Choosing Light in Heavy Times

I’m going to be a little self-reflective today. Not gonna lie, it’s been a roller-coaster of a week. Honestly, since 2021, this particular week has often felt like a roller coaster for me.

You see, it was my birthday on September 10. And I love my birthday. I am not a “oh, it’s just another day” or “why celebrate getting older” kind of person. I am an all-in, love the attention, give me all the well-wishes kind of person.

But after 9/11 happened, my birthday joy has always carried a shadow. I still celebrate, I still love the well-wishes, but I’ve felt the need to hold space for the gravity of the day after. So on September 11 each year, I remember. I remember where I was and what I was feeling.

At the time, I was in graduate school and working in child care. That morning, I sat with bright-eyed kindergartners who, blessedly, had no idea what was happening in the world. Later, as school closed early, I tried to comfort teary, wide-eyed parents who came to pick up their children, squeezing them extra tightly in gratitude.

That day taught me something that still matters now: we don’t always get to choose what happens in the world, but we do get to choose how we respond. We can choose fear, or we can choose compassion. We can choose despair, or we can choose to be a light for someone else.

This year, the emotional high of my birthday and the heaviness of remembrance collided in a new way. I found myself weighed down by current violent events. The division I was seeing in my social media feed. So much anger. So much hate.

And again, I was reminded: we can’t control what happens out there. We can't control what others say and how they choose to view the events happening around us. But we can control what we amplify, what we carry, and what we put back into the world. Even in the face of horrific events, whether they be terrorism, violence, or the murder of public figures, we still get to decide whether to mirror back hate or to hold fast to love.

For me, that choice always comes back to this: choosing light. Choosing to remember the helpers. Choosing to offer compassion. Choosing to believe that our small, everyday actions matter. We have to move forward in ways that feel authentic to who we are. All of us.

Journal Prompts:

• When I think about moments of heaviness in the world, how do I usually respond?

• What are three small ways I can choose light in my daily life?

• Where in my own story do I hold both joy and grief at the same time?

• What voices or messages on my social media feed are lifting me up — and which ones are weighing me down?

• How do I want to be remembered in the way I respond to difficulty?

• What helps me reconnect with hope when the world feels heavy?

• Where am I holding onto anger or fear that no longer serves me?

Affirmations:

• I cannot always choose what happens, but I can always choose how I respond.

• I am a bringer of light, even in dark times.

• My small choices of compassion create ripples of change.

• I honor both joy and grief — they can coexist in me.

• Today, I choose love over fear, light over hate.

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New Member Benefit:

Join me in The Reflection Room, a weekly journaling accountability group every Wednesday at 7am. Come as you are—pajamas, coffee, and all—for a gentle check-in, a journaling prompt (or bring your own), and quiet writing time. No camera required. Just a supportive space to stay consistent, reflect, and keep drafting your life forward. Hope to see you there this week, and every Wednesday morning at 7am at this link (my personal zoom) HERE

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Save the Date!

I am in the planning stages for our first annual planning retreat - Draft Your Year with Pencil and Purpose! Dates are January 22-25, with a Thursday evening arrival and departure Sunday morning. This will be for members and other guests (known by either me or a member). I'm tentatively planning to include breakfast, lunch and snacks with dinner on your own (as long as the location has options). Cost is to be determined and will depend upon the number of participants. I want to book a house in the fall and will be looking to get confirmations and a deposit by then. Stay tuned!

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Office Hours:  Office Hours for September will be on Wednesday, September 17. This is for Editor's Circle Coaching Members as well as any Guided Revision Coaching Members who would like to touch base between scheduled coaching appointments. HERE is the link to schedule a 30-minute slot

The Weekly Draft: happens every Sunday evening at 7pm at this link. Come prepared to reflect on the past week and draft the upcoming week. It is meant to be a heads down, co-planning time, with me being available to share strategies and/or answer questions. Join me HERE

The Reflection Room: happens every Wednesday morning at 7am. Come as you are—pajamas, coffee, and all—for a gentle check-in, a journaling prompt (or bring your own), and quiet writing time. No camera required. Join me HERE