Journaling Rituals: Sipping

4/19/2017

In my 5 day ME TIME journaling class [link] I talk about having a ritual while journaling. It can be small, big, rigid, flexible, whatever will make the act of journaling feel special to you. I think of rituals, routines, systems all in a similar category. Systems are to help a person or company get organized, handle processes, be efficient. Routines, like morning routines, also help with organization and efficiency. And emotionally, it can feel really good to be in a rhythm and stable and productive. And rituals are slightly more woo woo, but can be simple as lighting a candle before bed, meditating on your commute, or wearing your special necklace for a big game. Unlike systems and routines, that are more functional, rituals definitely has more of a positive, emotional connotation, but also somewhat disciplined as well. The dictionary defines 'ritual' as a religious or solemn rite. Since I'm not religious, but do consider myself spiritual, I'd say it helps make our journaling more ceremonious, or like it's something for us to take seriously.

What is something you can add to your journaling ritual, to help make it feel more real and important in your daily or weekly activities?

One ritual I like with journaling writing is having a drink with me when I write. I'm definitely a tea person and have loved discovering different non-black teas that I love. Recently I have also been trying a new experiment--- no caffeine--- which has forced me to be more creative! For the first week, I was just really tired all the time. I couldn't even rely on my dependable kombucha tea, because that has alcohol in it and I was trying to stay away from substances. It's been almost 2 weeks now and I think I am finally adjusting to it. Sometimes I confess to the occasional sugary drink (when I socialize), but mostly it's been discovering the world of non-caffeinated herbal tea!

This morning I tried this fruity peach tea, which brought me back to my last high tea in Hong Kong and reminded me I really like fruity teas! They don't seem to have that aftertaste that a lot of herbal or green teas have (be wary some of them are caffeinated) that can be a bit dry on the tongue. It's a nice light tea, and then there's this surprising touch of sweetness at the end.

Here are some of my current favorite go-to Yogi teas: