Highlights ✨

• Cousins on my dad’s side visited from Vancouver and Ottawa for Easter. Their parents were away and they just wanted to spend time with family and it was so nice. We live so far away, but whenever we get back together we’re just like besties that never left. They took me rock climbing for the first time since I was like 7 in the 1900s… Vertical Adventures, anyone?

• I’ve read A LOT. At least a lot for me. Finished almost a fifth of my whole yearly goal in a month.

• My niece gave me kisses for the very first time and I could have passed away. She is such a sweet little angel. My sister and brother-in-law are such incredible parents and I’m so proud of them, and I’m so proud of P, she’s so stinkin’ smart!

• I started planning my Manitoba native wildflower garden, and then, as if on cue, it snowed just the other day… May 5… SNOW! I’d been lying in my grass for 20 minutes about two days before that! Right, this is highlights, so let’s get back to it.

• Went bowling with a large part of my mom’s side of the family for my cousin’s birthday. Hadn’t been in a while, and it turns out I’m better at bowling when I’ve been drinking. My sober self will have to get used to being a bad bowler… something I’m willing to accept for my health.

Challenges 🌧

• Funny that the emoji picked for this section is weather-related, because my biggest challenge (and I’m sure many other Winnipeggers share this) this month is the weather. It snowed two days ago… SNOWED! It’s also been cloudy for what feels like weeks, and I’m solar-powered, so I’ve been feeling very sluggish and tired.

• Ever since the pandemic and the severe health anxiety I dealt with, this time of year my body goes through a kind of trauma remembering, I don’t know if that’s a real term, but that’s what I’m calling it. It’s tied to the first festival post-pandemic: I was going through COVID fatigue, pandemic fatigue, starting to come around from my health anxiety through medication, AND preparing for a festival we hadn’t had in two years. My chest was in a constant state of heaviness. I explained it to my friend, who also happens to be a therapist, like this: my brain knows that I’ve got this and I feel so good and organized for the festival this year, but my body is still remembering 2022.

Lessons 🧠

• Writing takes time and patience, the schedule serves the work, not the other way around.

• Chasing structure can overwhelm the original purpose, joy and intention behind a project.

• The body holds memory, even when the mind has moved forward.

Letting Go Of 🔥

• The self-imposed pressure.

• Trying to fit my creative output into a schedule.

• Guilt about the gap between what the body feels and what the brain knows.

Carrying Forward 🌱

• Protecting “Kettle On” as a free, unscheduled space for journaling and expression.

• The warmth and ease of family connection with my cousins, more firsts with my niece, and simple activities.

• Reading momentum.

• The wildflower garden plans, weather willing.

Intentions for Next Month 🔮

• Be gentle with myself as the work cycle ramps up.

• Write freely before planning anything.

• Get the wildflower garden started once the snow finally cooperates.

• Show up to the festival grounded in how far I’ve come.

The kettle’s on. Pour yourself a cup and join me at the table.

Steeping in This Month ☕️

📚 Reading:

• Watch Me Disappear by Janelle Brown ⭐️⭐️⭐️

• Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

• Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

• The Midnight Library by Matt Haig ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📺 Watching:

• NHL Playoffs

• Law & Order: SVU on CityTV+

• Law & Order on CityTV+

• Temptation Island on Netflix

• Million Dollar Secret on Netflix

• Love Island: Beyond the Villa on Crave

🎧 Listening:

• Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally. by Harry Styles

• “Left / Right” by Roya

• The Great Divide by Noah Kahan

🕹️ Playing:

• Wylde Flowers

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Brittany J. L. May is where I think out loud, make things with my hands, and follow curiosities wherever they lead — through letters, creating, wandering, and everything in between.

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After it was all out there, I was able to slow down a bit. I took a couple of days off, went to brunch with friends, went with my sister and my niece to the Assiniboine Park Zoo, and let my creative brain breathe again.

Highlights ✨

• Taking my favourite little one to the zoo. My sister and I are very close and I’ve really been enjoying the time I get to spend with her and P. Watching her become a mom has been one of my proudest moments as her big sister.

