The current pacing of my Substack is: one week I write a personal essay and the next is the Five Words To Anywhere challenge.

Last week, I was struggling with what to write about, so I decided to keep it simple and do a Temp Check — a quick assessment of what I was feeling in that moment, paired with a short meditation.

Because sometimes creativity doesn’t always show up to the party.

This week, I’m welcoming the structure of Five Words To Anywhere. It gives my brain something specific to focus on (i.e. words), and from there, I explore.

You would think that using specific words would feel constricting, but I find it to be the opposite. It actually pulls me in by giving me something to work with and figure out how to bring together.

If you’ve been struggling with your creativity lately, I invite you to try this writing exercise.

You never know what you may discover.

How Five Words to Anywhere Works

• Every other Monday, I’ll give you 5 random words

• Write anything you want — story, poem, scene, etc - less than 500 words

• Use all five words and make them stand out.

• Post your piece in the comments below

• Read what others create and leave a little encouragement

• I’ll share my own piece 48 hours after posting

• This is a supportive, encouragement-only space — no critique unless someone specifically asks for it

Five Words To Anywhere - #9

Here are the words for today’s challenge:

📝 complete, house, effective, cute, money 📝

Help the Community Grow

If this challenge sparks something in you, share it with a friend or fellow writer.

The more voices we have, the richer and more magical this space becomes.

Let’s make Five Words to Anywhere a place where creativity feels wildly free.

See you in the comments,

Jeanette💜

Hey.

How are you?

How are you… really?

Right now…
- are you scrolling?
- sitting for a while?
- or just hopping on?

What do you feel?
- calm
- anxious
- restless
- numb

And your body
- tight?
- sore?
- strong?

Let’s do a quick temp check

Look at your hands.
Open and close them.
Shake them out.

Lift your shoulders up to your ears
and gently let them drop.

Separate your back teeth to relax your jaw

Take a deep breath in through your nose
and sigh it out.

You got this.

Sending you so much love.

Drop a 💚 to spread some.

Keep showing up for yourself,

Jeanette 💜

Last week I wrote about how I became a reader. I still can’t believe it’s been 40 years since I picked up my first book.

This week I’m digging deep into the archives of my brain, trying to remember when I became a writer.

It’s funny, just typing that word, writer, feels a little strange. I used to put so much weight on it.

But I’m someone who likes to express myself through the written word, and by that definition, I guess I’ve been a writer for a long time.

In high school, I had a friend who was really into poetry, and she inspired me to start writing my own. I never shared them with anyone. They lived quietly inside the pages of my journal.

I kept writing poems in college, took some creative writing courses and explored short stories.

Before COVID, I had written more than 30 chapters of a book.

Then I just stopped.

Writing a book has always been a dream of mine.

I’m always so excited when writers reveal their book covers, seeing their name there, permanently attached to something they created.

That’s part of the reason I started the 5 Words to Anywhere challenge.

It’s my way of dipping my toe back into the water.

Low stakes. Low effort.

But still a way to flex the creative muscle and find my way back to writing again.

Want to give it a try? Keep reading…

How Five Words to Anywhere Works

• Every other Monday, I’ll give you 5 random words

• Write anything you want — story, poem, scene, etc - less than 500 words

• Use all five words and make them stand out.

• Post your piece in the comments below

• Read what others create and leave a little encouragement

• I’ll share my own piece 48 hours after posting

• This is a supportive, encouragement-only space — no critique unless someone specifically asks for it

Five Words To Anywhere - #8

Here are the words for today’s challenge:

📝 credit, rice, magical, pocket, down 📝

Help the Community Grow

If this challenge sparks something in you, share it with a friend or fellow writer.

The more voices we have, the richer and more magical this space becomes.

Let’s make Five Words to Anywhere a place where creativity feels wildly free.

See you in the comments,

Jeanette💜

It’s 1986.

I’m in the 3rd grade, sitting on a concrete bench, waiting for my dad to pick me up after school.

The girl next to me is reading, focused.

I find myself stealing glances, admiring the colorful cover. It features girls a little older than me, the title spelled out in toy blocks: The Babysitters Club.

This scenario plays out for a few days.

I’m fascinated by how absorbed she is in this book.

I build up the nerve to talk to her, she’s in 4th grade and loves to read.

She says there’s a book fair coming up.

I beg my parents for money and soon we are both sitting on the bench with colorful covers.

This is my reader origin story.

I quickly became the one in my family to have her nose constantly in a book.

I read everything I could get my hands on.

The library became my sanctuary.

I could spend hours wandering the aisles, admiring covers, flipping through pages and smelling the paper.

I had my Danielle Steele phase.
My John Grisham phase.

Then I went off to college and was introduced to Amy Tan, Toni Morrison, Nikki Giovanni, Maya Angelou, and many other incredible writers of color.

This opened my eyes to different cultures, stories, settings and my love of reading grew even deeper with more purpose and direction.

Whenever I look for answers in life, I turn to a book.

