Joa

@haveacupofjohanny.bsky.social

3 months ago

Day 30: And So It Is — The Power of Unwavering Belief My closing ritual is not elaborate. There are no extra steps, no second-guessing, no bargaining with the universe. My closing ritual is an unequivocal belief that what I asked for is already happening. Once I’ve asked, once I’ve whispered the petition, once the spell has been cast or the intention spoken, I let it go with certainty. Not hope. Not wishing.

#storytime My closing ritual is simple: absolute belief. Once I ask, I know it’s already happening. I learned this in sixth grade, standing by a science fair project I knew would win. Doubt weakens energy. Certainty seals it. And so it is.

#SoftBrujaChallenge #AndSoItIs #UnwaveringBelief #Trust

Joa

@haveacupofjohanny.bsky.social

3 months ago

Day 29: Lavender and the Art of Soft Survival If I’m being honest, my softest self-care practice hasn’t changed much over the years. It’s lavender. Always lavender. This might feel like a repeat if you’ve been following this series closely, but some truths repeat themselves because they are foundational. Lavender is one of those truths for me. Lavender isn’t trendy self-care in my life. It’s not a phase or a Pinterest aesthetic.

My softest self-care practice is lavender. Candles, oils, scent in the air. It feels soft, grounding, and powerful all at once. Lavender tells my nervous system it’s safe to rest, and I return to it again and again because it works.

#softbrujachallenge #lavenderlove

Joa

@haveacupofjohanny.bsky.social

3 months ago

Day 28: Breathing, or How I Learned to Soften From the Inside Out For the longest time, I underestimated breathing. I know how ridiculous that sounds. Breathing is automatic. It’s the most basic thing we do to stay alive. And yet, it’s also the practice that has softened me the most. The one that brings me back into my body when my mind wants to sprint ahead. The one that reminds my nervous system that I am not in danger, even when my thoughts insist otherwise.

My softest self-care practice is breathing. Deep breaths. Box breathing. Pausing long enough to tell my nervous system it’s safe. I used to take breathing techniques for granted. Now they’re one of the ways I reset, soften, and come back to myself.

#softbrujachallenge #breathingchallenge

Joa

@haveacupofjohanny.bsky.social

3 months ago

Day 26: Gratitude as Survival, Not Aesthetic Gratitude didn’t enter my life wrapped in pretty bows or soft morning light. It came to me out of necessity. Out of survival. Out of a deep need to rewire a brain that was constantly bracing for impact. I am a recovering pessimist. For a long time, my default setting was waiting for the other shoe to drop. If something good happened, I didn’t celebrate it.

My gratitude ritual isn’t aesthetic. It’s survival. Writing down three things I’m grateful for every morning helped me stop waiting for the other shoe to drop and start living in the present. I’m a recovering pessimist, and this practice keeps me grounded.

#softbrujachallenge #gratitudejournaling

Joa

@haveacupofjohanny.bsky.social

3 months ago

Day 25: A Letter to the Girl Who Learned to Survive  There was a long time when I didn’t know how to write a message to my younger self. Not because I didn’t have things to say, but because I didn’t know how to look at her without wanting to scoop her up and protect her from everything she had to carry too soon. So instead of writing to her, I became her.

I wasn’t babied as a child, so I baby myself now. I wasn’t told I was pretty, so I tell myself I am. I was praised for what I could do, so now I practice doing nothing and finding peace there. This is my message to my younger self.

#softbrujachallenge #lettertomyyoungerself #wintersolstice

Joa

@haveacupofjohanny.bsky.social

3 months ago

Day 24: My Favorite Winter Bruja Aesthetic Winter magic hits different when you lean into your bruja softness. For me, the season isn’t just about décor. It’s about atmosphere, scent, memory, and the kind of quiet enchantment that settles into the house when the temperature drops and the lights dim. My winter aesthetic is full-on Yule energy: warm, witchy, earthy, nostalgic, and a little indulgent. And honestly? While I don't like the cold, it’s one of my favorite things about the colder months.

My winter bruja aesthetic is pure Yule magic: mulled wine, dried oranges, pine cones, cinnamon, and a red–green–black tree. I skip real trees for sustainability and fill the house with pine candles instead. Cozy, witchy, nostalgic, ahhh my kind of winter.