• We caught up with some family friends. My friend’s partner plays for our local AHL team, the Manitoba Moose, so we all went to a game together. I hadn’t been to an AHL game — let alone a game in our arena — in a while, so it was nice to get back in there cheering on the boys!

• Finishing the final part of my first Aynsley Court serial. I’m really enjoying spending time with these characters — they’re always surprising me; they’re fun and smart. I’m someone who is a serial planner when it comes to creative projects and I lose steam before the doing part. I feel like giving myself permission to be imperfect with it has made me more comfortable with taking the leap to publish.

Challenges 🌧

• I had what I think I’m going to call a hormonal depressie day this past month. I shifted my day because I had a late work meeting, but I could not shake my funk in the morning. Might have been my period, might have been that I forgot to take my meds the day before. I did a workout that was… fine, fed myself some fruit, but when I did make it to the office, my friends there brightened the day — and when I eventually made it home to my love, my day was all turned around. It wasn’t anything specific; sometimes those moods just creep up on us.

Lessons 🧠

• Write the WHOLE PIECE before publishing in sections. Writing what I now know is a "novelette" was fun, but I think if I had just flowed with it right to the end before polishing and publishing, it would have been a smoother ride.

Letting Go Of 🔥

• The Manosphere — watched that fun little insight into some pea-brained heads. Made me angry, obviously, but I'm finding comfort in the fact that I don't surround myself with those kinds of men… except for my cousin's wrestling persona.

Carrying Forward 🌱

• Being grateful for the people I keep close — family, friends, etc.

• Keep writing even when I feel like I don’t have anything to say.

Intentions for Next Month 🔮

• Figuring out a better organization system, which seemed to be the trigger for my depressie day.

• Be gentle.

The kettle’s on. Pour yourself a cup and join me at the table.

Steeping in This Month ☕️

📚 Reading:

• The Surrogate Mother by Frieda McFadden ⭐️⭐️

• Daughters of the Deer by Danielle Daniel ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

• The Wrong Family by Tarryn Fisher ⭐️⭐️⭐️

📺 Watching:

• Scarpetta on Prime

• The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives on Disney+

• The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair on Prime

• The Age of Attraction on Netflix

• Love Overboard on Disney+

🎧 Listening:

• “Half Blood” by Cassidy Mann

• Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally. by Harry Styles

• “Porch Light” by Noah Kahan

Published This Month 💻

Brittany J. L. May

Aynsley Court Mysteries

Aynsley Court Mysteries

Aynsley Court Remains – Part III

CONTENT WARNING…

Read more

2 months ago · 1 like · Brittany May

Aynsley Court Mysteries

Aynsley Court Remains – Part IV

CONTENT WARNING…

Read more

2 months ago · Brittany May

Midnights in Apartment #3

Midnights in Apartment #3

The Women Who Raised Me

Read more

2 months ago · 3 likes · Brittany May

Support My Work

Brittany J. L. May is where I think out loud, make things with my hands, and follow curiosities wherever they lead — through letters, creating, wandering, and everything in between.

Subscribe now

If something here has made you pause, feel seen, or linger a little longer than expected, here are a few ways you can help keep this space alive:

💜 Leave a note or tap the heart — it helps this work travel further

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Thank you for spending your time here. Trusting me with your time is an honour.

If January was steady, February was… not. This was the month of one year sober. Six years with my partner. Seven months of watching my niece discover the world — and start crawling! And in between all of that: civic action, injury, sickness, and early mornings watching the Olympics like it was a national ritual.

The kettle’s been on all month.

February was about standing in the life I’ve built.

Highlights ✨

February marks one year of sobriety. I don’t think I’ve committed to anything for an entire year quite like this before. It has made my days brighter, my evenings more enjoyable, and my relationships stronger. I dedicated a whole post to it earlier this week that summarizes my relationship with alcohol throughout my life.

Long story short, sobriety allowed me to get up early to watch my niece at swimming, to cheer on Team Canada in the mornings, and to have the emotional capacity to be the caregiver I needed to be this month.

I celebrated six years with my partner. It feels equal parts like we’ve been together forever and like it was just yesterday. Our ability to talk about everything and nothing still amazes me. His ability to make me feel calm and confident — in myself and in us — is a comfort I’ve never had before. We somehow make even the most ordinary nights feel fun.

