep finding myself revisiting versions of my younger self, only to remember that I’m still the same person underneath it all.

As I develop a new Skillshare class (and figure out which class topic excites me from my never-ending list of ideas) and dive into the rest of my work for the year, I’m looking forward to seeing how everything connects and finds its way together.

How are the ways you’ve been nourishing your creative energy? I’d love to know!

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Recommended reading, from the archives:

I originally shared this on Patreon earlier this week. It's a recap of how my New York trip went as I take you through my week-long visit. I hope you enjoy following along!

This post may probably be cut off if you’re reading via your inbox—click “View entire message” to finish reading.

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It’s been more than a week since I’ve been back from my work trip to New York. This was my sixth visit to one of my favorite cities in the world, and yet it never fails to keep me on my feet. Coming back to a place where I first planted my ambitions always feels like a homecoming of sorts, and a reminder of how far I’ve come since then.

I always forget how mentally taxing an international work trip is. Between adjusting to the timezone and getting used to back-to-back classes, I find myself more and more intentional with where I put my time and energy. But overall, I’d like to think it was well spent.

I flew to New York on a Tuesday, just enough time to wrap up some pending work on Monday and fly out the day after (I’ve learned that flying on a Monday is not good for my anxiety).

Arriving in Brooklyn in the early afternoon, I waited for check-in, then headed to my niece’s birthday dinner, hosted by my cousin, who was in town the same time I was. I got to catch up with family from New York and some who flew in from Manila as well, which was a treat.

My roommate Michelle had a delayed flight, so I immediately knocked on Job’s door when I got back: the journaling besties reunite! We both screamed in unison when Michelle walked into the entrance of our hotel. These events give us a little fun excuse to reunite, and I always enjoy that part.

The next day was tech check and setup, but since I was an instructor, there wasn’t much I needed to do except look at the venue and get used to making my way there. This year’s fest was held at Industry City in Brooklyn, a complex with numerous buildings (the workshop space was in building 3). Getting to and from every building was cardio in itself; the marketplace was in building 7.

Three days of Stationery Fest went by so fast!

I chose morning classes so I could get them out of my schedule immediately and have extra time to rest (and explore the city). For some of my students, it turned out to be the perfect time to start the day before the shopping commenced.

I was relieved there was a TV set up this time, since it’s nearly impossible to explain everything while holding up and flipping journal pages for a class of 20. Except for the loud hammering at the TSL workshop (and that one random woman who walked into my class and told me to lower my voice, who was not my student, by the way), everyone was lovely, and I could feel the energy in the room in every class I taught.

“You’re hilarious!” a student, Jenn, told me after class. Honestly, the best compliment ever. I kept smiling as Kelly put out her Moomin plushie from NYBG (there’s a Moomin event running). Chris kept the energy going through the sleepy morning, just as his wife Wyona had warned me the day before: “If you see someone like me at your workshop tomorrow, that’s my husband!” Maggie wowed me with a color scheme that matched mine exactly, from outfit to choice of journal covers: my warm-colored twin! It was lovely meeting fellow Filipinos in the workshops too, with some Filipino sprinkled into conversation between classes.

At the marketplace, I managed to do some shopping for myself on a $100 budget. I started breaking my bill at Victoria’s table (Pouch Magazine). There was just so much to look at and go “so cute!” over. On the last day, Liz and I did one final round, which turned out to be a bad idea: who knew we’d be so quick to enable each other?

$100 budget for Stationery Fest

All in all, it was a fun experience being both teacher and attendee. Christine, my biz bestie, was starting to break down her booth, so we helped out to make sure she’d finish faster. We had dinner and ice cream with our fellow Filipino friends afterward, a nice breather and the perfect way to close out the three-day event.

Every evening, it was mandatory for me and Job to do our debriefs: just chatting about the day and catching up. Our last one ran past midnight, complete with the loudest laughs, new discoveries about ourselves (the hospital birth lore goes deeper), and endless jokes. This has been our tradition since our first show together (SF Pen Show 2023), and I’m going to miss it, since this was our last one for the year.

The days after the fest were set aside for downtime and catching up with friends. It was great to finally get out of “fest brain,” after months of it looming in my head. I moved to my cousin’s apartment in Clinton Hill, a new neighborhood for me to explore (I loved it). I made sure to wander parts of Brooklyn I hadn’t been to before, since I’ve mostly stuck to places like DUMBO, Williamsburg, and Greenpoint in the past.

From meeting my best friend in law for lunch and sitting in the park talking about life abroad, to hanging out with Caro after months of Google Meets calls (finally!), I had so many conversations with friends about identity, family, belonging, making it work as a creative, and finding meaning in all of it. It still amazes me that I can connect with people on this side of the world, considering I only see them once a year. These friendships are for keeps, and I’m grateful to keep nurturing them from afar.

The second half of my trip made room for more reflection, me-time, and mental space to figure out what’s next for me. It’s been a fairly pensive summer, and I think it’s been a good one. I texted a friend saying, “Learning so many new things about myself this trip,” which only means the growth never stops.

On my last full day, I decided to cosplay as a true New Yorker. My cousin had asked me to drop off some returns at USPS, so I did. From there I headed to Radio Bakery, delighted to see the sign (made by Noble Signs!) in person, having just watched the NYT Cooking documentary about it recently. I picked my favorite, brown butter cornbread, tried a garlic knot, and got a turkey pesto sandwich to go.

Eventually, I made my way to Prospect Park. I sat on a bench, finished my pastries, ate my packed yogurt and fruit, and soaked in a New York summer (one of the few sunny days while I was there). On the way back I stopped at a cafe for the AC, had an oat latte on tap, kept drawing, and made my way home.

My last evening brought me back to Greenpoint, where it all started. Three summers ago, I taught workshops at Yoseka, and in the US, for the first time; that was the first of many more to come. This time, I collaborated with the Yoseka team on a casual evening of conversation—Get Chatty with Abbey, a format I’d been wanting to try, inspired by design talks I used to attend in my early twenties.

As I opened the door to Yoseka Land, memories rushed back from the first time I stepped into Yoseka Stationery in Greenpoint, just across from this fairly new event space. I squealed when I saw Daisy (I’d missed her entirely during the fest), and we caught up while there was extra time to set up. The friends and close ties I’ve made along the way are the most rewarding part of this job, and Daisy is definitely one of them. “I’m so happy to hear you’re happy with your life now,” she told me. I keep forgetting how rough things used to be, and how good they’ve become.

We hosted a small group of attendees, and it turned into more of an informal talk show, complete with laughs and “you heard it here first!” moments. It was such a refreshing event for me: the questions the audience asked weren’t the usual ones. We talked about freelancing, the difficulty of moving and starting a business abroad, career longevity, life outside the journaling bubble, and more. I felt completely comfortable being candid that evening, and I owe it to the safe space the group and Yoseka Land provided.

The event ended at 8pm, just in time for me to catch the sunset at WNYC Transmitter Park.

It was short but sweet, the kind of moment I file away in my “remember this” folder. In 2024, as I closed out the first Stationery Fest, I caught the sunset from the ferry, also in perfect timing. It felt like a parting gift New York always gives me before I leave. At this point, I’d call it tradition.

As I flew back home to Berlin the next day, a wave of relief washed over me. I love New York. I’ve dreamed of living there before, played out plenty of what-ifs over the past few years since my first visit. But I never felt the call to actually move, and I think that window has passed. I’m happy to visit, to carve out time to see the city on my own terms, at a pace that feels comfortable to me.

And for the first time ever, my heart burst with pure joy as I turned the key to my own apartment, on a Thursday at 9 in the morning, back in the city I chose to call home instead. Feeling extremely happy and content with exactly where I am right now.

I carry with me fond memories of a transformative, reflective week in New York, and I look forward to spending the rest of my summer back in the city that welcomes me with open arms.

Thanks for reading!

If you’d like to see how my week in New York went, here’s a video diary I filmed during my time there.

More New York + Stationery Fest exclusives are coming this August 🍎 Hope to see you at the Creative Growth Club!

• $100 budget at Stationery Fest → $3+

• NY journal flip thru → $3+

• NY digital PDF → $7+

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Today I’m sharing a few entries from my pocket notebook. It’s become my favorite way to record the little moments that have (so far) made this summer feel so memorable. I hope you enjoy reading.

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If there was one thing I told myself I’d do this year, it was to enjoy my summer—and find ways to feel alive in that given moment in time.

Since moving to Berlin four years ago, I’ve always viewed summer as escape. Everyone’s on holiday mode, and most days the city is pretty empty (except for when it’s really sunny out and everyone, I mean everyone, is out dining al fresco or basking in sunshine at the park). I took it as a sign to escape, as well—I traveled frequently (to the US), initially for leisure, and eventually for work. I am incredibly grateful for my international teaching opportunities, one that allows me to teach classes, meet new people, and most of all, get to see my long distance friends and family.

This year, however, I deliberately decided against it. Instead of going to multiple cities on my annual US tour (as I call it), I booked an international work trip to New York, and made sure I’d be in Berlin for a huge chunk of my summer. My non-negotiable so far this year was that I’d never be away for more than 10 days at a time.

Don’t get me wrong. The guilt eats me alive. But you’re already in the US, Abbey! Why not make a longer trip out of it?

But so is the guilt of not being in my own home, enjoying the simple pleasures of my daily routine, and making the most out of my Berlin summer.

I spent the last two months recording details of my daily life in a pocket notebook. Field Notes1 sent me their Explore America series which boasts of beautifully illustrated covers of iconic national parks that scream summer. I picked the Muir Woods cover and paired it with my Moomin Energel pen and started jotting things down. I’m happy to report that it’s been such a bright spot to my week, carving out a few minutes a day to reflect on these moments and flip through them if I want to revisit it.

I truly believe that there is beauty and delight in the mundane, and so here are some entries I wrote inside my summer log. They are not in any particular order, and are snippets of how I record my days.

Every time I feel like my work is going nowhere, the universe continues to tell my otherwise. I almost missed an email to be profiled in an upcoming book from an editor I admire, and once I opened it, I burst into tears for a good five minutes. After weeks of back and forth picking photos and answering the questionnaire, I crossed my fingers and hit send.

The 1975 on repeat while cleaning this morning

I had a great day with Keish. I don’t do labels, but she really is my Berlin bestie.

“Can we just sit here and look at the trees, please?” I asked Char as we finished our lunch at the Saturday weekend market and sat at the nearby park.

Grabbing cans of cold tea and chilled tofu from the Asian market on the way home as I had a 1 hour debrief with mom

AC in the ringbahn on a very hot day

"To walk within the lines
Would make my life so boring."
—"Anything but Ordinary," Avril Lavigne

I look forward to my weekly walks at my new favorite park. Two hours of uninterrupted time: sometimes I have a playlist on, I’m talking in my tiny mic, or I’m calling mom. Sometimes it’s just me and the quiet comforts of nature as I think and process my emotions. It’s massive enough that I can never finish the entire route during my walks. But there’s always something new to discover.

Earlier this summer, I had a crush. This happens once every few years, by the way. It’s so silly typing it out now, but that period was a time.

I wrote a “practical benefits of having a crush” list as recommended by a friend. It’s funny how I listed down so many things I’ve been neglecting for 33 years: looking at the mirror and realizing I am actually beautiful (as someone who rarely tells that to herself), singing my heart out every single day (yes, Taylor Swift songs were on repeat, I Think He Knows in particular), and making an effort to look good for me. The crush era has ended, but also, thank goodness! Did you know how much I lacked sleep during that month? Brutal. Never again. *laughs in my thirties*

My 50th strength workout at Lifted! Coach Meg gave me a chocolate bar as a sweet gift (she’s the best). Nothing compares to the post-workout endorphins and feeling strong enough to carry my things. What’s a 23kg suitcase when I can do a 40kg RDL?

Nailing my color scheme and vision for August mail, and that split second of looking and admiring my work after finishing (also, matchy nails)

There was a week that I was truly going through it. Wise words from friends:

“Everyone is just winging it.” - KB

“Life is great!” - KM

Side quests with V: customizing our UNIQLO x BVG shirts, picking up popcorn at Knalle (and trying out all the flavors), bagels on a Sunday morning (complete with overpriced drinks that tasted so bad)

An acquaintance turned friend telling me, “Abbey, I think we met in a past life…” to which I responded, “Isn’t it such perfect timing I walked into your life?”. Touché.

Laughing on cue with Sop, who visited for a few days. We’ve known each other for almost a decade so our humor is always in sync. I thank my lucky stars she is in my life, as a sister and good friend.

Dinners at my balcony. The first was pizzas with H, and he pointed out the two birds on the tree near my apartment building (that I notice almost every day now). The second was with Sop, where we gagged at some of the candy we got from the pick and mix counter. “I hate this chewy texture!”, she blurted out several times. I couldn’t stop laughing.

Found out that I’m not yet ready to date or be in a romantic relationship (honestly, I’m terrified) and that’s perfectly okay. What a relief, really. In my own time!

Working with people who just get it and sees the same creative vision as you, aka the reason I love my job

Recolored my Google calendar to Shrek colors because I have free will, and the red deadlines were triggering—another reason I love my job

Reconnecting and catching up with my cousin and close friend, and talking about navigating life through big changes. I’m learning to value the people coming back into my life and holding space for rekindling these relationships.

Freshly showered after dinner, lying on my bed, with the TV on as I pick a movie to watch to wind down in the evening.

Opening a bit of my windows past midnight and the cool air wafting in as I’m covered in my blanket (peak)

Deciding to walk for half an hour instead of taking the tram, putting on the usual Indie Faves playlist while I breathe in the fresh air, after a serving of Saveur de Banh Mi that I devoured at the park I used to frequent near my old apartment

Started to play the guitar again. Grabbing it in the middle of a busy work sprint, playing some chords. A little self jam session; it feels nice—quick reset to shift gears, and a reminder that I am still the same girl when I was sixteen.

Being in the same season of life as the people I choose to be part of my life, and that the older I get, the smaller this circle becomes.

Realizing I don’t owe anyone an explanation. They can have their own narrative of who I am and what I’m made of, but the story I tell myself is what matters most.

Finally nailed stuff on the wall and put up the Yayoi Kusama exhibition poster. Happy apartment anniversary!

Coming home to my apartment, and eventually, coming home to myself.

How are you documenting your summer? I’d love to know.

As much as I love writing, summer is my favorite time to make video diaries.

Here’s a week of sun and socials as I share with you how it’s been building a life in Berlin:

At a young age, I was led to believe there was only one way to live my life.

Growing up in a Chinese-Filipino household simply meant I had to conform to a list of requirements, in this specific order:

• go to school (must be one with Chinese as part of its curriculum)

• get good grades (preferably or at least with honors)

• get a degree (must be business related, in a distinguished university—we all know DLSU1 takes the top spot for this)

• take over the family business (or start a business that is viably acceptable for Chinese-Filipino standards)

• marry within the Chinese-Filipino community2 (this includes a list of other requirements that’s too much to enumerate, one being both families have to have their own businesses and be financially stable)

• buy a house (or a piece of land, and construct a house on said property)

• start a family (preferably give birth to a boy to carry the family name)

If these requirements weren’t fulfilled, expect looks of disappointment at the next family reunion.

In hindsight, having those expectations put on me gave me a direction to move through my life and have a rough image on what it could look like. Or so I thought.

It wasn’t until my twenties—fresh out of college, that I unexpectedly forged my own path, and never stopped.

