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This is the final blog post of 2025.
In the new year, I’m changing how I share my work. Instead of blogging, the focus shifts to journaling prompts—short, intentional questions for anyone who feels stuck on a blank page or needs a nudge to begin. These prompts live in The Reflection Room and on TikTok. Short prompts. More space for personal reflection. The site has been renamed Paula’s Prompts, reflecting the focus and the work you’ll find here going forward. Alongside this shift, I’m working on my second children’s book, The Secrets of Fairy Village. More details about that project—and my children’s books—can be found at A Red Lava. This post closes out the year and makes room for what’s next. Listen. Write. Begin.
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 The end of the year is my cue to slow down and look back. I gather my journals, flip through the pages, and notice what actually showed up—patterns, shifts, moments I forgot mattered.
It’s not about judging the year. It’s about listening to it. Before planning what’s next, I review what was. That reflection sets the tone for everything that follows. In the new year, A Red Lava is evolving. The rebrand isn’t cosmetic—it’s clarity. Clearer focus, cleaner direction, and a better alignment between what I create and why I create it. More on that soon. For now, this is the pause before the pivot. This is the month when people start talking about resolutions and reinvention. But before any of that, there’s a step I've been taking for the last few years that many people skip: understanding what actually happened this year. Before I rush into “new year, new me” mode, I stop long enough to see what the last twelve months really taught me — not the curated version, the honest one. Every year leaves me with patterns, reactions, and moments that reveal who I’m becoming. My clearest lessons haven’t come from wins. They’ve come from irritation, discomfort, conflict, and the things that pushed my buttons — the moments that showed me what truly matters to me. This December, I’m doing a personal inventory — not to judge myself, but to understand myself. What strengthened me? What drained me? Where did I stay in integrity, and where did I shrink? What was I grateful for? What did I tolerate that I won’t carry into next year? And which moments proved that I’ve grown more than I realized? One quote has guided me for years, and it fits perfectly with this kind of reflection: “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” — Wayne Dyer That’s the point of this inventory. Not reinvention — recognition. A shift in perspective that clarifies what’s ready to fall away and what’s ready to move forward with me. Year-end reflection is a clarity exercise. It helps me walk into January already knowing myself better. Download your Personal Year-End Inventory below. Visit the Christmas Collection here. As Movember comes to an end, it’s a good moment to slow down, breathe, and take stock of the month —not in a dramatic way, just an honest check-in with yourself. A few minutes with a journal can bring clarity you didn’t know you needed. One page. One thought. One moment that belongs only to you. Prompts to end the month
Movember isn’t only about mustaches—it’s about awareness, conversations, and taking care of your inner world. A journal is a simple place to start. Click here to view the Coffee & Conversation Collection or click on the images below to view them on Amazon, and give yourself a quiet moment to reflect before the month turns.
 Today is International Men’s Day—a reminder that men deserve space to pause, breathe, and be honest with themselves. No expectations. No pressure. Just a moment that’s yours.
If you want a simple way to check in with yourself, pick up a notebook and give your thoughts a place to land. One page is enough. Prompts for today
Click the image above to view the mustache-themed notebook on Amazon and start a quiet, grounded practice that’s just for you. Some mornings call for nothing more than a big mug of coffee, a quiet moment, and a few honest words on paper. If you’re new to journaling—or just feeling stuck—start simple:
Journaling isn’t about perfection. It’s about honesty. One line can shift your whole mindset. This Movember, the Coffee & Conversation collection is here to bring a little warmth to your routine—journals designed for slow mornings, real thoughts, and moments that matter. ☕ Click the images below to view the Coffee & Conversation collection on Amazon. And thank you for pausing here today—making space to write, reflect, and reconnect with yourself.
