This week, I received four text messages back-to-back. Each one asked some version of the same thing:
“Where do you get all your energy?”
And while I know the question was likely rooted in admiration or genuine curiosity, something about it stayed with me. The feeling followed me throughout the day. It caught me off guard—not because I was offended, but because of the quiet assumption tucked within it: that the energy folks see in me just … exists. That it’s natural, that it comes easy, or that it never runs out.
I suppose what unsettled me most was the way it seemed to erase the years of work, missteps, and tender rebuilding it took to get here. I didn’t respond right away. I knew if I answered from that place of irritation, I’d be responding from a surface story, not from the deeper awareness I know is always waiting just under the surface. So instead, I pulled out my notebook and wrote it through.
What surfaced for me was simple and clear: The energy I carry today is not something I found—it’s something I built. I kinda always knew that, but what was different: this energy is not something I maintain alone.
The version of myself I inhabit now—the one who can show up with intention, hold space for others, create, coach, and care—was not shaped in isolation. She came to life slowly, over time, in moments of quiet reflection and firm decisions, and in moments of saying a good ol' no with love. But this version of myself was also born through the kind and steady presence of the right people. The ones who remind me that rest is not something to earn, that slowing down is not failure, and that care is not meant to be transactional.
Just this past week, I’d been ignoring a lingering ache in my body. That familiar voice had returned—the one that says, “It’s probably nothing,” or “You’ll get to it later.” I was doing what I often help others move through: brushing aside my needs because I thought I didn’t have the time. Yikes. This is why we have to commit to consistent personal growth. It’s never done.
Then a dear friend messaged me and said, “Chelene, I want you to block off 15 minutes and call your doctor.”
She didn’t come in hot with urgency or alarm. She didn’t make me feel guilty. She simply saw what I was trying to push aside and gently held me accountable to my own well-being. And I know she’ll check in again. Because that’s just who she is.
Support like that isn’t accidental. It’s the result of making intentional choices about who gets access to my inner life—about who I let in, and who I trust to meet me where I am. It’s not about finding people who fix, but about letting in those who reflect. The ones who can hold space without needing to fill it. The ones who know that sometimes love looks like a quiet mirror, tilted just slightly, so you can see yourself more clearly.
These days, when I say I’m busy, I’m usually not referring to back-to-back meetings or deadlines stacked one on top of another. More often than not, my calendar is filled with things that give back to me. Things that I value right alongside the beautiful client work: Conversations with my son. Gentle movement. Small pockets of play and stillness. (And yes, I really did order a DIY miniature café that I plan to build slowly during my breaks—something about those tiny pieces brings me joy I can’t quite explain.)
What holds all of this together is not my scheduling system or my productivity (although yeah, I LOVE me some systems and processes!). It’s my circle. The people I’ve chosen to build this life alongside. The people who can be invaluable supports, but also understand the power of a good laugh!
A photo of a pizza slice with just ONE HUGE bite out of it because I think it's hilarious lol
Sometimes I’ll follow an urge to leave a funny note around the house, and it is always matched or even one-upped ; ) ↓
Richard decided to "label" these hard-boiled eggs ... just to be clear! haha
Small moments created by choice. There's so much energy to extract from them.
I’m also thinking of the friend who texts me out of nowhere just to say, “You popped into my head,” or “I have your back.” And if she’s reading this, she’ll know—without a doubt—that I’m speaking about her here.
Years ago, when I was commuting across the city, solo parenting, working a full-time day job, I didn’t always have the capacity or clarity to prioritize my needs (I’m sure many of you see yourselves here, too). But even then, I knew that the people around me mattered. I was learning to pay attention to the ones who were curious instead of quick to assume. The ones who made space for me to unfold, not shrink.
And while I didn’t always get to choose who surrounded me in those earlier seasons, I still found ways to carve out care. When I worked at the library, I drew tiny comics on the backs of my work clipboards just to make my colleagues smile. It lifted the mood, and it lifted me. Because when the people around me felt good, that feeling had somewhere to go. Energy has a way of circling back when you offer it with intention.
So yes, I build my days with care. I make space for rest and reflection. I honour my creative rhythm. But above all else, I am protective of who I allow into the quiet corners of my life. This kind of intentionality brings me back to my writing every time, back to my author ecosystem too (I'm working on a new novel now and it's coming along!)
The people you let in—especially the ones who walk quietly beside you—shape the way you move through the world.
And maybe the real question isn’t where my energy comes from… Maybe it’s this:
Who reminds you to protect yours?
With love, Chelene
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What I'm saying YES to ...
As we know, with every "no" we are also saying yes to something else that we've now organically created the space for. Each week, I'll share what I'm saying yes to whether it's a book, a project, and event, a food ... the possibilities are endless!
DIY Miniatures!
I spotted this DIY miniature café kit at Shenanigan’s Book Shop in Victoria a few weeks ago and, honestly, I was immediately intimidated. I love building (we all know this by now), so why not challenge myself in the most literal sense? I ordered one. Stay tuned to see how it goes!
