Explore New Year, New You Love & Relationships Work & Purpose Health & Wellbeing Social Justice & Antiracism Loss & Hard Things Craft & Creativity Growth & Transformation Kids & Teens Submit Work
suleika@theisolationjournals.com
 

Transforming isolation into creative solitude and connection.

 
Untitled-2.jpg

About

The Isolation Journals was founded on the idea that life’s
interruptions are invitations to deepen our creative practice.

accent-2-300.png
suleika.png

If you’re new here, hi! I’m Suleika Jaouad, creator of the Isolation Journals.

When I started this project, I had no idea so many would join me. In late March 2020, I was quarantining in my parents’ attic, having left New York City as Covid-19 was surging. I was no stranger to isolation. For much of my twenties, I was in treatment for leukemia, unable to travel, eat out, see friends, even take a walk. Now isolation was back—this time on a global scale.

When I saw how people were struggling, I was reminded of the 100-day creativity project I’d done with my family during treatment that kept us grounded, hopeful, and connected. I decided to reprise the idea, and I reached out to some of my favorite writers, artists, and community leaders, asking them to share some words of inspiration and a journaling prompt.

The Isolation Journals sends out free weekly journaling prompts. Join us, and you’ll get one in your inbox every Sunday. Here on our site, you’ll also find our living archive of human creativity, featuring journal entries from the community. Browse the archive, or submit your work—and if you’re shy like me, you can do so anonymously!

Here, we show you how to use creativity as a tool for survival. Here, we reimagine isolation as creative solitude. Here, small acts of creativity accrue into something much bigger. Here, stories of vulnerability become stories of resilience and strength, and they unite us as a community.

We believe a creative life is for everyone.

We hope you’ll join us.

 
yay-06-06-02.png
 

Our Community

community-final-03.png
community-final-04.png
community-final-05.png

Featured Community Members

 
Artboard 3.png
Artboard 2.png
Artboard 2.png
Artboard 4.png
 

We’ve hosted extraordinary contributors, including acclaimed authors Elizabeth Gilbert and Kiese Laymon, the legendary blues singer Mavis Staples and the pop star Maggie Rogers, the brilliant artist Shantell Martin and the renowned relationship therapist Esther Perel. Prompts have also come from community leaders, like the public academic Rachel Cargle, and unsung heroes like six-year-old cancer patient Lou Sullivan and Dr. Colleen Farrell, an internist at New York’s Bellevue Hospital.

 
 
 
 
close-crop-01.jpg
Testimonials
Angela Cooke-Jackson

My mother was a professional seamstress, the creator of breathtaking garments. Journaling for me is my way of becoming the creator of a unique garment. I get to take the colorful, often sassy, and sometimes stoic swatches of fabrics that make up my life and sew them into this complicated, perplexing garment – a manifestation of my past, current and soon-to-be journey.

I love the isolation journal because it provides me with a new swatch of fabric… a fresh perspective through the lens of a community of real and vulnerable folks. What a profound privileged to be creating my garment while taking a peek at yours.

— Angela Cooke-Jackson aka Dr. CJ

Tammy Bullock

“When Suleika announced the start of the Isolation Journals, I was all in! What she did with this
movement for such a time as this, is nothing short of genius! She gave us a respite to reflect and write.
She invited us to create rather than despair, and she helped us not take ourselves too seriously and count
our blessings. I am forever grateful!”

—Tami Bullock

"I just want to say thank you… These months of isolation have been challenging, but your
writing prompts are anchoring me."

—Tolu, Tallahassee, Florida

Liora London

"I have always loved to journal and have done it my whole life, but when school got canceled I didn't have the energy to say my feelings, to make them real by writing them down. With these journal prompts coming into my inbox daily, I have been able to slowly let myself come to terms with the state of the world, with where I am in all of it. I am writing this to say thank you. I never knew this is what I needed, but joining this has had a profound effect on my outlook."

—Liora London

“How do I thank you for giving me something to get out of bed for in the morning before my husband stirs so that I can have a moment with the prompt—with me?! I often weep just reading the prompts… Thank you and all your contributors for giving me a morning to work through the sadness, the gratitude, and like today a reminder of all that is beautiful in this very messy world… “

—Suzanne Kahn, Maine

Chris Hancock

“Back in February I started experiencing chest tightness when I woke up that wouldn’t go away. I called my doctor, who said it was anxiety and suggested a natural remedy which would help with symptoms—but not the underlying issue. I told her that I had also just started journaling in the morning, and she said that there are actually studies that demonstrate the act of writing, especially in the morning, can help with symptoms of anxiety. About a week ago I realized that the tightness in my chest for the most part had gone away—without me realizing it. For this I thank you.”

—Chris Hancock, Vermont (and her pup Jambi)

Sonja Millings

“Today is the first morning in a long time that I’ve looked forward to checking my email. Big question: Would you consider extending this lifeline? I just found you and I’m not ready to let go.”

—Sonja Millings, California

Abby Alten Schwartz

“I can’t even express how transformational this project has been for me. I have new friends whom I love, a new writing practice and a memoir in the works. All because of The Isolation Journals.”
—Abby Alten Schwartz

Press

 
 

Our Team

Suleika Jaouad - Founder & Editor

Carmen Radley - Managing Editor

Holly Huitt - Community Manager

Alex Gaertner - Digital Archivist

accent-300-green.png