Weekly Round-Up: The International Women’s Day Edition
Welcome, dear readers, to this week’s collection of blogs — and a warm Happy International Women’s Day to you all. The posts shared this week offer a reminder of the many ways women use their voices: to connect, to advocate, to make sense of difficult experiences, and to rebuild meaning at life’s turning points.
The roundup begins with a reflection on the act of writing itself. After I shared a recent micro-story prompt on Substack about why I write, Dee responded with her own story. Following a stage III ovarian cancer diagnosis in 2005, she began blogging as a way to process what was happening and to connect with others facing similar challenges. Nearly two decades later, she is still writing—continuing to share information, build community, and advocate for improved screening and research.
Barbara shares her thoughts on the importance of cultivating peace of mind while living in the uncertainty of a breast cancer world. Through practices such as mindfulness and emotional awareness, she suggests that inner calm can help strengthen resilience and support clearer, more compassionate responses to life’s challenges.
Abigail writes candidly about the profound loneliness that can accompany a cancer diagnosis. Even when surrounded by care and support, illness can reshape time, relationships, and everyday routines in ways that leave people feeling unseen or misunderstood.
Connie revisits journal entries from the period when her marriage ended. As she prepares to write the next chapter of her memoir, those entries bring back the uncertainty and emotional complexity of that time. Yet they also highlight how imagining a new home—and eventually finding one—became a symbol of hope and the possibility of rebuilding life after divorce.
Finally this week, Beth reflects on discovering a photograph of herself from thirty years ago, a moment that prompts both memories of difficult times and a renewed appreciation for the gift of ageing.
Until next week,
May the week ahead bring moments of clarity, connection, and the strength to keep moving forward.
Much love always
Marie xxx
