into the journal: maria geyman

This interview series examines how and why people journal, because no two practices are identical. Appreciating the journal as an inner world.

If you have a journaling practice that you’d like to share about here, email me at evapberezovsky(at)gmail(dot)com.

Hi! I’m Maria Geyman — I’m the founder of Masha Tea, a board-certified naturopathic doctor, and am publishing my first book, With Tea, this fall! It’s finally available for pre-order :)

I remember getting my first journal in either the third or fourth grade. There was a little book fair at my elementary school and I chose one with a soft white cover, purple paper, and lining on the inside. It had a little lock and key.

I’ve always said “journal,” but sometimes “my notebook” comes out too, so maybe it’s both.

I do not have a consistent routine! I’m in the habit of carrying my journal with me everywhere and always in case I need to pull it out in the park or coffee shop, but the frequency with which I actually do so does not align with the fact that my notebook is constantly with me.

I have gone through phases of very consistent journaling practice. One summer, I journaled every morning in the park by my apartment. But for most of my life, it’s been random and I never seem to write as much as I want to.

I love journaling while in transit (i.e., trains and planes), I DO get most of my writing done at cafes/bakeries, and I’ll sometimes write in bed as well.

Journaling is just something I’ve always done. In a way, it helps me vent — I probably journal the most when I’m feeling stressed or overwhelmed, because getting everything down helps me feel better, without fail. I write less when everything is kind of fine, although I do also love to journal when I’m feeling inspired or excited.

I definitely used to write a lot about my dating life. Starting in high school, if not earlier, I’d just write a lot about boys. Now that I’m married and have a daughter, I do write a lot about what my daughter is up to and how obsessed I am with her, but because I’m often writing when feeling overwhelmed, something I’ve started doing is writing “I feel…” followed by a list of my feelings, sometimes with descriptions.

I write about my surroundings sometimes too, which, thinking about it now, probably grounds me in place — whether it’s about the light post I’m sitting under on a park bench, or the beauty of a new city.

I’ve probably always journaled to have a conversation with myself. I don’t think that’s really changed.

I also like to draw in my journal. If I really like my outfit, I’ll draw that, but my most frequent doodles are teacups, and then sometimes I’ll sketch a lamp or something that I’m looking at if I’m out in the world.

I often get LEUCHTTURM1917 journals, although I sometimes deviate. The journal I have now is a Japanese one that I found at McNally Jackson — it’s white and the paper is a lovely cream color. Very smooth to write on. This is my second time getting this journal. I’d share a picture of all my old journals but the ones from high school and earlier are at my parents’ house.

I always use a Muji black pen (.35 or .38) and try to constantly carry one with me. Between tote bag transfers, I sometimes forget to bring a pen and then will ask a cafe employee for one. The last time this happened (last week), I wound up with a mechanical pencil. Which was fine!

I haven’t done this in a while, but every couple of years, I’ll go back to old journals. I have some favorite ones from specific times in my life — studying abroad in India, traveling in Mexico for 6 months, the loss of a friend, falling in love with my husband when I lived in Portland in my 20s. I wish I did this more!

This may be the appropriate place to share that I’ve lost ONE journal — it was the journal leading up to my wedding, of my entire pregnancy with my daughter, and her entire birth story. I’m convinced that I left it at Bakeri on Freeman Street in Brooklyn and that somebody has it OR that it fell out of the bottom of the stroller — I used to just throw it down there when taking walks with my daughter. Since this happened, I’ve adopted the habit of writing IF FOUND, PLEASE RETURN TO with my name and address on every journal I’ve owned.

My last entry was from two days ago on Martha’s Vineyard. I actually completely forgot that I journaled there. I wrote in bed when I woke up very early. The entry is about how I wanted to teach my daughter confidence and beauty but she already innately has both, it’s about how comfortable I feel on the vineyard, it’s about being in a vulnerable moment, and about being in the middle of a process.

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evapberezovsky(at)gmail(dot)com
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