I find someone who has been through something similar and taken the time to write about how they dealt with it.

Sharing stories is as old as time.

We do it within our families and amongst each other and it’s our way of survival.

It’s also a way that we connect and support each other.

It’s surprising to me when I see articles or news stories saying that “books are coming back” because of social media influencers and/or people desiring analogue habits.

I’m glad that more people are reading. It’s helped me build empathy, compassion and understanding.

Last year, I read 30 books. The most I’ve ever read in a year, thanks to participating in two book clubs, in addition to my TBR list.

Basically, I’m not new to this… I’m true to this 🙃

Are you a new reader or have you been reading for years? Tell me your reader origin story in the comments below.

Keep showing up for yourself,

Jeanette 💜

It’s kind of wild how quickly these prompts come around.

My last essay brought in a few new subscribers (👋🏾), which means we’re now over 50 beautiful souls on this Substack journey.

Between personal essays, I like to leave space for play.

Five Words to Anywhere is a recurring creative writing prompt where I share five unrelated words and see what unfolds — stories, poems, fragments, scenes. It all counts.

We’re on our seventh round now.

Here are the words we’ve explored so far:

• #1- light, neck, anatomy, props, disbelief

• #2- thimble, echo, moss, unravel, threshold

• #3- snow, exponential, forest, passive, balcony

• #4- cinnamon, velvet, horizon, lanterns, tremble

• #5- heart, bug, maple, series, vitamin

• #6- supreme, crash, flavor, occasion, reminder

Did any of the word combos stand out for you?

Could you see a story, poem or scene unfolding from them?

If you’ve missed any of the challenges or you’d like to go back and read the submissions, click on the words above. You’ll find people’s creations in the comments.

Or, if you’d like to start fresh, scroll down for today’s words.

How Five Words to Anywhere Works

• Every other Monday, I’ll give you 5 random words

• Write anything you want — story, poem, scene, etc - less than 500 words

• Use all five words and make them stand out.

• Post your piece in the comments below

• Read what others create and leave a little encouragement

• I’ll share my own piece 48 hours after posting

• This is a supportive, encouragement-only space — no critique unless someone specifically asks for it

Five Words To Anywhere - #7

Here are the words for today’s challenge:

📝 popcorn, violet, embarrass, patience, giant 📝

Help the Community Grow

If this challenge sparks something in you, share it with a friend or fellow writer.

The more voices we have, the richer and more magical this space becomes.

Let’s make Five Words to Anywhere a place where creativity feels wildly free.

See you in the comments,

Jeanette💜

A few years back, my husband and I had a podcast called Planted in Miami. It was about conscious living in the Magic City. Every other week, we interviewed locals who were pushing the city forward through their actions. We had tons of fun and recorded over 80 episodes in three years.

In 2019, we took a break and unfortunately after Covid, it became permanent.

After that experience, you could say we burned ourselves out on living a public life. To promote the podcast, we were constantly on social media, in addition to recording, editing, photographing, scheduling guests, driving across the city… It was fulfilling, but it was a lot. And it was a passion project, so we weren’t being compensated for our time.

We posted here and there, but for the most part we went radio silent. The podcast wasn’t the only thing we did online. I had started a YouTube channel focused on yoga and wellness that I also stepped away from.

Until last year.

While fully immersed in my self-care sabbatical, I started to feel the itch to share again. To document what I was enjoying and what I was learning.

So I renamed my YouTube channel to Jeanette in Flow to reflect my current state of mind. And I started this Substack to document my life in real time.

Recently, I’ve been all in on YouTube again. Not so much with longer form videos (though I do have ideas), but with short form content. i.e. YouTube Shorts.

I’m loving the format and how creative people get in such a short time frame.

What feels different about this season of showing up is how I relate to growth. The podcast came from genuine love for storytelling and connection, and yet I remember quietly wishing it would reach more people.

I notice those same thoughts with Substack. The numbers are small. Participation in Five Words to Anywhere is slower than I imagined.

And still, I continue.

Creating now feels like I’m in my curious phase. I’m posting things I’m currently doing instead of searching for ideas. Since I don’t have a huge following, I actually feel free to experiment and to have fun.

I’m less concerned with results and more focused on honoring the moment. And I’m learning how to navigate the platforms, apps and all the new technology available since we were creating things seven years ago.

And if I’m being honest, it also feels like a practice of seeing myself as I am right now.

Maybe that’s part of this season too. Not waiting until I feel “ready” or more polished. Not waiting until I look like a past version of myself. Just allowing this version to exist publicly.

With longer videos, I tend to overthink. And with overwhelm comes paralysis. I tweak, rethink, delay… and sometimes don’t post at all.

With short form, my mind is forced to make quicker decisions. I don’t give insecurity enough time to talk me out of it.

I’m curious, if you’re creating online, what are you leaning into right now?

Drop a link or share in the comments below so we can support each other.

And if you’d like to support me on Youtube, you can find me here.

Keep showing up for yourself,

Jeanette 💜

It’s been a little over two months since I started Five Words To Anywhere, and every week I’m more inspired by what unfolds here.

