"In The Past, She Used To Live By Mantras Like Passion And Willpower, As If By Imprinting The Words On

⁓ Favorite Stills: Midnight Diner: Episode 1⁓

A bit about Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories - 

This is a collection of short stories that happen in a diner in Tokyo, Japan. The owner of this diner is called ‘Master’ and he becomes a catalyst in either bringing people together or tying lose ends of a tale. Often serving as the voice of wisdom, his diner opens at midnight and shuts shop at 7 each morning. 

The stories in themselves are beautiful depictions of human emotions. They are positive, light and simple. Food serves as a connector between the people who visit the diner and is often the reason for new friendships and love interests. 

Here are a few favorite stills of mine from the Episode 1, Season 1. 

All images here are screenshots from the show and are owned by Netflix. I don’t own any copyrights to them.

~ Another day, another flashback to a mini journal spread ✨~

~ 'Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House', a very warm Japanese drama, also happens to be a favorite of mine.

When one of my favorite Instagram artists @wiwadd happened to share a drawing of Kiyo and Sumire, I knew I had to print it out and include it in my Lokta journal. 🥰

The glitter quote 'You're going to do great things' is also fitting for Sumire who achieved her dream of being a Maiko. (Equally fitting for Kiyo who beautifully shows us it is we who must define what success means to us) 🌟~

~ Currently crushing on: Bellaanna and Sabrina ~ 🌺

I was watching a journaling video in 2020 and spotted these. It was love at first sight. I decided to wait until these became available in India. 

I finally found these last week, listed on a local store’s Instagram page. You can imagine my delight. 

They were delivered yesterday and I had to play with all the inks I had to make tons of Bellaanna and Sabrina flowers! (The stamps from Mo Card are a journaller’s delight.) 

There was this quote on their boxes that made my heart smile, “Look for the most beautiful flower in the box and give it to you.” 

~ 'quiet enjoyment' ~ ~ the art of deriving deep joy from life's moments tenderly, without feeling the need to talk about it.~ . e.g: a small, steady smile as you breathe in the fresh morning air, humming softly as you prepare coffee, feeling content while you create, sitting down with a loved one in shared silence. 🌼 . . Picture: Jaehee Cho, Behance

~ I love making little paper pockets in my journal pages and I love using bills as paper layers. ~ 🌼

I Set Small Goals that Align with My Heart

Sometime at the start of this year, I realized I want to set small goals that feel true to myself rather than set 'big' goals because they are 'necessary to get somewhere in life'.

My goals may be very simple, and they may probably be considered underwhelming, but they should align with the way my heart wants to feel.

Whatever I decide upon as the direction for my life, my work, and my relationships, it should make me feel good. The goals I make should feel fun, exciting, and challenging but not completely far-fetched.

I took a small but big step today and set goals that make my heart smile.

“It’s okay if every weekend doesn’t lead to big moments and campfires and laughter that carries on for hours and hours. Some weekends maybe quiet, still, with plenty of room to contemplate. And in that contemplation, there is room to grow. So hold those weekends dear. Don’t see them as less or as threats to the more exciting times. There is beauty and truth even in the seemingly mundane.” - Morgan Harper Nichols

~ Have you wondered how big an act of faith you perform every single night, as you fall asleep in the arms of darkness, trusting life to awaken you each morning, back to light? ~ @anvidoshi

“I was born to join in love, not hate --- that is my nature.” - Robert Fagles