I was always making art during recess and lunch break—doodling at the back of my notebook, writing announcements on the chalkboard, starting a new sketch so I could fill it up with colors and patterns when I got home. It was either that, or I was busy working through a project due that day, or reviewing for an exam. I was an okay student; I got good grades and didn’t really feel the need to strive for a perfect score every time.

In school, I never really stood out. I wasn’t part of the “cool kids” circle, even if I had a knack for creativity. Other students in my batch were more extroverted and outgoing than me anyway, and lacking those qualities hindered my talents from being highlighted in our school performances. I took it as a sign to build a richer life outside of the four walls of the classroom, so I indulged in my time at home the most—specifically in front of our family PC.

Outside of school, I found myself either drawing away in my sketchbook or in the depths of the World Wide Web. From the moment my cousin introduced me to Google in 2005 and helped me make my first email address (on Yahoo!), I was glued to the computer screen and never looked back. Back then, the Internet was such a novelty. I’d spend hours perusing through websites, reading blogs, eventually starting my own, and connecting with creative folks around the world. The possibilities felt endless yet powerful.

University was the first time I felt like I had some agency over the direction I was headed, even if it took me a while to find it. Shifting my degree to Advertising Management3 felt like a small but significant act of trusting my gut, and made way for possibilities I never thought I would have. I came out of my shell, found my people, and for the first time, the path I was carving started to feel like mine.

By the time I graduated, I had already been juggling freelance work alongside my studies and a day job in an advertising agency. Things moved quickly from there: a book deal, more projects than I could manage, and a decision I couldn't keep putting off. I wanted to know what would happen if I gave these things my full time, energy, and attention.

So I did, and dropped out of the Chinese-Filipino requirements list, to the dismay of my ancestors.

I remember waking up every day with a zest for life, filled with opportunities I had only dreamed of. I landed my first book deal and became an author at 22, started working with international publishers at 25, and freelance projects kept pouring in. I was booked, busy, and loved it.

As I navigated this unconventional path at a young age, the Internet became a default sounding board. It provided a space for me to share my progress and find community. Eventually, it also became a place where I was constantly being watched and perceived. I was, for the lack of a better term, famous. I was a public figure!

Did I like it? Secretly, I did for a time. I had hoped it would bring some sort of validation with how I viewed myself. It didn't. I measured my productivity and self-worth by strangers on the Internet, relied heavily on their approval, and in doing so, discredited all the hard work I did to get to this point and left no room for growth and self-reflection. In hindsight, maybe it was because I never felt like I fit in the Chinese-Filipino mould and wanted to prove that this was a viable path, despite it being different.

While my career soared in my twenties, it was all a gamble. I sacrificed parts of my creativity for the sake of making money, and my life became an endless cycle of constantly being visible online and offline. The insecurity of not knowing if any of it would last only fed a restless curiosity to try everything, literally. I wore several hats, traveled extensively, spent time away from home, and kept searching for what else was out there for me.

As work consumed a huge part of my identity, I channeled my inner Hannah Montana4 and only considered Hannah to be the credible part of myself, and not the Miley part. The version of me that existed outside of a job title felt like a stranger. I had no personal life. I was mostly working, anyway. I remember thinking I wasn’t as interesting as a person, if not for my job. It became this invisible armour that shielded me from getting to know myself outside of “Abbey Sy”.

As I entered my thirties, I thought I would have everything figured out by now. And then came the realization that I was still referring to the requirements list for some sort of structure and guidance, even when no one asked me to. By its measure, I was completely behind. I'm currently single, working freelance, living abroad, and renting an apartment.

But what that list doesn’t account for is everything else. A career that took off beyond what I had imagined (and still going strong, ten years and counting). The growing pains of dreaming big and outside the confines of what I thought was possible. The constant search of who I want to be, where I want to go and how I want to get there. All because I had an ambition and would not stop until I got there.

For the first time, I am beginning to understand who I am beyond my job description, and I'm learning to appreciate the person I am still becoming. I show up online not to prove anything anymore. Social media is part of my life and integral to my work, but it no longer holds the same power over me that it once did. It's still a work in progress, but I'm happy to report that I'm taking it one step at a time.

Moving to a foreign city was the first truly selfish choice I made for myself, and I don't regret it. I thought a new place would make me feel like I finally belonged somewhere. It didn't. Belonging was never somewhere I could arrive at. It was something I had to find within myself.

While writing this, I did something I had never done before. I called my mom to ask her if she had any expectations or disappointments having me as a daughter. I braced myself for the answer, thinking she would finally admit how much I had let her down.

But what she said surprised me.

She told me that all she ever wanted was for us to have good grades, be responsible and kind, and by that measure, we had all delivered. “I think me and papa have good genes,” of course she had to blurt that out, love that. She eventually accepted the path I chose, as she saw how happy I've become. And she definitely has no problem accepting all the compliments her friends give her about her daughter.

When I asked if not completing the list would make me less Fil-Chi, she said what mattered more to her was whether I embodied the values: respect, kindness, and yes, speaking Hokkien, which I am proud to still speak. The things that actually carry the culture forward. And when I brought up still being single, a back and forth we've had for years, she simply said, "You'll find your person in your own time, and I believe that."

I had spent years measuring myself against something I thought came from her or the Chinese-Filipino auntie lurking around the family reunion. Turns out, the strictest version of that voice was always my own.

Maybe the only list worth following is the one my heart tells me.

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Author’s note

For years, I measured my life against a list I never chose for myself, and lamented everything I hadn’t ticked off. Even as I celebrated a decade of my creative career last year, I found myself questioning my choices. I was getting tired of that voice. Because deep down, I know this is really as good as it gets, and the only way to live this life fully is to remember how I got here, and trust that it’s a perfectly acceptable road to take. If I don’t trust myself enough, how would I allow myself to live the life I want and deserve?

This piece was written as part of Ouroboros, a writing workshop led by my good friend . What started as an essay on repairing my relationship with myself shapeshifted into something entirely different. It was equal parts scary and cathartic writing this. I was in tears as I called my mom to know what she really thought about all this. Thanks to Caro and the Ouroboros group for providing a safe space during its early stages. I feel so vulnerable putting this on a public space like Substack, but I knew it needed to be here.

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All Mulan screencaps are property of Walt Disney Pictures.

I can’t believe we’re six months into 2026 and it’s summer.

I genuinely don’t know where the time went. You’re telling me it’s now 30 degrees while it was just 5 degrees a few months ago?! Time is weird. It’s a social construct.

Usually this is the time of year where I check in on my journals, and I definitely thought about writing that in this post. Instead, you can watch it here.

In the spirit of posterity, I’m writing about the small things that made up the first half of my year. I’ll be honest, I write these mostly for myself, so I can look back on past Abbey and reminisce. Here’s how it’s been from January to June this year…

📺 TV

I started the year watching Heated Rivalry after much convincing by Keisha (on my birthday week!) and finishing Stranger Things, just as my TV was set up in my bedroom. Honestly, cute boys on my TV? I ain’t complaining (yes, I still have a huge crush on Joe Keery). Kidding aside, love both and I admittedly got sucked into the HR rabbit hole on social media. I enjoyed People We Meet on Vacation, even if I haven’t read the novel. Swoon!

Towards springtime, I caught up on the latest season of Shrinking, and it didn’t disappoint. This feels like the definition of a comfort comedy for me, and I enjoyed spending my introvert Sundays winding down and watching episodes.

Koko suggested Rooster as it was written by Bill Lawrence (of Ted Lasso and Shrinking), so I renewed my HBO Max subscription as it coincided with the final season of Hacks. I sobbed so much; it was such a great ending to an amazing show (please watch it). Simultaneously, I was curious about Lena Denham as her memoir just came out, so I started watching Girls.

I don’t know what to feel about Girls. But I made it past season four and I enjoy putting it on while I cook or fold my laundry, so that’s got to count for something, right? Also, New York in the 2010s was truly a time (don’t get me started on the music, it’s great).

🎬 Film

My brother and I watched Sentimental Value in the cinema and I loved it. I’m a fan of Joachim Trier’s films, and I’m hoping to check out Oslo August 31st and his other work (The Worst Person in the World is part of my four favorites on Letterboxd).

During Berlinale, I attended a talk with Olivier Bugge Coutté (editor) and Eskil Vogt (writer) on collaborating with Joachim Trier for Sentimental Value. That same week, I watched Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (I loved) and Enjoy Your Stay (this was stressful).

Gabs, my fellow pop culture and film girly, stayed over and we spent Friday and Saturday binge watching some Oscar noms, in this order: Marty Supreme, Train Dreams, and Sinners (in the morning). I can’t tell you how many times G & I screamed (and wanted to give up) while watching Marty Supreme—it was good but definitely not for me. I loved Train Dreams, and Sinners was a masterpiece.

In recent months, the most I remember is watching The Emperor’s New Groove (for the first time ever…omg, so good) and Hoppers (this was really cute and location was inspired by Yellowstone National Park). Last weekend, I rewatched Cars for its 20th anniversary! Kachow.

Not many movies this year, but it’s okay! I try to keep myself updated with upcoming releases but I don’t find myself resonating with some titles.

📚 Books

The reading bug didn’t quite hit this year until April!

I read Emma Gannon’s Table for One, continued with Lily King’s Heart the Lover, and just wrapped up Rainbow Rowell’s Cherry Baby. All good reads, though I think I need a break from fiction after this.

I spotted a copy of Conversations on Love by Natasha Lunn at Keisha and Glo’s desk, and asked to borrow it. Eventually, I found myself annotating so many pages that Keish kindly gifted it to me. I felt so seen reading it, and it allowed me to look at love not just through the typical romantic lens, but also through how it’s prevalent in many forms. I don’t know if I’ve ever been “in love” in the sense of the word, but reading through this book (I’m halfway) has offered so much perspective on what love could be and how it can exist in my life.

🎵 Music

Not much to report on the music front, but Homewrecker by sombr has been on repeat since February (so catchy). I've been having an emo pop punk renaissance lately (Fall Out Boy, The Maine, Sum 41, Yellowcard, Paramore), and I'm back on my Taylor Swift rotation after a year off.

This summer I'm picking up the guitar again, so naturally I've been revisiting songs I used to play in high school. Looking at you, Thunder!

I'm so excited to see Djo perform live later this year, in Italy! Remember my huge crush on him that I keep mentioning? Checks out.

🎨 Creative Practice

I’m so glad I started the year cutting my work hours in half (for a few weeks). I wanted to focus on furnishing my apartment and making time for side quests, which turned out to be a bright spot in the grey winter days.

Once spring came trickling in, I started a sketchbook practice. I don’t update it every day, but it’s been a fun creative exercise I keep myself accountable with. It’s definitely an exercise in paying attention as most of the subjects I draw are from what I saw in my walks.

Apart from restarting my creative practice, I’ve been deep in some interesting art rabbit holes, starting with this post. I watched video essays on UPA, and recently found myself digging into Otl Aicher and his remarkable work for the Munich Olympics.

Turns out he also designed the Sparkasse logo (it’s a German bank, I have an account there). I went even further and read about Erik Spiekermann and his contribution to everyday German life—Deutsche Bahn’s branding and wayfinding.

All of these rabbit holes inspired me to start a digital garden, a place to write everything down from my deep dives into design, art movements, and the creatives I keep discovering. My Stockholm trip played a big part in this process, and it’s slowly becoming a little archive of things I find interesting.

🇩🇪 Life in Berlin

I turned 33 in January, on a cold and rainy Wednesday. Thanks, Berlin.

I started my day with a yoga class, then went on a solo museum date at Berlinische Galerie, window shopped for a TV, baked my cake the night before, and invited Gabs and Venice for a simple dinner (I made salmon and hoisin garlic noodles). It was simple, just the way I like it.

I still love cooking, albeit it definitely dwindled down after my tooth extraction which made me extremely sad. Glad that I’m back to my usual cadence—I started meal prepping breakfast (this is on rotation) and trying new recipes (from NYT Cooking, my favorite subscription ever as an adult). Baking is on pause, but I’m thinking of trying new cookie recipes now that it’s picnic season and I have an excuse to share.

My biggest win as of recent times is I go to strength class twice a week now! I didn’t plan it that way, but somehow the habit stuck, which I love. I think it’s a big reason my mental health has been feeling more regulated than usual.

I found two coaches whose classes I enjoy, and will make an effort to commute around the city for. I think that’s a plus, and that I get to spend time with friends while working out (I just realized after typing this that almost everyone I’m close to goes to the same workout, lol).

On the home front, wee! It’s coming together. I finally got a TV and ordered my dream TV stand from Tylko. I moved things around so I now have a really nice and cozy reading corner in my bedroom. So many firsts! I’m so happy to see everything come together.

My office is looking so good. I got myself a scanner for the first time ever and it’s a game changer (I now have scanned journal pages as part of my rewards—it’s so fun to put together). And I finally convinced myself to get a coffee grinder so my daily filter brew tastes great, which means, lesser trips to the cafe!

Also, my apartment turns a year old in July. I love living here! I’m so grateful and still can’t believe I live in this apartment and neighborhood in a city I love. I never take this for granted.

🎢 Highs & Lows

My brother visited Berlin last February, on one of the coldest weeks of the year! It was so nice to spend time with him as it was his first time in the city (and I got to host him). We watched movies, of course, and went to museums, coffee shops, and cooked a lot. I miss him! He’s now living in Japan so I’m considering visiting him later this year.

I had this very pensive period that started after I had my wisdom tooth extracted mid-March up until early May. It was so uncomfortable but looking back at it now, I definitely needed to sit with my feelings, come to terms with it, and move forward (nothing too bad, just the usual existential dread I have every now and then).

I remember ranting to my friends saying, “Why is everyone married?!? 😠” because I was feeling extremely lonely and uncomfortable with myself for a while. Still am, but I can feel it wear off as I become more comfortable with where I am in this season of my life.

On the topic of marriage, my best friend asked me to be her Maid of Honor! I’m so honored (pun intended).

This is the second time I’m doing MOH duties (last year it was for my sister). I have to get started on designing the wedding monogram this month as she ties the knot in Manila this October. This is going to be such a special time—I love her so much and I’m so excited for this new chapter for her and her partner.

Some really great things at work: taught a journaling workshop at Modulor, went to Chicago for Chicago Stationery Fest as we launched this sticker book, and rebranded my Patreon to Creative Growth Club.

I also updated my website—working on it gave me a much clearer picture of who I am and where I’m headed. Oh, and getting into the Skillshare Top Teacher program and Patreon Creator Ambassadors Program in the same week was a full-circle moment I didn’t see coming. Long term projects are also taking shape this summer! So, so incredibly grateful that things are moving.

🌞 Summer Plans

My big summer goal is I just want to spend it with people I love and care about, and in the city (of course, day trips permitted). I want to take long park walks in the sweltering heat and cool off in the shade. I want to spot all the Komorebi moments as I put one foot in front of the other. I want it to feel like a movie except it’s my life and it’s amazing in every way that it is and could be.

I yearn for never ending conversations and for quality time. For days that flow into weeks that will give me reasons to feel the most alive. I want to draw, write, take photos, film, capture these moments as much as I can, and remember how good I can have it. I hope I can soak it all in and allow myself to have a proper Berlin summer, whatever that means for me.

And no work on Saturdays.

Happy summer everyone! I hope you savor the season, soak up the sun, and carve out time for creative pursuits. What are you up to now that the warmer months are here?

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Credits: cover photo by Jenny Peñas for my website

I had just come back from a few days in Stockholm, mostly to renew my creative energy and find inspiration outside my studio.

It was an amazing four days. But with every trip comes this sense of urgency I somehow have—that time is passing so quickly, and I have made no progress at work.