My goal for 2026 is simple and big at the same time: I want writers from all over the world showing up, sharing their voices, style, flare.

I’m always curious about what happens in your mind when you read the five words.

Where do they take you? What memories or stories begin to stir?

We have a few faithful writers who join in every week (👋🏽), and I truly look forward to seeing where the words lead them.

But I also know there are many of you quietly watching, waiting for the right moment or spark.

That’s the beauty of this invitation. There’s no pressure here. Just a space to play.

How Five Words to Anywhere Works

• Every other Monday, I’ll give you 5 random words

• Write anything you want — story, poem, scene, etc - less than 500 words

• Use all five words and make them stand out.

• Post your piece in the comments below

• Read what others create and leave a little encouragement

• I’ll share my own piece 48 hours after posting

• This is a supportive, encouragement-only space — no critique unless someone specifically asks for it

Five Words To Anywhere - #6

Here are the words for today’s challenge:

📝 supreme, crash, flavor, occasion, reminder 📝

Help the Community Grow

If this challenge sparks something in you, share it with a friend or fellow writer.

The more voices we have, the richer and more magical this space becomes.

Let’s make Five Words to Anywhere a place where creativity feels wildly free.

See you in the comments,

Jeanette💜

I am Puerto Rican.

I’ve only been to the island once, yet somehow it has always lived inside me.

In the music playing in the background of family gatherings. In the flavors that filled our kitchen. In the way stories were told with emotion and laughter.

My parents are Nuyorican. My grandparents are Puerto Rican.

The island was never just a place on a map; it was something carried through generations, passed down in small moments I didn’t fully recognize until much later.

Growing up in Miami, surrounded by Cubans and Haitians, identity was always part of the conversation.

Everyone seemed to belong somewhere bigger than themselves.

I proudly said I was Puerto Rican, even when my Spanish was broken, even when I felt like my connection came more from inheritance than experience.

In my family, Puerto Rico showed up as love and pride.

It was in the meals that brought us together, the traditions we repeated, the flag that appeared everywhere, on t-shirts, hanging from mirrors, tucked into everyday life as both symbol and anchor.

As I got older, I started learning more about the island’s history, the complexities, the struggles and the resilience born from these experiences.

And suddenly, the pride I had always witnessed made sense. It wasn’t just cultural expression; it was survival. It was resistance.

So when Bad Bunny performed at the Super Bowl last night, waving the Puerto Rican flag and singing entirely in Spanish, it felt like more than entertainment.

It felt personal.

Thirteen minutes of celebration and lesson.

A reminder that culture carries history, and that visibility through art is one way we share our stories and why it’s important that we do.

What makes America great, is the flavor of the people that shape it.

May we all move through the world as freely and as rooted in ourselves as Bad Bunny did last night.

Keep showing up for yourself,

Jeanette💜

*This post contains an Amazon affiliate link

Each week, a few more of you reach out about Five Words to Anywhere.

You’re curious.
You want to write.
And you’re also a little unsure about sharing your words.

That makes sense, especially if you’ve never done something like this before.

Last week, three people participated.
It may sound small, but it felt meaningful.

I have a feeling there are more of you quietly writing along… or wanting to.

So consider this a gentle nudge.

Read this week’s five words.
Write whatever comes.
Keep it simple.
Keep it yours.

Try it before fear has time to take the lead.

You’ve got this!

How Five Words to Anywhere Works

• Every other Monday, I’ll give you 5 random words

• Write anything you want — story, poem, scene, etc - less than 500 words

• Use all five words and make them stand out.

• Post your piece in the comments below

• Read what others create and leave a little encouragement

• I’ll share my own piece 48 hours after posting

• This is a supportive, encouragement-only space — no critique unless someone specifically asks for it

Five Words To Anywhere - #5

Here are the words for today’s challenge:

📝 heart, bug, maple, series, vitamin 📝

Help the Community Grow

If this challenge sparks something in you, share it with a friend or fellow writer.

The more voices we have, the richer and more magical this space becomes.

Let’s make Five Words to Anywhere a place where creativity feels wildly free.

See you in the comments,

Jeanette💜

I used to be an Executive Director of a non-profit that advocated for climate justice. Before that, I held many roles in the for-profit world. I say this because my job as an ED was the first time in my life where my values and beliefs were tightly wound into my responsibilities. There was no shut the laptop on Friday and resume work on Monday.

Every single day, there was a constant reminder of the state of the world. And it is heartbreaking to fight for justice and bear witness to the atrocities that continue to happen.

When your work is rooted in your values, it can feel like a privilege and it can also come at a cost.

After multiple surgeries and health scares, I made the decision to step away from my ED role. What started as a self-care sabbatical, something I imagined would be a brief reprieve, turned into a nine-month exploration of self-preservation.

It was less about fixing anything, and more about learning how to listen. To my body. To my nervous system. To the quiet signals I had learned to ignore.

