Our Story

The story of Pause & Write began long before the brand itself. It started with my Papa.

He has kept a diary since he was sixteen, writing faithfully about his day each evening. Growing up, I would often see him sitting quietly with his diary and pen in hand. Without realising it, that simple habit sparked in me a deep appreciation for pen and paper, for slowing down and capturing life in words.

My Mama, ever the nurturing soul, helped that love grow. Most Sundays after church, she’d take me to Lopue’s East, a department store in my hometown in the Philippines. We’d spend hours browsing notebooks and stationery.

While my Papa loved a blank page, my Mama showed me that writing wasn’t just about emotions or remembering events. It could also be about intention, organisation, and clarity. That’s where my love for planners began.

In our family, pen and paper took many forms. But the feeling was the same: a quiet joy in the act of writing.

In 2023, I found myself going through a difficult time. And as it often happens, the things that comforted us in childhood have a way of finding us again as adults. For me, that comfort was, once again, pen and paper.

I turned to journaling to process my emotions, but I found myself facing the same struggle I had when I was younger: staring at a blank page, not knowing where to begin. 

Around that time, my partner and I started a weekly ritual. We’d sit on the sofa and talk about our relationship — the good moments, the challenges, everything in between. It became a practice of openness, of learning and growing together. 

One evening, I thought this could be in a journal. That moment sparked something in me. I realised journaling doesn’t have to be a solitary act; it can be shared. It can be a way to connect, to grow, and to communicate. That thought became the foundation of Pause & Write, and led to our very first prompted journal, The Weekly Check-In.

Whilst Pause & Write was born from a difficult time, it’s much more than a brand. It’s a reflection of the people who shaped me.

It’s my way of honouring the two people who adopted me at just two days old, who loved me as their own and played a big part in who I’ve become.

I carry their values, their practices, and their quiet wisdom. 

It’s a continuation of the lessons they passed on to me: 

To take your time.

To appreciate the little things.

To Pause and Write.