100 things that bring me joy
Pastel pink-peachy color
Big statement earrings
Dark green nail polish
That first sip of wine I really enjoy
Stretching and the feeling of my body opening-up
Sitting by the fire in the Wadi Rum desert
Big chunky sweaters
Flowing skirts
Music that takes me places like Kora playlists, Japanese chill, or Souad Massi
Losing a sense of time when I’m reading a book
Fresh bed sheets
Oysters and brute by the streetside in Chelsea
Little black cashmere dress in which I feel like a Parisian
Reading my story in a travel magazine
A really good toro sashimi
Drinking a cup of tea with ginger, cardamom, and milk
Going through all the photos I’ve taken over the years
Holding my camera in my hand
The first step out of an airplane in a new land
Sitting at a table with friends on a long afternoon
Freshly made pasta with oyster mushrooms and parmesan
Looking for just the right word to say, meticulously, when I’m writing
Sticking my hand out the window in a moving car
Sitting down on my mat and meditating
Seeing my Bedouin friends in the desert again
Cheese and yogurt made out of sheep’s milk
All sorts of honey
Crisp fall mornings when the leaves are already yellow and red but it’s not yet cold
The feeling of fresh mountain air on my face in the morning
A city at sunrise when I’m the only one awake in the streets
Holding the paws of my dog in my hands
The scent of Elizabeth and James Nirvana perfume
The poetry of Mary Oliver, Rainer Maria Rilke, Rumi, and Hafez
Hearing the call to prayer flying across the hills in Istanbul or Amman
Long conversations with friends that make me feel seen
Choosing thoughtfully and then buying gifts for my friends
Creating something out of nothing (a new brand, project, website, story)
Re-reading for the nth time the work of Master and Margarita by M. Bulgakov
Watching old Soviet movies I grew up with during holidays with my grandma
A cab ride on the way to the airport
Huge scarves I can get lost in
Korean drama series on Netflix
Fermenting my own cabbage
Closing my eyes and envisioning what the dream I’m working towards feels like
Recording a podcast with people I dig
Renting a car in Greece or Turkey and going on a road trip
Stopping by at a roadside and buying all the fruits from a vendor
A freshly squeezed pomegranate-orange juice on the streets of Istanbul
Going to the hammam in Turkey
Watching seagulls when crossing from the European to the Asian side in Istanbul
Listening to a new episode of the On Being podcast
The first kiss with a person I really like
The combination of cheese, almonds, and honey
Going to the ballet, opera, or symphony
The buzz of a coffee shop
A cute postcard
All kinds of beautifully made stationery and paper products
Goat milk and chai soap
Putting seeds into the soil and seeing what sprouts
Reading a travel magazine
Neat eyebrows
Planning a new trip that I can create work out of
Everything by Jo Malone
Shopping online for a cute sweater on the weekend
Reading 20th-century science fiction
The books by Neil Gaiman
Going on a long hike with my dog
A long photoshoot in the morning and afternoon
Going through the photos I’ve just captured and discovering a gem
Sitting outside in the evenings and looking up at the stars
That feeling of pride when I submit work to editors
Putting up Stories on Instagram
The soundtracks to Studio Ghibli movies
Sparkling water
A morning cup of kombucha I made myself
Messaging friends I haven’t spoken to in a while
Packing for a trip and deciding what to take with me
The feeling of being tucked away under a blanket when it’s extra cold outside
Listening to a podcast as I fall asleep
Carpet shops in Morocco or Turkey
Walking into a riad in Morocco
Sitting at a rooftop in Marrakech, Fez, or Chefchaouene in the morning or afternoon
Looking at clouds
Yellow flowers in a vase
Bringing people to Jordan and seeing how they fall in love with it the way I did
Calling myself a travel photographer and writer
Talking about or thinking about my story
A set of beautiful pens
Browsing through books in an open-air market
A face mask on for 20 minutes
Tying a headscarf in a new way
Wearing my camel hair coat on the streets of New York
Listening to hang drum
Looking at the prints of my best images hanging on the wall
Noticing how much I’ve changed and grown in love with the world and myself over the years
Breakfast in bed in a five-star hotel
Falling asleep next to someone I love
Kissing someone I love on the forehead
Holding the hand of someone I love while we cross the streets
The sound of rain hitting the roof as I fall asleep
100 things that bring me joy (full list)
