Hi friend! ❄️
I’ve been thinking a lot about new year goal setting + maybe you have too. Or maybe you’re avoiding it at all costs in which case, congrats – please enjoy the calmness for me.
As we approach 2021, it’s easy to think of all the things we have left to do + want to conquer. We set our new year’s resolutions + challenge ourselves to reach new levels of growth. We tell ourselves this year was good, but next year is going to be better.
But for a second, let’s consider the things you don’t want to do. Maybe you don’t want to reach new heights. Maybe you don’t want to load up your year before it even starts. Maybe you want to spend less time conquering major mountains + more time leaning into rest.
We hear so much about big, ambitious goals that we can forget to lean into what brings us true joy. We hold so strongly onto these hopes + dreams we set at the start of the year, we forget to stop + pivot if it’s not working anymore.
So as you set your goals to conquer the world in 2021, remember that you don’t have to conquer the world. You can simply be + that’s enough.
with warmth + love,
N
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📚 The Click Throughs
Long-form reads for the content pro, marketing geek, or meme lord
First Round Review: From Instant Pot to Instagram: Critical Lessons in Startup Community Building
Building something can feel like a massive task. Having a community behind you can help keep the excitement + momentum going. For my startup friends, here’s your guide on how to start creating your community (+ why you definitely should).
The Lily: Taylor Swift dropped two albums this year. Productivity is one way to cope with the pandemic — it doesn’t have to be yours.
Whenever we see others being productive in this pandemic, it can make us feel lesser. But we’re all getting through this in our own way. Your experience is worthy – whether you’re writing two back-to-back 16 song albums or waking up + making it through the day.
New York Times: I Achieved My Wildest Dreams. Then Depression Hit.
Not a read but a 5 min video featuring Alexi Pappas on the struggle of spending her life training her body for the Olympics, but then overcoming the mental hurdles that came after. You don’t have to be an athlete to know this feeling.
Marie Claire: The Gray-Area Economy
This year, two million people joined the freelance field. Yet we still exist in a world that leans towards traditional full-time, salaried jobs. As so many elements of our workplace shift, what could the next 5 years bring to how we approach our careers?
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🧘🏼♀️ Mindful Moment
One actionable thing to get you through this week
I know a few people, myself included, have had moments of panic recently. This 2:40 meditation brought me some peace.
The best line? “Panicked thinking is a natural reaction to new information.”
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🔗 Link(s) in Bio
Things I’ve been loving that you might like too
I don’t really play games on my phone – I’m still deep in building up my Animal Crossing island – but I do spend a lot of time on my device. If you’re going to spend a lot of time on your phone, consider opting out of the doomscroll + instead trying out one of these 29 games to distract you.
I love to give gifts but I hate asking for them. Instead, I buy myself presents + feel less guilty about it. Last week I bought myself these self-care stickers + new year stickers from Passion Planner’s holiday sale + a very unnecessarily expensive evermore-themed candle from Taylor Swift. $15 USD each for stickers, passionplanner.com + $40 USD for candle, taylorswift.com
Speaking of Taylor Swift, I’ve already received many questions about evermore + here are my thoughts: I think it’s lyrically beautiful + I’ve had it on repeat for the past week. My favorite songs are: ‘tis the damn season (could you tell??), gold rush, happiness, and no body, no crime (featuring HAIM).
If you follow me on Instagram, you know I absolutely love Morgan Harper Nichols’ poetic artwork. I’ve rotated her quotes as my iPhone lock screen for the past year. This year, I indulged on one of her wall calendars which also includes perforations to save the art prints after the calendar’s done. It’s the best addition to my office. $40 USD, garden24.co
Hot take: Saturday Night Live episodes can be a hit or miss. Sometimes we even skip certain sketches when watching. This Christmas Conversation sketch from earlier this month is definitely a hit + still making me roll on the floor laughing. It’s so accurate + well done. Good for anyone feeling the family guilt this holiday season. Sorry, Mom ❤️
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💭 Content Calendar
Ideas for you to take into your week ahead as a content creator
There is no shame in scheduling out your content. Read that again.
Many content professionals will try to act cool + tell you that they post their content in the moment. That this strategy keeps their content fresh + that people know when you schedule out your content. These people are not you.
Especially as we near a busy time of the year, do whatever you need to do to cope. If that’s scheduling out a whole month ahead, great. If that’s going a little light on your content cadence, also great. If that’s posting live as you go, great.
You know your workflow. You know your content. Don’t make your life harder than it needs to be. Do what works for you.
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👋 The (ring) Light at the End of the Tunnel