Recently, I’ve stepped into a new role with a different non-profit, believing I could do this work differently now.

I can feel the familiar twinges of overwhelm returning. I’m diving deep into the work and letting my workouts slide and healthy meals aren’t consistent.

I know I need to give myself time to adjust, but I’m also aware of how easy it is for me to fall back into old patterns, the kind where tending to myself comes last, especially when the work feels urgent.

As I sat in meditation this morning, I thought, I should write about my meditation practice! That thought quickly spiraled into follow-up questions and formatting ideas… until I heard Erika’s soothing voice gently bring me back to my breath.

That moment felt like the practice in action. A reminder that distraction isn’t failure, returning is the work. Meditation doesn’t stop my mind from spiraling; it simply teaches me how to come back.

On December 31, 2024, I downloaded an app called Evolve by Erika after seeing an Instagram friend share about the breathwork she had been practicing consistently. She spoke about it with so much conviction, not hype, but devotion and it was clear that the practice had become a meaningful part of her life. I was at the end of a long year and more open than usual. So I decided to try it.

I started with the seven-day trial, and each day introduced me to different breathing exercises and approaches. I had struggled for years to maintain a consistent meditation practice and was craving something that felt both structured and supportive. With a bit of new year, new me energy, I committed to a full year.

Two hundred seventy-four days later, I was still using the app, often meditating in the morning and again at night. I broke my streak on Halloween, but by the end of the year I had meditated 360 out of 365 days. A personal best!

What surprised me most wasn’t just the number of days I was committed; it was how natural the practice had become, and how much my body now craves that pause. And yes, how motivating a streak can be for me.

Why it works for me

Erika is a gifted teacher. Her soothing voice leads with love and compassion, making the practice feel encouraging and supportive.

The app feels personal and private. No ads. No distractions.

I can choose what fits my day. Meditations range from five minutes to over an hour, so I choose my own adventure.

Each meditation has a clear theme. Depending on my needs, I can choose practices focused on things like responding versus reacting, or winding down and calming my nervous system.

There’s meaningful variety. From sound bowl healings to EFT tapping and gentle movement, the practice never feels repetitive.

There’s ongoing support. Weekly live sessions, full moon lives, and special programs like pre-natal meditations, financial abundance, and purpose alignment.

There’s a sense of community. A space where people share reflections, insights, and favorite practices in the community tab.

The calendar keeps me consistent. Erika offers daily practice suggestions, and the streak tracker is a surprisingly powerful motivator to keep showing up.

How its helped me

My anxiety feels more manageable. Because the practice centers on breathwork, I always have something tangible to focus on, which has helped me reduce anxiety and quiet intrusive thoughts over time.

I have support during uncertain moments. This practice has grounded me through periods of health anxiety, especially while awaiting medical results.

It’s changed how I show up as a yoga teacher. I’ve brought elements of the practice into my classes, using breath to help students arrive in the space and later reintegrate back into their day.

I feel more resourced from the inside. Erika often talks about building your spiritual muscle. I’ve developed a kind of inner protection, not armor that hardens me against the world, but support that allows me to stay present without dissociating, to care deeply without abandoning myself.

Gentleness is no longer optional. This practice helps me continue doing values-driven work while treating my body with kindness.

I’d love to hear from you.

What is your one constant right now?

Keep showing up for yourself,

Jeanette💜

It’s that time again!

Five Words To Anywhere comes around pretty quick.

Last week, we had someone besides myself participate 🙌🏾

They wrote a poem using the five words: thimble, echo, moss, unravel, threshold.
If you’d like to read our entries, check them out here.

And now it’s your turn…check out this week’s words and let your imagination fly.

How Five Words to Anywhere Works

• Every other Monday, I’ll give you 5 random words

• Write anything you want — story, poem, scene, etc - less than 500 words

• Use all five words and make them stand out.

• Post your piece in the comments below

• Read what others create and leave a little encouragement

• I’ll share my own piece 48 hours after posting

• This is a supportive, encouragement-only space — no critique unless someone specifically asks for it

Five Words To Anywhere - #4

Here are the words for today’s challenge:

📝 light, neck, anatomy, props, disbelief 📝

Help the Community Grow

If this challenge sparks something in you, share it with a friend or fellow writer.

The more voices we have, the richer and more magical this space becomes.

Let’s make Five Words to Anywhere a place where creativity feels wildly free.

See you in the comments,

Jeanette💜

The other night before bed, I joked with my husband that if he took a photo of me the caption would read “tell me you’re 47, without telling me you’re 47.”

In the slide show, there would be 7 accompanying photos pointing out the things I need to fall (and stay) asleep.

Here are those items:

Eye Mask - I need complete darkness to fall and stay asleep. We even installed blackout shades in our bedroom, but they still don’t get the room dark enough. So I wear an eye mask to block out whatever light sneaks through.

Inevitably, the mask falls off during the night and I wake up. I’ve tried a number of brands and none seem to do the job quite right. It’s very Goldilocks: some are too tight, others too loose.