The next days were blurry (and admittedly scary). I went to bed last Tuesday whining to myself saying, “I didn’t even get to sit on my couch today!” which meant I was busy all day drawing and in a meeting. On Wednesday, I was lying on the couch while Keisha was busy taking back-to-back meetings on my desk. It was a forced day off, after not getting enough sleep the night before, my period coming in at the most unholy hour, and suffering through a nauseous episode and sharp pain in my stomach (I swear, I really thought something burst). In the middle of all of this, I also hopped into back-to-back meetings at work and had to process a lot of new information, which added to the mental blur of the week.

It’s finally Friday as I’m typing this, and happy to report that I managed to make my way to my desk, feeling a little bit more stable, head a tiny bit clearer, and ready to tackle the rest of my to do list.

Construction updates

I was in a pensive place last month, going through a lot of rebuilding and restructuring. Construction is still ongoing, and my job remains a work in progress.

June started with some small wins, but it all passed me by as I’ve been feeling this ebb and flow of work and life and the constant uncertainties that come with it. But two things can be true, right? So I’m allowing myself to celebrate the good bits as well, because I can (and life is short).

I’m happy to share that I finished updating my website. It was a spontaneous idea to finish the task in two weeks, but I’m glad I did. It kept me excited to work towards a deadline—and then head to Stockholm the week after!

It’s pretty much live, but I don’t like promoting it as much as it’s never going to be finished. I plan to populate it with posts that would be helpful and educational (and an excuse to find ideas from my archive), and trickle in some fun stuff down the line. I want to share my process about rebuilding my website soon, once I get back to my usual writing cadence.

In teaching news, I recently got promoted to Top Teacher on Skillshare! I still can’t believe I’m typing this, as I started my career as a student on the platform.

I’m truly grateful to my students and the Skillshare team for recognizing and supporting my work. It feels like a full circle moment, and also just the beginning of my journey as a teacher.

Hello, goodbye

One of my goals this Q2 was to replace my iPhone 13 Pro. I kept migrating the task of reserving and picking up a new phone at an Apple Store because, admittedly, I hate adapting to new tech.

In the true spirit of procrastination, I waited until I got back from Stockholm to set up my iPhone 17 Pro (in Cosmic Orange, of course). After the transfer process, I was logged out of all my accounts, had to reactivate Apple Pay and sign in, among other things. As my new phone stared back at me, I glared at the glassy skin-esque interface of iOS 26. But alas, such are the times, and adapting is key.

I had also traded in and bid farewell to my phone of five years. That phone saw me through huge life changes, a breakup, and moving abroad. I finally went back to the store earlier this week to drop it off for recycling. A little bittersweet, but honestly, I don’t know how I survived with 128GB all this time.

The irony of switching phones is that I’ve kept Instagram off mine for the past three weeks. It started as a test but felt more like a break, as I realized how much time I’ve been spending scrolling and posting instead of creating.

I’ve also reached my annual I’m in a posting funk phase. I’ve written about it here before and have seriously considered quitting social media altogether and focusing on growing my existing communities. It seems like I tend to make rash decisions lately and it’s a reminder to let things cook first, before I take action.

But who am I kidding? I’m not ashamed to admit that my creative business thrives when I share on social media. Probably not through short-form content, but through other meaningful ways that connect and inspire. After all, I’m putting my Advertising degree to good use, and I’m a proud Woman in SPAM (although I like to keep my content intentional and not literally spam you, okay?).

And yes, I did end up redownloading Instagram, with time limits and set rules. Anyway, I’ve been busy playing Peko Pop1 every evening, so there’s no scrolling for sure…for now.

A Berlin summer

My hot take (pun intended) is that summer is actually my favorite season. Iced drinks, cold noodles, peak energy (well, I hate that I don’t get enough sleep though)—it’s the season I feel the most like myself and the most alive.

I used to schedule a ton of travel and was always in the US for half of the season, but this year I finally decided against it, except for a work trip to New York. I owe it to myself to have a Berlin summer, whatever that means (for me). I just want to enjoy the normal days, the ones that don’t require too much planning or second-guessing. I love doing my work blocks in my studio. I love going to my workouts to start and end the week. I love cooking in my tiny kitchen while blasting music I sing along to. I love putting a movie on while I bury my face in the mountain of pillows on my bed. I love seeing friends and going to the farmers’ market on weekends. I am truly in my thirties and embracing every bit of it.

In my head, a Berlin summer is one where I can take my time, savor every bit of sun, go on long walks, and celebrate the present moment, no matter how messy life gets. It’ll also be exactly a year since I moved into my own apartment, and I think that alone is worth celebrating.

Oh, and no more working Saturdays, please, Abbey. Please. It can wait until Monday.

I just realized it’s New Moon this weekend. No wonder I’ve been deep cleaning and introspection these past days. I haven’t cracked open my journal this week yet, but I should definitely get to writing.

An introvert weekend is what I’ve planned so far, and I’ve been slowly working through the small tasks I’ve been neglecting at home (like clearing that one messy table, iykyk). The midyear Techo Kaigi is also on my schedule next week and is very much in the works!

I hope you take some time to settle into the warmer days too.

P.S. The title is a mantra I put on this year’s vision board and a little homage to my Pisces rising. I do sometimes wish I were less emotional and sensitive, and of course I blame it on my chart. But what if I learned to embrace these feelings instead of pushing them away? My Capricorn Sun is shaking, I’m telling you.

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More pensive posts I’ve been enjoying writing lately:

In this post, I’m sharing about my love for media, and how that became a part of my journaling practice, and eventually, an idea that sparked the development of my new class.

If you love TV, films, books, and music, keep reading 📺

As someone who documents her life and travels regularly, I often gravitate towards writing about not just my day, but also what I've watched, read, or listened to (okay, mostly what I've watched).

I don’t remember exactly when this journaling habit picked up, but my love for media has been ongoing for a decade now.

When I was working on my second book (about journaling), my book team members were all in their thirties and forties (I was in my early twenties). Over dinner, they started discussing films by John Hughes (Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club) and Nora Ephron (You’ve Got Mail, When Harry Met Sally…)—directors I had not known of, and of course, the frequent mention of Wes Anderson, as his film, The Grand Budapest Hotel, was making waves around that time.

It was then that I found myself deep in the trenches of films I never thought I would discover: coming-of-age stories, visually engaging worlds, and narratives that felt strangely familiar. From indie darlings like Submarine to cult classics like Juno1 and (500) Days of Summer, I lived in my film bubble and kept myself busy with my book deadline with a film constantly playing in the background.

Years and several flights later, my library of watched films has grown, and I always looked forward to boarding a plane knowing there would be a new collection of movies waiting for me. Looking back, I’m not sure watching from a tiny seatback screen was ideal, but I found a strange kind of comfort in long-haul flights through films.

Time traveling through film

During the pandemic, like most of us, I was glued to the TV (well, in my case, my monitor) and finally decided to watch Mad Men. Around the same time, The Queen’s Gambit had just aired on Netflix, and I guess you could say I time-traveled to the sixties in 2020.

I’ve always had a fondness for Mad Men as someone with an Advertising degree, and I obviously have a soft spot for anything set in New York, so I was immediately drawn in.

This was also my first attempt at documenting what I watched because I wanted to remember more than just the films and shows themselves. I wanted to remember how much I enjoyed the experience of watching them:

A few years later, I moved to Berlin. It was the beginning of spring, and since I had a lot of time on my hands, I did two things: I watched a lot of films in the cinema (it was a five minute walk from where I lived at that time), and I decided to start a media journal.

A media what?

A media journal is a personal space where you track, reflect on, and creatively document the media you consume.

It does more than simply logging what you’ve watched or read. It’s a way to capture your thoughts, emotions, and inspirations, helping you better understand what resonates with you and why. In a way, it is a form of memory-keeping.

For a while, I kept up with a dedicated media journal (I used a Hobonichi Plain Notebook, A6 size). After all, I did have so much time on my hands, and loved playing around with stationery, fountain pen inks, and printers that would suit my journaling practice.

Spoiler alert: I didn’t finish it!

Halfway through the journal, it started getting chunky and increasingly difficult to write in. I had a very specific layout for where I pasted photos, so you can imagine how awkward the whole thing became. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the most ergonomic system. Oops.

Instead, I resorted to dedicating pages in my journals to track my media consumption, as I think it coincides a lot with specific seasons and/or the mundanity of my daily life. Like yes, of course I am rewatching The Bear after my trip to Chicago. No brainer.

Downsizing and Experimenting

Over the years, I kept watching (more) films and TV shows, and for a while, shared essays and reviews here on Substack, before I renamed it to Documented (previously Scene Selection2). While I love writing essays, I found it too tiring to write about media that way. I’d leave it to the pros3 for my regular fix of video essays, and I’m just happy to share a sentence or two about what I watched and how I found it.

I resorted back to my analog ways, and while I have recorded media diligently, it was never in one place. I experimented on formats to see how frequent I would document in a specific period of time.

I tried using a passport size, and eventually, an A5 size (I used Everyday Explorers Co’s Quarter Journal—the perfect layout!). Eventually, I also filled my TRAVELER’s notebook inserts with the occasional media update.

In the spirit of downsizing (I mean this size wise, not by number of notebooks), I assigned my MD A7 notebook to be my hyperfixation log. I haven’t found a proper name for it, but my obsession with Heated Rivalry at the start of the year led me to start this fun, little (ha!) journaling practice.

Because of its compact size, I’ve been updating it as frequently as I can. Setting small rules (like using fewer stickers or stationery) has definitely helped simplify the process, and with the limited space, I don’t spend hours updating every piece of media I track, which leaves more room for writing and reviewing.

My media journaling practice may have evolved over time, but one thing’s for sure: I’ll always be chatty about what I’m currently watching, and I’d love to hear your recommendations, whether it’s films, TV shows, books, music, or even podcasts.

And before you ask if I’m on Letterboxd... yes, of course I am. Revealing my favorites below…tell me yours?

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P.S. If media journaling sounds like your kind of thing, I recently published a Skillshare class called Media Journaling: Track Your Favorite Films, Books, and Shows 📺

We’ll geek out on our favorite media—whether that’s a TV show you’re obsessed with, a book that transformed your way of thinking, or simply an album that’s currently on repeat.

I’ll share my process for recording these in my journal, along with ideas and inspiration to help you start your own media journaling practice. I hope to see you there!

Take my Skillshare class for free

I could blame it with the inconsistent spring weather or PMS, but really, I haven’t been in a good headspace. And while it’s okay to have down days, I noticed I’ve kept myself from acknowledging them out in the open—until I eventually did, and realized that it’s perfectly okay to feel like this, and I know it won’t last forever.

Instead of bubbling it up and saying “I’m fine” when friends ask me how I am, these days, I give them the honest truth of “I’m not doing good” or “I feel blegh”. And so far, there have been no violent reactions. Meanwhile, I feel like a true burden being that designated depressed friend while everyone else seems to brimming with good energy.

This cloud has been looming over me for a while now.

Some days, it’s barely there. Most days, it haunts me that I can’t even sit on my desk and work through my projects. It’s not great. I’ve never felt this before, and now that I’m in my thirties, I am more sensitive to these voices in my head that do not belong to me. Unfortunately for me, the inner turmoil of my brain (and the demons that are part of it) dominate most of my waking life, and I’ve learned to keep them at bay by distracting myself at work (though that is another topic I have yet to share).

I’m not going to sugarcoat this and say I’ll be fine. I know I will be, eventually, and this will pass. But I think, as I’m knee deep in developing a better relationship with myself, there has been a lot of construction going on both in my creative career and personal life.

Refreshing my website

A few months ago, I was invited by a friend to attend a dinner for a brand I personally use. I came home from that evening with a free cap and stickers (cute) and an identity crisis brewing (not cute).

Maybe it was the fact that I went to this dinner without a clue what platform it was promoting (AI). Or maybe it was also the weird looks I got while I explained what my job was. Or maybe, I couldn’t really summarize my creative career in one sentence and struggled to take space and socialize in that environment (I am an introvert, after all).

It was so easy for me to introduce myself in the (niche) journaling community, and I felt extremely comfortable sharing ideas and inspiration. But in a sea of strangers where everyone’s voices felt more potent and loud—talking about their careers as AI directors or how they’ve been “optimising AI in their workflow”, I instantly clammed up and sat there in silence, internally screaming “get me out of here” until dessert was served.

The next day, I felt extremely uneasy. Was I simply getting older? Am I just not a person who does networking anymore? Maybe I just dislike meeting new people?

But ultimately, I was left with the age-old questions:

Who am I?

What is my job?

What am I really working toward?

Thus came the idea of giving my website a much needed refresh. Welp, nothing like an identity crisis to push me to finally tackle my very stale website that hasn’t been updated since 2022.

It’s still in early stages, but I got to work with Franky (who wonderfully crafted my copy) and Jenny (a good friend and photographer), and I’m putting myself in charge of designing the site itself. It’s a scary process, but I’m learning to be patient throughout the process.

Right now, I’ve just pasted the copy and started picking out fonts (which takes forever). I’m also dreaming up the many ways I could draw the graphics needed, especially the iconography. I know for sure that I’ll play around with hand drawn elements and get creative.

I grew up coding my own websites and tinkering around with HTML (on Xanga!) so it still amuses me that I will eventually be doing this for my entire career. I’m nervous though, websites are not my strongest suit, but I will do my best to tap into my strengths and make it work.

Recalibrating my workflow

This week, I’ve taken an active step in monitoring how long it takes to do every single task in my to-do list, thanks to my (new!) studio assistant, Ning. She came at a perfect time, and I’d like to think the universe is looking out for me when I need it the most. While we coordinate everything virtually, it just helps knowing someone out there is keeping tabs on me while we figure this out together.

Working by myself is not difficult by any means, but it can be a lot. And while I’ve been in working freelance for over a decade, it’s never been the same every year. There’s always something that can be done better, such as grouping tasks that entail the same type of work (e.g. filming or taking photos, among others). It’s difficult for me to zoom out because I tend to do everything and have no one else to complain to except myself (oh, the perils of being your own boss!).

I also noticed that I get pulled into so many directions while I’m on my desk. Once I finish task A, I could proceed to task B, and then C. If all that is done, I’ll go over my weekly to-dos and find ways to instantly fill my time, versus stopping at what’s only needed for the day. And then the cycle continues where I feel too exhausted and unable to work properly the following day. This energy imbalance has been a struggle, so I’m hoping to change that.

Reframing my way of thinking

After an intense discussion yesterday on screen time (yikes, I averaged on 5 hours per day last week!), and a whole other discussion about unconventional life paths (tl;dr: I am doing pretty well, but my brain doesn’t seem to think so), I took it upon myself to slowly change the way I think. Of course, easier said than done.

I’ve realized that so much of my anxiety lately has less to do with where I actually am in life, and more to do with the stories I keep telling myself (and, let’s admit it, what I consume). The human mind is powerful, and I keep forgetting how much of what I think manifests in the way I live my life.

By all means, it’s been an unconventional life. The other day, I caught myself thinking about how I’ve managed to build a life many miles away from where I grew up, in a city that once felt foreign to me but now feels like home, all by myself, simply because I chose to do it. It hasn’t been easy, but I did it. And yet, I discredit myself so many times because I feel behind in other parts of my life.

“But aren’t you the queen of following your own path?” a friend asked me.

Why stop now? I told myself. Why are all these societal expectations creeping up on me at a time when I didn’t need them to, anyway? Do I even want these things? Some, yes, but not now. Some, no.

