“Writing as Sanctuary”

Hello again. Time has a way of moving swiftly, doesn’t it? You may have noticed some changes around here. From the familiar landscapes of FemmePowered, we now step into a space that feels more aligned with where I am today—Writing as Sanctuary. I could try to condense this transformation into a few words, but if you’ve journeyed with me before, you know brevity isn’t my strong suit. Concise writing? Still a work in progress. But bear with me as I find the balance between depth and brevity. Let’s begin.

When I launched FemmePowered, I was navigating the turmoil of leaving an abusive marriage. My writings—steeped in themes of empowerment, personal transformation, and healing from trauma—found resonance both with women locally and among the diaspora. While I initially wrote for my own catharsis, the growing response made me hope to deeply affect others. However, as a recovering perfectionist, I can now say that I began to rely too heavily on external validation. When my work echoed with success, the applause was deafening. Yet, when there was a disconnect, I grappled with feelings of discouragement and felt misaligned with my audience.

With the passage of time and the deepening of my narrative, my online engagement lessened and events paused, largely influenced by the pandemic. In the hush that enveloped the world during the pandemic’s early days, the reflective silences reminded me that the essence of my writing wasn’t about the occasional external commendation, but about tracing a journey — uniquely mine.”

I turned to the pages of my journal again, pouring out thoughts with raw intensity. When asked about the blog, which now lay in a dusty corner of the interwebs, my answer was always, “I’m on a project.” Indeed, I was — the project was me. Curious queries about events were met with a promise of “something in the works.” In reality, I was working on crafting a purposeful life, shielded from scrutiny. This introspective journey, which I kept close to my heart, enabled a type of growth that’s hard to articulate. I was thriving quietly in my lane and as a consequence, my story and writing were shifting. It was no longer about the relentless pursuit of empowerment or excellence but about mindful living, slowing down, colliding with grace, and finding inner peace. And so, this evolution brought me here—to Writing as Sanctuary, a space where words are not just a tool for empowerment but a place of refuge, renewal, and quiet transformation.