“Every cloud I’ve ever known had the sun somewhere behind it.” 🌤️~Jelly Roll

So I built a tiny robot intern 🤖…plus a few AI resources I’ve found helpful so far. (#452)

After losing my job, one thing I thought I’d have afterward was a lot of free time.

Turns out…not really.

Caregiving has happily expanded to fill a good chunk of that space.

The rest has gone to job searching, dancing, and rest.

A surprising amount has gone to resting.

It’s almost like years of accumulated tiredness finally realized I had nowhere to be and decided to cash in all at once. 😵‍💫

A few questions rattling around my head lately:

• Will I find something? (The doubt monster creeps in from time to time.)

• Am I even looking for the right roles? (I’m low-key wondering if I should search for responsibilities instead...)

• Should I stop focusing on only full-time roles? Health insurance is important to me, but one of my last roles started part-time and evolved. 🤔

• How long is this actually going to take? (Am I prepared for a 6-month minimum job search?)

At the same time, I’ve been trying to make good use of this unexpected season of space and uncertainty. One way I’ve been doing that is by spending more time with AI.

I’d already been using it to brainstorm ideas and organize my thoughts, but I still feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface.

And with my learning, I decided to see if I could use Claude’s Cowork to help with my job search.

The other day, I built a little agent that runs overnight and sends me a briefing of jobs it finds every morning at 8 a.m.

It’s definitely a work in progress. Some of the links are not quite a fit. Some of the jobs have listings that have already expired.

But it’s kinda fun waking up to a list of opportunities I didn’t have to find myself. (If you’re curious about what the output looks like, here’s yesterday’s brief.)

Plus, I love finding ways to learn by doing.

So if you're AI-curious too, here are a few things I've found helpful so far...

📚. Google’s AI Professional Certificate.

I wrapped up this 7-course program this week. What I liked most was that it focuses on practical workplace use cases rather than just AI theory. It also introduced me to a few Gemini features I didn’t even know existed, including an app builder (Google AI Studio) that’s pretty cool.

I signed up for a month of Coursera ($49) and knocked it out before the subscription renewed. 🙌🏾

Related: Anthropic Academy (for Claude users)

👯. Women in AI Communities

Women Defining AI. This $10/month community is focused on helping women learn AI together. Their Slack alone has been worth the cost of joining.

Willa. They run practical AI workshops. I immediately signed up for “The Automated Household: How to Offload Mental Load Using AI.”

Because if AI can help me with some life stuff, I’m listening. 🙋🏾‍♀️

(If you join their email list, you'll get a free workshop credit.)

🧪. 31 Ways to Use AI

Marissa Goldberg put together a list of 31 practical ways to use AI, from creating a daily dashboard to deciding what to make for dinner. I bookmarked this because it’s full of practical ideas, like creating a personal health coach. Those are my favorite kind.

—

Right now, if AI can save me time, reduce a little mental load, or help me get unstuck, I’m interested.

If you have an AI resource, community, newsletter, or use case you’ve been loving, send it my way.

I’m collecting. 👀

—

💬 Over to you: Have you found a useful way to use AI in your work, side hustle, or everyday life?

Or are you still in the “I have no idea where to start” camp?

Either way, I’d love to hear.

On to the picks! ✨

---

Note: This email may contain affiliate links. If you click through my link and sign up or make a purchase, I may receive “thank you money” at no additional cost to you. Clicking on an affiliate link helps support the content I create. Thank you. 💖

---

#sponsor

The last thing a busy life needs is another app.

KAT reads your inbox, calendar, and tasks overnight and sends one simple morning briefing right to your email.

The things that need your attention. The things that can wait. All in one place. (With audio!)

A simple way to start the day with a little more clarity.

---

#picks 😍

• 🧳. What’s on your resume of special skills? Really enjoyed this Cup of Jo article where everyone is sharing their special skills, like reading children's stories out loud (my sister is so good at this!), untangling things (me!), being good at choosing gifts. What would go on yours?
  

• 🥳. You’re Doing a Great Job (YDAGJ):

  “YDAGJ became our inside joke. Whenever one of us was having a rough day for any reason—big or small—we’d look each other in the eyes and fervently declare: “YOU’RE DOING A GREAT JOB!” It became a catchphrase, like a secret password, reminding us to calm down, to breathe, to stop being so perfectionistic and relentlessly hard on ourselves, and to celebrate all the wins in life—especially the tiny wins that often go unnoticed and unacknowledged.”

• 🤗. Need a virtual hug? It’s the nicest place on the Internet.

---

#icymi

• 😍. Last issue’s top pick: 30 paid offers AI can’t steal. 30 creators (including me!) opened up their paid offers so you can see what’s working, what people are buying, and why direct access still beats anything AI can spit out. Free through July 15th.

“Even when I’m a mess, I still put on a vest, with an S on my chest.” 🦸🏾‍♀️~Alicia Keys

• 🌟. 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!! ❤️