We faced (and won) political discourse in my city this month. The Winnipeg government brought forward the “Safe Access to Vulnerable Infrastructure Bylaw #7,” a law that infringes on freedom of thought, belief, opinion, expression, and peaceful assembly under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In a moment when rights and freedoms are being trampled just below our border, getting this bylaw tabled felt like a significant win. We’ll need to stay vigilant — it sounds like it may return in another form.

The Olympics felt more important than ever this year. While facing so much hostility from supposed allies, coming together as a nation over sport felt grounding. As the Games came to a close, hockey overshadowed everything — still Canada’s game. It didn’t end how we wanted, but I could not be more proud of both our teams who gave their all on the ice.

My niece hit seven months of brightening our lives. Things she’s taught me include: babies pick up on everything you do, they change incredibly quickly, and gagging doesn’t necessarily mean choking (auntie learned that the hard way and cried out of sheer panic). I’ve thought a lot about the kind of role model I want to be for her. I want to be the auntie who encourages her to chase whatever she wants. The one she comes to when she succeeds — or fails. The one who spoils her rotten with love and makes her laugh uncontrollably. More than anything, I want to be a safe place for her.

Challenges 🌧

We had to slow way down in our house this month. Between a back injury and a second cold in as many months, we had no choice but to rest and take care of each other. I learned how exhausting caregiving can be — but what buoyed me was love. I just wanted us back at 100%, and if we couldn’t be at 100%, then at least as comfortable as possible until we got there.

We had family and friends stop by with food and support, and it reminded me how fortunate we are.

Lessons 🧠

• I am capable of long-term change.

• Love grows when you show up for each other.

• I don’t have to burn out to prove anything to anyone.

• Being present is the best you can do for yourself and the people you love.

Letting Go Of 🔥

• The version of me who thought she needed alcohol to cope.

• The idea that rest must be earned.

• (And hopefully) sickness — we’ve had enough.

• Pettiness I’m still carrying from the Olympics.

Carrying Forward 🌱

• Caring for my body.

• Pride in my sobriety.

• Continued creativity.

• Being present.

Intentions for Next Month 🔮

• Finish the final two parts of Aynsley Court Remains.

• Build my energy and strength back up with regular workouts.

• Keep writing in this incredible space I’ve created.

• Return to reading more Substack short stories.

The kettle’s on. Pour yourself a cup and join me at the table.

Steeping in This Month ☕️

📚 Reading:

• A Killing Cold — Kate Alice Marshall

• Daughters of the Deer — Danielle Daniels

• The Surrogate Mother — Freida McFadden

📺 Watching:

• Milano Cortina 2026

• Love Island: All Stars

• The Traitors: US

• Love is Blind

🎧 Listening:

• luck… or something — Hilary Duff

• Lemonade — Beyoncé

🕹️ Playing:

• Fabledom

Published This Month 💻

Brittany J. L. May

• Kettle On: January 2026

• The Pages of My Life

• Searching for Belonging at the Bottom of a Bottle

Aynsley Court Mysteries💻

• Aynsley Court Remains - Part II: The Quieting

Midnights in Apartment #3

• Always

Support My Work

Brittany J. L. May is where I think out loud, make things with my hands, and follow curiosities wherever they lead — through letters, creating, wandering, and everything in between.

Subscribe now

If something here has made you pause, feel seen, or linger a little longer than expected, here are a few ways you can help keep this space alive:

💜 Leave a note or tap the heart — it helps this work travel further

💬 Share a favourite line, image, or moment with someone who might need it

🌿 Pass this space along to a friend who loves thoughtful things made slowly

Thank you for spending your time here. Trusting me with your time is an honour.

I chose Kettle On because I’ve been reflecting on my great-grandma Joe, as you may have seen in my “Create” section the other day. I have a tea set of hers that sits in my china cabinet, and I can’t help but think of all the stories and knowledge that passed over top of it at the kitchen table. Kettle On gives that same cozy, invitational vibe, but without tethering me to a strict schedule.

For now, I’d like to post on the first day of the new month—reflecting on the past one and setting intentions for the next. So, here goes.