“It comes with age, Abbey. But you’re doing really well. Don’t forget that,” another friend reminded me.

Addressing these concerns in recent conversations have been good for me. It’s an opportunity to look at it in another lens and to reassess what I’m thinking and whether that’s right or wrong. It’s difficult! I have a very complicated relationship with myself, and I am extremely self-critical.

They say the only way out is through, and lately I’ve realized how easy it is to get stuck in a web of intrusive thoughts. Maybe it starts with catching myself before it gets worse. I am well aware that it’ll take some time, but as I’ve written down in my monthly meeting, I will go gentle. And eventually find my way out of this funk.

I’m ending this post with one of my favorite songs, one that has always resonated with me:

Maybe I need to rewatch Greta Gerwig’s Barbie? Or maybe I’ll get into another identity crisis. We’ll see!

P.S. Thanks for reading!

I debated whether to share this piece, since I usually write about journaling, creativity, or work notes here on Substack. This one feels more personal, a small glimpse into the parts of my life I don’t often share publicly. Posting this feels a little vulnerable, so thank you for taking the time to read it.

Credits: cover photo by Job, taken in December 2024 in SoCal

Today (May 1st) is a public holiday and the weather is reaching 22°C, which means everyone is probably out and about. My introvertedness won this time around, after canceling plans last minute yesterday and feeling mentally off since the start of the week. Since I had just gotten a fresh bag of ground coffee beans from one of my favorite coffee shops, I figured I’d romanticize staying home instead and enjoy my rent.

I spent the morning reflecting on April and setting intentions for May. This took me two hours, mostly because I had to look through my (daily) journal and planner, cross check some information, and even ended up writing a bonus page of side quests and exhibitions1 I hope to catch this summer.

Today, I want to share with you why I deliberately carve out time for this practice, why it matters to me, and how it’s been beneficial for my overall well-being. Also, a little recap of April and my May intentions.

How it started

I began this monthly meeting practice (this is a loose term I will use, but I sometimes call it my monthly reset or something in that tone) in December 2025, when the holidays drowned me in a whirlwind of things to do (unsurprisingly). It was also nearing the end of 2025, and yet I had no clue about what I have been doing, and I was mostly finishing one deadline after another without much time to reflect or analyze after a project has concluded.

There are quarterly check-ins2 and of course, yearly reviews. Unfortunately, those don’t work for me. Every month, I am tackling a different area of my life or working on a project specific to that time period, so it’s important for me to reflect on those endeavours before I move on to the next month, so I can “close” that chapter and move forward.

I decided to use my trusty Leuchtturm1917 notebook, which is part of my planner and journal lineup this year. The A5 size and dotted format felt familiar, and always works for me.

What I write

I have a much more in-depth list of everything I write inside my monthly meeting (link below), but it’s a mix of work and life stuff. It takes me roughly two hours to fill up three to four pages, depending on what I write and if I need more pages to reflect on certain things.

In total, it has four sections:

• Check-in

• Last month’s review

• New month overview

• Top 3 focuses

I would say this is a mix of an audit and a reflection. I’m not big on measuring my creative work with tactile metrics (such as money, and that’s usually another thing I do separately when I do my bookkeeping) so this is purely monitoring how I feel, and how I spent my work days. My favorite part is spotting similar goals (from the current to the new month) and checking some bits off, while carrying over some of them (and no shame, it’s totally okay to do so).

This is something I created tailor-fitted to my exact job and lifestyle, so I totally understand if it doesn’t fully resonate. Feel free to take what you find useful and apply it to your own practice!

You can access the Monthly Meeting template as a member of my Creative Growth Club, or as a one-off purchase.

access the template here

How it’s going

Apart from the monthly debriefs, I noticed I get a little antsy towards the second or third week of the month. When this happens, I would take out my notebook and write an Observations page. I like to think in lists, and this would either contain writing about my behavior, how a project is going, or even something stemmed from a conversation that I want to revisit.

In these fast-paced and overstimulating times, giving my ideas space allows me to better understand why they matter in any given moment, and how they might make sense moving forward.

One thing I always take note of at the start of the new month is the variety of work I did previously. Was I feeling explorative? Was there a shift in how I worked on a project? Did I try a new format or find a (new) printing supplier? These may be small things, and yet they add up.

Every time I feel lost or unsure, these pages serve as my compass. I would go back to them every few weeks to check-in and this works hand in hand with my work planner that I plan on every start of the week.

What I’ve learned (so far)

This monthly practice has provided me a lot of clarity in what I prioritize, how I spend my time, and of course, where most of my time and energy goes. It’s no surprise that a big chunk of my life revolves around work. As a person working in the creative industry, it’s important to me to find a balance in what I create and consume, and how I make sense of the world through both.

I’ve also noticed a dip in my mood3 around end of the month, and I feel significantly better after doing my monthly meeting. I consider it as an invitation for me to take care of myself and be more patient during this time.

The same things come up during this weird funk of a week—things ending, new things beginning. Possibilities. Hopes for the future. Dreams. Desires. I no longer have a regular tarot practice but from time to time, I would dabble on it and pull some cards to gain some insights on how I can move forward.

I’m well aware that setting intentions and plans for the entire month is a bit daunting, but it keeps me accountable (to myself). I like to set boundaries so that I know my focus, and that I can really spend time on things that matter and move the rest for a future time.

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April recap & May intentions

I had been traveling for two consecutive weekends and did heavy work this week: my photographer friend came over to take portraits of me for my website, and I filmed a Skillshare class the day after. I’m exhausted (physically and mentally) and while I’ve been used to this kind of work cadence in the past, I no longer find it fulfilling for my current season of life.

The first half of April was pretty fun though! Lots of planning, ideating, following ideas and see where they lead. I started sketching again, which I wrote about here. I decided to keep it as a regular practice but not a daily one, to rid myself of another to-do for the day. My proudest moment has been finishing up a naming project for a top secret project I’m working on (more about this soon), thanks to the guidance of my friend Liz, who is a namer by trade (how cool).

I’ve never been a fan of spring (I am a cold Capricorn after all) because it’s difficult for me to fully be excited about warmer weather after going through half a year of gray skies and freezing temperatures. But seeing the flowers and going on weekend trips definitely helped.

This May, my word is gentle. I started having a monthly word (my 2026 word is deliberate) last March (honor), then April (nurture). It’s not a rigid requirement, but I find it useful to channel that energy somehow and incorporate it into my daily work.

I may have spent the extra hour today looking at museum exhibitions and writing a list of side quests, which I feel confident about completing! Something to look forward to for sure.

Aside from museum visits, I will be busy curating my own version of a museum, aka my website. Franky did an amazing job with the copy and I’m just waiting on the photos. It was finally time for a refresh and I’m excited to get to work soon.

Lastly, no travels this month! I know I’ll feel better knowing nothing needs to be rushed for the next few weeks. While I enjoy traveling, it’s still exhausting to say the least, and overstimulation creeps up at me in the most unlikely ways.

Thanks for reading! What are the ways you check in with yourself every month?

Leave a comment

If you enjoyed this post, here are some similar ones:

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Slots for my Monthly Mail are now open! This month’s theme is everyday wins, and I’ll send you stationery in your mailbox, as well as access to all rewards and exclusive posts throughout this May. Hope to see you there 🌻

join the club (monthly mail)

The spring fever hasn't quite hit me yet. Aside from a bit of spring cleaning over the weekend, my body feels like it’s still in winter and yet I can wear shirts now under my puffer jacket? It feels weird. I'm taking it day by day.

In German, there’s a word for that—Frühlingsmüdigkeit, which loosely translates to spring fatigue. What do you mean it’s warm and sunny, and suddenly it’s obligatory to go out, socialize, and make the most out of the onset of a new season? The Frühlingsmüdigkeit is definitely resonating with me at the moment.

While everyone else ponders about their exciting projects, here I am feeling enveloped in my own creative bubble, wanting to seclude myself in the studio, craving deep creative work.

At most, I’d meet a friend (or two) a week, and avoid group hangs altogether (if you know me personally and I haven’t gotten in touch in recent times, I apologize). My energy has been very limited, but I’ve been adamant in resetting my routine (work, workout, sleep, nutrition) after my Chicago trip and tooth extraction that felt like forever.

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Every time a new season unfolds, especially the ones that entail longer days, I feel pressured to constantly show up and make plans to fill up my calendar in an effort to “make the most of my time”.

But now that I’m getting older (and have a place to myself), I’ve noticed subtle shifts in this behavior. I no longer want to feel obliged to do things just because everyone is. I like how my life is going and I shouldn’t let anyone else dictate what I should or shouldn’t do. I have pretty much accepted that most of my life is pretty unconventional and instead of treating it as a weakness, I should start considering it as my strength.

Growing pains and spring fatigue aside, I’m finding my way out of this lull through a few intentional goals. Being a Capricorn in Aries season isn’t my favorite combination, but the spark to begin has definitely helped.

Finding inspiration beyond my usual

While it’s so easy to log onto Pinterest1 (my default), I’ve been bothered by how many ads have been appearing on my feed. And after a certain period of browsing, I think I’m being fed with the same cycle of pins, and it feels frustrating.

Lately, I’ve switched to Cosmos, as suggested by my friend Caro. It’s been great, but I’m still getting used to it. The instant shift in visuals was definitely a delight.

Apart from searching for online inspiration, I am on a side quest to find more inspiration outside my screen. This can mean going to a local deli, passing by a secondhand bookshop, or even venturing out into further stops to witness the range of train station typography (Berlin’s U7 line is a great example).

I yearn for old packaging inspiration, graphic design posters from the 90s, typography that would make me swoon. The last time I felt this creatively inspired was in Lisbon last winter (the Azulejos were gorgeous, so were the packaging), and I remember going oooh and aaah when I got to the Music section of Nochmall (I love looking at album covers!).

If you have any suggestions on where to find these online, I’d love to know!2 I bookmarked some museums with open access, but I’m still on the lookout for more.

Going on more morning walks

The sun hits my apartment in the early afternoon, so it’s a good incentive to follow it at the start of the day (and a good excuse to get my steps in). This is also why I schedule my workouts between 10-12. On non-workout days, though, I am starting a walking routine of some sort, to get myself going and avoid my usual sedentary tendencies.

This morning, instead of my usual slow breakfast and heading straight to work, I went to the park to think and write. I live near a huge park and everyone I know has been telling me to make my way there (I finally did for the first time in ten months). It was a gorgeous day out, and the best part? It was so quiet.

I meant to stay in and walk (at home), but I couldn’t resist the sun—and the demons (in my head) were getting louder by the minute. In the wise words of Austin Kleon, the demons hate fresh air.

Unsurprisingly, the birdsong and fresh air did wonders. I even managed to pick up a picnic basket on the street, for free! Here’s to the first (of many more) walks and movement to shake out the negative energy (and keep the demons at bay).

Draw something every day

I’ve been meaning to bring back 2022 Abbey, who was with her sketchbook3 every time she was out and about. I was in wide-eyed wonder back then, mostly because everything in Berlin felt novel and exciting to me.

While I love to journal at the end of the day, I think a sketchbook is the perfect exercise for paying attention and capturing things on the go.

The rules I set for this practice include the following:

• black pen4 only (lesser decision making, lesser friction)

• drawing under 10 minutes and not overthinking each page

• a page a day in my tiny, square sketchbook5 (subject varies)

• as much as possible, draw on-site (taking photos as reference for drawing at home or in a café is also fine)

Coincidentally, the projects I’ve taken on this spring feel like my own version of spring cleaning: revamping my website, developing a new Skillshare class (very excited to nerd out on media journaling), and tidying up the rest of my studio.

And while I’ve been craving more solitude, I also find myself searching for community in spaces that already hold it. I’ve decided to rebrand my Patreon to Creative Growth Club—nothing fancy, but I love a good name; it makes things feel more real. I want it to feel more intentional, more connected, and rooted in growing together creatively.

I’m looking forward to host livestreams and have something on my calendar once a month, aside from sharing more behind the scenes updates and journaling inspiration. I share more about the change and what to expect via this announcement post.

I hope you can join us! Become a member of the Creative Growth Club here.

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Thinking about spring is one thing, but embodying it is another. And while I’m still feeling Frühlingsmüdigkeit, I’d love to know how you get yourself into spring mood. Any rituals or fun activities that get you into the warmer months?

Leave a comment

PS: I saw this dandelion on my walk and immediately said it me lol. Here’s to making space and thriving in unconventional places 🌼

In this post, I’m sharing what’s inside my work planner. With Q2 around the corner, it felt like a good time to show how these notebooks keep me on track day to day.

Let’s nerd out on systems for a bit, shall we?

Earlier this week, I woke up in a bit of a funk—it was a rainy Monday, and the clocks had just sprung forward over the weekend. I had planned to go to a strength class, but decided against it. I could feel my brain asking for a reset after a busy stretch of travel and recovering from my wisdom tooth extraction.

Instead, I spent the morning planning and writing, easing myself back into focus with my usual flat white. There was something relieving about jotting things down for two uninterrupted hours. I moved between my PLOTTER (my adulting log1) and my TRAVELER’s notebook (my work planner)—updating past weeks, mapping out what’s ahead, and noting the goals I want to work toward.

I treat it like a monthly catch-up with an old friend. By the time I finished, I felt clear, grounded, and ready to take on the rest of the new week.

Why write?

It’s no surprise that I still write by hand most of the time. Putting pen to paper helps me slow down and think more clearly, and it’s how I turn ideas, plans, and tasks into something tangible. The digital planning comes later, especially if it involves multiple collaborators and a set deadline.

When I first moved to Berlin, my saving grace was my Monday mornings planning and journaling at a coffee shop. It kept me grounded, especially during an uncertain time in my life. This hasn’t changed, but I did reschedule it at the start or end of the month (the weekly lattes add up!).

This time block is a meeting with myself, which often rotates around these questions:

• What’s on my mind lately?

• What needs attention right now?

• What do I want to focus on next?

I follow a monthly template2 for this in my big picture plans notebook—but here’s how it translates into my day-to-day planning.

The planner setup

I have two inserts in my TRAVELER’s notebook Olive cover: a monthly dated refill and a weekly undated refill. I’m using a Regular size, and since it’s slimmer than my usual A5 notebooks, it’s easy to put in any tote I bring when I’m out and about.

During my first trip to Chicago, I picked up this Scribe patch (which apparently is from Boy Scouts of America) from a secondhand shop in Pilsen, and stuck it on this cover ever since (that was around 2023). At that time, this was not my planner and I never reached for my Olive cover.

It wasn’t until late last year that I looked through my stash, picked up a JIYU weekly planner3, and decided to try out a more flexible and undated weekly planner system to switch things up (before that, I was writing everything either on my PLOTTER or Leuchtturm, and it was getting to me). The Olive cover was definitely fit for this role.

On the inside front cover is a pocket I stuck in, as it’s where I put my Field Notes for on-the-go brainstorming. Right now, I’m knee deep in planning for my Patreon, so that’s what’s currently in the pocket (it usually rotates between this and my content logbook).

When I decided to add a monthly insert, I knew it had to be decorated (I just love the pop of orange). Meanwhile, for the weekly insert (that I have been using since August 2025), I kept it simple with a LOVESOUP sticker featuring this year’s fire horse (thanks, Sai!).

In contrast to my decorated journal pages, I keep my planner pages as functional as possible. It’s pretty evident with my scribbles and less inclination to stick in a washi tape or use fountain pens. I simply need a space to write and tick things off.

