The fact that a Say No With Love workshop for writers sold out says a lot.
When I first started playing with this idea of “saying no with love,” it wasn’t about boundaries at all. It began as a process of realigning my life priorities, of asking myself better questions and being brave enough to answer honestly. The boundaries came later, almost as a bonus, but a bonus I learned to pay close attention to.
I’ll never forget the first time I paused long enough to ask:
Chelene, how do you want to show up right now? What do you want to filter this through? What deserves your focus this season, and can you let some things spill into the next if they need to?
That small act of checking in with myself was the start of something much bigger. I now know that without the self-work, none of this sticks. Not the boundaries, not the creative breakthroughs, not the shiny publishing strategies, not even the dopamine hit from long-listing, shortlisting, winning awards, or making “lists.” If you can’t go inward, the things in your life that feel hard will just keep feeling hard, and all the glitz will eventually fade into a dusty rearview mirror.
And self-work is not a quick fix either, it’s lifelong. Not everyone is willing to commit to that, and I get it, but those who are know the difference it makes. Saying No With Love is just one piece of a much larger puzzle, but it’s a piece that often opens the door to everything else.
I say this as someone who’s been there. In the early years, I wanted it all: the craft knowledge, the shortcuts, the templates for how to publish a book “now.” But at some point, I realized none of it was sticking. None of it was ... enough.
You know I love a good metaphor so, I see it like this: we’re all jars with our lids screwed on tight, standing under a faucet hoping to get filled. But unless we take the lid off, the water just rushes past us. Self-work—reflection, slowing down, prioritizing—that’s taking the lid off. That’s when things finally start to pour in and stay.
So when people ask me what I do, I say: I help creatives take the lid off.
That’s what this process (workshop, guide, practice ... you choose your ling) really is. A way to get clear on your creative vision and then protect it, fiercely and with love. It’s simple, but it’s not easy, and that’s why I keep showing up for it, and why I keep showing up for you.
I keep thinking about how this all started. Years ago, I sat across from Zoe Grams, founder of Serif Inc. (and now co-founder of Upstart & Crow), at a little patio table on Granville Island, sharing the very first spark of Breathing Space Creative. She listened with such generosity, offering her wisdom so openly. That “yes” to me became the foundation for so many life-changing “no’s.” I'm still so grateful that she wanted to hear my ideas. Those early mentors stay with me for decades. For life.
And now, all these years later, I get to return to that same place, for the first-ever in-person, sold out, Say No With Love workshop, the first spark that made my business what it is today. To have it sell out feels like such a full-circle moment. It tells me this work matters. It tells me writers are ready.
And that makes me excited for what’s still to come.
For ongoing nudges and prompts, you can join the Forever Writers Club (which just re-opened to new members today)—every month we explore these themes together in community.
Reflect + Rewrite
This Week's Reflection Question: If you asked yourself, “How do I want to show up this season?”—what would your honest answer be?
After answering the reflection question, revisit what you wrote.
Is there a single line—just one—that surprised you?
Maybe it stirred something. Maybe it made you pause.
Copy that line out. Sit with it.
As always, if you feel called, I’d love to see it. Hit reply and share it with me.
See you next week! If this letter moved you in some way, please forward it to a friend.
with love, Chelene
Founder, Breathing Space Creative
Want to explore more of my work? I offer bespoke writing mentorships, creative support calls, and free creative resources through my studio. But for now, just take what you need. I’ll be here.
