Something I'm trying to be more aware of is trying not to overlap or pull time away from my own members and their own Communities. So I am curious: Have you considered having a coffee hour in your community? Do you have one? If so, when do you have a coffee hour in the community that you run?

I want to give a big congratulatory shout-out to @Zak King for being the first TCU member to hit level 5 thanks to their activity in the group. A true achievement. Thank you so much Zak, for being here and being such an active contributor. Zak has earned and unlocked his level 5 bonus and gotten a shout-out in one of my podcasts! You can hear his shout-out airing in the Smash Writer's Block Podcast - Episode 10, airing on Spotify January 28th 2026. Don't want to wait that long? TCU members can exclusively hear it now if they've unlocked access to #Introduction - Smash Writer's Block , Episode 10 is the first podcast in Module 4, episode 4.1. Once again, way to go Zack! You can listen to the SMASH Writer's Block Podcast on Spotify, here

This video hasn't gone public on YouTube yet, but I thought some of you might appreciate seeing this early, especially learning about a future giveaway that is coming. 😉

This week, we have 2 new Premium Members thanks to the random pickerwheel prize draw! Congrats @Lacie Forde and @Cristal Vancarson, you both won FREE premium memberships as part of TCU's holiday celebration. Hope you enjoy!

We all know the feeling: a conversation that leaves us emptier than before. A presence that drains, a voice that takes without giving back. What if the old stories — of zombies, vampires, and restless spirits — were metaphors for this exact experience? #### 🧟 The Modern Energy Zombie: Recognizing the “Undead” Among Us In myth, the zombie is a soul trapped — a being moving without will, feeding without purpose. In life, "energy zombies" can look like: - The same complaints, recycled endlessly - Conversations that pull focus but offer no reflection - A lingering fog of fatigue after you engage They often don’t mean harm. They're simply stuck in a loop — and unconsciously pulling others into their orbit. The first step in protecting your energy? See the loop. Name the pattern. You don’t have to join the cycle. #### 🕯️ Becoming the Guide, Not the Fuel In old tales like the Chinese *jiangshi* (hopping corpse), the priest doesn’t fight the undead. They guide them home — using ritual, talismans, and clear intention. We can do the same with energy-draining dynamics: 1. Set boundaries like sacred seals. "I can listen until 4 p.m., then I need to recharge." 2. Ask guiding questions. "What feels nourishing to you right now?" (This shifts the focus from drain to reflection.) 3. Protect your light without extinguishing theirs. You are not required to burn out so others feel warm. You don’t have to carry them — just show them where their own light might be. #### ✨ Reflect With Us - Have you recognized an "energy zombie" in your life — or in yourself? - What’s one small boundary that has preserved your spirit? - How can we guide with compassion, without losing ourselves? Share your thoughts below. Sometimes, naming the pattern is the first step toward changing it — for them, and for you. Inspired by Classroom Lesson 1.1 and Mike's shared story. #EnergyAwareness #CommunityReflection