From Writing to Healing: The Art of Emotional Expression

I shared with you guys that I had been using writing as a creative outlet. I also stress bake and cook as a way to cope. It has been a roller coaster around here the past year so I have experimented with writing songs, poetry, new recipes, just about any way that you could imagine to creatively deal with all of the changes.

Here is a sneak peek at a song I wrote about the complicated relationships with sisters:

🎶 Sister Things

(Original song about the fierce, complex bond between sisters)

[Verse 1]
We’ve shared shoes, secrets, silence, and screams
Traded dreams, and jeans, and in-between things
Laughed ‘til we cried, cried ‘til we laughed
Drew battle lines, then erased the past
You knew the boy before he broke my heart
I knew your tells before you fell apart

[Pre-Chorus]
We don’t say sorry — not out loud
But we show up when it really counts


[Chorus]
It’s a sister thing, it don’t always make sense
Like throwing shade but leaping to defense
We can fight like hell behind closed doors
But God help the fool who says one word more
You get me like no one ever could
And still hurt me worse than anyone would
But there’s grace in the grit, love in the sting
That’s just how we do… sister things


[Verse 2]
I’ve rolled my eyes at the life you chose
You’ve judged my pain like it’s a TV show
But deep down we’re tied at the soul’s seam
Different stars in the same wild dream
You’ve been my mirror, my rival, my home
The first to call, the last to condone

[Pre-Chorus]
We’ve got bruises that no one sees
But girl, your wins still feel like wins to me


[Chorus]
It’s a sister thing — part fire, part gold
A little too much, a little too bold
We’ll talk behind each other’s backs
Then come out swingin’ if someone attacks
You keep my ugly, you’ve seen me weak
Still call me strong when I can’t speak
Yeah, it cuts and it heals — that’s the swing
Of this wild and holy… sister thing


[Bridge]
And not all sisters are born the same
Some show up later, without the name
They pick you up, they pull you through
They know the mess, but love you true
So here’s to the soul-tied, battle-scarred few
Who love like sisters… and show up like glue


[Final Chorus]
It’s a sister thing — it’s sacred, it’s loud
Full of silent vows we never said out loud
You can tear me down, but build me up too
‘Cause no one else sees the whole damn truth
From the sandbox fights to wedding rings
We’ve weathered it all… sister things
Not just blood, but heart and flame
And I’d choose you over and over again


[Outro]
Yeah, it’s raw, it’s real, it’s a lifelong sting
But thank God for this beautiful…
Sister thing

And then I wrote about people, the kind of people who will smile to your face and do hurtful things behind your back. I really have enjoyed writing and creating. I might someday get the chance to perform these songs somewhere or maybe find an artist that appreciates the sentiment and wants to record them. Who knows? But for now, for now I will share them with you guys and hope you enjoy!!

🎶 “Smiling Snake”

(Original song – sassy, upbeat, and too real)

[Verse 1]
Oh, she’s got a hug that’s sugar-sweet
But her eyes say she’s sizing up the meat
Brings a pie to your potluck dream
While she’s stirring doubt in her own scheme
Knows your birthday, knows your fears
Knows just how to play those gears
Laughs with you, then walks away
To twist your truth another way


[Pre-Chorus]
Yeah, she claps when you rise — slow and tight
Then whispers why you’ll fall by Friday night


[Chorus]
She’s got a Sunday smile and a serpent’s soul
Wears kindness like a high-heeled role
Says “I’m just worried” with a perfect pitch
But she’s rooting for a breakdown, not a switch
She don’t hiss — no, she sweet-talks fate
Pulls you close just to watch you break
Oh, bless her heart — that girl is fake
She ain’t a friend, she’s a smiling snake


[Verse 2]
She’ll comment “love this!” on your post
Then share it in a group chat roast
Says “I’m so proud” to your face
Then prays you trip on your own grace
But baby, I’ve been watchin’ too
And now I know what snakeskins do
She’s just a mirror with no soul
Reflectin’ shadows, never whole


[Pre-Chorus]
So go on, girl, keep up the charm
I’ve built a fence around this heart


[Chorus]
Yeah, she’s got a halo that’s glued on tight
Winks in public, claws at night
Says “we go way back” with a champagne grin
But she’s counting your cracks while she sips her sin
She don’t bite — nah, she whispers fate
Sews her lies like they’re first-rate
Oh, bless her heart — that smile’s so fake
She ain’t a friend, she’s a smiling snake


[Bridge]
Now I ain’t bitter, just awake
Learned how to spot a polished fake
Not every grin means love or peace
Some just want a front row seat…


[Breakdown – Spoken or Half-Sung]
To your fall — or your rise
But either way, she’ll act surprised


[Final Chorus]
So raise a glass to the girls who know
That sisterhood ain’t just for show
We’ve seen the venom dressed in pearls
The side-eyes hidden in “you go, girl!”
But we’ve learned to smile, and walk on by
With sharper hearts and clearer eyes
No more fools for the games they play
We see ’em now — from a mile away


[Outro – Tagline Hook]
Oh bless her heart…
She’s just a smiling snake.

