Tiny Letters of Self-Discovery
Leaning into the learnings, the longings, and the big leap.
Hello world! My name is Justine and I am a writer.
Never before have I declared myself a writer, but here I am, doing just that. In my 40+ years on earth, I’ve called been called a strategist, questioner, risk-taker, mischief-maker, mother, journaler, thinker, meditation teacher, coach, mentor, consultant, planner, bridge-builder, wanderer, pattern-spotter, speaker, facilitator, and restless nomad. And yet, the creative essence behind all of those labels is my writing. My penchant for bold expression and clear explanation. My inner word-nerd. I am a writer.
And so, I am creating a space where I write freely 🦋. More public than my journals, but away from the cacophony of social media. Without character counts and video limits. Away from the striving that I feel when creating for algorithms and the need to be ‘thumb-stopping’. Away from the pressure of having to ‘find my niche’, or squish big thoughts and decades of lived experience into some pretty squares and a hook for a tiny bio.
I am proudly multi-passionate, and all my previous attempts to niche-down have just led to feeling like a failure when the inevitable boredom sets in, or my energy gets pulled towards a sparkly, fresh new idea. (If you’re into Human Design, I am a 3/5 Manifesting Generator - IYKYK).
But the thing I’ve never tired of? Self-discovery. And writing has been my primary tool for every step in this unfolding journey of ‘but who am I, really?’. Well, writing and never being afraid of asking myself some of humanity’s most provocative questions!
I have a deep longing to write more. I want to cultivate my love of writing and my unspoken desire to be appreciated as a writer. And (dare I admit it aloud?) I am prepared to surrender to the unknown to pursue this. I ache to write powerful prompts, non-fiction books, sassy screen-plays, my memoir, evocative essays and tiny letters that open a new chapter of greater self-discovery—for myself and others. I want my days to feel nourishing, fulfilling, energizing and hopeful… and I know that continuing to strive in my career as a strategist and remaining tethered to the grind of corporate capitalism won’t provide this.
And so I am taking a big leap of faith. I am centering writing more meaningfully in my daily life. The only striving I’ll be doing from now on will be striving to cultivate a life of more presence, more creativity, more softness, more flow, more honoring my ‘hell yes!’ and my ‘f*ck no!’, more connection, more clarity, more fullness, more self-expression, and yes, more self-discovery.
Bloomed is where I write for myself, and also for you. You found this little corner of the interwebs for a reason, and I sure hope you’ve already gained some value from it. My intention with Bloomed is to practice the art of writing, while exploring my lived experiences and multi-passionate interests. I am creating this space without expectation that anyone will actually read my tiny letters of self-discovery.
That said, I also want to honour the learnings and wisdom that I have gathered and the effort and vulnerability it takes to craft something worth sharing publicly. It is also my deepest desire to create sustainability for myself from my writing, to cultivate my capacity to receive compensation for the value my stories offer, and to make space for reciprocity with those who feel richer for having connected with my words. That’s why you have options, should you choose to hang out with me here.
I believe writers change lives.
I believe writers change lives. Think back to that book, that movie, that poem, that essay—the one that forever changed the way you perceive your world.
My private writings have been transformative throughout my life. I’d go so far as to say that my journaling has healed me in ways that none of my therapists could. Other writers get this. Our Pinterest boards and Instagram saves are littered with quote posts, poetry, a stranger’s scribbles, and the potency of the prose that reached through the screen and held our hearts for a moment.
I believe words nourish us in ways that food and hugs cannot. Poetry helps us to make sense of life’s heartbreaks and sorrows. Stories capture the magic of love and the nuanced complexity of the human condition.
Writers breathe life into the inner world of human experiences that are otherwise utterly untouchable.
Social media has conditioned us to believe that our writing, art, and creativity should be freely published and freely consumed. Artificial Intelligence (AI) pundits question the value of humans continuing to write or create art at all.
But I am with Ethan Hawke on this one: human creativity is vital.
“It’s the way we heal each other. In singing our song, in telling our story, in inviting you to say ‘Hey, listen to me and I’ll listen to you.’ we’re starting a dialogue. And when you do that, this healing happens. And we come out of our corners. We start to witness each other’s common humanity.
If you want to help your community, if you want to help your family, if you want to help your friends, you have to express yourself. And to express yourself, you have to know yourself.”
Let’s Bloom, Together
I’m nervous, but also genuinely lit up about the idea of spending more of my days, more of my energy creating, writing, and publicly sharing what I’ve come to realize is a gift. In my conversations, texts and exchanges with friends, I’ve been urged many times to share my writing and perspectives more publicly. In more recent years, I have found myself writing scripts for speakers on stage, mission statements and company values, and using my writing to simplify complex topics and make them more palatable.
At first blush, the topics contemplated here will likely feel random, because I am giving myself the freedom to write whatever is simmering within me, capturing my attention, or inviting me to pause and reconsider. But one thing will always be true—my essays will be responses to my world and the human condition. My goal is to put words to the adventures of the human experience. Those who know me well will testify that I love to explore the edges of possibility, and push past the comfort zones into the curiosity of the unknown, and return with stories of what I discovered.
I hope Bloomed will gently provoke you to explore your own edges with more curiosity, to take another step in your own journey of self-discovery. I hope my words bring you regular nourishment, like a home-cooked meal and intimate conversation with a loved one. Stay as long as you like. I’ll stoke the fire and prepare you a warm drink so you can rest awhile.