A little African sun, a 2026 vision in the making, and the sacred work of women working with women.
Hello from 18 on The Hill
Don’t you just want to lie on that lounger, soak up the African sun, stare into the wild, journal … and then slip into that gorgeous pool? I spent time at 18 On The Hill in the Kruger last month, and I was reminded again that there is nothing quite as restorative as nature… especially at the start of a new year.
Where are your happy places?
How is your journaling going this year? How are you tending to your heart in this season?Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
January felt like a whirlwind. I couldn’t even muster a vision board until the first week of February (my birthday week, which felt fitting). When words were stuck, collage came to the rescue. Cutting, sticking, layering images: sometimes our hands find clarity before our sentences do. I gathered the pics and then the words came.
If you haven’t attempted a vision journal entry yet for 2026, consider this your permission slip. It is not too late. I speak about my new year journaling practices in this podcast: the #1 Journaling App in The World - Day One.
I want to encourage you: take a moment. Ask yourself what ending this year stronger, wiser, softer, and more deeply connected to who and what you value most might look like. Then work backwards.
I found a second-hand bookstore near my house selling old magazines for R1 each. For R20, I walked away with a pile of possibility and spent a whole Saturday afternoon and evening pondering, cutting, laminating, and writing over the images in permanent pen. I’ll share a picture below.
My 2026 vision collages stuck above my desk
In the middle of the colour and cut-outs is a black and white photograph of my parents. That’s them, more than a decade ago, sitting on a park bench in Johannesburg. I love the contrast. All my future-facing dreaming… anchored by the two people who taught me about commitment, faithfulness, and showing up over time.
I’m heading to KZN soon to celebrate them. Dad turns 82. Mom turns 81. And together they mark 57 years of marriage.
While vision is about what’s ahead, it’s also about honouring what has held you all along.
This incredible woman, Donata from Lithuania, reached out to me on LinkedIn last year. We met for the first time in Barcelona, just before the Barcelona Journaling Festival. We walked the streets of Spain together (and thanks to her, I never got hopelessly lost), talking about life and journaling.
Below, I share a story about two women who are shaping my life in very different and significant ways right now.
I hope it nudges you to reach out - to a woman ahead of you, one walking beside you, and perhaps one just a little behind you. You may discover you have something to learn, something to hold with care, and something generous to give.
Working With Women
I never knew I needed these two women. Not in theory. Not in a “community is important” kind of way. I mean I didn’t know how powerful it would be to walk this intentionally with two women at the same time: one speaking into my life, and one I am speaking into.
They could not be more different. One is a grandmother and a doctor. The other is a young mother of two small boys who recently closed her business.
The Woman Ahead of Me
Ruth came into my life through an event I hosted — one of those evenings where you’re not entirely sure if the idea has already missed its moment. But the house filled with women anyway. The food was good. The glühwein was better. And Ruth was there because her daughter’s friend invited her.
We would probably never have crossed paths otherwise. She’s just old enough to be my mother. Established. Grounded. A Doctor of Nutrition. The kind of woman who has seen enough life not to panic at every symptom.
A few months later we had a video call. She needed a case study for her health coaching diploma. I needed help. Boom. Perimenopause. Weight gain that would not budge. Exhaustion. That low-grade sense that something must be wrong with me. I was convinced I needed blood tests and a diagnosis. Plus I was hoping someone would tell me it wasn’t my fault.
She did neither.
Instead, she listened. Then she calmly suggested there might be nothing seriously wrong with my body.
It turns out what was mostly to blame was confusion. Years of it. Low carb. No carb. Full fat. No fat. Fast all day. Eat at night. Gut health. Sugar free. Clean. Lean. Green. Wine is fine. Wine is poison. I had so much information but almost no clarity.
When we began, I made a decision: I packed away everything I thought I knew. Every book, every ideology, every strong opinion. I decided to trust her over all the noise.
The last ten weeks have been basic in many ways. Proteins. Carbs. Fats. Rhythm. Consistency. Accountability. Six of the most stubborn kilos ever have shifted. But more than that, something in my head and my heart has changed. I have tools. And I have vision.
And I have cried more than once in gratitude. What made it life-changing wasn’t just the nutrition. It was being seen without being shamed which helped me to stop shaming myself. I felt guided without being controlled. But also, I was encouraged without being indulged. She presented some facts and suggested a clear plan. I followed it. It works.
It was walking with a woman ahead of me.
The Woman Beside Me
Then there’s Alessia.
We were in the same church two decades ago. Life scattered us across continents. In 2022 she emailed and asked me to coach her in journaling. I said no. I was in a season of groups and retreats, not one-on-ones.
Last year, after speaking at the Barcelona Journaling Festival, something shifted in me. I found myself with new longings and new goals in my business. She came to mind. Weird. But I went with it. So I messaged her.
Turns out the timing was perfect for both of us.
We’ve begun a year-long mentorship. Four hours a month. That’s it. And yet I find myself thinking about it constantly - the privilege of investing intentionally in another woman’s growth. Watching her untangle her voice. Seeing her build rhythm. Knowing someone is holding space for her clarity.
It is powerful to have someone radically invested in your progress. It is equally powerful to be radically invested in someone else’s.
Ruth has done that for me. I am doing that for Alessia. And somewhere in that exchange, something so beautiful is happening.
The Mother and The Sister
Maybe this is what we need. A woman ahead of us, like Ruth: steady, experienced, compassionate enough to tell us the truth. And a woman beside or just behind us, like Alessia, someone we pour into, cheer on, and call higher.
A mother energy. And a sister energy. Intentional. Generous. And regular.
There is something profoundly life-giving about women walking closely with women. The sharing honestly and showing up consistently. Allowing ourselves to be shaped and to shape.
It doesn’t have to be about health. Or journaling. Or business. It might be faith. Money. Marriage. Creativity. Grief. Whatever it is, I am entirely convinced that we are not meant to figure out everything alone. And we are at our strongest when we are both receiving and giving.
So I’m curious. Who is speaking into your life right now? And whose life are you speaking into? If you don’t have both, maybe this will inspire you?
“Thank you Ant. The inspiration continues… Me on my porch at the beach with your amazing book. You are the best!” - Yolande
This photo from Yolande made my whole week. She ordered 10 copies of Do The Heart Work – Volume 1 to gift to friends. Ten. As in… ten women choosing to journal together. Wow.
