Nabela Noor On How She Learned To Celebrate ‘Little Moments Of Goodness’
She swears by journaling.
As told to Amy Wilkinson
“Pockets of Peace” is what Nabela Noor calls the visual gratitude journal in which she offers glimpses into her small daily wins for her 7 million TikTok followers.
Born during the pandemic two years ago and originally named “Quarantine Routine,” the video series plays a key role in Nabela’s self-care regimen and has evolved along with the times (hello, name change!) and its creator’s life (8-month-old daughter Amalia is now a mainstay).
“It’s the little moments of goodness that I wanted to celebrate,” Nabela says of her quick clips. “They exist in all of our lives—whether it’s a warm cup of coffee that’s your me-time or the meal that you love making for your family. Those moments deserve to be romanticized.”
Nabela’s gratitude practice isn’t limited to social media—she also keeps physical and Google Docs journals so she can jot down what she’s thankful for whenever the mood strikes.
The journals serve as touchstones for where the former aspiring lawyer turned digital creator has been—and where she’s going. “Every year, I look back and read them. It’s all-encompassing of what I experienced and makes me excited about the future.”
Here, a few more lessons Nabela’s learned about maintaining her inner peace along the way:
Respect Your Margins
“My therapist says to look at life like it’s a piece of lined paper: You don’t start writing from the very top. You leave margins to allow space to breathe—to flourish and grow.”
Model Mindfulness
“The best way for me to teach Amalia about the importance of self-care is by demonstrating it in my own life. She will naturally, I believe, pick those cues up.”
Gratitude Newbie?
If you’re just beginning a journaling practice, Nabela has a tip: “Give yourself lots of grace. It’s okay if you start one day and don’t pick it up again for another week.”