#softbrujachallenge #dominicanyule

Joa

@haveacupofjohanny.bsky.social

3 months ago

Day 21 — My Soft Confession: The Fear Behind “The Other Shoe Will Drop” Soft confessions are not easy to share, even when you’ve done enough healing work to name them out loud. They come from tender places. They come from the versions of us we protect the most. They come from wounds that no longer bleed but still ache when touched. Today’s prompt moves straight into that tender place. My soft confession is this:

My soft confession: when I’m most anxious, I brace for bad things to happen. But healing has taught me to interrupt that fear gently and trust joy a little more each day.

#30daysoft #softbrujachallenge #TheOrdinaryBruja

Joa

@haveacupofjohanny.bsky.social

3 months ago

Day 20 — My Cozy Nook: Imagining the Sanctuary I Will Build Right now, my cozy nook exists only in my mind. And honestly? There is something magical about that. I am in a season of transition — physically, emotionally, and creatively — and while transitions can be stressful, the part I always look forward to is the moment when I get to rebuild a space that feels like me. A space that holds my softness and my power.

My cozy nook doesn’t exist yet, but the vision is clear. It will be warm, witchy, empowering, and built from scratch with intention. I can’t wait to create a bruja cottage corner that feels like home.

#30daysoft #softbrujachallenge #TheOrdinaryBruja

Joa

@haveacupofjohanny.bsky.social

3 months ago

Day 19 — The Hobbies That Fill My Love Bucket: Tarot & Honoring the Moon There are hobbies that pass the time, and then there are hobbies that pour something back into you. Hobbies that refill what the world drains out. Hobbies that feel like coming home to yourself. For me, the two practices that fill my love bucket, emotionally, spiritually, and intuitively, are reading tarot and honoring the moon. These two rituals sit at the center of my soft bruja practice.

Tarot and the moon are my love bucket fillers. Tarot gives me clarity; the moon gives me rhythm. Together, they ground me, guide me, and help me honor my intuition.

#30daysoft #softbrujachallenge #TheOrdinaryBruja

Joa

@haveacupofjohanny.bsky.social

3 months ago

Day 17 — My Nighttime Routine: Breathing, Releasing, and Making Room for Rest Nighttime has always carried a specific energy for me. It is the in-between space. The place where the day’s noise begins to fade and my inner world becomes louder, clearer, more present. For many people, nighttime is a moment of relaxation. For me, it has become a sanctuary of intentional release, but it wasn’t always that way. There was a time when nights were the hardest part of my day.

My nighttime ritual is simple: breathe, drink water, take my meds, and write out everything I don’t want to carry into tomorrow. Digital journaling helps me release the day and make space for rest.

#30daysoft #softbrujachallenge #TheOrdinaryBruja

Joa

@haveacupofjohanny.bsky.social

3 months ago

Day 16 — My Favorite Mug: The Girl Boss Mug That Reminds Me Who I Am There are objects we own because they are practical, and then there are objects we keep because they hold something deeper. Something emotional. Something spiritual. Something that reminds us of the version of ourselves we are constantly becoming. For me, that object is a mug.A white and pink mug with bold gold lettering that says: Girl Boss. It was my husband who spotted it first.

My Girl Boss mug is my nightly reminder of strength. I drink from it before bed, read the words, and remember who I am — even on my weakest days. A simple ritual that empowers my spirit.

#30daysoft #softbrujachallenge #TheOrdinaryBruja

Joa

@haveacupofjohanny.bsky.social

3 months ago

DAY 15 — My Favorite Tree: The Kapok Tree There are trees that simply exist in the background of our lives, and then there are trees that hold stories. Trees that feel ancestral. Trees that remind us of who we are and who we come from. For me, that tree is the kapok tree, known as the ceiba in the Dominican Republic and across much of the Caribbean and Latin America.

The kapok tree is more than my favorite tree. It is an immigrant story. Rooted in the DR yet thriving in new soil, it mirrors the magic, resilience, and world of The Ordinary Bruja. A symbol of belonging across borders. 🌳

#30daysoft #softbrujachallenge #TheOrdinaryBruja

Joa

@haveacupofjohanny.bsky.social

3 months ago

Day 14: A Cozy Read — The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches Some books feel like curling up under a warm blanket.Some books feel like a cup of chai on a cold afternoon.Some books feel like softness when the world is too loud. The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna was exactly that for me — a cozy, magical, uplifting story that wrapped itself around my heart in the gentlest way.

