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3x/month stories for humans seeking depth and meaning.

I'm Janelle Hardy and at some point you signed up for this weekly (ish) newsletter on memoir-writing, somatic (body) healing and stories. If you'd like to leave, just click the unsubscribe link at the bottom.

When relationships feel like hauntings

My stomach clenched then burned. My eyes spun and stung.

What was happening?

A fun friendship-turned-romance had returned—only to leave me feeling unwanted, rejected, confused, panicky… then, once again, desired. And repeat.

It was a whipsaw ride of push and pull. I didn’t like it.

As my body bristled and contracted, my mind became a terrier—chasing the questions:

What did I do wrong? How can I fix this? How can I improve myself so I can get the connection back?

I lost sleep. My mind gnawed at every interaction. Until it hit me:

I was deep in the anxious-avoidant dance.

New man, old story.

New man, same somatic spiral.

And I felt haunted—not just by the relationship, but by what it cost me: my sleep, my creativity, my clarity. My ability to write and dream and believe in myself.

Haunted by the same old, same old.

But this time… something was different.

This time, I had tools. I had years of inner work behind me. I had a relationship with my body.

I knew:

• That stomach clench was wisdom, not weakness.
• My nervous system was wired for old patterns—but it didn’t have to stay there.
• I could interrupt the cycle with somatic tools I trust.
• The story wasn’t about me, even though it felt personal.
• I could set myself free. Of both the man and the patterns.

And I did.

What once took years of unraveling now took a couple of weeks.

This is the gift of somatic healing. This is what I want for you, too.

While many know me through memoir-writing and healing, the foundation of all my work is somatic transformation—body-based healing that reclaims your radiance, your nervous system, and your ability to feel like yourself again.

✨ I've opened space up for seven new 1:1 clients this season.

If this resonates with your journey, I’d be honoured to walk beside you.

✨ Click here to learn more and sign up.​

xoxo,

Janelle

PS – My friend Kate Ward is all about stitching. So am I. There’s something about the rhythm of needle, thread, colour and handwork that so beautifully supports healing and writing. It’s kinda zen.

From May 26–30 she’s hosting the free Making Zen Online Retreat*, with 30+ textile artists leading hands-on workshops in slow, intentional stitching.

A few that caught my eye: Soft Keepsake Pouch, Oracle Cards + Thread, and Fabric Mushrooms.

* This is an affiliate link—if you choose to upgrade, I receive a small portion. It helps support the free resources I share with you here.