Pexels/Vlada Karpovich
While seasonal merriment and joy abound, there’s little doubt that the holidays can be stressful. However, Emily Brisse of Deephaven, an English teacher at Breck School, has a solution—and it also might help with What to Buy gift lists.
Brisse is the author of two guided, one-sentence-a-day journals. Dear You is a daily reflections and memory book for parents, and The Geography of Now is a daily reflections and observations book targeted toward individuals. In each journal, find 52 weeks’ worth of writing prompts, places to sketch, crossword puzzles and other activities that encourage presence, gratitude and reflection.
“The focus on both of them is creating an opportunity for people to write daily about their lives but in a really condensed way,” Brisse says. She believes writing in the journals encourages slowing down, setting aside stress—holiday-related or otherwise—and bringing attention to the little things in daily life that can elicit joy. Not only do the journals serve as valuable tools for self-reflection, but once completed, they become treasured memory books.
Brisse’s journals can make perfect gifts for anyone, but she thinks teenagers and young adults will especially enjoy the quirkiness and light-hearted nature of The Geography of Now, as it provides motivation and structure to savor and reflect on the changes that come during this time of life. Brisse recommends Dear You for mothers, especially those who feel they don’t have time for journaling. With the one-sentence-a-day structure, they do!
For those new to journaling, there’s no need to be intimidated. “Don’t feel like you have to write beautiful sentences or have monumental insights,” Brisse says. “Just focus on the small stuff.”
The journals are available at The General Store in Minnetonka, Chapter One in Victoria, Valley Bookseller in Stillwater and online where books are sold.