In spite of January plunging us Winnipeggers into a deep freeze right after Mother Nature teased us with spring-like weather, my mood didn’t crash along with the temperature.

That said, my mood did dip with the ongoing news of the abhorrent actions of ICE and the current administration in the United States. Treating other human beings this way is achingly unjust and horrific—and if that’s the “freedom” the Star-Spangled Banner refers to, I want no part of it.

So how have I been coping?

Continuing sobriety. Bringing bullet journalling back into my life. Regular journal reflections. Vision boarding. And lots and lots of art. Writing to escape reality. Digital art to create beauty. Beadwork to bring me back to patience.

Highlights ✨

With less time spent scrolling, I became more creative. I put pen to paper—er, fingers to keyboard—and wrote two parts of my first Aynsley Court short story titled, “Aynsley Court Remains”. Somewhere in the shower between shampooing and conditioning, I also landed on a meaningful way to celebrate my ancestors, “The Matriarch” became the first piece in that series.

Our new home levelled up its cozy factor with a cuddle chair for the sunroom and curtains for our bedroom. Little touches go a long way. The cuddle chair has become my primary writing spot since it arrived.

On January 24, I celebrated 11 months sober and began writing my one-year reflection. It didn’t come easily at all, which makes it feel even more meaningful to be this close.

Challenges 🌧

Feeling like we’re living in end-times energy. Whether it’s the threat of being conquered by a country meant to be our ally, or increasingly extreme weather patterns as a direct result of climate change—it’s heavy to carry.

Organizing myself for a new year. I used to be fully committed to the bullet journal, then drifted into a Notion + Cyberry Planner era (shoutout to K. Digital Studio). I think—hope—I’ve finally landed on a combination of Notion and paper that works for me.

Showing up more when it comes to caring for our home. Living with my partner has been incredible. The difference now is that I’m not just showing up for myself (and only when I feel like it)—I’m showing up for us. He does a lot around the house, and it’s important that I meet that care with intention.

Lessons 🧠

Creating is medicine. Good friends celebrate you and your accomplishments. Even small connections make a difference.

Letting Go Of 🔥

Self-blame. Showing up on a schedule. Hustle.

Carrying Forward 🌱

In February, I want to carry forward no-pressure creativity. It makes me a better artist, and less time on social media has helped me loosen my grip on hustle culture.

Making a more conscious effort to connect with the people I love—regularly, intentionally.

A weekly Sunday morning writing ritual. It might be a journal or something I feel moved to write here but I want to keep writing.

Intentions for Next Month 🔮

Keep up my 5-Minute Journal daily. I use The 5-Minute Journal and it’s just a nice and simple way to start and end my day.

Finish the final two parts of Aynsley Court Remains. As I mentioned in a recent note, I’m feeling the heaviness of the world I created but I’m excited to get to the final part and explore new Aynsley Court stories.

Read two books. I’ve always felt comforted by my nightly reading routine and I love to see my yearly book stack grow!

We’re all just hanging in there. You’re not alone—and if it feels like you are, you can always message me.

The kettle’s on. Pour yourself a cup and join me at the table.

Steeping in This Month ☕️

📚 Reading: One by One — Freida McFadden
📺 Watching: Tell Me Lies
🎧 Listening: SWAG II — Justin Bieber
🕹️ Playing: Animal Crossing New Horizons

Published This Month 💻

Brittany J. L. May

• A Place for Broken Words

• A Return to Creative Writing

• Tapitow (steady)

• 2026 Intentions

• The Matriarch

Aynsely Court Mysteries

• Welcome to Aynsley Court

• Aynsley Court Remains - Part I: The Gathering

Support My Work

Brittany J. L. May is where I think out loud, make things with my hands, and follow curiosities wherever they lead — through letters, creating, wandering, and everything in between.

Subscribe now

If something here has made you pause, feel seen, or linger a little longer than expected, here are a few ways you can help keep this space alive:

💜 Leave a note or tap the heart — it helps this work travel further

💬 Share a favourite line, image, or moment with someone who might need it

🌿 Pass this space along to a friend who loves thoughtful things made slowly

Thank you for spending your time here. Trusting me with your time is an honour.