do you believe in magic?

Recently, I went on a writer’s retreat in Estes Park with ten other girls in the writing community that I joined a year ago (officially on August 24!).

Quill & Cup came into my life suddenly, at a time when I was really worried I was going to stop writing. The founder, Ania, slid into my DMs and saw me in my fear, listened, and invited me in. I trusted the nudge, the full-body knowing of yes.

The community transformed my confidence in my ability to show up for my writing.

With regularly scheduled writing sessions throughout the week, educational sessions, a library of recorded content on craft, editing, mindset, and publishing, plus an active and lively Slack community, it was hard not to want to show up.

I found myself craving the familiar faces of my new friends in their Zoom squares on my laptop screen. I came to love looking through the daily accountability messages, the hype messages, the vulnerable messages.

Writing is a solitary and lonely task, but suddenly, I wasn’t in it alone.

I had an entire group of women cheering me on, asking me questions about my work-in-progress, and genuinely wanting to know what was going on in my brain.

When I learned that there was going to be a retreat in Colorado in August 2025, I nearly jumped out of my chair at the opportunity, booking my ticket eight months in advanced. I was going, no matter what.

To meet some of my friends in person? To write and play and laugh and explore and heal and listen and speak and learn with some of the most genuine people I’ve ever met?

I knew it was going to be transformational. I felt the nudge again, that full-body yes, and listened. When I saw the list of other writers who had signed up, I knew that it would be nothing short of magic…

🪞 On the day we arrive in Denver, Ania looks at us through the rearview mirror of her van, lovingly driving us the hour and a half to Estes Park, admitting, “I kept waiting to be nervous about the first day of retreat. But it never came. I just feel excited.”

She has read my mind.

🌲 We hike to a waterfall, on this perfect day. Wandering through pines and navigating rocks, a fellow memoirist asks me questions about my story, listens curiously, and reacts genuinely. As I tell my story to the trees, to an eager and gentle ear, it suddenly doesn’t feel so small.

🪨 In a rock shop, I choose an orange calcite for myself. Walking past one of the girls, I see she has orange calcite in her basket. “Oh, you got one, too?!”

She looks at me, shock on her face.

“It’s for you.”

🎶 Everyone spontaneously votes for me to lead a SoulFlow™ embodiment session. I say that I’m going to use a playlist I’ve already created, but something leads me to Spotify and nudges me to create a new one for the energy of the group.

After we all dance and move and cry, one girl tells me “Dancing in the Moonlight” is her favorite song.

Another says that “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” reminds her of her childhood.

Another walks up and hugs me. “Since I’ve had kids, my body hasn’t been just my own. I don’t know how long it’s been since I connected to my body like that. Thank you.” Thank you.

🪽 A hummingbird visits us, flying outside the expansive windows that look out onto a porch and the mountains. She comes back again, and again, and again.

We watch in awe, honoring her presence.

🪶 I find a feather on my sock and give it to the girl who brought an Animal Power oracle card deck and watched us all pull the perfect cards. She has brought animal healing into our group.

I find a feather on my morning walk and bring it home to share. One girl points out that it looks like a quill, which is part of the logo for our community.

✨ A penny, heads up, is next to my notebook as I am packing up my things to leave.

As I shared on Instagram, I will be integrating the lessons of this retreat for weeks, months to come. But I feel an undeniable shift already. I am a changed person—more knowing, rooted, and trusting in who I am.

Here is what I really want to say; things and lessons that are crystal clear in this post-retreat world:

• Magic, true magic, exists in co-creation, in community, if you open your eyes and heart to it—to the glimmers and signs.

• Become awe-struck. You become more yourself with people who allow you the space to be yourself.

• Find those people and hold them tight. It is safe to let other people see you. To those that are your people, you will be known, accepted, and understood. Simply let go of the ones that aren’t.

• You have this memoir on your heart for a reason. Hold fast. Your story matters, your voice will be heard.

The memories of this retreat will linger in my bones.

Thank you, more please. 

xx

Court