"So just remember in every moment, you are free to breathe." ~Morgan Harper Nichols
Shout out to Anne Hagerty and Collette Rogers for buying me coffees over the break! ☕️
Anne is an amazing copywriter and content creator. She is also a wonderful speaker - we actually met on a side hustle panel. She is currently looking for clients so if you need writing help, check her out!
Collette is an incredible photographer and artist along with being a family friend. If you've seen my profile picture for this newsletter or photos on my website, Collette took them all! You can see more of her work here and here.
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Happy 2021 my friend!
And what a week it has already been. I spent most of the week glued to the TV watching the country burn. On one hand, I'm not surprised. And still, so many WTF moments. Call it what it is: an act of terrorism. At one point, I just had to stop and take myself away and work on a puzzle because of chest tightness.
I couldn't really describe how I was feeling until I read Amber Burns' post:
"As a Black woman, this is nothing new to me. Seeing white people commit crimes that would be a death sentence for someone in the skin I’m in isn’t new. It was not a surprise. I was not caught off guard. And contrary to what many people are sharing in posts and headlines, this is exactly who and what America is. I have never known any other version of this country than one who consistently makes exceptions for white citizens."
I'm still feeling out of sorts, and just exhausted, as I can imagine you are too. We've been angry and sad for so long. It's like death by a thousand cuts. So I'm really focused on taking breaks as often as I need to and seeking out moments of calm and joy. I encourage you to do the same.
My holidays were relaxing and it was good to have some time away and give myself space to do nothing. Mostly I slept. It was like all of the tiredness, emotions, and grief of 2020 descended on me. And rest was a respite.
I'm still noodling on plans for 2021, so I'll use these next few weeks to look back on 2020, and share that process with you. I'll start with this:
55 things I did, experienced, and appreciated in 2020.
This was such a powerful process for me to do and write on the last day of the year. And I like how it's a little bit different than most "2020 in review" posts I've seen. So grateful for 2020 and all that it gave me and taught me. I know I will carry a lot of lessons and experiences in this new year.
January can feel heavy - there are so many expectations to share your goals for the year and your word or phrase. I'm not ready to do that yet, and that's OK. So if you have been feeling this pressure to set words or goals or resolutions, take your power back. You can set them or not. You can set them now or later. We get to decide what works best for us.
Sending you virtual hugs. 💖
On to the picks!
Note: This email may contain affiliate links. If you click through my link and make a purchase that means I may receive "thank you money" at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products that I use and love.
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There's a million newsletters about stocks and VC. Stefan's newsletter is about the options that don't get talked about as much.
Each week, Stefan dives into a different alternative asset. Past issues include investing in cars, farmland, and billboards.
[ Check out Alternative Assets -->]
#loves 😍
🎧 Listening: folklore. Sooo late to the party (per usual) but seriously the long pond studio sessions on Disney+ are so good. And a wonderful way to experience the album. Fave song: exile with Bon Iver.
🛍 Tool: Membervault. If you are looking for a tool to host all of your courses and a free resource hub, this is it. The idea is that you put everything in one “Binge and Buy” marketplace. The founders are really great too and they have an amazing community. I'm working on building up my own marketplace here.
📺 Watching: 6 steps every creator should follow when making an annual plan. The CEO of Patreon lays out his strategy for doing an annual plan which is actually really awesome. It pumped me up!! I may use his tips along with my template to do some planning for the year. Tip: Josh Spector.
#reads
15 Side Hustles You Can Start for Around $15 — www.sistersletter.com
"Nearly half of working Americans hold down a side gig along with their primary jobs, cites a recent survey from Bankrate.com. "
If you are looking for inspiration for your side hustle or looking for additional income streams, there are some great ideas in this list.
And you may see someone you know quoted. 😉
Some of my fave side hustles on this list:
Freelance
Host a virtual class
Start a podcast (or a newsletter )
Btw: I got the opportunity to contribute to this article using HARO (Help a Reporter Out).
How I Take Care: Author and Self-Care Advocate Alex Elle — advice.theshineapp.com
I always enjoy the words of Alex Elle and quote her often. It was really cool to read her thoughts on self-care, gratitude, and the importance of being vulnerable.
"We have to check in with our bodies to breathe deeply, to get outside, to dance, to find joy, to rest emotionally and physically, and name what we need."
Love this idea that self-care has layers and that it's important to get your community involved, telling them what you need in order to care for yourself.
#icymi
😍 Last issue’s top pick was: Side Hustler 2021 Planning Guide
🎧 Chatted about creating a curated newsletter with Tara McMullin (this interview is awesome if I say so myself!)
📝 I added my post Lessons Learned from 200 Issues of #jesspicks to Medium. Would love a 👏🏾 if you find it helpful.
#classifieds 🗞
Miss meeting new people + loathe networking? ➡️ Mac & Cheese Productions℠ Mingler. “Most creative virtual experience I’ve ever attended!”
Have something you'd like to promote to #jesspicks readers? You can buy an ad here.
#lifevibes
#supporters ☕️
Thank you 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, Avery, Adam, Monale, Barbara, Shenee, Desiree, Lisa, Kandice, L'Oreal, and LaVerne for being #jesspicks supporters!! ❤️
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