If you have a recommendation, I’m all ears.

Foot Oil Massage - In Ayurvedic medicine, a nighttime foot oil massage, Padabhyanga, can aid in deep relaxation and improve sleep by supporting circulation.

My skin has gotten extremely dry, so I’ve made this part of my nightly routine. I massage my feet with oil, slip on comfy socks so I don’t slide around the house, and let the ritual do its thing. It’s soothing, the scent is mild, and it clearly signals to my brain that bedtime is near.

Mouth guard - I grind my teeth like it’s a job.

I can’t remember when this started, but years ago my dentist convinced me to get Invisalign, assuring me it would help with my TMJ and jaw pain. It didn’t, but my teeth look great.

I haven’t been consistent about wearing my mouth guard lately, but I’ve been battling vertigo for the last month, so I’ve started wearing it again. Which brings me to my…

Special pillow - Over 15 years ago, I experienced my first vertigo spell. I woke up one morning and the room was spinning. It was awful.

After countless specialists, MRIs, and holistic methods, I found little relief beyond riding the ‘spells’ out. They often come with pressure headaches and can last for weeks. Doctors say it’s an inner ear issue. I suspect stress and extremely tight neck muscles play a role.

Because of that, I’ve invested in more supportive pillows than I can count. My most recent purchase is a cervical neck pillow. It’s a funky shape, but it’s designed for side, back, and stomach sleepers. I do think it’s helping though, my neck has been feeling noticeably better and my vertigo is slowly improving.

Sound machine - I’ve dealt with insomnia since college. I’ll sleep well for long stretches, then suddenly have weeks (or months) of restless nights.

Over the years, I’ve tried plenty of sleep aids. White noise has been one of them. I’ve bought several gadgets with little success and, more than once, resorted to sleeping with the TV on all night.

Last Christmas, I received a white noise machine during a White Elephant exchange. It’s called Yogasleep. You plug it in, choose between two sound levels, adjust the intensity and that’s it.

I’ve used it every night since. It gently lulls me to sleep and keeps me there by drowning out the tinnitus in my right ear and any random household noises.

Thigh pillow - One thing I’ve learned about aging is that body alignment matters A LOT while sleeping.

For my birthday, my husband got me a thigh pillow and it’s made a world of a difference. I no longer wake up with lower back or hip pain from sleeping weird. It’s lightweight and moves easily as I shift from side to side.

Baking shows/reruns - Once everything is set for bed, I need a show to officially wind down. Baking shows work best, but any Big Bang Theory or Friends rerun will do.

Nothing intense. Nothing that requires brain power. Just something familiar enough to ease me into rest.

When I sat down to write this post, I had no idea how many things I rely on to create the perfect sleeping environment. Seeing it all laid out like this is kind of comical.

It also made me curious.

What does your bedtime routine look like? If you made an exhaustive list, what would be on it?

Please share in the comments below.

Keep showing up for yourself,

Jeanette 💜

A quick note: a few of the links above are Amazon affiliate links. If you choose to use them, it helps support my work here at no extra cost to you. I only recommend things I actually use. Thank you for your support.

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New Year, same invitation.

One of my goals for 2026 is to grow Five Words to Anywhere into a space that brings writers together from all over the world.

I’d love for us to gather here every other week and share where five simple words take us.

If you’re in a writing slump or just looking for a fun way to play with words, I hope you’ll join.

It’s low effort, high reward. Who doesn’t like that combo? ☺️

How Five Words to Anywhere Works

• Every other Monday, I’ll give you 5 random words

• Write anything you want — story, poem, scene, etc - less than 500 words

• Use all five words and make them stand out.

• Post your piece in the comments below

• Read what others create and leave a little encouragement

• I’ll share my own piece 48 hours after posting

• This is a supportive, encouragement-only space — no critique unless someone specifically asks for it

Five Words To Anywhere - #3

Here are the words for today’s challenge:

📝thimble, echo, moss, unravel, threshold📝

Help the Community Grow

If this challenge sparks something in you, share it with a friend or fellow writer.

The more voices we have, the richer and more magical this space becomes.

Let’s make Five Words to Anywhere a place where creativity feels wildly free.

See you in the comments,

Jeanette💜

On New Year’s Day, 2024, I started a personal tradition of sitting down to journal about the year prior. At the top of the page, I write: “Things I did in (insert year) and what I learned…”

I travel back in time through the photos on my phone and jot things down by theme: relationships, hobbies, work, etc. Under each category, I write short sentences about moments that made the year special, challenging, or somewhere in between.

Today, I’m sitting at a local café with a mint tea, pen in hand, phone in the other, and an aching back from sitting here for over an hour. For a year that felt quiet, I sure do have a lot to write about. That’s one of the reasons I’ve grown to love this practice. I had forgotten so much of what happened in the early part of the year, and it feels surprisingly comforting to revisit moments…even the sad ones.