How to Cope with Anxiety While Waiting for Change

The Agony of Waiting (and How to Survive It Without Losing Your Mind)

We’ve all been there.
The email is sent. The interview went great. The scale is so close to that magic number.
You’re halfway through a project, a life change, or a dream, and now you’re…
just…
waiting.

Waiting for the phone to ring.
Waiting for the green light.
Waiting for the thing you know is coming (probably) but still feels like it’s stuck in a cosmic traffic jam.

It’s maddening.


Why Waiting Feels So Hard

Waiting is a limbo space. You’re not where you were, but you’re not yet where you want to be. Our brains hate that. They crave certainty, closure, and momentum. Without it, anxiety loves to step in and narrate a running “what if” list like an over-caffeinated sports commentator.

We’ve been taught that if we’re not actively doing something, we’re failing, lazy, or wasting time. So we start filling the space with noise—tasks, projects, errands—sometimes not because they matter, but because the silence of waiting feels unbearable.


Here’s the Truth: You Don’t Have to Fill Every Second

Waiting doesn’t have to be passive, but it also doesn’t have to be crammed full of “productivity” for the sake of appearances.
There’s a radical thing we can do instead:
Be still.

Being still doesn’t mean being frozen. It means giving yourself permission to exist without constantly proving your worth through output. Stillness can be taking a slow walk without a podcast in your ears. Sitting outside with a cup of coffee, just watching the way sunlight hits the leaves. Allowing yourself to breathe without thinking, “I should be doing something right now.”


What You Can Do While You Wait (Without Driving Yourself Crazy)

  1. Hold space for yourself
    Give your emotions somewhere to go. Journal them. Talk them out. Cry if you need to. Sometimes the waiting is the work, because you’re learning to sit with uncertainty.
  2. Set “check-in” times
    Instead of obsessively refreshing your inbox, decide you’ll check it at certain times of the day. Boundaries keep you from spiraling into constant vigilance.
  3. Practice micro-pleasures
    Do tiny, nourishing things that don’t have to lead anywhere—a short walk, a chapter of a book, baking something, or even rearranging your desk for your own comfort.
  4. Reconnect with the non-outcome parts of life
    The people, hobbies, and routines that aren’t tied to the thing you’re waiting for can ground you in the present.
  5. Let it be awkward
    Not every season has to be full of dazzling growth. Some seasons are about holding the ground while the seed sprouts underground, invisible to you.

The Gentle Reminder

You don’t have to earn the right to rest.
You don’t have to distract yourself into exhaustion.
And you don’t have to let waiting steal all the joy out of right now.

The thing you’re waiting for will come—or something else will arrive in its place—and you’ll move forward when it’s time. In the meantime, give yourself grace. Stay curious. Be still when you can. Move when it feels good.

Because life isn’t just about the big moments when the call finally comes, the scale tips, or the email lands. It’s also about the quiet minutes in between—the waiting room of life—where we learn who we are without the outcome.

Healing Through Creation: The Power of a Creative Outlet

There’s something magical that happens when we put our pain, joy, confusion, or hope into words, images, or melodies. Lately, I’ve been writing songs, poetry, short stories, and sharing pieces of my journey here on this blog. Each piece—whether it flows easily or arrives stubborn and raw—has been a small but powerful step forward in my healing.

Creating isn’t just about making something beautiful or polished. Sometimes it’s messy. Sometimes it’s just about getting through the day, giving shape to a feeling that doesn’t have a name yet. But over time, I’ve come to see that this act of expressing—of making—has been one of the most effective tools in my emotional toolbox.


Why Creative Outlets Heal

When we go through pain, trauma, stress, or even just the overwhelming pressure of day-to-day life, it can feel like everything inside us is swirling out of control. Creative outlets give us a way to take back the narrative. They allow us to externalize what’s internal, and suddenly, what felt chaotic becomes a canvas we can look at, understand, and maybe even learn to appreciate.

