Last week I shared how thrilled I was to host the very first in-person Say No With Love session, and what a joy it was. Being together in the same space opened up new possibilities I couldn’t quite reach with the online version I have offered for years. I left feeling inspired, with fresh ideas for how this work might expand into mental health and wellness spaces, and even met a couple of people in the industry who see the value and want to help. If that's not alignment, I don't know what is! The wheels are in motion to take this work to the next level.
How did I come to realize there was room to expand? I have a practice: no matter what event I say yes to, I build in 30 minutes of pre-session reflection and an hour afterwards to process. So, for a 90-minute workshop, that meant three full hours. It’s one way I honour my own boundaries—saying yes, but with conditions that support me.
After the workshop, as I walked back to where I was staying, I looked up and saw the moon glowing a deep orange. I paused to appreciate it before allowing myself to attempt to capture it, to take a picture (moon photos never quite capture the real thing).
Later, back in my room, I opened my notebook and reflected on the evening. What stood out was how everything I felt good about (slowing down, being myself, trusting myself), was also woven through the areas I wanted to grow. Interesting.
That told me I’m on the right track. Growth isn’t always linear or easy to measure. Sometimes it’s only when we slow down and trace the threads that we see how far we’ve come.
We live in a world that constantly whispers we’re not enough. We are kept in a suffocating place of lack. But when we pause, when we notice the moon, or notice the repeating threads in our own reflections, we move a little closer to feeling enough. And let me tell you, that is a powerful, affirming place to reside.
So next time you reflect on something new, ask yourself: what are the threads here, and where are they leading me?
Writing this letter this week felt like ... a meditation. What else feels like meditation for me? The art of re-reading. In fact, this also connects to that life-long goal to find more and more ways to slow down. I'd love for you to check out this video podcast I did with well-known meditation teacher Jeff Warren, and award-winning musician (and former writing mentee) Tasha Schumann.
We talk about:
- Why “there is no reading, only rereading”
- The mistake of ignoring your instincts and how to recover.
- Poetry as the foundation for all writing.
- What happens when writers trust the reader enough to leave space.
"Reading, in Chelene’s hands, is more than consumption. It’s a meditation, a prayer, a slow fire that lights us from within."
Fun fact, halfway through the episode, I make Jeff a bit teary-eyed! Gotta love the power of allowing yourself to .... feel.
Reflect + Rewrite
This Week's Reflection Question: When I look at the threads running through both my strengths and my areas of growth, what truth about myself do they reveal?
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.