 The 5-Minute Brain Dump: Why Journaling is the Ultimate Tool for Men’s Mental Health
It’s November, which means two things: the weather is turning (especially here in Canada!), and it’s Movember. Movember is about the mustache, sure, but it's really about giving men’s mental health and unique health challenges the spotlight they deserve for the entire month. This focus on reflection and growth is highlighted on November 19th, International Men's Day, reminding us that this is a critical time for action. For years, I worked in the Violence Against Women (VAW) sector. I saw firsthand how complex and broken systems can be when people need help. We tried to build a "bubble" of support—shelters, counselling, legal aid—for women escaping abuse. Those resources are crucial, but even they fall short. When I think about the men who cause harm, I see a void. There's often no guidance, no system to help them stop, process their pain, or change their course. They’re left isolated, angry, and they frequently repeat the cycle with someone else. My own experience taught me the high cost of this lack of introspection. My ex-husband never admitted fault, never took accountability. That stubborn refusal to look inward ultimately left him estranged from his own daughter, despite my efforts to keep him involved. His choice to blame others and live with unresolved anger cost him a relationship that would have benefited him most. This isn’t about pity; it’s about accountability and constructive change. Organizations like Movember are doing the heavy lifting to challenge toxic masculinity and encourage men to take action. My part in this? It’s offering a simple, non-judgmental place to start: journaling. Why Journaling Works When Everything Else Fails Society teaches men to "tough it out," but real strength is the opposite of emotional suppression. Real strength is having the guts to sit down and actually look at what’s going on inside. For me, journaling became a lifeline. It’s my constant, safe place to process, reflect, and find moments of gratitude, even on the worst days. I truly believe it’s the most powerful, inexpensive tool for anyone looking to make a change or understand themselves better—and yes, that includes men. This is why I created the Moustache Journal series (and yes, some feature Kiwi and Diesel rocking their own staches!). I was actually surprised at how quickly these took off. They became my biggest seller—and when I received large orders, I could only assume it was an organization buying them to gift to men. And I hope that means men are starting to take this seriously. I hope that these journals bring a bit of fun into the process and serve as a gentle reminder that self-care doesn’t have to feel like a chore. The 5-Minute Reality Check You don't need to be a writer. You don't need hours. You just need to be consistent. Five minutes a day is all it takes to:
Your Three Lines to Get Started Stop overthinking it. Just open the page and finish one or two of these sentences:
Head over to my Movember Page to see the full line of Moustache Journals that are helping people—men and women—find their space for reflection.  When my friend told me she wanted to surprise her granddaughter, Oakleigh with a published version of her story, Phone-Stealing Felines for her 10th birthday, I couldn’t wait to help bring it to life. The moment Oakleigh opened her package and realized her story was a real book — now available on Amazon until December 1 — was pure magic. Her creativity lit a spark. I designed a custom follow-up notebook just for her called Oakleigh’s Creation of Imagination — a wide-ruled journal with extra space for big ideas and new adventures. From there, a few more Phone-Stealing Felines–themed notebooks were born, all celebrating that same playful spirit. Oakleigh reminded me how inspiration finds us through others — and this is just the beginning. Check out the start of my Kids’ Collection here.  This month, something special happened—I helped a 10-year-old publish her very first book.
It all started when a friend of mine—Oakleigh’s grandmother—told me her granddaughter had been writing stories for years. One in particular stood out: it was imaginative, funny, and surprisingly structured for a kid her age. It had characters, conflict, even a three-part arc. She was serious about her storytelling, and her grandmother wanted to do something meaningful with it. That’s when she reached out to me. I took Oakleigh’s typed-up story and turned it into a real book. Edited it, formatted it, designed the cover, and added playful illustrations to match her voice. The result? A fun, fast-paced three-part story that’s equal parts creativity and chaos (in the best way). The book is called Phone-Stealing Felines—and yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like. Watching Oakleigh’s reaction when she held her book for the first time? Pure magic. There’s something powerful about giving a young writer a platform. It’s a reminder that stories matter, no matter your age. And that creativity, when nurtured, becomes confidence. Phone-Stealing Felines is available on Amazon until December 1st only. After that, it’s gone. This was always meant to be a special, limited release—just for fun, just for her. You can check it out here and if you know a young storyteller with a wild imagination, maybe this will spark something in them, too.  September was all about one thing: storytelling. Not mine this time—but a young writer’s. I’ve been deep in the creative process of turning a vibrant, funny, wildly original story into a real book. It’s written by a young girl with a big imagination, and I’ve handled the editing, layout, design, and publishing to bring her words to life. It reminded me how powerful stories can be—especially when we give kids the tools and confidence to tell them. The book launches next month, and I can’t wait to share it with you. Until then, here’s a quick look behind the scenes of a project that means the world to me.     |
