JOURNAL

That’s what an exploration date is to me. It’s this ability to choose to see the familiar with fresh eyes or to find the unexplored parts of where you live. Be it village, town, city or country. This isn’t a prescriptive how-to guide, use your intuition, there are no steps to follow or recommendations. It’s a choice. To get out and just take things in and let yourself discover. Especially when we start to believe that we can only find joy elsewhere, remember it is everywhere. It is in the small things and quiet joys.

I waited until the age of sixteen for a Disney princess to be called Giselle, only for princess Giselle in Disney’s Enchanted to not actually be an official princess. Which feels incredibly close to home as I believe Disney has a whole lot to answer for when it comes to cultural norms around gender, beauty and relationships; so y’all can keep your princesses. Nevertheless, I was ridiculously excited when the film first came out, so people would actually know how to spell my name correctly.

What does the word meditation bring to mind, for you? Did your eyes start to roll? Did you think that it’s something you really ‘should’ be doing? Did you think that you don’t have the time or just can’t do it? Did you fall asleep when you last looked for tips on how to meditate? I hear you. In our usual pursuit for perfection, meditation has become a victim. When actually, there is no such thing as meditating perfectly. We are just showing up as we are and seeing what happens.

I traced the lines, studied the curves and caressed the edges of New York City, just as I would a new lover. I went to bakeries, coffee shops, restaurants, bookstores, parks, galleries and museums. Spending time with myself that was intentional rather than coincidental. In the same way that I write, with each word being intentional, so was my time with myself. I guess, that’s the only condition for a solo date. Do whatever you want but make your time with yourself intentional, not coincidental.