“I am worthy of the time it takes to do the things that heal my heart.” ❤️🩹~Morgan Harper Nichols
In a word, this week has been A LOT for various reasons. I’m sure you can relate.
Sometimes it’s so hard for me to remember that ultimately, all I can control are my actions, reactions. And that I cannot pour from an empty cup. And yes, often that is easier said than done as a caregiver who is very caring in all aspects of her life. Not to mention being a black woman in America, which is just hard and challenging on so many levels. But I’m taking baby steps to prioritize myself and my care.
Earlier this week, I listened to the Lazy Genius podcast, and Kendra shared a list of things that are saving her life right now (take a listen if you’re curious).
She inspired me to create a list. I thought of six things that have helped me recently:
🤔 1. Asking myself this question:
What is the most important thing for me to do today?
I have this set up as an email notification that comes every day at 7 am. And it helps me nail down that one thing that I need to do each day. I do my best to honor my gut response to that question. And sometimes, the answer is rest, which means I may not get as much done that day. But it’s been beneficial.
❤️🩹 2. Hemp/CBD
I hopped on the hemp/CBD bandwagon during the pandemic, and I am a fan. Recess water is an excellent pick me up at any time of day and helps me relax and focus. And the Good Patch is helpful for various things, including managing some of my period symptoms, calming down after a stressful day, and recovering from sleepless nights.
💃🏽 3. BeMoved.
If you have been in my world for a little bit, you’ll know how much dancing has changed my life. BeMoved is a dance fitness program for folks of all ages and abilities. I can even do it in bare feet post ankle injury. The founder, Sherry Zunker, believes that movement expressed through dance and music can transform a person, and it does. Just being able to go to a class once a week has done wonders for my mental health.
🧩 4. LEGOs!
And puzzles. Cheers to activities that don’t require a screen, and it’s enjoyable to build things. I just finished this LEGO bouquet which was great to put together. So I’ll be on the lookout for more kits. Since I was a kid, I’ve loved puzzles, so it’s great to infuse that bit of play and nostalgia back into my life.
😮💨 5. Breathing.
Yes, I know that it quite literally saves my life. 😆 But I am beginning to see the importance of breathing more from my belly because I am a chest breather. Baby steps for sure because I cannot stick to meditation, but I’m trying to be more aware of my breathing when I’m feeling stressed. Shout out to Brandy, who shared this wonderful poem about breathing.
🥳 6. Doing one little thing for myself every day.
I’m trying to be better at this, but I’ve found creating tiny joys in my day helps me and gives me something to look forward to. That could be going to dance class, reading a book, doing a walking meditation, having some ice cream, taking myself out for a cocktail, going to bed early, or watching a show with a friend.
What’s saving your life right now? What’s on your list?
On to the picks!
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#loves 😍
🎧 Listening: Walk On By. I love a good Seal song and heard this cover for the first time during BeMoved the other night. So good. If you haven’t heard it either, you might like it.
📚. Watching. What To Do When Self Care Isn’t Making You Feel Better. One of my amazing coaching clients, Angela Goodhart, created her first YouTube video (!!) featuring seven tips for your self-care practices. I was a fan when she said that “self-care baby steps count” because you know how I feel about those. But I also really liked what she said about keeping your future self in mind. You don’t want to do something in the name of self-care that will make your future self feel guilty or stressed, for example. Blew my mind with that one! 🤯
💰. Tool: Drop – Connect your debit card and earn rewards on shopping you are probably already doing, like going to Starbucks or McDonald’s. Also, if you order an Uber through Drop and complete the ride, you will earn 1000 points for each ride, which is essentially equal to $1. I’ve made 5000 points in Uber trips this week. Earn 25K points and then redeem for different gift cards, including Apple, Macy’s, and even Uber Eats.
#reads
Nine Micro Life Hacks I Found on Reddit (That Are Surprisingly Useful) — medium.com
I have been experimenting a lot with setting 15-minute timers for my side hustle work especially, and I love this:
“Slow transformations that start out as 15 minutes feel effortless. Effortless turns into action. Action changes your future.”
How to Turn Your Freelance Side-Hustle into a Full-Time Gig — www.ltinthecity.com
I can’t tell you how happy I was when my friend L’Oreal was able to take her writing side hustle full-time. If you’d like to go that route, even if you have a different business, she has some great tips for you:
Keep your day job (for now)
Build relationships (and your brand)
Save, save, save
Take the plunge
Spread the word
Diversify your services
Get to pitching
#icymi
😍. Last issue’s top pick was: 100 Follower Week Challenge
☎️ Need help starting your side hustle or newsletter? Let’s dream and scheme.
#classifieds 🗞
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#lifevibes
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Thank you Chelsea, Amy, Ricky, Kirsten, Vin, Julie, Nicole, Humza, 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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