I think I love this ritual not just because it documents my life, but because it lets me see my growth. Before starting my 2025 recap, I reread my entries from 2023 and 2024. While there were some familiar threads, there were also so many experiences that clearly shaped me in 2025. I could see how decisions I made last year were influenced by things that happened years earlier. I noticed the slow buildup of experiences I eventually had to confront and release, even though at the time I had no clarity about them.

That realization gives me hope as I step into this year. There’s a lot that still feels uncertain, but I trust that things will unfold the way they’re meant to. Maybe not how I imagine. Maybe not on the timeline I’d prefer. But they will unfold.

The main theme of this past year for me was restoration. As I’ve shared in previous posts, I’ve been on a self-care sabbatical since April, and that chapter is coming to a close this month. While I won’t be returning to a full-time job, I’ve secured a part-time role with an amazing organization I’m proud to support. It feels like the right way to ease back in while still leaving room for creative projects and teaching yoga.

One of those projects is 5 Words To Anywhere. I’d love to continue growing it here on Substack…inviting writers from all over to share, play, and stretch their creativity together. Stay tuned for new words tomorrow.

I wrote this post to share how grounding this reflection time has been for me. A special opportunity to say goodbye to 2025. If you have the chance, I invite you to scroll through your phone, notice the moments from your year that stand out, and write them down on paper. Tuck them somewhere safe and revisit them next year.

And if you have a New Year tradition of your own, I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

Keep showing up for yourself,

Jeanette💜

Two weeks ago, I shared my love of a creative writing practice I would participate in back in the day.

I’ve been craving a way to get back into my writing in a fun and engaging way and that is how “Five Words To Anywhere” was birthed.

I put it out there in a Substack post with the excitement of a kid on Christmas morning and then….crickets.

A few people gave it a heart and some said it was a good idea but no one participated.

My lonely entry sits there on the comments feed waiting for a companion.

I get it. Life is a lot right now. And the precious time you have is going toward creating other things.

The reason why I started Five Words To Anywhere is because it’s a great excuse to play. And I wanted to do it on Substack because there are so many talented writers here. It would be so cool for us to gather every other week to let our imaginations run wild and to see where the words take each person.

It doesn’t have to be anything fully formed.

You don’t need to do an outline or think of how a story develops or what words to use to optimize whatever you want to share.

This is an opportunity to create just for the sake of creating. And a built-in community that supports and uplifts whatever it is you contribute.

So if life is too busy right now and you can’t fit another thing on your plate, don’t worry…

I’ll be here waiting every other Monday until you can.

But, if you have some time in the next two weeks and are curious what this looks like in practice, keep reading.

How Five Words to Anywhere Works

• Every other Monday, I’ll give you 5 random words

• You’ll write anything you want — story, poem, scene, etc

• Write up to 500 words or less if you prefer

• Use all five words and make them stand out

  ---

• Post your piece in the comments below

• Read what others create and leave a little encouragement

• I’ll share my own piece 48 hours after posting

  ---

• This is a supportive, encouragement-only space — no critique unless someone specifically asks for it

Five Words To Anywhere - #2

Here are the words for today’s challenge:
📝snow, exponential, forest, passive, balcony📝

Help the Community Grow

If this challenge sparks something in you, share it with a friend or fellow writer.

The more voices we have, the richer and more magical this space becomes.

Let’s make Five Words to Anywhere a place where creativity feels wildly free.

Thank you for being here, whether you’re writing today or just reading along.

With gratitude,

Jeanette💜

I took an online training recently and the host kept encouraging us to take ‘imperfect action.’ It’s become my new mantra.

According to Google, imperfect action is the principle of taking consistent, manageable steps toward sustainability, valuing progress over the paralyzing pursuit of perfection.

Let’s break this down…

the principle of taking consistent

I’m a self-proclaimed Type A person who loves a challenge and dives in deep when I commit to something.

Being consistent is a core value for me.

Which has been a blessing and a curse.

manageable steps toward sustainability

This is where I pause.

As I mentioned before, once I make a decision to do something, a gear changes in my brain.

The desire to level up is strong.

I’m not taking manageable steps, I’m taking huge leaps across a pond, hoping that the lily pads will support my weight.

My ideas are big and my intentions are good, but I put a ton of pressure on myself.

Which is why sometimes I keep myself from doing things because I doubt I’ll be able to sustain the movement.

valuing progress over the paralyzing pursuit of perfection.

What has been the most outstanding aha moment for me this year is wrapped up in these last words.

When I started my self-care sabbatical in April, I was very much burned out.

Not just with my career but with life.

I felt like no matter what I did in the self-care arena, I could not motivate myself to care enough about much of anything.

This was a very new and scary feeling.

But then after an 8 year hiatus, I started teaching yoga again.

I love my yoga studio and when the owners asked me to teach I immediately said yes.

But when I showed up in class, I was nervous, self-conscious.

My body can’t do some of the poses like before and I’m carrying extra weight.

All of these things made me feel like I shouldn’t be teaching even though I’ve kept up with my yoga studies and have a solid yoga practice.

In other words, I couldn’t be perfect.