Here’s what I’ve noticed about using creativity to heal:

  • It makes space for truth. There are things I didn’t even realize I needed to say until I wrote them down. That truth, however small, opens a door.
  • It reduces the pressure to “fix” everything. Healing doesn’t need to be linear. Sometimes it’s just about showing up and writing the next verse or paragraph.
  • It empowers me. Whether I’m writing a powerful lyric or a quiet line of poetry, it reminds me that I have a voice. That I’m not just surviving—I’m creating.

Balancing Healing and Hustling

Right now, I’m also deep in study mode, working toward earning my securities licenses. It’s a grind. It’s mentally exhausting. But even in that structured, analytical world, I find moments where creativity sneaks in—whether it’s the way I reframe a financial concept to help it stick, or the way I motivate myself with a lyric I wrote last week. Studying for these exams is part of my future, but writing keeps me present.

It’s strange but comforting how these two seemingly opposite parts of my life—rigid test prep and freeform writing—are actually balancing each other out. One grounds me, the other sets me free.


How’s Your Healing Journey Going?

If you’re reading this, maybe you’re on a healing path of your own. Maybe you’re creating something, or maybe you haven’t yet, but the idea is tugging at you. I encourage you to try. You don’t have to show anyone. You don’t have to be good at it. You just have to let it be real.

So how’s your healing journey going? What helps you feel a little more whole?

Leave a comment or just reflect quietly—but know that your story matters. And maybe, just maybe, your next step forward begins with a blank page.


Until next time,
Keep creating. Keep healing. Keep going.

✨🖊️🎶

Life Transitions: Finding Peace Amidst Chaos

MIA, But Not Gone

I know I’ve been MIA.

Sometimes, life demands that we step back—not just from work or social media—but from everything. I had to hit pause. I had to give myself permission to simply be.

Over the past few months, I’ve been dealing with some health issues that forced me to reassess my routines and my life in a real, deep way. It wasn’t as easy as just adding a new pill to my morning or nighttime regimen and calling it a day. These were foundational shifts. Things had to change—mentally, physically, emotionally.

I had to move more. I had to get better at managing my stress. And I don’t mean just more yoga, more meditation, or another breathing exercise. I mean truly facing some things I’ve carried for a long time. Things that made me feel angry, sad, and raw. Grief came back around—like it always does—and knocked the wind out of me when I least expected it.

So I’ve been sitting with my feelings. Letting them breathe. Giving them space instead of stuffing them down like I’ve done so many times before. I’ve had to re-center. To literally touch grass. I know it sounds cliché, but there was something healing about standing barefoot in the yard, letting the sun warm my skin and the earth hold me up.

All this while life keeps moving forward at full speed.

My youngest son is heading into his sophomore year of high school—talking about getting a job, becoming more independent, stepping into the world in new ways. And my oldest daughter… she’s getting married. Married. There’s so much to be proud of, so much to be pleased about—but also this deep ache. Because they’re not babies anymore.

They will always be my babies. But we’re not in that chapter anymore. And letting go of those earlier seasons, even while embracing the beauty of what’s now, has been its own kind of mourning.

It’s a strange, tender time. A phase of life where things are shifting—again. We’re growing. We’re changing. And while I know, deep down, that this next chapter is going to be beautiful—it’s also really messy. It’s hard. It’s uncertain. And sometimes it’s just plain exhausting.

But here’s what I do know: I’ve survived 100% of the days I thought would break me. And I’m still here. We’re still here. Finding our footing. Creating new routines. Learning how to breathe deeply again.

So if you’re in the thick of it too—whatever your “it” looks like—just know that you’re not alone. Healing isn’t linear. Growth isn’t neat. And the hard days don’t last forever.

We’re adjusting. And it’s going to be okay. Maybe even more than okay.

We’re making something beautiful.

Mess and all.

One of Those Days: Tips to Handle Life’s Challenges

One of Those Mornings: When Everything Goes Wrong and It Just Hurts

We all have them—those mornings where nothing seems to go right, where life seems to pile up problem after problem before we’ve even had a sip of coffee. You wake up feeling just as awful as you did when you went to bed, and as the day begins to unfold, you start to wonder if the universe is testing you. Today is one of those days for me.