100 things that bring me joy (full list)
100 things that bring me joy (full list)
100 things that bring me joy
Pastel pink-peachy color
Big statement earrings
Dark green nail polish
That first sip of wine I really enjoy
Stretching and the feeling of my body opening-up
Sitting by the fire in the Wadi Rum desert
Big chunky sweaters
Flowing skirts
Music that takes me places like Kora playlists, Japanese chill, or Souad Massi
Losing a sense of time when I’m reading a book
Fresh bed sheets
Oysters and brute by the streetside in Chelsea
Little black cashmere dress in which I feel like a Parisian
Reading my story in a travel magazine
A really good toro sashimi
Drinking a cup of tea with ginger, cardamom, and milk
Going through all the photos I’ve taken over the years
Holding my camera in my hand
The first step out of an airplane in a new land
Sitting at a table with friends on a long afternoon
Freshly made pasta with oyster mushrooms and parmesan
Looking for just the right word to say, meticulously, when I’m writing
Sticking my hand out the window in a moving car
Sitting down on my mat and meditating
Seeing my Bedouin friends in the desert again
Cheese and yogurt made out of sheep’s milk
All sorts of honey
Crisp fall mornings when the leaves are already yellow and red but it’s not yet cold
The feeling of fresh mountain air on my face in the morning
A city at sunrise when I’m the only one awake in the streets
Holding the paws of my dog in my hands
The scent of Elizabeth and James Nirvana perfume
The poetry of Mary Oliver, Rainer Maria Rilke, Rumi, and Hafez
Hearing the call to prayer flying across the hills in Istanbul or Amman
Long conversations with friends that make me feel seen
Choosing thoughtfully and then buying gifts for my friends
Creating something out of nothing (a new brand, project, website, story)
Re-reading for the nth time the work of Master and Margarita by M. Bulgakov
Watching old Soviet movies I grew up with during holidays with my grandma
A cab ride on the way to the airport
Huge scarves I can get lost in
Korean drama series on Netflix
Fermenting my own cabbage
Closing my eyes and envisioning what the dream I’m working towards feels like
Recording a podcast with people I dig
Renting a car in Greece or Turkey and going on a road trip
Stopping by at a roadside and buying all the fruits from a vendor
A freshly squeezed pomegranate-orange juice on the streets of Istanbul
Going to the hammam in Turkey
Watching seagulls when crossing from the European to the Asian side in Istanbul
Listening to a new episode of the On Being podcast
The first kiss with a person I really like
The combination of cheese, almonds, and honey
Going to the ballet, opera, or symphony
The buzz of a coffee shop
A cute postcard
All kinds of beautifully made stationery and paper products
Goat milk and chai soap
Putting seeds into the soil and seeing what sprouts
Reading a travel magazine
Neat eyebrows
Planning a new trip that I can create work out of
Everything by Jo Malone
Shopping online for a cute sweater on the weekend
Reading 20th-century science fiction
The books by Neil Gaiman
Going on a long hike with my dog
A long photoshoot in the morning and afternoon
Going through the photos I’ve just captured and discovering a gem
Sitting outside in the evenings and looking up at the stars
That feeling of pride when I submit work to editors
Putting up Stories on Instagram
The soundtracks to Studio Ghibli movies
Sparkling water
A morning cup of kombucha I made myself
Messaging friends I haven’t spoken to in a while
Packing for a trip and deciding what to take with me
The feeling of being tucked away under a blanket when it’s extra cold outside
Listening to a podcast as I fall asleep
Carpet shops in Morocco or Turkey
Walking into a riad in Morocco
Sitting at a rooftop in Marrakech, Fez, or Chefchaouene in the morning or afternoon
Looking at clouds
Yellow flowers in a vase
Bringing people to Jordan and seeing how they fall in love with it the way I did
Calling myself a travel photographer and writer
Talking about or thinking about my story
A set of beautiful pens
Browsing through books in an open-air market
A face mask on for 20 minutes
Tying a headscarf in a new way
Wearing my camel hair coat on the streets of New York
Listening to hang drum
Looking at the prints of my best images hanging on the wall
Noticing how much I’ve changed and grown in love with the world and myself over the years
Breakfast in bed in a five-star hotel
Falling asleep next to someone I love
Kissing someone I love on the forehead
Holding the hand of someone I love while we cross the streets
The sound of rain hitting the roof as I fall asleep