Today is Saturday, February 7, 2026

Good Morning,

🙏🏽Small Talk: What is your favorite sweet treat? I love the candy by Joyride. It’s low in sugar and still tastes amazing! I couldn’t believe it.

☝🏽Gentle thought: Loving yourself, is loving the world. Real authentic, growth kind of love. The kind of love that sticks it out, forgives, challenges, commits even when it feels impossible, and shows up against all odds. That’s the love I’m talking about. Give that to yourself.

📝 In case you missed yesterday’s post, here’s a quote I shared.

“Love doesn’t just sit there, like a stone; it has to be made, like bread, remade all the time, made new.” -Ursula K. Le Guin

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The Season of Love

“Love doesn’t just sit there, like a stone; it has to be made, like bread, remade all the time, made new.” -Ursula K. Le Guin

Valentine’s season has always been my favorite. I like hearts and pink and red and sweet treats. I love love notes and romance and candlelit dinners. It’s not just one day for me; it’s a whole season. I don’t have many plans this year. I mostly just want to finish my last semester of college. But I don’t have to let Valentine’s go by the wayside. I found my ways to enjoy the season. First, Luther Vandross has been playing all week! Second, I have been appreciating quotes on love. I have to think up some other free ways to enjoy the Season of Love.

How do you feel about Valentine’s Day?

Today is Friday. February 6, 2026

Good Morning,

🙏🏽Small Talk: Did you have any dreams last night?

☝🏽Gentle thought: It’s good to practice slowing things down. Saying things like, “How can we look at this from a new angle?” or “Let’s think about this,” makes room for intentionality rather than reactivity.

📝 In case you missed yesterday’s post, here’s a quote I shared.

“I don’t remember my dreams too much. I hardly have ever gotten ideas from nighttime dreams. But I love daydreaming and dream logic and the way dreams go.” -David Lynch

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Dreams as Inspiration in Your Writing

“I don’t remember my dreams too much. I hardly have ever gotten ideas from nighttime dreams. But I love daydreaming and dream logic and the way dreams go.” -David Lynch

I love dreams. Actually, my love for dreams is, if I remember correctly, what got me into Carl Jung in the first place. He grew on me. At first, I didn’t like him much at all. Now I admire the work of his that he shared with the world. The difference between Lynch and me is that I do use my nighttime dreams as inspiration at the least. I love weirdness. I love writing my dreams into something. I don’t remember most of them, but I have a dream tracker and I do my best to record what I can remember of my dreams.

Do you keep track of your dreams?

The Journey Matters

“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”
― Ursula K. Le Guin, The Left Hand of Darkness

I hope this summer comes with a lot more fun. I have had my head down just trying to finish school, and it takes a lot of my time and energy, never mind funds. I’m fine, everything’s fine. EVERYTHING is FINE.

With that being said, I have been 110% better at appreciating the little things when I’m feeling super stressed. That’s what I’ve learned from these past two semesters.

What things do you do to manage your stress?

Officially a Novelist

“Story matters. Writing is important. Stories make the world go around. Many things begin as words on a page. It matters to the world. And it matters to you. Don’t let anyone rob you of that. Don’t rob yourself of it, either. Don’t diminish. Don’t dismiss. Embrace. Create. Accelerate.” -Chuck Wendig

I finished Writer’s Quest and the ebook version is ready for purchase.

I am officially a novelist.

Some books teach you how to write.
This one asks why you ever began.

Writer’s Quest is a literary exploration of the inner life of the writer—the doubts, the devotion, the quiet moments where identity and creation blur. Moving through reflection, story, and psychological inquiry, the book traces writing not as a skill to be mastered, but as a calling to be answered.

Unfolding in three distinct movements, the book mirrors the creative journey itself—each section opening a deeper threshold of inquiry.

This is not a manual.
It is not a formula.

It is a journey inward—for those who sense that writing is less about producing work and more about becoming someone who can carry it.

Written for writers, artists, and seekers of all kinds, Writer’s Quest speaks to anyone standing at a creative threshold, wondering what must be surrendered—and what must be claimed—to continue.

If you have ever felt that the work was shaping you as much as you were shaping it, this book is for you.

It’s All In The Tidbits

“The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.” -Leo Tolstoy

There’s two things I learned from writing this novel: patience and keeping my work in a sacred space while it’s still in development. The patience was hard for me because I often think that it consumed a lot of my time. Truth be told, if I hadn’t started a nonprofit and also worked with veterans during that process, I think I would have felt more upset about the time it took.

