Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about words…not just what they mean, but how theyfeel. There’s a kind of quiet magic in them. Words can steady us, soften us, or wrap around us like a warm blanket on a winter night. They can reach us from miles away and still land with presence. And as I write more, I’m realizing I’m not just using language…I’m falling in love with it.
It’s changing how I see myself, how I speak, and how I move through the world.
The more intentional I become with language, the more I notice its texture…the way certain words create clarity, the way others create space. The right language can offer boundaries without defensiveness, connection without chasing, presence without performance. It feels like tending a language garden: choosing what grows, what stays, and what gets gently pruned back.
Here are a few phrases I’ve been practicing: Instead of: “Something feels off, but I can’t explain it.” Say: “Here’s the shift I’m noticing.” Instead of: “I know it’s urgent, but I’m overwhelmed.” Say: “I hear the urgency; here’s what I can realistically commit to.” Instead of: “I don’t want to push anything.” Say: “I’m open to where this goes, without forcing it.”
There’s an attractiveness in language. The kind of attractiveness that comes from alignment. From choosing words that match what matters to you. From describing the things you love in a way that lets them breathe.
Words can also tear things down, but they don’t have to. How you think, what you feel, and what you want to express all shape the tone you choose. When you speak from intention, not reaction, your language becomes something that builds, steadies, and clarifies.
It’s almost like building a relationship with your vocabulary. Learning where words come from, what they stand for, and how they can serve you.
So in between my illustrations and my writing, you’ll find me trying new words on, letting them stretch, settle, and shape themselves as I learn, grow, and create more resources for my audience.
