“Pure joy doesn’t need much, just bubbles and a little imagination.” 🫧 ~Mercy Christopher Angalabiri
a little reminder to make room for the kid in you. (#460)
Have you ever noticed what happens when somebody starts blowing bubbles around a bunch of adults?
People lose their minds. 😂
Suddenly everybody wants to pop one. Or catch one. Or blow one. Or just stand there in awe watching them float by.
It’s like this instant shortcut back to being a kid.
That’s a bit of what Inner Child Theater Camp last weekend did for me, and I’m still processing everything that experience meant to me.
But there’s one part I keep thinking about.
During one of our sessions, we did a visualization where we were asked to reconnect with our inner child.
And when I saw Little Jess, I couldn’t stop the tears.
Because she was amazing.
Big. Bright. Unapologetic.
She took up ALL the space. She wasn’t worried about whether she was too much, wasn’t afraid to be seen. She just...shined.
And I realized I want more of her with me now.
Especially during a season where I’m figuring out work and money and life and what comes next.
Maybe I don’t need Little Jess making ALL the decisions. (Cause she’d likely just want to do jigsaw puzzles 24/7. 😂 ) But I definitely want her to get a vote.
At camp, she got one. Here’s what she did:
✂️. Cut her camp T-shirt into a crop top even though she has a belly, because crop tops are fun.
💜. Put the leftover fabric in her hair because a regular headband wasn’t doing it for her.
💃🏾. Stood in the front row during the dance break even though she absolutely did NOT know all the moves.
📸. Posed for a picture big and bright and took up as much space as she wanted.
None of those things are huge, but they felt like little ways of saying, Oh, there you are.
And maybe that’s something I want to keep practicing outside of camp, too.
Because life can get very grown-up, very quickly. There are bills and jobs and caregiving and about 847 things we’re supposed to be figuring out.
So I’ve been asking myself:
What would Little Jess do?
More room for bubbles, imagination, magic, and whatever else makes her light up. I feel like she needs to be a part of this next chapter too. 💖
—
💬 Over to you: What’s your version of bubbles? What’s one little thing that brings out the kid in you?
On to the picks!
P.S. I’m testing a few 20-minute side hustle sessions for $29. Bring me something you want to make progress on, and we’ll use the time to figure out a doable way to move it forward. If this sounds like something that would be helpful to you, hit reply and say, “I’m in.”
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#picks 😍
🫧. Feed your inner child. Therapy for Black Girls asked for small, joyful ways to add more inner child play to your weekends, and there are THOUSANDS of replies. Consider this your giant list of ideas for bringing a little more play into your life.
Also: Inner Child Theater Camp is on tour and visiting multiple cities, so if you have an opportunity to go, highly recommend. (They are already planning to come back to Chicago in 2027!)
Related: adult hobbies worth trying
🫐. Blueberry Cinnamon Roll Casserole. I had about half a pound of blueberries to use up, which is a slight problem because me and grandma are not huge blueberry fans. But I do liked baked blueberry things though…so I found this recipe and it turned out SO good.
📅. 3 Compelling Reasons to Schedule More Nothing. Schedule more nothing if only to give yourself a minute to remember who you are, what you want, and how you want to live.
#icymi
😍. Last issue’s top picks: Couch to 5K for AI and T is for Trust (the Process)
#classifieds 🗞
💦. If taking care of yourself keeps getting pushed down the list, this might be for you. WET is a virtual weekend of rest, play + doable self-care for real life. August 28–30.
📓. “I wish I could remember that quote I really loved from that one book..“ Readwise collects your book highlights in one place and brings them back to you in daily emails.
💡. I sometimes spend too much time trying to write the perfect words. Talking first has been surprisingly freeing. Wispr Flow has helped with that. Get a free month of Pro with my link.
(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!! ❤️
This makes me happy.