“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” 🧩 ~Martin Luther King Jr.
this week’s inspiration comes from an unfinished puzzle. (#454)
This week, my inbox had a few more “Thanks, but we’ve decided to move forward with other candidates” messages waiting for me.
The good news? They don’t sting as much as they used to. (Especially thanks to this Chrome extension Kandice Cole told me about!)
The bad news? They’re still rejections. 😣
And if I’m being honest, I found myself in a bit of a funk earlier this week. Which seems to happen every few days lately.
Because while this isn’t my first layoff rodeo, this one feels different.
Every time I open LinkedIn, someone else is sharing that they’ve lost their job.
And every conversation seems to include some version of:
“Prepare for the long haul.”
And while that’s probably realistic... I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t worry me a little. Especially because I’m caring for a whole other human.
So now and then, my brain starts trying to solve the problem of finding a new job all at once.
How long will this really take?
Will I find something?
Should I be doing something differently?
Should I focus on full-time roles? Or cobble together a few things for a while?
And for some reason, every one of these thought spirals goes super worst-case scenario and eventually ends with me living in a van down by the river.
Anxiety, amirite? 😅
By Tuesday afternoon, I realized I wasn’t really job searching anymore.
I was just spiraling.
So I closed LinkedIn. Closed the job boards. Shut the laptop completely. And walked away.
I pulled out a puzzle that’s been sitting untouched for months to work on for a little while.
Five hours passed before I knew it.
Five.
I forgot about my inbox.
I forgot about the rejection emails.
I forgot about trying to figure out the future.
I was just looking for the next piece.
And that was enough.
Sometimes I think we put so much pressure on ourselves to figure out the whole picture.
The whole plan.
The whole next chapter.
When maybe all we need is the next piece.
The next conversation.
The next application.
The next thing that fills up our cups.
The next thing that brings us back to ourselves.
—
This week reminded me that I don’t need to have all of the answers today.
I just need to take care of Tuesday’s Jess.
Wednesday’s Jess can worry about Wednesday.
That means giving myself grace.
Leaning into my life jackets.
And making plans that future Jess can look forward to:
🎭. July: seeing & Juliet. This show has been on my list for years. The premise: “what would happen next if Juliet didn’t end it all over Romeo?” 😍 I cannot wait!
🎭. August: Inner Child Theater Camp. I sometimes feel like I missed my chance to be a theater kid, so in pure, “never too late” fashion, I love that I get to take a weekend and explore that part of myself as an adult.
🏃🏾♀️. September: Run Mag Mile. I did the 5K last year which was a blast and I’m hoping to tackle the 10K this year. Wish me luck. 🤞🏾
—
All in all, I have no idea what the next chapter of my career will look like.
I have faith that it’ll reveal itself soon.
In the meantime?
I’m keeping my eyes open for the next piece. 🧩
—
💬 Over to you: What’s helping you get through this season of life right now? Or, what’s one thing you’re looking forward to?
On to the picks! ✨
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#picks 😍
🍿. I Will Find You. I don’t know what it is about these Harlan Coben adaptations, but they get me every single time. This newest one on Netflix starts with a man who’s been in prison for five years for killing his 3-year-old son. Then his sister-in-law visits him and shows him a photo that appears to be… his son. Alive. 😱😱 Twists. Turns. So many gasps... so, of course, I finished it in two days.
🧶. Comfy Club Getaway (Aug 13 - 16). This sounds like the coziest mix of retreat, sleepover, craft circle, camp, and “please don’t make me cook or clean.” It’s hosted by my gurl Saya, and while I won’t be able to make this particular trip, a Mac & Cheese getaway is definitely on my bucket list. The vibe is very: read, nap, swim, puzzle, make friendship bracelets, talk to nice humans if you want, be solo if you want, and generally remove your adulting pants for a weekend.
Human being.
Human being.
Human being.
Not human doing.
(Give yourself some grace).
#icymi
😍. Last issue’s top pick: Kid-friendly dinner menu.
🌟. Feeling pulled in too many directions? You don’t have to untangle it alone. Let’s find your next clear step together. Get some pocket-sized clarity!
#classifieds 🗞
📖. Entrepreneurship doesn’t always happen under ideal conditions. In Blessed in Business, Fonda Neal shares her story of building alongside work, motherhood, health, and AuDHD.
9️⃣. What if your next experiment was just $9 away? This bite-sized training shows you how to turn a simple idea into a paid offer. Fast. Fun. Low-pressure.
💌 Say no to overthinking your sales emails. These 15 templates help you write faster, sell easier, and keep your energy for what matters.
(like these? let’s partner up!)
#lifevibes
#supporters ☕️
Thank you Abby, Sheila, Fonda, 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, Keyn, 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!! ❤️
You are going to LOVE &Juliet. SUCH an awesome show! I loved this newsletter. Today I'm grappling with all the things and have decided to leave decisions to Tuesday or Wednesday Claire. Thanks for the reminder to take things in smaller steps instead of trying to solve the whole picture in one go.