“You don’t have to carry everything. You are allowed to put things down.” 💞 ~Unknown
letting go to create space (#369)
Do you ever feel like you’re juggling too many things? Life can get messy sometimes, right?
The past few weeks have been a whirlwind for me — my grandma’s trip to the ER put everything else on hold. While she’s alright now, it was a powerful reminder to check in with my capacity and ask myself what I truly needed.
In those moments, I realized I was stretched thin. There was a 10-hour-a-week gig that left me with little time for myself for the past four and a half years. I knew I wanted to quit, but replacing the income felt like a hurdle I couldn’t jump over.
Taking a step back, I realized that, most of all, I needed space. Space to breathe and to figure out what came next. It was a difficult conversation to give notice, but as my teamie Adam said:
“Most of your success in life will depend on the number of difficult conversations you are willing to have.”
And the most important one sometimes is the one we have with ourselves.
The juggle is real. And I needed one less ball to juggle.
Now, I’m in a better position to tackle new challenges, including how to replace the income.
What are you juggling right now? Do the commitments still make sense? What do you need most right now?
On to the picks!
Note: This email may contain affiliate links. If you click through my link and make a purchase, I may receive “thank you money” at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products that I use and love.
#loves 😍
📖. Tool: Readwise Reader. I like to think of this tool as a combination of Pocket (the Read It Later app) and Feedly (an app to read all your blogs in one place). This free (for now) tool is my perfect one-two punch for curating content. This post sold me on it.
🤑. Learning: Sacred Money Archetypes. Denise Duffield-Thomas has a free quiz (and related business training series) that will match you with your money archetype. You can use this information to help you leverage your strengths and build a business that works for you. I’m a Nurturer (“The Compassionate Caretaker: Kind, generous people-pleaser.”), where I may need to create boundaries in my business, the types of offers I can make, and much more. Reply and let me know what your archetype is!
#reads
7 Unusual But Effective Ways to Work Smarter, Not Harder
Finding time and energy to work on a side hustle is hard after spending all day working your 9-5. Tom shares some methods for working smarter:
listen to the same song on repeat (this is a pretty cool one!)
exercise
use the Pomodoro technique (timers are generally a fun idea!)
give yourself less time than you need
reward yourself when you reach a goal
work outside of your house
stare out the window
—
52 Ways to Grow Your Email List
Not every newsletter will reach a million readers (or even 10,000 readers), and that’s OK. You don’t have to achieve massive scale to successfully monetize — you just need a loyal and engaged audience.
Dan Oshinsky put together this comprehensive guide to growing your email list.
Grab a cup of coffee (or your favorite cocktail), read through the list, and pick 1-2 strategies to try over the next 30 days. And see how it goes.
#icymi
😍. Last issue’s top pick: Contract Club. All the legal templates you need in one place.
🎤. ASK: My goal is to book 3 paid speaking gigs this year. If you know of one, I’d love an intro. I talk about side hustles, newsletters, and childhood hobbies as adults. Learn more about my speaking offerings here.
🤩. Feeling overwhelmed or stuck? I gotchu. Send me a note and get a personalized pep talk and clarity on your next steps within 24 hours.
#classifieds 🗞
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#lifevibes
#supporters ☕️
Thank you, 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, 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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