But I have to say there were so many little things I had to learn. It makes me laugh to think of all the tidbits of wisdom I gained.

Today is Monday, February 2, 2026

Good Morning,

🙏🏽Small Talk: It’s Monday! How do you feel about Mondays?

☝🏽Gentle thought: Rest creates more productive workers. So does self care. Have you been taking care of yourself?

📝 In case you missed yesterday’s post, here’s a quote I shared.

“The most important thing is not to let yourself get impatient. You have to figure it’s going to be a long process and that you’ll work on things slowly, one at a time.” — Haruki Murakami (Norwegian Wood)

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One Thing At a Time

“The most important thing is not to let yourself get impatient. You have to figure it’s going to be a long process and that you’ll work on things slowly, one at a time.” — Haruki Murakami (Norwegian Wood)

One thing at a time.

The world really tries to make you into a machine. Pump out work. Lose weight fast. Change bad habits in just 30 days.

Why can’t we take our time?

Why can’t we sit in the process and feel our way through? It’s one thing to put it off because you’re scared. It’s another thing to take time learning the environment. Learning what feels right and taking time to speak up when things feel wrong.

Give yourself permission to stop and smell the roses. Give yourself permission to take it slow. Florence Given just shared a podcast the other day titled The Art of Lingering. At one point, she says just practice taking a seat on a park bench somewhere and just sitting. That’s what I want in my life. I want to linger around in my work and my parenting. I want to watch bees build nests and listen to the water rush by.

I’m beginning to think I was created for the writer’s life.

Stand By You

Tonight I wanted to share one of my most favorite Rachell Platten songs.

When I first heard this song, it was everything I needed in the moment. Not only did it lift me out of my dark place, we even “just so happened” to get tickets to go see her in concert. My daughter and I loved that experience. It was my firstborn’s first concert. And it doesn’t end there. While we were there, someone handed us floor seat tickets! So we love Rachel Platten in our household. I am so very grateful that she used her platform to be positive and uplifting.

Stand by You-Rachell Platten

Even if we can’t find heaven, heaven, heaven, heaven
Hands put your empty hands in mine
And scars show me all the scars you hide
And hey, if your wings are broken
Please take mine ’til yours can open too
‘Cause I’m gonna stand by you

Oh, tears make kaleidoscopes in your eyes
And hurt, I know you’re hurting but so am I
And love, if your wings are broken
Borrow mine so yours can open too

‘Cause I’m gonna stand by you
Even if we’re breaking down
We can find a way to break through
Even if we can’t find heaven
I’ll walk through hell with you
Love, you’re not alone
‘Cause I’m gonna stand by you

Even if we can’t find heaven
I’m gonna stand by you
Even if we can’t find heaven
I’ll walk through hell with you
Love, you’re not alone
‘Cause I’m gonna stand by you

Yeah, you’re all I never knew I needed
And the heart, sometimes it’s unclear why it’s beating
And love, if your wings are broken
We can brave through those emotions too
‘Cause I’m gonna stand by you

And oh, truth I guess truth is what you believe in
And faith, I think faith is having a reason
And I know, know love, if your wings are broken
Borrow mine so yours can open too

‘Cause I’m gonna stand by you
Even if we’re breaking down
We can find a way to break through
Even if we can’t find heaven
I’ll walk through hell with you
Love, you’re not alone
‘Cause I’m gonna stand by you

Even if we can’t find heaven
I’m gonna stand by you
Even if we can’t find heaven
I’ll walk through hell with you
Love, you’re not alone
‘Cause I’m gonna stand by you

I’ll be your eyes ’til yours can shine
And I’ll be your arms I’ll be your steady satellite
And when you can’t rise
Well, I’ll crawl with you on hands and knees ’cause I

I’m gonna stand by you
Even if we’re breaking down (Hey)
We can find a way to break through (Come on)
Even if we can’t find heaven
I’ll walk through hell with you
Love, you’re not alone
‘Cause I’m gonna stand by you

Even if we can’t find heaven (Hey)
I’m gonna stand by you
Even if we can’t find heaven
I’ll walk through hell with you
Love you’re not alone
‘Cause I’m gonna stand by you
Love you’re not alone
Oh, I’m gonna stand by you

Even if we can’t find heaven, heaven, heaven, heaven
I’m gonna stand by you