Estefania De La Concha - Writer and Educator

Over the last 6 weeks weeks, I had the privilege of witnessing people show up with honesty, vulnerability, curiosity, and courage, not only to write, but to share parts of themselves that are often difficult to put into words.

Last week, we wrapped up the first edition of Your Story Matters, a six-week writing workshop dedicated to personal storytelling.

One of the things I love most about creative spaces is that they remind us writing is not only about technique. It’s also about attention, listening, memory, voice, and connection.

I’m deeply grateful to everyone who trusted me, and each other, throughout this process.

And this is only the beginning.

I’m currently preparing the second part of the workshop: The Art of Rewriting, focused on transforming a first draft into a stronger, clearer, and more resonant piece of writing.

Because writing doesn’t end with inspiration. Often, that’s where the real work begins.

Thank you again to everyone who participated 💛 We did it!

A year ago, I made the decision to leave everything I had built over more than a decade.

As my first anniversary in Sherbrooke approaches, it felt like the right time to reshare the CBC article I wrote about that transition.

Looking back, the past 12 months have been full of change, challenges, and growth.

I hope you enjoy (re)reading it, the link is in the comments 👇🏻

And stay tuned: I’ll soon be sharing a full, honest recap, highlighting both the highs and the lows of this journey.

For those who’ve made a big life or career move:

What surprised you the most after your first year? 🙏🏻

Last Friday was a mandatory sick day! 🤧 No choice but to stay under the covers.

Clarification: These aren't my plants in the photo! I definitely can't take credit for my partner's hard work and green thumb. 😅 I only own one tiny little plant—I don’t even remember the name—and I’m trying my absolute best not to kill it! 😂

The silver lining of being stuck on the sofa was getting to dive into some incredible writing from Canadian authors in The New Quarterly. ❤️

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope your week is off to a healthier start than my Friday was.

✏️ Petit exercice d’écriture. Envie de relever le défi?

Prends 5 minutes.

Écris à propos d’un souvenir d’enfance lié à une odeur 👃🏻

Laisse-toi vraiment y replonger.

Qu’est-ce qui émerge quand tu te donnes l’espace de te souvenir?

👀 Partage quelques mots en commentaire! J’ai envie de te lire.

D’ailleurs, cet exercice, c’est exactement le type d’exploration que nous ferons ensemble dans mon atelier Ton Histoire Compte ✨

Il reste encore quelques places! Nous commençons le 12 mai.

👉 Inscriptions : https://sherbrookeloisirsaction.com/activite/ton-histoire-compte-atelier-decriture-en-francais/?saison=printemps

For most of my adult life, I’ve carried this feeling of being “behind.”

At 36, I’ve changed careers more than I change my underwear every week 😅

Never sure where I was going, only knowing that I needed something that made me feel alive and refusing to conform. Passion has never been optional for me. I need it in everything I do, and I can’t turn it off and conveniently do a job without a clear purpose.

I’ve been a chemist (yes, I actually hold a Bachelor of Science degree), a water treatment technician, an entrepreneur, a translator, and a crowdfunding advisor. You name it—I’ve probably tried it.

None of it felt like “the thing.”

For a long time, I saw that as a flaw. Something must clearly be wrong with me. Everyone else seems to be content. But I couldn’t “stick to something” the way others seemed to.

I felt ungrateful, inadequate, a loser.

This past year, something has shifted.

I think I’ve finally found something that not only nourishes me, but might actually help others, too.

Working on Your Story Matters with an incredible group of women has been deeply rewarding.

There’s something powerful about watching people reconnect with their voice, their experiences, their truth, their emotions.

Thank you all for inspiring me so much! I can’t wait to meet you next week and see how the stories are unfolding.

Maybe every single job, career, and thing I did before was only a stepping stone into the right direction after all 🙏🏻❤️

✏️ Quick writing prompt.
Are you up for the challenge?

Take 5 minutes.

Write about a childhood memory connected to a smell.👃🏻

Let yourself really go there.

What comes up when you give yourself space to remember?

Share a few words in the comments, I’d love to read you! 👀

Bonjour! ✨ Oui, oui, En Français 😉
Ce printemps, j’ai le plaisir de vous proposer un atelier d’écriture EN FRANÇAIS en collaboration avec Sherbrooke Loisirs Action.

Ton Histoire Compte, c’est un parcours de 4 semaines pour explorer le plaisir d’écrire, plonger dans vos souvenirs et donner vie à vos histoires. Le tout dans un espace chaleureux, bienveillant et inspirant 🌟

Que vous soyez débutant·e ou déjà passionné·e d’écriture, cet atelier est une invitation à vous exprimer librement et à partager ce qui vous rend unique.

🌿 Les places sont limitées… et il en reste encore quelques-unes!

Inscriptions :

Atelier d'écriture - Ton histoire compte - Sherbrooke Loisirs-Action À travers des exercices simples et créatifs, les participants seront invités à revisiter leurs expériences, leurs souvenirs et leurs émotions, puis à les transformer en une courte histoire écrite. L’accent est mis sur le plaisir de créer, la découverte de sa propre voix et le partage dan...

When you love what you do, Saturday feels like any other day 🤩❤️

¡Hola! 🌸

The countdown is officially on, my workshop “Your Story Matters” starts tomorrow!

I’ve been busy behind the scenes getting everything ready, and I am beyond excited to meet the incredible women joining this session.

If you’ve been thinking about sharing your story but haven't signed up yet, there is still time to grab a spot! I’d love to have you in our circle.

Can’t wait to see you all tomorrow! 🫶🏻✌🏼

Sign up here: https://herstryblg.com/event-calendar/2026/3/5/your-story-matters

Your friends and family are not your readers.

Even if they love you like hell.

As soon as you step off the traditional path, the office job, the corporate ladder, the career that looks good on paper but feels wrong, you’ll notice their worry. And for good reason.

The funny thing? They admire other writers, artists, and entrepreneurs. They believe it’s possible… just not when it’s someone they know taking the risk.

To protect you, they’ll encourage you to be realistic, to stop dreaming, to get “a real job.”

But even if we fail, stumble, or start over again, the pain of ignoring our hearts is far worse than the comfort of staying where we don’t belong. As Paulo Coelho writes in The Alchemist: “You will never be able to escape from your heart. So it is better to listen to what it has to say”.

📷 Photo by Alexe Root - Les Chèvres de Montagne https://www.facebook.com/chevresdemontagne