The Journaling Muse – Issue #33 One Mug, One Life
A soft space to reflect, reconnect, and create with feeling.
Hi, Dear Reader,
How much do we really need?
September always feels like a month of clearing. This year, it’s literal for me — as renovations finish in our eco house and as I sort through belongings in Budapest, deciding what stays and what quietly needs to go.
But enoughness isn’t only about physical stuff. It can also mean enough screen time, enough news and negativity from the media, enough comparison that makes you anxious, enough food or sugar when you’ve already had more than your body wants.
We live in a culture that constantly whispers “more.” But what if we chose only one? One ritual, one truth, one practice that grounds us — and gave ourselves permission to limit the rest?
I used to collect things: memories, presents I received throughout my life, small treasures that surrounded me. But moving back and forth between countries taught me how to let go, and to focus on what truly matters. Still, I dream of one day surrounding myself again with beautiful art collected on my travels, chosen carefully, with intention.
In the middle of all this, I remembered a story by The Angry Therapist about a single coffee mug. Just one. Not fancy, not oversized — just enough.
And I realized: clarity doesn’t come from more. It comes from enough.
Digital + Emotional Clutter
Enoughness can also mean stepping back from digital noise.
- Too much screen time.
- Too much news that unsettles you.
- Too much comparison that steals your joy.
Journaling Prompts:
- What is one digital habit I want to declutter or set a limit for this month?
- How does comparison show up in my daily life? What would it feel like to let go and trust “enough”?
Minimalism + Creativity
Minimalism isn’t just about things — it can free our creativity, too. With fewer options, we often create more deeply: a limited palette in painting, one chosen tool for writing, or fewer daily decisions.
Creative Invitation:
- Try a one-object creative challenge: one mug, one tool, or one colour. See how simplicity sparks your imagination.
- Or create a Poetry Collage — pair verses or phrases about simplicity with photos or drawings of a single treasured object.
Seasonal Reset
September is a threshold month — the hush between summer’s fullness and autumn’s quiet. A natural time for reset.
Where are you choosing enough this September?
Journaling Prompts:
- What new routine feels supportive as I enter autumn?
- What am I ready to clear, and what do I want to welcome in?
- How can I mark this transition with intention? (e.g., a gratitude list, a clearing ritual, or one small act of change)
A Little Muse for You​
Maybe freedom isn’t about having more. Maybe it’s about needing less.
This week’s Muse painting is So Much Thought — a blue and gold abstract with hints of orange and fragments of collage layered beneath. For me, it carries the feeling of sorting through memories: some fading, some shining, some carried forward. A reminder that clarity doesn’t mean erasing the past, but honoring what remains essential.
Cheering on You,
​Beáta
PS:One Thing Manifesto — Send me a photo, journal page, or short reflection about your one essential object, ritual, or truth. I would love to see them.
Not for You?
If The Journaling Muse no longer feels like the right note in your inbox, you can update your preferences here and still receive occasional whispers—like VIP sneak peeks and special offers. But if it’s time to step away from all my messages—paintings, stories, and soulful invitations—you can unsubscribe completely here.
No matter what you choose, I’m thankful our paths have touched. 🌿
​