At the back of my monthly insert, I wrote every single task I do regularly, as well as my income streams for monthly and seasonal periods. I also put in my yearly goals because it allows me to figure out what growth will look like this year (not only in terms of money). It serves as a reference point for me, because I get easily lost as I do so many things4 to run my creative business.

I could have typed all of this down in a Notion page (which I did, by the way, when I presented my business model to my tax advisor), but I keep forgetting to look at it if I’m not doing my accounting. Turns out, flipping through the back of my planner was a quicker option.

My pen of choice is a Uni Jetstream. I’m using the 3-in-1 pen from Hobonichi (that comes free for every online order) and as much as I use black ink, I cannot live without the red and blue. Red is for deadlines, blue is for set appointments, while black is for everything else.

Right now, I’ve been reacquainting myself with using Mildliners, so I plan to incorporate more of those down the line.

I had been using my Field Notes5 memo books for content planning, but after getting into a rabbit hole of setting up pocket notebooks recently, I decided to set my Patreon notes up more intentionally, complete with page numbers (it’s just 40). I’m excited to keep populating this one!

Here’s an in-depth look at how I usually plan on Mondays:

What worked (so far)

Every year, I find myself experimenting between different planner iterations depending on my season of life and/or projects assigned to me. But I think this one is (hopefully) here to stay.

Some of the reasons why I think this setup has been working:

• Separating work and life planners (here’s a more in-depth video about my adulting planner setup). I found that I can focus more with having them separated!

• The weekly planner being undated. If I’m traveling, I don’t write those dates anymore, and it keeps things flexible.

• Adding or removing as I go. I used to have a weekly log here and realized it made my setup bulkier, and logging my time felt suffocating, so I discontinued it.

• Keeping my tools simple and accessible. I bring a Penco pencil case with me all the time, like a student. If not, both my TN and pencil case are on my work desk.

• Honestly, the way I personalized it has made it even more exciting for me to reach for it every morning!

Figuring out a planning system is never easy. It’s a constant process of experimenting: finding what works for you and what’s available. The sweet spot is rare, but when it clicks, planning ahead feels more exciting and far less intimidating.

How does your planning system look like?

Leave a comment

Related reading:

I’m glad my schedule worked out this time and was able to spend a week in the Windy City, mainly to attend the Chicago Stationery Fest (now on its second year). This time around, together with my best friend Job, we designed exclusive stationery products that were launched at the fest.

There’s something so magical when the word Chicago pops up in my brain. It’s a very main character energy of a city from my first impressions of visiting three summers ago, and yet, not in an overpowering and in your face kinda way.

Maybe I’m biased: I’m a huge fan of The Bear and I’ve been wanting to visit local stationery shop Paper & Pencil for ages. Two weeks ago, I finally did, walking around downtown with Chicago by Sufjan Stevens playing in my ears, catching glimpses of the city as I explored.

Here are some travel notes from my trip and what I took away from my week in the Windy City, with its famously unpredictable weather.

one

I have lost my faith in connecting EU to US flights. From finding out my flight was cancelled on Sunday (it was scheduled the next day) to being rebooked to another airline (not my preferred one) to missing the connecting flight (the lines at Passport Control were taking forever) to getting gaslit by the service desk (they said I had more than enough time, to which I said—I ran, and it was not enough time) to finally getting a flight out the same day, five hours later.

It was stressful, and as someone who has been actively working on reducing my stress levels, this was not helpful. I was taking deep breaths at the service desk because my heart rate was increasing by the minute. While I had three hours to kill at the airport, I decided to rewatch The Bear and spent the rest of the flight sleeping and watching, (finally) en route to Chicago. The airplane gods decided to cut me some slack, though—the flight wasn’t full and I had the whole row to myself!

two

I was super jet lagged and went to Target at 7am the next morning to get groceries and fresh air. Tyler picked me up at my hotel and took me around fun spots: Field Notes HQ, Center of Order and Experimentation, Paper and Pencil (finally!), lunch and chats at Lonesome Rose together with Eric, La Colombe, Foursided, and I took the red line from Berwyn back to Grand.

We drove past two-flat buildings in Andersonville, so I love that these were the visuals chosen by Paper & Pencil for the TRAVELER’S COMPANY PARTNER SHOP stamp.

three

No trip to America is complete without my trifecta: Madewell, Glossier, and Trader Joe’s. I hit all three in one afternoon; how fitting was it that Madewell and Glossier were right beside each other?

I wound up with a new pair of wide leg jeans (on sale, and the comfiest pair I own yet), a perfectly red Ultralip (in Cranberry), and new snacks and condiments to bring back with me to Europe.

four

On Wednesday, I had a throbbing headache and finally got knocked out in the morning (I swear by OLLY Sleep) before heading to Art Institute of Chicago. The weather couldn’t make up its mind that day, so the heating pads I stuck in my pocket were a lifesaver.

It’s my second time visiting one of my favorite museums in the world, and at the same time, I was so in my head over a project I’ve just started—revamping my website. The afternoon visit definitely put things into perspective, complete with masterpieces from the Impressionists and American artists.

five

I love Chicago’s visual branding as a city. When I first worked on CSF 2025 merch, I nerded out on the Chicago Design System website which had the exact colors of the flag and branding guidelines.

I was staying in downtown for the first half of the trip, and on my last day there, I had the best morning brainstorming at Starbucks Reserve and walkin the whole stretch of the Chicago Riverwalk. I could feel the wind being swept across my face, and yet, I had the best time noticing all the architectural details, making my way around, and of course, taking pictures.

six

Chicago Stationery Fest was all the things! Fun, busy, exciting, exhilarating, overwhelming, and overstimulating.

I’m always working as a teacher at fests, so being an attendee this time around was interesting. It was refreshing to not have any “big” work obligations for once.

Some highlights:

• seeing our merch at the Paper and Pencil pop-up!

• getting to discover creators and artists new to me

• the vendor’s lounge was divine and the perfect place to recharge for a bit

• helping Christine at her table (I personally love packing the orders)

• saying hi to old and new friends!

• matchy outfits with Job (our vision was Bananas in Pajamas)

seven

You can always count on me to take on public transportation.

It was sunny on Friday, and after helping Christine set up her table, Job and I went downtown via CTA and walked around some spots in the city where we drew inspiration for our Chicago Adventures sticker book.

This project was definitely one of my favorites—I’ll share more in a future project debrief post, but if you’d like to know our creative process in designing this sticker book, check it out via my Creative Growth Club (new name!) here.

eight

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of finding stationery you like and getting excited to use them all. It makes me happy to see artists thrive at fests, moreso discovering new names and resonating with their respective art styles.

Everyone was so kind, friendly, and I relished in getting to shop in person!

Special shoutout to these makers:

Paper + Craft Pantry / The Washi Station x Riley’s Desk for Paper and Pencil / Bobo Design Studio / ILOOTPAPERIE / Hot Dang Press / Ash Made Me / Nicole Josephine/ Eggtart Studio / Everyday Explorers Co. / dana ate oatmeal! / Marigold Press / The Creeping Moon / a. favorite design / Nini Mart / Shady Pines Paper Co.

I share everything I got from Chicago here!

nine

Christine, Job, and I shared a suite at The Guesthouse Hotel in Andersonville—a lovely neighborhood where Paper & Pencil is a few meters away, along with many other spots we enjoyed. From Sunday coffee at La Colombe to stopping by Lost Larson for baked goods, and Taiwanese brunch at Minyoli (I’m still dreaming of that amazing cup of cold soy milk), we had the best time.

It’s rare to spend time with two of my favorite people who live so far away, and I’m so glad we did before the busyness of upcoming events. I loved our daily debriefs over dinner, where topics ranged from how we met (this deserves its own essay!) to our opinions on religion, and even betting on our Oscar picks, complete with snacks and Jollibee takeout. I’m still thinking about Cheetos Puffcorn, cheese flavor. Please eat some on my behalf if you see it at your local Target!

ten

I’m feeling a little lucky that the flights back were a breeze. There were several cancellations amongst attendees and vendors, and I was already bracing myself in case I get home later than expected. Luckily, the flight was smooth and getting through Schiphol airport and back to Berlin was a breeze.

Overall, I had a fun time, albeit fully experiencing the weather changes and wind that almost swept us away that one Friday in Downtown.

Here’s a video diary of my adventures in the Windy City.

Have you ever been to Chicago or a stationery fest? I’d love to know what your experience was like!

Leave a comment

You might also like these stationery-adjacent ones (especially if you’re headed to Tokyo this Spring 🌸)

It took me a while to admit this to myself. I’m not leaving the platform; I’m simply letting it take a backseat while I figure out how to navigate this situation.

The early years

For years, Instagram has been a key part of my success as an artist, author, and creator. You can say it’s where I’ve been setting up shop1 on the Internet since my early years as a creative.

After all, it was where I first launched my career, after moving from my fun, creative pursuits on Tumblr and settling into a photo-heavy app that allowed users to reach a wide community of creative individuals.

Instagram in the 2010s was different. No personal branding, just literally vibes. Show me your coffee with the Valencia filter and I’ll share my flatlay photo complete with 10 other hashtags similar to #whatsinmybag and let’s go on a liking spree.

I was fortunate enough to attend an Instagram meetup in Manila and get featured on their homepage as a Suggested User2. It felt cool and full of possibility, and so was I. I would meet people in real life and we’d immediately connect. “Aren’t you @username on IG? I love your feed.”

The app led to meaningful collaborations and features, and landed me projects I still treasure to this day.

Hitting the targets

I reached 100k followers in 2016, literally on the first full year of my creative career. It felt like I was on the finish line, except I didn’t prepare to join the race at all.

Things started to get serious once my followers racked up (organically) in a short amount of time. I think people were skeptical. Not to toot my own horn, but I did put out pretty good artwork—shareable, relatable, lettering pieces, a bit of journaling, and occasionally I shared my very packed schedule of workshops and book signings.

At the same time, it felt so nerve wracking—skyrocketing to so much followers. I felt like I was being watched. It meant I had to present myself professionally, and there wasn’t much room to just be. It was no longer, dare I say it, vibes.

Having a large following meant people began to perceive me differently, and in many ways, that hasn’t changed. For brands or clients, it became about how they could work with me to sell their product or service3. For others, it was about gaining access to my audience, sometimes even forming friendships with follower count quietly in mind.

Suddenly, I was called an influencer and I didn’t like it. We now live in a creator economy, which makes it more acceptable to say you’re an influencer (or, I guess, now we say creator), but in 2016, that was frowned upon. I remember giving a talk at an advertising conference explaining that I film and make my own videos, and no one really took me seriously.

I couldn’t care less about those numbers, and thinking about fame always had a sour taste in my mouth. From a business standpoint though, I told myself it was good for exposure and could land me more job opportunities. So I kept going.

Measuring creative work

From my perspective, creating used to be painting, drawing, doing things with my tangible, analog tools—until it wasn’t. The moment creativity became measurable, my relationship with it changed.

I began using Instagram as a way of saying, I showed up. An artwork didn’t feel complete if I hadn’t shared it, and it had to look good. Lighting, hand placement, color choices. I found myself art directing every post to fit my feed the way I would art direct a magazine spread, and it didn’t sit right with me (even though, unfortunately, I still care deeply about this part of Instagram).

Every time I traveled, I felt the need to document my whereabouts and explorations. This was pre-TikTok and pre short-form content, but my workflow shifted once video entered the picture in a bigger way. Suddenly, it wasn’t just about making the art—it was about making art in a way that the algorithm would notice.

The hardest part was I couldn’t opt out. I had a new book or a project to promote. I needed to secure preorders before publishing. Staying visible felt directly tied to sustaining my business. You’d be shadowbanned4 if you stop posting for an indefinite period of time.

Additionally, what I was experiencing offline, whether it was meeting people at workshops, hosting events, or having real conversations, didn’t always translate into the numbers I saw online. Workshops would sell out quickly. Shop releases would wipe out within the first hour. And yet, a post could underperform and make it feel like something wasn’t working and I couldn’t blame anyone but myself.

I felt like time I could have used for making art was slowly being replaced by time to make the content of the art, which is another layer of work in itself. How does it become more appealing? What hook should I use to catch the viewer’s attention at the first few seconds of a video? My advertising background definitely stepped in, and instantly, my brain switched from creating to marketing.

Branching out

I was genuinely upset when Instagram began diversifying its content—from just photos, to video, to carousels, to Stories (which has eventually become my favorite feature). Instead of riding the wave, I decided to focus my time and energy on building my YouTube channel. This was around 2018, when I also felt like I was at a crossroads in my career and was considering moving abroad. The timing felt significant.

Please enjoy a vintage channel trailer from when I first launched my channel below. I realized while rewatching that I am, still, this person. And I love that!

The growth on YouTube was slow, especially compared to what I had experienced before (on Instagram), but the creative fulfillment was unlike anything I had felt in a long time. I never consumed video before this, as I was mostly glued to blogs and visual platforms like Instagram and Pinterest.

It took me a while to get used to the workflow, but I can see that making videos aligned with my love for cinema and my desire to tell stories more thoughtfully. In contrast to the punchy, attention-grabbing nature of Instagram, long-form video gave me the space to express myself more freely, while still drawing on my skillsets in creative direction, lettering, and composition, in just a new and more expansive medium.

Last year, I finally fulfilled my dream of becoming a Skillshare teacher. Carrying over my experience with video, along with a decade of teaching in-person workshops, I found a sweet spot in wearing my teacher hat again, this time virtually. It allowed me to combine everything I had learned in previous roles, from scriptwriting to creative direction, in a way that felt integrated rather than fragmented.

As I slowly build my Substack, I am rediscovering a different kind of joy. It stems from slowing down, sitting at my desk, making sense of my thoughts, and offering broader context without having to fight for attention in the first two seconds. It feels less like showing off and more like returning to the work itself, which aligns with how I’d like to approach my creative practice moving forward.

The urge to optimize

Now that my workflow looks very different from how it did ten years ago, I find myself wearing many hats depending on the season. Some months I am primarily a freelance artist. Other times, a teacher. But the creator hat consistently demands the most time and energy, often without the same level of return.

I was initially hesitant to be active on Substack because I already spend so much time creating content elsewhere. On Patreon, I create regularly and am paid for that work, which I am deeply grateful for. On YouTube, there are occasional sponsored projects and brand partnerships. On Instagram, I am rarely compensated, aside from the occasional sponsored post. So no, 100k followers does not automatically translate into anything substantial financially.

I could pursue more brand deals, but I have never wanted to turn my social media accounts into advertising space. I see them as a creative playground, and I am intentional about keeping them that way. I found myself questioning whether I am still making art, or simply producing content. The distinction used to feel clear. Instagram gradually blurred that boundary.

Being a creator requires a lot of integrity. How much am I truly willing to compromise for more views and more money? It’s easy to chase what performs, copy trends, and adjust my voice to fit the aesthetic of what is “performing well on social media”5. But I am doing myself a disservice by going that route, and I refuse to build my career that way.

What’s next?

Instagram used to be my homebase. Now, it just feels like a bus stop.

There’s a certain amount of grief I carry with this realization, but it is also a reminder that change can always be good. My story, I now realize, and the stories I hope to share more in the future, can live and thrive in other platforms that allow me to express myself in however medium and format I want, not just something under 60 seconds. I no longer feel the need to have to post everything on Instagram just because.

You can say I’m burnt out. Especially now, with the-ever changing social media landscape, I feel less inclined to keep showing up to a place that doesn’t feel right for me, and for how I want to move forward with my creative journey.