Because we’ve already established that I’m consistent, you will understand that I’ve only missed one class in the last 6 months.

And because I teach once a week, it’s been a manageable step toward sustainability.

Week after week, I became more comfortable, tried new things and got to know my students.

It quickly became less of what I looked like or what my body could do and more of how could I support my students.

How could I give them an hour filled with stress relieving techniques so when they went out into the world, they were calmer, more at ease?

How could I allow them space to be free in their bodies and not get hung up on what they could or couldn’t do?

It occurred to me that showing up is a two-way street, and by putting so much pressure on myself, I wasn’t allowing the freedom to learn as I went.

This is when I started to value progress over perfection.

Practicing imperfect action has led me to greater self-compassion. When I reward the action itself, much of the overthinking falls away.

With this new mantra, I’ve done things I might have talked myself out of before, starting this Substack, re-activating my YouTube channel after ten years, and generally putting myself out there more than I have in years.

And, because I love a good experiment, I’ve even created a bi-weekly writing challenge to encourage us to have some fun with our craft.

As we get ready to start a new year, if you’re looking for a new mantra, this might be a good one for you.

Imagine how far you could go by taking imperfect action — one consistent, manageable step at a time.

Not waiting until everything is perfect but just getting started and letting the progress be a measure of your success.

Keep showing up for yourself,

Jeanette 💜

Years ago, there was a website I loved called Creative Copy Challenge. Twice a week, the host would drop ten random words and invite people to write something — a short story, a poem, a scene, etc. I can’t remember exactly how I found it, but for months it became a little creative ritual for me.

Back then, I worked in an office. I’d sit down at my desk, open my browser, and let those words work their magic. A scene would bloom in my mind, and I’d just go with it. No hesitating. No trying to get it “right.” I was writing simply because it felt good to play with words. It kept my imagination open and my love for writing alive.

And the community was the best part. Dozens of people participated each week, and every single entry was different. It was supportive, fun, warm, and full of creativity without competition.

I’ve stepped away from writing over the years, but now that I’m on Substack, I’ve been craving that feeling again… the spark, the play, the freedom to create just because. So I thought… why not bring that spirit here?

And that’s how Five Words to Anywhere was born.

A gentle creative challenge where five simple words can take you anywhere your imagination wants to go.

No pressure. No perfection. Just a place where we get to play.

How Five Words to Anywhere Works

• Every other Monday, I’ll give you 5 random words

• You’ll write anything you want — story, poem, scene, etc

• Write up to 500 words or less if you prefer

• Use all five words in your piece

• Please make the 5 words stand out (bold, italics, caps)

• Post your piece in the comments below

• Read what others create and leave a little encouragement

• I’ll share my own piece 24–48 hours after posting

• This is a supportive, encouragement-only space — no critique unless someone specifically asks for it

Five Words To Anywhere - #1

Here are the words for our first challenge:
📝 lantern, cinnamon, velvet, tremble, horizon📝

Help the Community Grow

If this challenge sparks something in you, share it with a friend or fellow writer. The more voices we have, the richer and more magical this space becomes.

Let’s make Five Words to Anywhere a place where creativity feels wildly free.

With gratitude,

Jeanette💜

I came across a post on Instagram saying that 2025 is the Year of the Snake — a shedding year. A year of releasing what no longer fits and growing into the life you actually want to live.

My prep work for this year started back in 2024, when I finally made the decision to take a break. I’ve been working in some fashion since I was twelve years old. And I’m not exaggerating, I was literally selling candy for Teenagers Against Drugs and Alcohol at twelve (that’s a story for another day).

Since then, I’ve been a dispatcher, a Blockbuster manager (RIP), a waitress, a receptionist, a marketing manager, a public relations director… the list is long. Ya girl was tired.

So I saved every penny I could to give myself space — real space — for rest.

My self-care sabbatical officially started in April, and here we are eight months later. I didn’t expect it to last this long, but with the job market doing what it’s doing, I’ve had to figure things out as I go.

What I didn’t expect was how much this time would change me. Because now, looking back, I can see that this entire season has been one long, slow shedding.

What I’ve Shed

A lot of this shedding happened quietly by simply showing up for myself every day and creating systems of wellness that actually supported and nurtured me.

I shed the version of myself who believed her worth came from how much she could carry. The one who was always “on,” always fixing, always willing to help, always going above and beyond. She served her purpose, but she was exhausted.

I shed urgency and that constant pressure to hurry, to produce, to prove something. When I stepped back, the quiet felt strange at first. Then I realized so much of that pressure was self-imposed. And if I had the power to create that energy, I also had the power to create calm.

I shed perfectionism in tiny, human ways. Letting things be “good enough,” a crochet project with a few holes, an imperfect border, teaching yoga again without the “perfect” body. We’re all unique humans with so much to offer, and perfectionism keeps us from showing up as our most authentic selves. It’s a work in progress, but it’s progress nonetheless.

