“You are allowed to be both a masterpiece and a work in progress, simultaneously.” 🦋~Sophia Bush

embracing the “and” (#392)

Real talk for a sec? I don’t do injuries well. At. All.

I’ve had a couple of meltdowns since my foot injury because the hardest part? The two things I’d come to love in my routine (swimming and dancing) are the two things I can’t do while healing. Yet nothing else stops. Work continues, caregiving continues, side hustle continues, grocery shopping continues... and somehow, I need to figure out how to do it all with this new limitation.

Yes, there are things I can do differently. Sure, there are alternative forms of self-care. And when I’m feeling positive, focusing on those silver linings is easy. Because I know the situation could be a lot worse.

But sometimes… those moments hit. The frustration bubbles up, and I just want to shout “THIS SUCKS!” and I have actually done this. (Because, well, it does.)

My therapist reminded me that two things can be true at the same time.

This resonated because:

• I can see the opportunities to slow down AND be upset about having to slow down

• I can be grateful to find other forms of self-care (chair yoga, reading) AND miss my regular routine

• I can keep moving forward AND acknowledge that it’s really hard

Sound familiar? Maybe you’re:

• Balancing excitement about your side hustle with frustration about its pace

• Feeling grateful for your day job while wanting something of your own

• Proud of your progress while wishing things would move faster

Here’s your permission slip to embrace the “and.”

Created with ChatGPT - not bad, right?

You don’t have to choose between being positive and acknowledging struggles. Both can exist together.

Please keep going (even if it’s with a limp! 😉)

What “ands” are you juggling right now? I’d love to hear about them.

On to the picks!

P.S. Speaking of goals AND well-being... I’m thrilled to be leading a workshop at the FutureU Self-Care Summit on January 7th in Chicago! It’s a one-day event focused on helping you step into the new year with clarity, confidence, and a plan for self-care. Early bird tickets are available now, and I’d love to see you there!

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#love 😍

• 📚. Reading: Meditations for Women Who Do Too Much. Shoutout to Vanessa for gifting me this gem! Each day’s meditation offers a moment to pause, breathe, and find wisdom in the midst of our busy lives. If you’re feeling the weight of doing “all the things,” you might like it too.

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#read

What’s your “I can’t believe other people don’t do this” hack?

Shout out to Claudia Dawson, one of the writers for

Recomendo

. Love this list of suggestions she found on Reddit. Here are a few of my faves:

• “I am shocked at the number of people that don’t put their sheet sets in the matching pillowcase for storage until use. It keeps it all together!” (I definitely will start doing this!)

• “I have a keyboard shortcut on all my devices where `@@` automatically enters my email address. Edit: on an iPhone you set it up by going to settings, general, keyboard, text replacement.”

• “High yield savings account. 4.5-5% interest for your money to just sit there. And doesn't cost a dime.” (I set one of these up this year, and seeing the interest coming in each month is exciting. If you’re looking for a reco, I went with Ally)

Is there one that can make your life easier?

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#icymi

• 😍. Last issue’s top pick: Forget Resolutions: 21 Things Content Entrepreneurs Should Start and Stop in 2024

“Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.” 😌 ~Etty Hillesum

• 🎤. ASK: My goal is to book ONE MORE paid speaking gig this year. If you know of one, I’d love an intro. I talk about side hustles, newsletters, and finding self-care in a busy life. Learn more about my speaking offerings here.

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#classifieds 🗞

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(like these ads? get yours here)

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#lifevibes

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#supporters ☕️

Thank you, Kelly, Melinda, Tawanna, Gia, Lori, Ayana, Krista, Jessica, Annetta, Constance, Tunde, Jen, Michelle, Emile, Bex, Kim, Angela G., Lauren B., Chelsea, Amy, Ricky, Kirsten, Vin, Julie, Nicole, Hmza, Greg, Kristin, Kirstyn, Jess, Cheryl, Krysta, Adrena, Vidya, Kristyn, Danielle, Keryn, Terry, Vanessa, Meredith, Lauren, Meg, Maria J., Chivon, Kim, Luciano, Colie, Chasity, Laurie, Latienda, Collette, Anne, Kristen, Liz, Katherine, Monale, Betsy, Melissa, Lindsay, Jennifer, Kayla, Madison, Rae, Stephanie, Christine R., Christine M., Frances, Hannah, Chris, Brandy, Mea, Kristian, Maria K., Avery, Adam, Barbara, Shenee, Desiree, Lisa, Kandice, L’Oreal, and LaVerne for being #jesspicks supporters!! ❤️

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