This cozy read felt like a warm chai on a cold day. The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is soft magic, found family, and heart-healing vibes all in one. A perfect comfort book for tender brujas.

#30daysoft #softbrujachallenge #TheOrdinaryBruja

Joa

@haveacupofjohanny.bsky.social

4 months ago

Day 13: My Favorite Witchy Song — “Brujas” by Princess Nokia When I think about music that makes my spirit sit up straighter, music that taps into my bruja energy, music that feels like both a spell and a declaration… there is only one song that hits every time: “Brujas” by Princess Nokia. The first time I heard this song, I felt it in my bones.Not just in the lyrics, but in the energy.

My favorite witchy song is “Brujas” by Princess Nokia. The energy, the pride, the reclamation. It mirrors Marisol’s entire arc in The Ordinary Bruja, beautifully. This song is an anthem for every bruja remembering her power.

#30daysoft #softbrujachallenge #TheOrdinaryBruja

Joa

@haveacupofjohanny.bsky.social

4 months ago

Day 12: An Empowering Mantra — You Are Power Incarnate There are moments in life when strength does not feel like strength.Moments when your spirit feels tired.Moments when the weight of everything you carry makes your chest tight.Moments when you feel trapped in a situation with no clear exit.Moments when you question yourself more than you trust yourself. And in those moments, I remind myself: You are power incarnate.

My mantra is “You are power incarnate.” It’s the reminder I need when life hits hard. I’ve survived too much to doubt my strength now. This affirmation brings me back to myself every time.

#30daysoft #softbrujachallenge #TheOrdinaryBruja

Joa

@haveacupofjohanny.bsky.social

4 months ago

Day 11: My One-Word Spell — Clarify Some spells don’t need candles, herbs, or long incantations.Some spells are simple. Soft. Direct.Some spells are just a single word spoken with intention. For me, that word is clarify. I am the type of person who sometimes moves faster than she should. My mind tries to solve everything at once. My anxiety wants answers before I even finish asking the questions.

My one-word spell is “clarify.” It slows me down, opens my intuition, and brings me the answers I miss when I move too fast. I whisper it before sleep and wake with the clarity I asked for.

#30daysoft #softbrujachallenge #TheOrdinaryBruja

Joa

@haveacupofjohanny.bsky.social

4 months ago

Day 10: My Go-To Crystal — Citrine, The Light I Chose on Purpose For a long time, I didn’t understand crystals beyond “oh, that’s pretty.” But then I discovered citrine — the bright, warm, sun-kissed stone known as the “happy” crystal — and something clicked. The moment I learned what it represented, I said, “Give me. I need that. Immediately.” Citrine is all about joy, positivity, abundance, and shifting energy. It is the crystal of choosing light.

Citrine is my “happy” crystal. As a recovering pessimist, its warmth reminds me to choose joy, trust good days, and stop waiting for the other shoe to drop. Healing is a mindset shift, and this crystal helps me make it.

#30daysoft #softbrujachallenge #TheOrdinaryBruja

Joa

@haveacupofjohanny.bsky.social

4 months ago

Day 9: My Favorite Tea — Chai, The Cup That Holds My Spirit There are certain drinks that feel less like beverages and more like anchors. For me, that is chai.Chai is one of the few things that can bring me back into my body instantly. The moment the scent hits me — that warm mix of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger, and black tea — my spirit settles. My shoulders relax. My mind slows.

Chai is my grounding magic. The warmth, the spices, the history. It brings me back into my body and softens my spirit every single time. A healing cup with ancient roots. ☕

#30daysoft #softbrujachallenge #TheOrdinaryBruja

Joa

@haveacupofjohanny.bsky.social

4 months ago

Day 8: My Go-To Herb — Lavender, My Softest Companion If there is one herb that has followed me quietly throughout my life, it is lavender. I do not even remember the first time I smelled it. I just know that every time I catch its scent, something inside me exhales. Lavender makes my shoulders drop. My breath deepens. My spirit softens. It is the closest thing I have to an immediate grounding switch.