This is definitely not goodbye on Instagram. Instead, I’m giving myself some time to really peel back the layers and reconsider its role in my content ecosystem (I hate6 this word, but it makes sense in this context) and how I can spend more time creating without metrics hovering over me. And hopefully, allow me to recalibrate my relationship with the platform.

For now, I plan to prioritize my creative practice in a way that feels sustainable and honest. That means creating without constantly thinking about how it will perform, or whether it fits neatly into a format designed for quick consumption. It means giving myself permission to make work that doesn’t have to entertain, optimize, or prove anything.

I don’t want to feel like I’m performing my creativity anymore. I want to return to practicing it. And it starts with closing the app and picking up a paintbrush.

Thanks for reading!

This piece started on a random Wednesday afternoon while my train was delayed for half an hour. I’ve been thinking about writing about my relationship with social media for a while, and it felt like time to finally put it into words. I’m grateful to this platform for creating that space, and to you for taking your time to read.

If you’ve been on Instagram since the early days, I’d love to hear how your relationship with the platform has evolved. Has it changed the way you create? Or the way you see your work?

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Today, I’m sharing a few pockets of good things from the last stretch of winter.

In the spring of 2023, I found myself at a low point—navigating a breakup, a shoulder injury, and finishing my first year living in Berlin. I felt anxious about a future I couldn’t quite see, so in an effort to stay rooted to the present (and after being so exhausted writing too much about my feelings), I decided to wrap up each week in my journal with pockets of good things.

Pockets of good things is just a fancier way of saying gratitude list, but it’s one I love to say and write. When life feels overwhelming, it helps to look for the small moments that still make it matter.

My younger brother, Clar, just left Berlin a week ago, after hosting him for ten days.

It was our first time spending a lot of quality time together as adults. It was a good excuse to take time off this past month and show him around my city. I hope he enjoyed it as much as I did.

01. Visiting the museum on a Monday

We took a half day trip to Potsdam for Museum Barberini, one of my favorite museums, filled with Impressionist paintings. How luxurious it is to not stare at my computer screen at the start of the week, and instead, looking at paintings!

02. Playing old favorites

I always turn on the speakers at breakfast, and played Closer by Tegan and Sara.

My brother and I have adjacent music tastes, so I ask him if he knows this song, to which he says, “yeah of course achi, you play it all the time!” Oops, guilty.

03. Having my brother help out with house stuff

Sure, bringing the TV box to the basement is no biggie, but somehow, I couldn’t get myself to do it—and it only took my brother 5 minutes to bring it down. That, and breaking down all of my boxes that took up so much space in the hallway (happy to report it has all been disposed to the Altpapier bin). Sometimes, having someone around just makes everything ten times easier.

04. Finally tackling the big drilling day

I finally had my shelves drilled in every room on a Thursday morning (not by me, I could never trust myself with these things). This filled me with so much anxiety—it was probably the combination of noise, being 100% sure where each shelf goes, and my lack of experience with drilling things on walls.

It’s so weird to see some parts of my space change, but I’m also so excited to see it evolve now that I have more wall storage and areas to decorate.

I shared an apartment tour (it’s giving MTV Cribs!) over at my art club. Check out the exclusive video here 🏠

05. Finding the only colored photobooth in Berlin

There are numerous photoautomats around the city—analog photo booths where you can take black and white portraits. Except for one, that only prints in color.

I made sure to plot this side quest while in Friedrichshain, as I wanted Clar to take home an iconic Berlin souvenir. We took our own self-portraits, and took one with both of us that I cut in half, to remember his visit by.

06. Nerding out at the Deutsches Technikmuseum

I love art, but I also love science—and I love how complementary they are. From seeing airplane engines to visual advertising promoting commercial air travel, to discovering the origins of road transport in Germany, I had the best afternoon exploring this museum that has been on my list for so long.

Here’s a video diary of my very touristy week around the city:

07. Cracking open a new book from my unread pile

I’m at that part of winter where I feel like escaping from my own reality (and the world) for a bit, so I picked up Atmosphere from my stack of books sitting on my nightstand. I’m looking forward to get lost in a good book (I love TJR’s books, especially Daisy Jones and the Six).

08. Lunar New Year falling on a random Tuesday

I definitely had an excuse to rewatch Can’t Buy Me Love (currently on Episode 32 of 148, omg), use my red fountain pen ink, and put fruits on the table (mom’s orders).

09. Upgrading my bed linens

It took me ten (!) visits to IKEA to finally cave in and splurge on a higher quality duvet cover. To be fair, I was easily swayed with the orange and green sheets (which, conveniently, were affordable). After much canvassing, I decided on these sheets and when I say they keep me warm and cozy on cold winter nights, for some reason, they really do. I am a changed woman.

10. Taking a day off when I can

I woke up feeling extra nauseous and lethargic for no particular reason these past few days. It could have been the weather, accumulated work fatigue, or lack of sleep. I even suspected caffeine withdrawal since I hadn’t had coffee all week, unintentionally.

Theories aside, I decided to take days off and work within my limited energy.

I’m diagnosed with PCOS, and I’ve learned that stress can drain me quickly. Moments like this remind me to pay attention and listen to my body. I’m extremely grateful that working for myself allows me to rest when I need to.

Side quest of the week 🎥

Happy to report that I’ve been taking my side quests seriously! I wrote more about it here, but it has definitely become a mainstay in my everyday life.

Film has been my theme lately. With Berlinale in full swing, I attended a talk with Olivier Bugge Coutté and Eskil Vogt on collaborating with Joachim Trier for Sentimental Value.

Later in the week, Ven invited me to a screening of Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros. I had known about this film since it came out in 2005, but I only got to watch it 20 years later.

Director Kanakan-Balintagos did a Q&A after the screening, and we both asked questions (of course we did, we’re proud Filipinos). After the program, he approached us, hugged us, and thanked us for coming. I didn’t realize this happened and it felt like a fever dream, but it truly made my day.

Lastly, I watched Enjoy Your Stay with some friends to wrap up the week—not an ideal thing to do at 10 in the morning on a Saturday, but definitely worth watching.

May this be an invitation to find your own pockets of good things, and I hope you stay warm in the last stretches of winter.

💛 Abbey

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In this post, I’m sharing my winter side quests—a hodgepodge of small activities and fun projects that kept me sane through the season. Read on if you’d like to follow along!

Over the holidays, I was overwhelmed at how much I needed to finish to wrap up work for the year. It didn’t help that I was traveling every two weeks (internationally!) and in between those moments, I found myself questioning my decisions and finding something to keep me sane throughout that period. It was the start of winter, after all.

By the end of Q4, the busyness left me feeling stuck and demotivated. I am not someone who commits well to big or daily projects, so I decided to try something smaller: a weekly side quest.

In gaming terms, a side quest is an optional, self-contained mission outside the main objective. I’m not a gamer, but I love the idea of having a mission beyond my usual to-dos. Being an adult has made me increasingly serious and disciplined, but as an artist, that rigidity felt suffocating.

So I gave myself side quests—I write a list on my work planner1 and try my best to tick them off every week. It could be as easily integrated to my routine, such as scheduling a movie night or experimenting with a new dish, or more challenging such as building furniture or working on a creative project I’ve always wanted to try. The main goal was to disconnect from work obligations and find fulfillment in life outside work.

Unlike bucket lists or daily practices, this approach works for me. Turns out, I thrive on one-off projects with a clear beginning and end.

Turning travel ephemera into collages

It’s no surprise that my apartment is 80% paper (in all forms)—notebooks, packaging, letters from friends, and of course, ephemera. The Altpapier2 bin hates to see me coming.

Apart from travel journaling, most of my ephemera gets either archived or disposed, depending on the design (and if it’s worth keeping). Unfortunately, most of them end up in a box that never sees the light of day—and I was on a mission to change that.

I’ve been seeing these collages all over Pinterest—memorabilia and photos pasted together into one big frame, as a key piece to display. I wanted to do my own spin on it, as an avid ephemera collector and analog photography lover.

I put together slides I thrifted from a junk shop, eki stamp cutouts, postcards from an exhibition I enjoyed, boarding passes, negatives, and everything I could find. Some had a cohesive theme (Japan!) while others had a looser theme (favorite trips). It was fun to experiment with the frame sizes and layout placements. I may have spent way longer than expected with this side quest, but so happy with how they turned out.

I honestly thought it would be easy, but I kept redoing this for an entire week—while watching romcoms, no complaints there—and getting messy on my bedroom floor. My designer brain had to make sure the layout made sense; after all, it was something I would see every day in my space.

If you’d like me to show you more of this process, let me know! I’m happy to share a process post of sorts.

Framing posters and prints

To build on my collaging side quest, I finally framed some meaningful photos to put on display.

It’s my first time living in an apartment completely on my own, and I truly believe that your space is an extension of who you are, something I have always resonated with through the six (yes, six) times I have moved homes. Where I am living now feels more long-term, and I wanted to honor that.

It’s one thing to decide what goes into a frame, and there’s another when it comes to frame size and finish. Don’t get me started on which frame goes to which room, and which part of the room! That’s for future me.

As for storytelling goes, I wanted to play up the idea of my creative journey, but in small fragments. I love having visual and tangible accounts of my life and work—I’ve made a portfolio using a MUJI binder as my summer side quest.

The tiny frames both contain film photos: one from California with a typewritten “grow through life” (I miss my typewriter, Peggy. She’s back in Manila), and another, a mirror photo of me during my post-breakup, post-injury solo trip to Italy in 2023. I was at the lowest point of my life, and that trip ignited a new beginning.

On my way out of the art store, I spotted a roll of the Penmanship print from Cavallini Papers & Co. I stood there for a good minute before taking it with me. Penmanship has been a pivotal part of my life. I grew up winning penmanship contests in school, pursued hand lettering as a career, and took pride in having good handwriting, which I can attest came from my mom’s genetics.

I tried hanging it for scale, and the pop of green makes me feel like I’m in a classroom, which ties in so much with my goal to teach and share. I’ve always wanted to be a teacher growing up, and I’m so incredibly grateful I get to do that as part of my job.

With the 2016 trend making a comeback, I revisited one of my earliest interviews with Rookie Magazine (also one of my favorites!) and decided to frame the advice artwork I made. I also went through my pile of papers (see above), segregated it per type, and found some gems I wanted to frame up, such as a London transportation history greeting card and a Moomin print that needed to be shown off.

Everything’s in this crate for now, but I’m glad I finally worked on this (I’m going to be honest, it has been on my to-do since November).

Putting up an inspiration wall

While the first two side quests took multiple days to finish (my indecisive Libra moon definitely takes responsibility for it), this one was a fun, post-work side quest I did.

As you all know (or may not know), I’ve recently developed a huge crush on Joe Keery, first through his music and then via Stranger Things. And then there are the boys from Heated Rivalry, who are simply adorable. I realize I sound like a teenager in a 33-year-old’s body, but I wanted to print photos of them and put them up in my space. I remember thinking, this must be what K-pop girlies feel with their biases?!

Crushes aside, I did feel a lack of space when putting up prints in my office, since my previous space had more consistent lighting. I wanted to put up some of my favorite prints, including a Berlin postcard I designed, among other things.

This small addition to my workspace makes me more excited to turn on my laptop and lock in. A little really does go a long way.

Documenting my obsessions

On the topic of obsessions, I am a person who likes them. A lot. I love being obsessed.

I’ve been told by friends that I tend to talk about something for an indefinite amount of time (folks know how much I love Cars3, or the Impressionist movement, or the history of Greetings From postcards). This is a fact I am unashamed to admit—I think, in hindsight, it’s tied to my curiosity and genuine enthusiasm for things (mostly pop culture).

I wanted to document that as a time capsule, and didn’t want to spend so much time doing so, so I resorted on finally using this A7 MD notebook I picked up from stationery shopping in Tokyo.

I found that there’s less pressure to write (I used to have a media journal and it was exhausting to update regularly) and more excuses to gush about my obsessions…aka Heated Rivalry and Stranger Things at the moment.

My main rules for this log were:

• printed photos only when necessary (yes, Hollanov was necessary, duh)

• not going past 4 pages per topic

• as less stationery as possible (limited space!)

• option to add Dymo embossed labels for captions (love the analog feel!)

• all black ink4 to keep it uniform and neat

I also added pages about food I’ve made, music I listened to, and my watchlist. It’s a fun archive, and as I wrapped January’s pages, I’ve been enjoying looking back at what kept me excited last month.

Baking and cooking in my own kitchen

No one tells you how joyful it is to make food in a kitchen that is truly yours. I moved into an apartment with an empty, narrow kitchen and had it built through IKEA, which made cooking feel possible and inviting for the first time.

I grew up wanting to be a teacher, but I always tell myself that if I hadn’t pursued a creative career, I would definitely have worked in food. I love food. I’m not the best home cook, but I think I’m pretty decent. I’ve gotten compliments on my cooking and, more recently, my baking, so my friends can vouch for me on that.

Whenever I’m stressed at work, I find myself cooped up in the kitchen, chopping vegetables or preparing side dishes. Mealtimes are special to me, and it’s one thing I look forward to every day.

Recently, I’ve made an effort to put my favorite meals on rotation, with Gochujang Salmon as one of my staples and a new favorite, also inspired by Heated Rivalry: Ilya Rozanov’s Tuna Melt. I make an Asian version, so there’s a little bit of Shane Hollander in it too. I use Kewpie mayo.

I’m Asian, after all, so everything tends to have a touch of Asian flavor. I started baking again as an adult through Eric Kim’s famous Gochujang Caramel Cookies. My friend Aya and I once had a fun evening baking and packing mail at my place, complete with a Notting Hill watch, and I’ve been baking these cookies ever since. The delight people get when the spicy-sweet gochujang filling hits their taste buds is priceless.

Of course, I’ve branched out beyond just one recipe. I’ve tried Eric’s other bakes (I am a huge fan, to say the least), including his Matcha Latte Cookies, Lemon-Turmeric Crinkle Cookies, and M&M Cookies. He makes baking feel so accessible that I’ve never looked back.

I don’t aspire to bake more advanced recipes. These sessions are my evening wind-down ritual, and the best part is getting to share the results with friends at our next hangout.

Organizing my home office

Last but not least, I’m always organizing my home office. It’s also my first time having a dedicated room for work, so I’m on a mission to make it as inspiring and conducive as possible.

Apart from the week I spent rearranging half the furniture in my apartment (I’m crazy, but present me is happy about it either way), I was dead set on putting together an organizational system that would make the space feel more orderly and intentional.

It would be easy to treat this as a regular to-do, but as I mentioned earlier, I love projects. This one felt like the final boss of them all.

I did a couple of IKEA runs over the winter to pick up some new additions to my desk—I love having this pegboard to put up some quick access supplies, and of course, pasting my vision board there. I decided not to frame it up because it’s literally my phone wallpaper and on the first page of every planner and journal I own.

Apart from that, I went ham over sorting my supplies the weekend before my brother arrived, since I needed to clear up space to put up his airbed in the same room.

I am an “out of sight, out of mind” person, so it was important to me that closed storage5 wouldn’t stand in my way. After all, I need to know where everything is, and I ultimately found a solution that works: labels. Sure, I could print them out and be fancy, but I thought, wait…I have to use my handwriting for something, right? I also realized that reading my own handwriting makes it easier for me to remember where things are (if that makes sense).

This took two half days to figure out, complete with Paramore Radio on repeat to get me going. It’s definitely still a work in progress, so I’ll keep you all updated on that. As a temporary solution, I’m quite satisfied with how it turned out.

Join me for a week in Berlin as I share more about these side quests and document my life!

