Broken Open By Change
The untold side of joy, the humbling pace of nature, and the tender work of transformation
Welcome, Soul-Seeker š Iām Jen - the heart behind Hearth & Tide, a sacred space devoted to reflection, intuition, and inspired living. This is where inner wisdom meets real life. Whether youāre in a season of change, seeking deeper clarity, or simply learning to trust your path more fully, Iām here to offer guidance rooted in intention, insight, and soul.
Three months ago, I stepped into a long-awaited chapter I had dreamed about for as long as I can remember - living by the ocean. This season has been rich with new experiences: moving provinces, starting a new job, packing & unpacking, spending quality time with family & friends, and exploring a whole new lifestyle.
I promised myself last year with my writing, creativity, and spiritual work, I wouldnāt force a rigid schedule. When I pressure with rules, inspiration tends to run in the opposite direction. So while itās been a bit since Iāve shared here, I trust the rhythm of when the words arrive.
September feels like the perfect time to open the page again š life is beginning to settle just enough for me to return to my practices, my routines, and the joy of writing & art.
These first months have been full, and now I feel the space to share a few reflections, updates, and glimpses of this new chapter.
Wherever You Go, There You Are
Thereās a quote thatās been on my mind from Jon Kabat-Zinn: āWherever you go, there you are.ā
From his work on mindfulness, it carries a layered reminder: that changing our surroundings or achieving milestones doesnāt erase who we are inside; that our thoughts, patterns, and emotions travel with us; and that true presence is found only by meeting ourselves in this moment, just as we are.
Arriving here has shown me that this journey is just beginning.
The desire of this vision seems to have evolved into a mirror, reflecting back the parts of myself that still need tending, healing, and rising.
The best way I can describe it is as though my cells havenāt fully caught up to the vision my spirit called in.
Itās as if my external reality has leapt forward, but my inner self is slowly learning to meet it at that vibration.
Deep, I know.
Our deepest desires are not just there to be realized.
We are called to them because they stretch us, they challenge us to face the patterns and shadows weād rather avoid.
Big change has a way of pulling the unconscious into the light. The insecurities, the resistance, the old wounds we carry šæ they all rise to the surface in the midst of transition.
Here in this new place, aspects of yourself will feel magnified, impossible to ignore, as youāre being asked to look at them more clearly than ever.
That can look like procrastination, rigidity, perfectionism and overwhelm.
These blind spots show itself the most when life is asking us to grow. Instead of shaming ourselves for them, we can practice meeting them with compassion & gentleness, noticing them as invitations to build self-trust.
Gentle awareness is a great place to begin.
Manifestation isnāt only about arriving at the vision, but about being stretched into the person who can fully live it.
What if itās your higher self gently pulling you forward, inviting you to align with the energy of this new chapter?
The Vulnerability of Joy
One of the biggest surprises iāve noticed, has been how uncomfortable it is to fully lean into joy.
We assume feeling joy will be easy, that when good things happen, weāll soak them in without hesitation š„“
For me, joy has also felt incredibly vulnerable and overwhelming to my system.
It doesnāt only stir fear, doubt, and the nagging sense that it might all come crashing down, it also floods me with immense waves of love, gratitude, and awe. These emotions feel almost too big to hold!
Itās like my whole nervous system lights up at once, unsure how to contain both the wonder and the worry. Iāve caught myself waiting for the other shoe to drop, even my inner saboteur questioning whether I truly deserve it, while at the same time feeling tears of joy because an ordinary moment is so achingly meaningful.
Joy requires courage.
It asks us to open ourselves fully, without any self-protection, and that can actually feel scarier than struggle.
This is the edge I find myself working with now. Allowing joy to land in my body and be at its fullest expression without my resistance clouding it.
The Island Invitation
Living here iāve quickly realized the island has its own unapologetic idea of slowing the F down, and it makes my version look like the fast lane š.
Island living embodies this pace so fully that it doesnāt just invite you, it practically insists you match it. Itās both humbling and funny to discover just how much slower āslowā can really be.
It feels like being in constant conversation with a wise old teacher - the island itself.
By default, busyness often acts as a shield. A packed schedule makes it easier to avoid sitting with uncomfortable thoughts or emotions. Being in ācontrolā is a wonderful illusion.
Here, the forest, the ocean, and the slower rhythms & delays keep drawing me back. Over and over, rewiring my learnt tendencies. And in that awareness, everything that I naturally have pushed aside has more space to rise to the surface.
Slowing down means facing yourself fully, the beautiful and the uncomfortable alike.
The more I sit with this new rhythm, the more I am learning. And unlearningā¦
Reflections To Carry Forward
As September unfolds, I feel myself shifting from the high of major change into a quieter season of integration, letting the fullness settle.
Itās like the hours and days after a holiday feast at grandmaās table. My belly full, my heart content, and all thatās left is the slow, necessary work of digestion.
This may also be your season of transition: discovering that joy feels more tender than expected, or noticing how slowing down stirs up parts of yourself you hadnāt planned to meet.
Wherever you find yourself, here are a few reflections to hold close:
What are you being invited to rise into?
Where might you allow yourself to lean more fully into joy?
How could slowing down bring you closer to yourself?
May this season bring you the courage to grow into your vision, the openness to receive joy, and the spaciousness to hear what life is whispering beneath the noise of busy.
Iād love to hear from you š what part of this reflection resonates with where you are right now?
I could really relate to this post as well Jen. I have been retired for a few years and just recently feeling bored. But here is the thing. Bored is where you need to lean into, as well it a prep stage. I believe a quiet time to sit reflect and lean into the shadows that still need the work to transform to the next step. Is it uncomfortable? You bet ! I realize that boredom is a gift too. Itās the unwrapping of this gift that is the work. I feel like Iām in a cocoon and am getting prepared for a higher transformation
I love reading about your time on the island. Iām heading to Comox and QB in October to visit family. I love the island
I resonated with this piece, although Iām not in the same place. Iāve come to realize Iāve had this amazing transformation in my life over the last three years and finally feel free from some of the chains that held me down, but now that Iām free, itās brought new challenges to the surface. Itās a good place to be, but just to say that transformation is not only work, but often requires rebuilding after the old, worn-out negative beliefs are gone.