Lavender has always been my softest companion. The scent, the calm, the magic. It aligns with my spirit and my sign in a way that feels fated. Lavender soothes me, grounds me, and reminds me to breathe.

#30daysoft #softbrujachallenge #TheOrdinaryBruja

Joa

@haveacupofjohanny.bsky.social

4 months ago

Day 7: My Favorite Superstition Protecting My Money and My Magic Superstitions are funny because half the time we do not even realize how deeply they’ve rooted themselves into our lives. They show up in the small things we do without thinking. The little actions we take “just in case.” The tiny rituals we adopt because someone, somewhere, passed it down with enough conviction that our spirit said, “Okay, noted.”

I never put my purse on the floor and I press my itchy palm straight into my pocket. Abundance is energy and I’m calling it in with intention. Let’s be rich brujas who honor our superstitions and our worth. 👜
#30daysoft #softbrujachallenge #TheOrdinaryBruja

Joa

@haveacupofjohanny.bsky.social

4 months ago

Day 6: Favorite Witchy Book(s) Books have always been one of my portals. Not just for escape, but for understanding myself, my identity, my spirituality, and the parts of me I never had language for growing up. When I started walking a more intentional spiritual path, I didn’t have a mentor. I didn’t have a coven. I didn’t have someone guiding me step by step. What I…

Sharing the witchy books that shaped my spiritual path, from herbal magic to Santa Muerte to the fiction that keeps my bruja heart inspired. These reads opened doors for me and deepened my practice.
#30daysoft #softbrujachallenge #TheOrdinaryBruja

Joa

@haveacupofjohanny.bsky.social

4 months ago

Day 5: My Familiar — Dila, The Little Warrior Who Mirrors Me If you have ever rescued an animal, you know it is never really you doing the rescuing. Somehow, without warning, they end up rescuing parts of you too. That is exactly what happened with Dila, my little feral kitten with the wounded eye, the fragile body, and the spirit of someone who has already lived a thousand lives. Dila came into my life through my son.

My familiar is Dila, the little feral kitten who mirrors me more than I expected. Her strength, her wounds, her fight to belong… all of it feels like home. Healing her is healing a part of me too. 🐾

#30daysoft #softbrujachallenge #TheOrdinaryBruja

Joa

@haveacupofjohanny.bsky.social

4 months ago

Day 4: My Walking Path — Finding Clarity Between Grass and Desert Walking has always been one of the softest ways I return to myself. I do not need a perfect trail or a stunning view. I just need movement. I need the sound of my feet on the ground. I need air touching my skin. I need the reminder that I exist in a body that wants to keep going. Right now, in San Antonio, my walking path is the stretch around my house.

Walking always brings me clarity. Whether it’s the lush grass in San Antonio or the hard desert in El Paso, nature reminds me that even the toughest landscapes hold softness inside. Just like me. 🌵🌙

#30daysoft #softbrujachallenge #TheOrdinaryBruja

Joa

@haveacupofjohanny.bsky.social

4 months ago

Day 3: My Favorite Protective Charm — The Evil Eye Bracelet I Never Take Off Some people wake up and choose jewelry based on the outfit they’re wearing. I’m not one of those people. There is one piece I wear every single day, no matter what. One thing I never take off. One thing that has become so much a part of me that my wrist feels strange without it. My evil eye bracelet. I have always believed in…

I never take off my evil eye bracelet. I believe in mal de ojo and the way people can send negativity without meaning to. Life is too heavy to carry other people’s energy, so I protect mine with intention. 🌙🧿✨
#30daysoft #softbrujachallenge #TheOrdinaryBruja

Joa

@haveacupofjohanny.bsky.social

4 months ago

Day 2: My Morning Ritual — Learning to Water Myself Again There is something sacred about the first moments of the morning. Before the world asks anything of you. Before the to-do lists and the responsibilities and the emotions you did not ask to carry begin to spill into your day. Those first minutes feel like a soft doorway. A quiet invitation. A chance to choose how you want to show up.

This morning I chose to water myself again. Cool water on my face, vitamins, hydration, and a return to gratitude journaling. Starting the day with intention changes everything. Here’s to softness, grounding, and choosing myself first.

#30daysoft #softbrujachallenge