Cheesy as it is, I’ve learned to appreciate the importance of side quests and sprinkling little bits of fun into my days, and you best believe I’ll keep them in my weekly plans for years to come.

If you’re feeling meh and wanting to add some fun to your life, I highly recommend going on side quests you like, enjoy, and can manage with your time and energy. You’ll be happy you made space for them, as much as I did.

Have you ever tried going on a side quest before? What’s an activity you’ve always wanted to try?

💛 Abbey

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In this post, I’m playing stationery tour guide and sharing how my Tokyo trip went, specifically the stationery shopping part.

If you’re planning a trip to Tokyo and love stationery, fountain pens, and journaling, keep reading to find out where to go and what to look out for.

During my Tokyo trip last fall, I had a mission. After all, what’s a visit to the stationery mecca of the world without exploring its stationery shops?

While I’ve already been to some of the more well-known spots, such as Loft and Itoya, which I’ll also cover in this post, I also made sure to seek out independent shops that focus not only on stationery, but also on fountain pens and other writing tools.

Prepare for some eye candy and lots of note-taking if you’re headed to Tokyo this year. Here are all the shops I visited, what I recommend looking out for in each store, and the best route to get there.

TRAVELER’S FACTORY

• Location/s: Airport (Narita T1), Station (Tokyo Station), Nakameguro (flagship)

• Nearest station/s:

  • Airport: I recommend flying into Narita if possible (it’s in the Shops area of the airport)

  • Station: the store is in the hustle and bustle of Tokyo Station, easy to miss, but also, easily spotted in the crowd (just look for a building map or ask around, you got this!)

  • Nakameguro: Nakameguro (if you’re in the neighborhood, I recommend taking a side trip to Onibus coffee and Starbucks Reserve as well)

• What they’re known for: home of the TRAVELER’s notebook brand, from covers, to inserts (watch out for the limited edition ones in every branch), to accompanying tools and accessories for you to have a nice trip1!

A trip to Tokyo is never complete without visiting to at least one TRAVELER’S FACTORY store. Every time I step into one of their stores, I feel a sense of excitement and exhilaration looking at all my favorite things housed in one space. I’m a biased TN girly from day one, so it feels like a true pilgrimage every time I’m in the store (this time around, though, someone spotted me inside lol).

My personal favorite is the Nakameguro one (I do love this neighborhood, after all), although the relatively new Kyoto branch definitely hits the spot (if you find yourself in that part of Japan, you know what to do).

Apart from limited edition items, don’t miss a chance to have your TN inserts stamped in store (a ritual at this point for all TN users). I usually purchase an insert and stamp away2—they’ve just released their partner shop inserts which are great to document your visit to every partner shop and TF store.

Maruzen

• Nearest station: Nihombashi

• What they’re known for: fountain pens, fine writing tools, an assortment of planners and notebooks

Maruzen is a stationery and book shop chain in Japan, and I chose the Nihonbashi branch thanks to this guide, as it’s the original location. Head to the basement and you’ll find a huge selection of planners, notebooks, fountain pens (on display and available to try), and ink that I’ve only seen for the first time.

I had the best experience purchasing my Pilot Custom 74 here, with the staff being extremely helpful and generous with suggestions. It was relatively calm and there were not a lot of people, which is my favorite way of buying fountain pens because I can have a clear mind and think properly on my choices—these are big decisions, okay!).

I’ve also heard great things about Maruzen’s Oazo store (close to Tokyo Station3), as it’s where you’ll find this gorgeous limited edition Pilot Custom 742 (that my best friend owns and I got to see it, truly a beaut). But I decided to head to the OG and didn’t regret it.

ancōra

• Nearest station: Ginza

• What they’re known for: DIY fountain pens, limited edition fountain pens, inks, and collaboration items

As the flagship store of Sailor, you simply cannot miss this small store just around the corner of the busy shopping streets in Ginza. I knew I wanted to have a DIY pen made, but what I didn’t know was how long it took me to decide on every single color and material that would go into my pen (oops!).

Apart from the custom fountain pen service (they do it for you on-site and took around five minutes), they carry a wide range of Sailor inks—mostly limited edition ones. They also have a very limited edition color that is only available when it rains (a blue one, of course), so if you’re lucky, you just might be able to get it on a rainy day!

I recommend having a look at their website before going, so you can figure out easily which ones are on your shopping list.

MUJI

• Nearest station: Ginza (these next ones are all in Ginza, and can recommend visiting in one day)

• What they’re known for: minimalist Japanese designed products and tools

Of course, I was already in MUJI to get myself a big black jacket (for the Berlin winter)—might as well pop by the stationery floor, right?

I visited the flagship branch in Ginza as the space was wide enough to browse, but not in an overwhelming way. I used MUJI pens a lot back in the day, but this time, I was more focused on looking at some of the organizational systems, and took home a couple of nifty additions for my workspace.

Curious to see what I picked up from Japan? Check out my “everything I got from Japan” video, exclusive to my journal club members on Patreon 🇯🇵 it’s the best way to support my creative journey online.

Moomin Shop

• Nearest station: Ginza

• What they’re known for: Moomin items

For all my fellow Moomin lovers—do not, I repeat, do not miss this shop in Ginza. From stickers, to plushies, notebooks (the Hobonichi collection is here as well) to homeware, they have everything here. Some I have definitely seen in the London Moomin shop, but there’s a wider range of products here in particular.

No idea how these Finnish cuties got so famous around Japan (in a similar vein as to Snoopy and Miffy), but I’m here for it. I bought some ennui themed Moomin stickers (yes, you read that right) to get me by this winter4.

Close by at another mall is Karel Capek, one of my favorite tea brands (with the cutest illustrations on the packaging by the owner herself). Drop by and don’t regret it.

Itoya

• Nearest station: Ginza

• What they’re known for: 12 floors of stationery heaven

Entering Itoya feels like you can never leave. Every floor feels like an exhibition, and the display is fantastic—it feels like a museum. From floors filled with every type of paper, to rows and rows of washi tape at a corner by the cashier, you won’t run out of things to see (and maybe buy? hah!) in this building.

If it’s your first time here, I highly recommend taking your time and going through each floor. It was my second time here, so I zoned in on floors 2-5. My favorite part was getting to see all the ink brands and pens I only see online. The tactile experience is incomparable.

I got overwhelmed at one point and stood outside the toilet room at the corner of selected floors. I needed to stare in space a bit before looking at more things, lol.

Loft

• Nearest station: Ginza (alternative: Shibuya)

• What they’re known for: a wide selection of popular stationery from Japanese brands

On the fifth floor of Loft Ginza, you’ll find yourself (at least I did) browsing for hours and hours, looking at lots of stationery, asking yourself if you really need it (but it’s only $2 for a roll of washi tape!), finding all the things on my list (mom’s pen refills included), heading to the tax free counter, and taking the escalator down, hoping to never have to come back again (my wallet, it seems, is not happy).

Kidding aside, if I had one store to introduce you into the world of Japanese stationery, Loft would be that store. The entire building is more of a general store, and of course there’s a floor dedicated to stationery. It’s not massive, but it is massive enough to be able to peruse around endless shelves of paper, pens, and everything stationery you can think of.

A selection of Hobonichi products are also available at Loft, as well as TRAVELER’s notebook ones (I had to get a friend’s cover at Loft because it was sold out on all the TF shops). Take your sweet time at this shop and thank me later.

BUNGUBOX

• Nearest station: Jimbocho

• What they’re known for: bespoke fountain pens, special collaborations, store-exclusive inks

I’ve only ever heard of BUNGUBOX through the pen shows I frequented over the years, and wound up getting a Mikkabi Mikan fountain pen a few years ago. This time around, though, by some amount of luck, I chanced upon the new Van Gogh collection (which came out a week before my trip!) and was able to purchase the Sunflower of Arles pen in person (it’s beautiful).

Apart from that, I was able to look through ink samples and chat with the owner, Kaoru, who kindly showed me around the store.

The store is small (they also have an online shop and ships worldwide), but there are lots to see—and this area of Tokyo is quiet, but worth a trip to for its cafes and other novelty shops.

Tobichi

• Nearest station: Jimbocho

• What they’re known for: Hobonichi’s flagship store

It’s no surprise that Hobonichi is having a moment these past couple of years—with everyone sporting a Weeks and/or a Cousin as part of their Techo Kaigi (no, I will still not call it ecosystem).

A few meters across Glitch, the coffee shop famous for its long lines (and iirc the coffee was good), is Hobonichi’s flagship store, aka the place to do some notebook shopping. Admittedly, I found the store to be a bit dim and hard to browse through, but patience is key here. You’ll find most of the limited edition collaborations in store here, as well as covers from previous collections that you might have missed (unfortunately, my infamous Camp cover is not part of that).

I went twice, and unexpectedly walked away with a mustard Tragen cover on my last day. No regrets!

Bumpodo

• Nearest station: Jimbocho

• What they’re known for: art supplies, niche stationery, postcards and greeting cards

Established in 1887, Bumpodo was the first specialty art store in Japan to sell and manufacture oil-based paints5. Inside, you’ll find a generous selection of art supplies (especially on the basement), as well as a well-curated section of stationery I was only able to find here.

Once I entered the store, I immediately felt the warmth—I don’t really know how to explain it—but it’s something very different from going to a department store. Maybe it’s how rustic the displays looked, or how retro it felt being in such an old building. I chanced upon Showa era advertisements as stickers, Fueki-themed items (rare to find nowadays), and beautifully designed postcards that I ended up mailing to friends before flying out.

I kept thinking if I had been here, and after walking through the store and jogging my memory, it turns out my cousin had taken me here in 2017, after we walked around Book Town and had coffee at Glitch (yes, it’s still in the same area).

The tour ends here! I hope you enjoyed tagging along and getting to know some of these shops. I definitely didn’t cover everything6 with my limited time, but by the end of the trip, I realized I’d chosen the most efficient route by focusing on areas with a high concentration of shops I wanted to visit (i.e. Ginza and Jimbocho).

If you’ve been to Tokyo before, where are your go-to stationery shops? Or if you’re headed there for the first time ever, what’s one place you’re sure not to miss? I’d love to know!

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I’d love to take you around some more—here’s the video featuring all the stores I mentioned in this post. Happy (virtual) shopping!

Everyone’s talking about bringing back 2016, and here’s my very stationery coded contribution. Happy ten years!

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In this post, I’m sharing my 2026 planners & journals.

These notebooks will carry me through the year, whether that’s writing about my plans for the week, drawing my design drafts, or recording my daily musings. Keep reading to know more.

Happy new year!

I’m writing to you with a cup of coffee on hand, sitting on my couch beside Gingy (yes, I have a plushie of the Shrek character), staying warm in this wintry start to 2026. The days have been slow, and I’ve been learning to feel less guilty about moving intentionally through the first week of the year. After all, how do you get things done in this weather? I’m considering this an invitation to take my time.

Before we get to my notebooks, some thoughts:

1. Personally, I’m not a fan of the “analog” buzzword. I’ve been seeing it everywhere on social media, and you might have noticed me restacking some notes around the topic (here’s something Caro wrote that resonated). It often feels condescending, especially considering we’re having these conversations on digital platforms. At the very least, I think it’s worth being mindful of how we spend our time, and how we choose to use the tools available to us.

2. I cannot, for the life of me, get myself to use the term “ecosystem”. Sorry (not sorry). It simply does not encompass how I feel about using my tools to plan and document my life.

Here’s a rundown of everything I’m using this year, and at the end of this post, a video to show you more in detail.

I am my own boss, so it’s no surprise that I care a lot about how I plan and organize my life. In this digital focused world (and don’t get me wrong, I use my Google Calendar religiously for my meetings) I still have notebooks open on my desk for referencing ideas, writing notes, and tracking my schedule.

Main planner: TRAVELER’s notebook (Regular Size)

I’ve been using a JIYU planner since last summer, and decided to continue as it’s flexible enough for my planning needs. I added a TRAVELER’s notebook monthly insert for travel plans, appointments, and deadlines.

Big picture plans: Leuchtturm1917 Classic Notebook (A5)

For the second year in a row, I use my Leuchtturm1917 notebook as the book, aka where I plan a lot of what my year looks like. I’ve started to set a monthly meeting with myself to write out my intentions and plans, and use it as reference to schedule my days accordingly.

Occasionally, this is also where I jot down meeting notes (especially for regular check-ins with my manager, editor, and people I work with) so I can use it as a guide to decide on my projects.

I’m sorry, it sounds really boring, but yes, I write all of these things and don’t encode them on my computer.

This category is the most consistent one (aka I never changed it) for years, except for a little fun addition this year…

Everyday journaling: Hobonichi Techo Original (A6)

Third year in a row and counting!

There’s a fairly simple reason why I keep going back to this particular dated notebook—it’s compact, easy to fill in, and has a pleasant design layout that allows me to focus on what I want to write about every day (which usually is what I ate, what I did, who I spent time with).

This year, I’m using a lovely Butterscotch cover that, in my opinion, screams autumn and Abbey. I share a lot of tips and ideas on this particular journal on my YouTube channel.

Monthly memory-keeping: analogue keeper Monthly Diary Planner (approx. B6 slim)

RJ of Pinky Elephant sent me a package over the holidays and it included this monthly planner from analogue keeper. I had never heard of this brand up until I did a quick Google upon receiving this.

Since I don’t use the monthly view of my Hobonichi Techo (I find it too small), I figured this would be a fun addition to track some of my activities, hone in on non-work endeavours, and log my media consumption without having a dedicated notebook for it. There’s also a big chunk of focus pages on the second half of the book, so that’ll be interesting—maybe for overflow? Extra notes? Who knows!

Travel journaling: TRAVELER’s notebook (Regular & Passport Size)

This has always been a mainstay in my travel journaling system since 2017, and still is in the rotation, of course. As I’ve shared in a previous post, I love how this format fuels my journaling practice. Depending on my trips this year (which will be far less than my usual, big sigh of relief), I’ll be switching between the Regular and Passport sizes to accommodate my needs.

My foolproof combination has always been any of my brown covers with an MD Paper Cream insert.

My Skillshare class, Everyday Journaling: 5 Creative Ways to Document Your Life, is all about building a journaling habit and capturing life’s little moments. If you’ve ever wanted to try journaling or need some fresh ideas, I think you’ll enjoy it.

Here’s a free trial link to the class 👩🏻‍🏫

As I hope to share more project debriefs in future posts, here are my daily drivers to get my ideas going when I’m in designer/creator mode.

Project drafts: Blackwing Slate Notebook (A5)

Every time I’m tasked to come up with designs or plan my monthly mail, I’ll take out my Blackwing Slate Notebook and get drawing.

I call this my drawing book—and sure, it can be so easy to combine this with my other notebooks, but since I come from a lettering background (in which I had dedicated drawing books for as well), I like to have a separate hub for my drafts and when I’m deep in drawing mode. My favorite feature is the pencil holster on the side—such a genius addition!

Director’s notebook: Field Notes (Pocket Size)

I wear my director hat when I’m knee deep working on a YouTube video, or a series of Instagram Reels. After all, I get to conceptualize, produce, edit (a split job between me and my editor) and publish videos for my social media platforms as part of my job.

I will forever vouch for Field Notes pocket notebooks because they’re so easy to bring around and write on. You can never go wrong with the Original Kraft set, but for this year, I’m using their 1943 Edition—a “Two-Way” Memo Book format.

Here’s what you’ll find inside my Field Notes:

• shot lists (i.e. overhead, talking head, b-roll, etc.)