I woke up hurting. Not just a little ache here and there, but full-body pain—the kind that makes you question everything. Is it perimenopause creeping in? Arthritis? The remnants of a cold or even COVID? Who knows, but all I know is that I hurt. It’s one thing to wake up a little stiff, but this? This is a deep, unrelenting soreness that makes every movement feel like a struggle. I rolled out of bed hoping a hot shower might help, but little did I know what awaited me.

As I trudged through the house, trying to shake off the grogginess, I discovered yet another unwelcome surprise: a leak in the kids’ bathroom shower. And not just a little drip-drip situation—oh no, the copper pipe had split at a joint. The kind of plumbing disaster that instantly sends your heart racing, your brain spiraling through mental checklists of what to do next, and your wallet weeping before you’ve even picked up the phone to call a plumber.

And because, of course, bad things come in clusters, my son isn’t feeling great after his EGD and colonoscopy. The good news is that he’s not throwing up daily anymore, which is a huge relief, but he’s still not himself. I know it’ll take time for his body to heal, for things to regulate, for him to start feeling like himself again. But as a mother, waiting for that improvement is agonizing. We want to fix, to heal, to make things better instantly. Watching him go through discomfort, exhaustion, and lingering symptoms makes me feel powerless.

So, yeah. What a morning!

The Emotional Weight of “One of Those Days”

Mornings like these make you wonder how much a person can take. It’s like standing in the ocean during a storm, trying to brace yourself against wave after wave, just praying for a moment to catch your breath. But when everything hurts—physically, emotionally, and mentally—catching your breath feels impossible.

If you’ve ever had a day like this, you know what I mean. The kind of day where you start questioning if Mercury is in retrograde (again), if the full moon is messing with the energy of the universe, or if you somehow unknowingly offended the plumbing gods. The kind of day where you feel like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, and all you want to do is crawl back into bed and try again tomorrow.

But life doesn’t work that way.

The shower still leaks, my son still needs care, my body still aches, and the world keeps spinning whether I feel up to it or not. So what do we do on these days? How do we keep going when everything feels heavy?

Everything Is Figure-Outable

One of my favorite mantras is, everything is figure-outable. It’s a reminder that even in the midst of chaos, there are solutions. The leak? It’s annoying, frustrating, and expensive, but it’s fixable. My body’s aches and pains? They may not have an immediate answer, but I can take steps toward finding out what’s going on. My son’s recovery? It’s a process, but healing is happening, even if it’s slower than I’d like.

When life throws these curveballs, it’s easy to spiral into frustration and despair. It’s tempting to sit in that space of “Why me? Why today?” And honestly, sometimes you just need to feel that frustration for a bit. But once you’ve allowed yourself that moment, you have to remind yourself that you’ve handled tough days before, and you’ll handle this one too.

Just Keep Swimming

Dory from Finding Nemo had it right—just keep swimming. Some days, that’s all we can do. Even when our bodies hurt, even when the to-do list feels insurmountable, even when we’re exhausted, overwhelmed, and ready to throw in the towel. One step at a time, one breath at a time, one small victory at a time.

On days like today, the victories might look different. Maybe the win is simply making that plumber appointment. Maybe it’s drinking an extra glass of water. Maybe it’s letting yourself rest without guilt. Maybe it’s calling a friend and venting for a bit. Whatever it is, no matter how small, it’s a step forward.

Finding Light in the Chaos

Even in the worst mornings, there’s always something to be grateful for. Today, I’m grateful that my son is showing some improvement, even if it’s slow. I’m grateful that I have the knowledge and resources to handle this plumbing mess. I’m grateful for a body that, while aching, still allows me to move, to get things done, to be present.

When everything feels overwhelming, gratitude is the anchor that keeps us grounded. It doesn’t erase the problems, but it shifts the focus, even if just for a moment. And sometimes, a moment is all we need to reset, to breathe, to remind ourselves that this day will pass, just like every other tough day we’ve faced before.

A Reminder to Be Kind to Yourself

If you’re having one of these mornings, I see you. I feel you. And I want to remind you to be kind to yourself. It’s okay if today isn’t productive. It’s okay if you need extra rest. It’s okay if all you accomplish is making it through the day. Some days are about thriving, but others are just about surviving—and both are okay.

So, to anyone else out there who’s having one of those mornings, let’s take a deep breath together. Let’s remind ourselves that we are strong, resilient, and capable. Let’s find a little light in the mess, a little humor in the madness, and a little grace for ourselves in the struggle.

Love and light, y’all. Keep going. Everything is figure-outable, and just keep swimming.