Umbrella Social

06/10/2026

✍️ Creative Writing Wednesday

Some secrets are hidden for a reason.

Maybe it's an abandoned nursery tucked behind a wall.
Maybe it's a room filled with letters that were never sent.
Maybe it's a library that shouldn't exist.
Maybe it's a doorway to somewhere—or somewhen—else entirely.

Or perhaps the room isn't strange at all.

Perhaps what's hidden inside is something your character has spent their entire life trying not to find.

This week's prompt is:

📝 The Secret Room in the House

While moving furniture, your character discovers a hidden room they never knew existed.

What's inside?

Write a story, poem, journal entry, scene, or anything else the prompt inspires.

And if you'd like to share your writing, we'd love to read it in the comments. You never know where someone else's imagination might lead. 💛

06/08/2026

🌿 Mindful Monday

Sometimes we're far kinder to the person we'll be someday than we are to the person we are right now.

We tell ourselves we'll rest later.
We'll be proud later.
We'll celebrate later.
We'll offer ourselves grace later.

But what if a future version of you could sit beside you today?

What would they say about everything you're carrying right now?

Maybe they'd remind you that you're doing better than you think.
Maybe they'd tell you that not every season is meant for blooming.
Maybe they'd thank you for not giving up on the hard days.

Take a moment today to borrow a little compassion from the person you're becoming.

If you'd like to share, what encouragement do you think your future self would offer you today? 💛

06/05/2026

🔎 Curiosity Friday

There are so many things to learn in this world, and somehow there never seems to be enough time to learn them all.

Maybe you'd finally pick up a musical instrument.
Maybe you'd learn a new language.
Maybe you'd master pottery, woodworking, painting, coding, gardening, or something completely unexpected.

Sometimes the things we're curious about say a lot about who we are and what we value.

So we're curious...

If you could instantly learn any skill, what would it be?

And for bonus points: what would you do with that skill once you had it? 💛

06/04/2026

Most people hear the term executive functioning and think of planners, calendars, organization systems, and color-coded sticky notes.

But executive functioning is about so much more than being organized.

It's the ability to start tasks, manage time, prioritize, remember information, regulate emotions, switch between activities, and follow through on our intentions.

In other words, it's the bridge between knowing what we want to do and actually doing it.

And when that bridge gets overloaded, it can affect everything from paying bills and making appointments to maintaining friendships and responding to text messages.

This week on the blog, we're exploring what executive functioning actually is, why it's often misunderstood, and how it quietly influences nearly every part of our lives.

Read the full blog here:
💛 https://www.umbrellasocialca.com/new-page-60

After reading, we'd love to hear your thoughts:

What is something you wish more people understood about executive functioning?

06/03/2026

The Power of a Hot Dog 🌭

The other day, my partner and I set out on a very ordinary errand: a trip to the post office.

As we drove through town, something caught our eye—a small pop-up food stand sitting at the corner of the four-way stop.

At first, I was secretly hoping it was tamales. Every now and then a vendor stops there with some of the best tamales around, and I had my fingers crossed.

It wasn't tamales.

It was a hot dog cart.

We kept driving toward the post office, but the conversation had already started.

"You know," one of us said, "the best hot dogs usually come from vendors."

Especially the ones wrapped in bacon.

By the time we finished our errands, curiosity had won. We decided we'd stop and see what they had.

There was only one problem.

Cash only.

And neither of us had any.

We thanked him and started to leave, figuring we'd come back another day.

That's when he surprised us.

"No, no," he said. "Take the hot dogs. When you have cash, you can come back and pay."

Of course, I declined. We couldn't possibly take food without paying for it.

But he waved the concern away.

"That's nonsense," he said. "It's food. Come eat."

What followed was one of those conversations that reminds you how much goodness exists in the world.

We learned his name is Adnan. We heard about his food stands in neighboring towns. We learned that customers recognize him by the cowboy hat he wears, so much so that it's become part of his daily uniform when he's serving food.

And somewhere between talking about hot dogs, small businesses, and life, I was reminded of something.

Community isn't built through grand gestures.

It's built through tiny moments.

A conversation with someone you didn't know an hour ago.

A familiar face behind a food cart.

A person willing to trust strangers.

A shared laugh while standing on a street corner.

A hot dog that was never really about the hot dog.

At Umbrella Social, we talk a lot about connection, community, and the small moments that bring people together.

Today, that connection came wrapped in foil and topped with kindness.

And honestly?

It was one of the best things we've experienced all week. If you find yourself driving through Richvale, CA, and notice a vendor wearing a cowboy hat at the four-way stop... stop in, say "hi" and buy yourself one of the best hot dogs in Butte County. 💛

06/03/2026

✍️ Creative Writing Wednesday

What happens when one of the fundamental rules of the universe suddenly decides to take the day off?

Does your main character wake up floating toward the ceiling?

Does society descend into chaos as cars, coffee mugs, pets, and people drift into the sky?

Or does something stranger happen?

Maybe gravity doesn't disappear all at once.
Maybe it flickers.
Maybe some places lose it while others don't.
Maybe someone knew it was coming.

This week's prompt is:

📝 The Day Gravity Stopped Working

Write a story, poem, journal entry, news report, or anything else your imagination dreams up.

As always, there are no wrong answers—just opportunities to create.

If you'd like to share your writing, we'd love to read it in the comments. 💛

05/05/2026

We’ve been thinking a lot lately about executive functioning — and how it quietly shapes the way we show up in our friendships and relationships.

Things like:
remembering to text back,
making plans (and keeping them),
having the energy to follow through,
or even just staying connected when life feels overwhelming.

Over the next few weeks, we’re going to be sharing some posts exploring this a little more — gently, honestly, and without judgment.

Because sometimes it’s not about not caring… it’s about capacity.

If this is something you’ve experienced (on either side), we’d love to hear from you:

💛 What do you wish more people understood about this?

💛 What feels hard?

💛 What would you want to learn more about?

As always, this space is for real conversations — the messy, human kind.

04/03/2026

Curiosity Friday 🔎

A question to spark curiosity heading into the weekend.

Today's question:

What place in the world fascinates you the most?

We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

04/02/2026

Creative Writing Wednesday ✍️

Each Wednesday we share a writing prompt to spark curiosity and imagination.

Today's prompt:

"The Letter That Arrived Years Late"

A letter finally arrives… but it was written ten years ago.

What does it say?

Write a few sentences, a paragraph, a poem, or an entire story — there are no rules.

If you feel inspired, share what you create in the comments.

03/31/2026

We’re currently working on our April newsletter 💛

It’s shaping up to be a gentle one — a mix of reflection, creativity, and a few small moments from this past month.

If you’d like to receive it when it goes out, you can sign up here:

Under the Umbrella Once a month, we send out a cozy little letter called Under the Umbrella.It’s a space where we share reflections on creativity, community, and the small things that make life meaningful.Inside each edition you’ll find things like:🌱 seasonal reflections and thoughtful writin...