• comments and notes on videos

• thumbnail sketches

• idea dumps (that I will later revisit)

Having an adulting category is so Capricorn coded, but I’m not as strict with how these will turn out. After all, the PLOTTER ring system allows for more flexibility.

Thirties diaries: Leuchtturm1917 Classic Notebook (A6)

Entering my thirties has been very transformative so far, and as I turn thirty three in a couple of days (!), I wanted to have a space to write my reflections on every year in my thirties. I bought this on a whim while browsing in Dussmann, and I do love a good softcover Leuchtturm notebook (in this cute size).

Inside this diary is a hodgepodge of monthly recaps, travel notes, ratings of people in my life (yes, that includes friends, people I’ve met that year, etc.), learnings, and everything I’d love future Abbey to read and look back on. The notes inside are more of nuggets of wisdom and inspiration, compared to my daily journal which is more of a record of my days.

Everyday carry: PLOTTER (Narrow Size)

Adding this to my lineup was not part of my BINGO card, but alas, here we are. Heavily influenced by the PLOTTER pros April and Job, I decided to take out my PLOTTER Narrow (which the PLOTTER USA team kindly gifted to me!) and repurpose it for my everyday carry this year.

The EDC term is thrown around in many different ways, but I’d like to think of mine as a second brain. I have a bad habit of typing no context words or phrases in my Notes app (the kind that makes me go “what did this mean?” once I revisit them) so I decided to house everything in this ring system.

Since I can add and remove pages as I go, it’ll be super flexible and hopefully a more streamlined way of managing my life outside of work. I also noticed that I needed a place to plan apartment-related tasks that don’t necessarily fit in my work planner (i.e. dimensions of my flat and other technical stuff) so they will all be in my PLOTTER.

Additionally, I’d love to have a place to write my purchases, my wishlist, and other things looming in my mind that don’t seem to have a place on my Notes app or Notion.

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For a closer look at each journal, I’ve linked a video below so you can see the pages, formats, and how I plan to use them throughout 2026.

Which notebooks are in your lineup this year?

Of course, if you’re using only one, or five, or ten—it’s entirely up to you! I hope they serve you well this year. I’d love to know what intentions you’ve set for your tools and how you’re using them this 2026.

💛 Abbey

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A quick note: For January’s monthly mail, I designed a fun BINGO sheet and punch card to kickstart your journaling habit. Slots are still open, and you can find more details here to join my journal club 📮

I lived life on hard mode this 2025.

Do I regret it? No. Maybe I didn’t have much of a choice, or maybe I chose it anyway, knowing I’d feel accomplished on the other side.

In the spirit of closing out the year, and partly out of tradition, I found myself rereading (and writing) last year’s “Best of”. So here’s how 2025 unfolded for me, and looking back on the year that was…

🎨 Creative projects

1. Speaking at CreativeMornings Berlin and sharing my story to strangers to kickstart the year

2. Becoming a Skillshare teacher, fulfilling a lifelong dream, and publishing two classes this year (plus working with the best people)

3. Embracing the cringe as I documented my life on video the most this year, and really put myself out there (and reached 75k subscribers!)

4. Preparing for the SF Pen Show which landed me a partnership with some of my favorite brands and creating a new sticker book

5. Diving into different kinds of freelance work that ultimately tested my patience and tolerance (some projects, I will never say “yes” to again, and that’s okay)

🥳 Personal highlights

• I renewed my German residence permit. Deciding to stay for another three years wasn’t easy, especially with past plans to move to the US, but everything that followed reminded me to trust the process.

• I reframed my relationship with fitness and food. I had so much internal struggles (with PCOS and all) and I really invested in taking care of myself. So grateful to Rachel and to myself for showing up at every workout and choosing to cook more nourishing food (and not depriving myself in the process).

• I moved into my own apartment in my favorite neighborhood! So glad that I asked for help a lot, and I’m extremely grateful to family (finally, a reason to convince my mom and sister to visit) and friends who made it more manageable for me. Turns out, I love being by myself and learning all the quirks and habits as I settle into my own space.

• I graduated from psychotherapy. Looking back at who I was when I first met my therapist in 2023 and who I am now, she and I both knew that I’ve changed so much and have been better at regulating my emotions. How does a Capricorn do that? I honestly don’t know. I just try! 🤪

• I finished so many journals this year! I know this should (technically) be part of Creative Projects, but I think of this more as a personal achievement. I stopped categorizing it as a project and made it more of a practice. And yes, if this wasn’t my job, I would still be keeping these journals all the same.

Bonus: I chopped all my long hair off last March! Call it placebo or cliché, but I felt like a new person after that.

✈️ Travels

1. Going camping for the first time in the south of Germany

2. I have a love-hate relationship with my two trips to the UK (because they were crazy expensive) but they deserve a spot here nonetheless lol (London in May, London/Liverpool in October)

3. Experiencing the summer heatwave (and a bit of Asian fare) in Düsseldorf

4. A week on the road with Jackie, living out my Cars dreams in the USA

5. My solo trip to Tokyo was special and well-deserved

🛒 Favorite Purchases

• My big and roomy Daunt Books tote that holds everything

• Upgraded to a larger backpack from Everlane and it’s been my travel buddy ever since

• Noise cancelling AirPods—life changing is an understatement

• Jeans that flatter my figure. I bought wide leg ones from Madewell and barrel ones from Everlane, after not wearing jeans for years.

• I said it in my stationery favorites, but I’ll say it again—I love a good fountain pen, and TWSBI Eco won this year.

Bonus: buying a rice cooker and bigger pots for my kitchen lol

🎧 Listening history

Kansas Anymore (The Longest Goodbye) was my album of the year. I danced to Sally, When the Wine Runs Out, and caught myself humming the bridge of Some Protector while doing the dishes.

Spotify said my listening age was in the 70s, no surprise since I bounced between my usual indie picks and Fleetwood Mac’s discography. I leaned into a lot more 70s and 80s music this year, which felt like a fun bonus.

I was late to the Djo party, but The Crux got me through winter and straight into the Stranger Things fandom. My favorites shifted from Delete Ya to Basic Being Basic to Potion, and now Golden Line is on repeat. There’s a Beatlesque quality to his sound that I really love.

Shoutout to Sabrina Carpenter’s sophomore album Manchild. Nobody’s Son was my anthem last autumn.

Long baths on cold nights were for Anything Goes, while Sunday chores were accomplished to a T thanks to Song Exploder.

I didn’t read for the second half of the year, so my favorites from the first half remain.

📺 On the big and small screen

I watched Perfect Days, A Real Pain, The Florida Project, and Eternity for the first time this year (and loved them all).

As for TV, I had pockets of peak watching every quarter—the most recent being Stranger Things, and a memorable one being The Bear S4 last summer. Of course, how could we forget the weekly episode drops of The Summer I Turned Pretty’s final season? That was so much fun watching it together with the rest of the world.

🤔 Learnings

• I learned to appreciate the season of life I’m in and stop questioning myself the way I did in my twenties.

• I learned that asking more questions keeps me, and my ever-curious brain, engaged with life.

• I learned to listen to myself more through my body, my thoughts, and my disposition. Sometimes chaotic, but manageable.

• I learned that I don’t thrive on just one creative outlet, and that’s okay. I’ve loved finding my way back to writing.

• I learned to stop thinking too far ahead into the future because it disrupts my present frame of mind. Borrowing a line from Perfect Days: “Next time is next time, now is now.”

My word of the year was balance.

At first, I thought this meant work and life balance.

As the year went on, it took on a simpler meaning: knowing when to pause and when to keep going. If I worked overtime one day, I cut my hours the next. I stopped forcing myself to give 100 percent when I knew I didn’t have it in me, especially during certain times of the month. I’m learning to preserve my energy and listen to my body with more care.

I have no grand plans for 2026. I want to enjoy my rent, travel less, create more, and maintain a flexible routine that keeps me grounded and healthy. No word of the year, no Techo Kaigi, no vision board either. Check back in on January 14, my official new year and birthday.

I hope you close out the year gently and step into 2026 feeling both excited and hopeful. Thanks for being here!

💛 Abbey

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If we all went a little obsessed over our Spotify Wrapped this year (did I mention my listening age was in the 70s?! I am truly an old soul), I decided to make my own. I didn’t have to look far, anyway—my journals had been visual reminders of how my life unfolded this 2025.

I know for a fact that this is part of my job, but even I surprised myself this year1. I did a quick count and worked on ten journals! What a feat.

Here’s how I documented 2025, a look at all the journals I worked on this year, and the observations and learnings I’m carrying into the coming year.

Showing up, one page at a time

It’s my second year using a Hobonichi Techo as a daily journal, and I’m glad that this habit has been a mainstay in my everyday life.

The A6 size makes it super convenient to fill a page in a short amount of time. I’m often asked why I prefer this size and it’s simply because I can’t spend more than twenty minutes writing in this space2, and that’s also why it transformed my journaling habit for the better.

Another thing I made sure of was never going past three days of no updates (I mention this 3/10 rule on my Skillshare class)—my memory goes hazy once the days pass, and I’m always rummaging through my camera roll or Instagram Stories to see what I was up to that day. I usually journaled in the evening, but shifted to more morning journaling since I moved into my new apartment (I now enjoy catching up on writing while having my breakfast and coffee in the kitchen).

What I wrote each day would vary in these formats, and I figured they worked the best for whatever mood I was in:

• A bulleted list of everything I did, complete with the timestamp (very reporter style)

• An opening paragraph (usually about the start of my day) and some commentaries or things on my mind

• Something I’m hyperfixated3 about for the day (it could be a project at work, a person I spent time with, a movie I watched)

My Skillshare class, Everyday Journaling: 5 Creative Ways to Document Your Life, is all about building a journaling habit and capturing life’s little moments. If you’ve ever wanted to try journaling or need some fresh ideas, I think you’ll enjoy it.

Here’s a free trial link to the class 👩🏻‍🏫

Finding beauty in the mundane

Every now and then, I would document more specific periods in my life—mostly during autumn, because it’s my favorite season.

I picked up my travel journaling cadence pretty late this year (around May). I traveled to Belgium in January, but the trip felt lackluster and I wasn’t inspired to document it at all (I have, admittedly, torn pages in my TRAVELER’s Notebook insert and never bothered to sort through my ephemera…oops). Eventually, that insert became a jumping off point for an overflow journal—an extension of my daily journaling practice that became complementary to my Hobonichi Techo.

I share more about my everyday journaling system here:

I started a few more inserts after that, spanning throughout the summer (which was eventful to say the least—I moved, my family visited, spending time out and about in the city, and traveled to California) up until autumn.

When I first moved to Berlin, I kept a dedicated “Berlin journal” and filled it with ephemera, especially food packaging, as a way to capture everything that felt new.

This year, with some new life changes happening, I have been discovering new spots in my neighborhood and would walk around different routes to see what I can find. Documenting them in my TN inserts allowed me to capture those details I otherwise would forget about in my day-to-day life.

Recording every detail of a trip

Of course, the TRAVELER’s Notebook system has always been my travel journal of choice—and this year was no exception. I decided to use one insert for all my Europe and UK trips, since it was mostly short trips and I knew I wouldn’t be able to finish all 64 pages in one go.

So far, the trips I’ve documented in here are:

• London (teaching at the Miso Paper event)

• Düsseldorf (visiting the Schmincke factory)

• Salzburg (took my mom and sister to Austria)

• London again (because I needed to maximize my visa lol)

I’ve always found myself gravitating towards the regular size for my travel journaling practice, but somehow, after working on these pages, I found the size too intimidating and time consuming (shocker for me to say that).

The main reason I’ve kept a regular size in my system is mostly because ephemera fits seamlessly (I mean, just look at the huge Beatles Story packaging that I stuck on the page). Otherwise, I’ve been feeling meh about using this regular size for upcoming travels. Right now, I have around 5 blank spreads I’m allotting for when I’m back from my holiday trip (yup, you guessed it, also in Europe). But it seems like this won’t be a mainstay for next year’s lineup.

Maybe I’ve outgrown it, or maybe I just don’t have the creative bandwidth to work on a larger format. Or maybe I am getting influenced with my Hobonichi usage…

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Keeping it small and simple

There was no real “aha” moment to downsize from a regular to a passport. I just found myself reaching for smaller size inserts more often this year. I think it naturally started when I was finishing an insert early this year, documenting my family trip to LA last Christmas.

Once I completed this, my friends and I were gearing up for an upcoming camp and hike trip in the spring, and it was no surprise that I would bring the passport size as we needed to pack light (I literally only had a backpack with me for a weekend away in the south of Germany).

I ended up assigning this insert for nature activities, such as camping, or hiking, or going for walks at the park4 (the Mesa Verde sticker has no connection whatsoever, but I figured it blended nicely on the cover). I used a 1/2 trip refill for the same reason I mentioned above (again, packing light)—I plan to continue documenting here for upcoming nature trips in 2026. I’m hoping to bring my brother around nature spots when he visits me in the winter…

Want to see the full journal tour? Join my art club for full access here 📔

As summer rolled around, I made sure to secure this special edition insert as I went on a week-long road trip with Jackie around (mostly) Colorado. Job had gifted me this beautiful cover which I love dearly—it came with a kraft insert that I have never used as of this writing (again, oops!).

Initially, I had planned to start with this passport insert and continue with the regular sized one—again, going back to my statement above about ephemera sizing, and how most spreads would look significantly better on a larger sized notebook.

But as I flipped through my road trip passport-sized insert, one that had witnessed every visitor center we stopped at, served as a space for friends I met up with to write and draw in, and became my own canvas for getting creative while on the road, it felt less like a journal and more like a companion.

Unfortunately, this insert is still unfinished. I plan to resume working on it in January. With the changing of seasons last September and a week of jetlag, I wasn’t in my best creative state.

Packing lighter, going further

When I set my mind on a solo Tokyo trip, I had, once again, without hesitation—told myself I’m definitely bringing a passport size insert.

Because of this portable size, I was able to pack light and stamp away at any stamp station I could find, without the trouble of taking out such a big notebook every single time (let’s not forget that I also bring a camera with me everywhere, among other things).

I also exercised being resourceful. Japan is ephemera heaven, after all—and while I’ve kept every map and ticket from the places I explored, I challenged myself creatively with experiments such as using a craft puncher to decorate my page (this is obviously my favorite one). My friend Sophie had gifted me a postage stamp craft puncher and it’s one of my new obsessions in my stationery collection.

Needless to say, I’ve grown comfortable with the passport size—I decided it would also be the perfect canvas for December Daily5 this year.

I’m taking this 1/2 trip refill with me for our annual family trip away; I’m also including an accordion insert which I’m excited to use for drawing and taking notes.

Looking back, it wasn’t one big decision that led me to using passport size more often, but a series of small ones. Will I use it religiously? Probably not. I still reach for regular size when I need space to plan, and I’ll share more about that in a future essay. For now, I’m happy letting TRAVELER’s Notebook passport size be at the forefront of my documenting system (together with the Hobonichi Techo, of course).

Maybe it has something to do with how much (and how long) I traveled this year, or how tired I felt by the end of it. Or maybe it was my way of balancing my creative energy across everything I do, from journaling to filming, making photo diaries, and writing essays like this one. I think I’ve learned that I don’t need all my creativity to live in one place anymore. I like having room for different outlets, different formats, different seasons.

And that, too, feels like something worth documenting.

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If you’re reading this around the holidays, I hope you have a lovely and restful one, and a wonderful new year ahead!

I know I just restarted my Substack this December, but I truly feel so creatively energized to be part of this community and slowly finding my writing voice again. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, it truly means a lot! 💛