I shed the identity that had become tied to my jobs. Since 2016, I’d been pursuing some of the causes I care about most — veganism, animal welfare, environmental and racial justice. Those roles felt like natural extensions of my values, so I gave them everything I had. I worked hard because the issues mattered, and I wanted to show up well. But while fighting for a better future, I sacrificed my present. My health suffered, both physically and mentally. And I wasn’t enjoying my life. Through therapy, I learned to gently separate who I am from the roles I hold.

I shed the story that I needed to “reconnect with myself.” I didn’t want to return to old habits, I wanted to grow forward. I wanted to outline a life that put me first. And even when my mind tries to label that as selfish, I push back. If I’m not good, I can’t be good for anyone else.

I shed the expectation that my body should operate the same after surgeries, hormonal shifts, and everything I’ve carried. I’m 47 and living in an entirely different body than I had ten years ago. Softer, slower, more fragile but also more tender, more intuitive. And that’s something I want to embrace. Pushing past my limits isn’t how I want to move forward.

And I shed the idea that creativity had to be earned at the end of a to-do list. This year, creativity brought me back to life. It showed me new sides of myself, opened doors I didn’t even know were there, and reminded me how healing and cathartic it can be to simply make something for the joy of it. Crocheting, tongue-drum mornings, ukulele lessons, Legos, puzzles, watercolors — all of it became medicine.

An Invitation

As the Year of the Snake comes to an end, I can see just how much I’ve released. And with the Year of the Horse on the horizon, there’s something beautiful about stepping into a season that symbolizes forward energy. I know this self-care sabbatical can’t last forever…though if you have suggestions, I’m all ears. 😍

But here’s what I know for sure: the person who entered this year is not the one who’s leaving it. And for that, I am deeply, eternally grateful.

If you’re reading this, I imagine you’ve shed a few things this year too.

So I’d love to invite you into your own reflection:

• What have you shed this year?

• What did it feel like to release it?

• And what did it teach you?

Feel free to share in the comments below or drop a 💜 if any of this resonated with you.

Keep showing up for yourself,

Jeanette💜

I don’t want to get to the end of my life and find that I just lived the length of it.
I want to have lived the width of it as well.
- Diane Ackerman

I’m starting my first Substack post with cake… because around here, we celebrate the small wins.

It’s a Piña Colada cake from Sweet Vegan Treats by Hannah Kaminsky. I baked it to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Crochet Club I helped start at the yoga studio where I teach. We joyfully ate it while honoring a year of laughs, crochet blunders, and a whole lot of community.

I mean, how cute do we look?🥰

How It Started

Two years ago, in October 2023, both my mother-in-law and I were recovering — she from a minor procedure, and me from surgery I’d had just a few months earlier. We were both in that strange, vulnerable space after healing where the body is mending but the spirit still feels tender.

We didn’t realize it at the time, but we both needed a win. Something to focus on. Something to comfort us.

So I asked her to teach me how to crochet — something she’s done since she was eight years old.

We went to Michaels and picked out a Woobles kit. I grabbed the lion because I’m a Leo 🦁. We sat side by side, both a little physically uncomfortable but grateful for the distraction, and she showed me how to pull yarn through a loop.

We found Crochet by Genna on Youtube and watched hours of her videos. We laughed at my clumsy creations and I showed her crochet designs that were new and fresh to her. It was meant to lift both our spirits. And it did.

But it also planted something much bigger in me — something neither of us expected. It brought us closer together and opened the door to my creative journey.

What I’ve Learned

Over the next two years, crochet became my little anchor. I made all sorts of things: hats, shawls, sweaters, little plush animals. What I really learned though was patience, slowness, and presence. The permission to not rush. And the idea that things take time and it’s ok to start over or pivot when it’s not working.

And that energy started spilling into the rest of my life.

• I learned to give myself grace in a way I never had before.

• I found myself reconnecting with yoga. Not just practicing, but teaching after an 8 year hiatus. This time with a slower, restorative flow.

• My meditation practice deepened in a way that felt less like a routine and more like a relationship.

• I leaned into communities that made me feel supported.

And I finally admitted that the job I was in, the one I had poured so much of myself into, wasn’t serving me anymore. Letting it go was scary. But I’m someone who has always listened to the small voice inside of me. It may take me awhile but eventually I can’t ignore it.

So now I’m here, on a self-care sabbatical, figuring out what’s next but doing it with a sense of peace I haven’t felt in a long time. I feel guided. Supported. Open. Grateful. Motivated to connect with people who are choosing a slower pace, or who want to.

Where This Substack Comes In

This little corner of the internet is where I’ll be sharing all of that. The healing, the creativity, the messy middle parts, the small joys, and the things I’m learning as I slow way down.

Expect:

🧶 creative projects
📚 what’s on my nightstand
🌿 gentle yoga and restorative practices
☕️ self-care sabbatical reflections
💛 conversations about slowing down

If you’re in your own season of becoming, or craving a slower, softer way forward, I’m really glad you’re here. I’m excited to see where this journey takes us.

Keep showing up for yourself,

— Jeanette

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