On rhythm, journaling, motherhood, and shared care

Some women don’t just observe nature, they work with it, listen to it, and let it reshape how they live. Alessandra (houseofhoney.studio) is one of them. As a beekeeper, artist, journaler, and mother of three, her days move between hives, hands-on making, caregiving, and reflection. Over time, the bees have become more than work; they’ve become teachers.

We met alessandra on a cold winter’s day in her studio. Just blocks away from her hive, in the heart of Eindhoven's city centre.

In this conversation, Alessandra shares how life in the hive has changed her relationship with productivity, creativity, boundaries, and community  and why journaling remains a quiet but essential daily practice.

Bees, rhythm, and a non-linear life

You work closely with bees, which operate through rhythm, collective care, and clear roles. How has observing bees influenced the way you structure your own life as a woman, a mother, and a creative?

“Working with bees made me realise that life doesn’t work in constant output. Bees are productive, but they move with the seasons and know when to pause. Noticing that helped me stop forcing linear progress in my own life. I’ve learned to accept that my life moves in waves.”

There is no constant acceleration in a hive , only cycles. Expansion, contraction, rest. A reminder many women need, especially in seasons where care, work, and creativity overlap.

Creativity woven into motherhood

You’re an artist and journal enthusiast while raising three children. How do you protect creative space in a life that constantly demands care, presence, and responsibility?

“I don’t really protect it in a strict way. I weave it into my life where I can. Small moments, short sessions. Motherhood changed how and when I create, but it didn’t take creativity away. It made it more focused and intentional with my time.

Sometimes it’s ten minutes with a journal, sometimes it’s working with my hands late at night at the kitchen table, or spending my day off in my studio. Whenever I feel like making something when I’m around the kids, I ask them to join in creating something for themselves or even together.”

Creativity, here, isn’t separated from life. It adapts. It becomes quieter, more precise, and often shared.

Journaling as a grounding practice

You journal regularly. What role does journaling play for you , not as self-expression, but as a way to regulate, reflect, or stay grounded in daily life?

“Journaling helps me slow down and sort things out. It’s not about writing something beautiful and perfect. It’s a way to clear my head, notice what’s going on, and come back to myself. For me it’s all about having that daily practice.”

In a world that often aestheticizes journaling, Alessandra brings it back to its essence: a practice of return. Not performance, but presence.

Nature beyond the romantic

Many people romanticize nature as something we ‘retreat’ into. Working with bees can be physically and mentally demanding. How has this taught you about boundaries, resilience, and care?

“Before becoming a beekeeper, honeybees and honey felt very romantic to me. Now, after a decade, I know it can be demanding and sometimes uncomfortable  wearing a full suit, lifting heavy boxes, dealing with losses of colonies. I’ve even done it through three pregnancies, and each time it became more challenging.

In 2025, I experienced burnout and really had to accept taking a step back. Finding that balance again has been one of the biggest lessons.”

Care, whether for bees or for oneself, requires limits. Even in nature, rest is not optional.   

The hive as a model for motherhood

Bees don’t survive alone. How has motherhood changed your relationship to community, asking for help, and shared responsibility?

“Motherhood showed me that doing everything alone doesn’t work. Just like bees, we need shared care. Asking for help is part of it. I’m lucky to have an amazing support system. As a family we can always count on my mother and my in-laws for support.”

The hive survives because responsibility is shared  a lesson many women relearn through motherhood.

One lesson worth carrying forward

If there is one lesson bees, and your own life, keep repeating to you as a woman, what would you want other women to hear or remember right now?

“You don’t have to carry everything by yourself. It takes a village , well, in this case, a hive.”

What’s next

This spring, Alessandra is bringing her journaling practice to Sicily, hosting a retreat centered on reflection, materials from nature, and slowing down with intention. A space to step out of constant output and reconnect with rhythm, creativity, and care.

You can find Alessandra and learn more about her work and upcoming retreat here: www.houseofhoney.studio 

Lessons from the honeybees for everyday life

For those reading along, the hive offers simple but powerful reminders:

• Life moves in seasons, not straight lines
• Care is collective, not individual
• Rest is part of productivity, not its opposite

Pictures @cleogoossens, @diewkevandenheuvel