"Your smile is a reason for many others to smile." 😊 ~Winnie the Pooh
Thank you Christine Mortensen for buying me a coffee. She is a good friend and awesome at all things marketing.
She is also hosting the Small Business Support Summit over the next 7 days: a curated collection of free and low cost offers from amazing business owners (including me!) so that you can grow your business.
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This week, I started feeling somewhat more normal again. That may have been because I was cleared to take my first shower in about 6 weeks! 🙌🏾 And it was probably the best thing ever! I had to sit down for most of it (thanks to my bestie Patricia for the awesome shower chair) but there is something so utterly refreshing about showers. And that was really awesome.
After looking back over the past 30 days and even throughout the pandemic, I've been injured, I've been angry, I've been sad. But I am proud of the things I've been able to get done, like...
Posted a side hustle tip every day on my Instagram in April
Did the 30-Day Traffic Secrets challenge in May/June and wrote about it.
Started crafting a 5-7 minute lightning talk about side hustles thanks to this Speaking bundle!
Continued growing this email list (we are up to 350 subscribers! Goal is 500!)
Earlier this week, I did a teaching session as part of my Lighthouse Squad mastermind. I wanted to share some of the things I've learned throughout my topsy turvy journey and an acronym that keep me going.
🧐 Be Brave: Clarity comes from taking action. It is important to get out of your comfort zone (even baby steps count).
💁🏾♀️ Be Aware: Impostor syndrome is a REAL thing. The trick is to be aware and continue to move forward in spite of it.
🤓 Be Seen: Be visible. Tell your story. You never know who might need to be inspired by you.
🤝 Be Known: It's not what you know. It's who knows what you know.
🤪 Be Yourself: Embrace the things that make you quirky and weird. Your personality is what draws people in.
I called my talk BASK in Your Brilliance. Because whether or not you believe you are, you are amazing. It's important to let other people see and share in that brilliance.
The world is a weird uncertain place right now. For all of us in different ways. Find your own form of change. Your own form of resistance. It could be rest and joy. It could be creating or building. It could be protesting or donating. It could be something else entirely.
Your story, your perspective, your art, your quirks. It all matters. It's all part of your brilliance. Find ways to share and honor those gifts with the world. Find ways to share and honor you. 💖
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.
#loves 😍
📺 Watching: Hamilton. The theatrical release of Hamilton is coming to Disney+ on July 3rd. And I cannot wait for it. The trailer gave me all the chills. The good kind. 🥳
🎧 Listening: Summer Rewind. Spotify updated my summer playlist this week and it's definitely been on repeat for me. Check out yours!
📚 Reading: Vampire Royals Series. Think Twilight + Hunger Games + The Bachelor. I started reading book one this week and devoured it in 2 days. Already halfway through book 2. And apparently there are six books left!
✅ Tool: Grammarly. This is still my favorite spelling/grammar sidekick when I'm writing everything: blog posts, newsletters, emails, all the things. And it's free!
#sponsor: I Can't Side Hustle on 7/16
If you've been wanting to start a side hustle and had no idea what to do, where to start, or where to find the time, this workshop on 7/16 is for you!! It's always fun to partner up with Saya Hillman. Bring your ideas, fears, and questions and we'll talk it out!
Anddd for my Black friends, my gurl and fellow Broadway dancer Kristin "Baker Bettie" Hoffman is offering to buy your ticket for you. 🙌🏾 Think of this as a way to "treat yourself" and pursue those side hustle dreams you may have been thinking about for a while. You can apply for that here.
#reads
How to Start a Side Hustle With Little or No Money — www.entrepreneur.com
Great article by Kim Perell. Totally agree with her that mindset is a huge part of starting a business. Sometimes a lot of trips us up when we are trying to get started.
Also huge fan about her last step, starting small. If you've been in my world for any bit of time, you know I'm a big fan of "baby steps". Taking action, even small actions make a huge difference on your side hustle journey.
This Unconventional Path Will Make You a Lot of Money Online — medium.com
"Content attracts an audience. Content finds the superfans. Content also helps uncover those who can’t be helped by your solution. Content helps you begin to tell stories, and that leads you to discover stories of other people."
Content is the main driver behind building that know, like, and trust factor with an audience. It's that first gateway to building a relationship. And really the first step to building a business.
4 Reflection Questions That Are Helping Me Find & Use My Voice — advice.shinetext.com
"By witnessing others, I’ve realized there’s power in sharing your story: It offers others a different perspective, it can help you validate your own feelings, and it connects you to your values." 💛
1️⃣What are my values?
2️⃣How can I use my privilege to support others?
3️⃣Who inspires me to use my voice and why?
4️⃣ What's something small I can learn today about an issue I care about?
#icymi
😍 Last issue’s top pick was: Get Out of My Head: Inspiration for Overthinkers in an Anxious World.
#lifevibes
#supporters ☕️
Thank you Christine, Frances, Hannah, Chris, Brandy, Mea, Kristian, Maria, Avery, Adam, Monale, Barbara, Shenee, Desiree, Lisa, Kandice, L'Oreal, and LaVerne for being #jesspicks supporters!! ❤️ Want to help support this newsletter? Buy me a coffee.
