You’re not already behind
+ creator economy predictions for 2023 + living life on 'do not disturb'
Hi friend,
Happy first work week of 2023. By the time you get this email, you’ll almost be done with it.
Hopefully by now you’ve caught up on email (though no shame if your inbox is still a dumpster fire).
But maybe all that catching up and attempting to get back in the flow has left you feeling already exhausted.
Maybe you feel like you’re already behind.
Here’s what I realized this week: now is the perfect time to give yourself the grace to reset.
That never-ending to-do list? Clean it up. That task that’s been lingering on your mind for months? Delete it. Cross it off. If it’s been there that long, it probably doesn’t need doing anyways.
New year’s resolutions? Forget about it. Revisit them later when you don’t feel the impossibly crushing stress of the world.
The 2023 plans you planned on setting? Eh. There will always be plans to make and months ahead. Make your best February 2023 plan or March or April or so on.
You’re almost done with this week, friend. Then there will be another one. You get to decide how you get through them.
It’s only week 1. Leave behind the feeling of being behind. You’re doing enough.
with warmth + love,
N
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📚 The Click Throughs
Long-form reads for the marketing geek + content creator
Los Angeles Times: TikTok’s addictive anti-aesthetic has already conquered culture
Unlike Instagram which emerged into the social world with aesthetic photography + the importance of a perfectly crafted grid, TikTok shines by literally not caring. This piece discusses how TikTok’s anti-aesthetic led to its success + resonance among especially young users.
Vice: This Virtual Twitch Streamer is Controlled Entirely By AI
Move over Lil Miquela, Neuro-sama is the new fictional influencer in town. Neuro-sama is a Twitch streamer appearing as an anime-style character controlled by AI + she’s just part of a growing number of virtual content creators gaining popularity.
Insider: BeReal was the most talked-about platform of 2022. For some people it also gave them a taste of viral fame.
Brands, with some exceptions, have remained off of BeReal, the photo-sharing app that became the new hot social media app in 2022. But with its Discover page feature highlighting select BeReal posts, some users have gone viral. This piece includes some of the most shocking (and honestly, entertaining) BeReal posts of 2022.
TechCrunch: What to expect from the creator economy in 2023
Can’t do a first newsletter of the new year without a predictions article! This piece, written by one of my favorite culture writers Amanda Silberling, presents some interesting ideas for where the creator economy is headed this year (I’m SCREAMING over “creator economy isn’t a buzzword”).
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🧘🏼♀️ Mindful Moment
One actionable thing to get you through this week
As I’ve said before, I don’t believe much in new year’s resolutions, but I do like to set a word to embody my new year. My word for 2022 was peaceful + I’ve gotta be honest, the year was anything but peaceful 🙃
This year, I’m choosing the word: ease. Meaning: The state of being comfortable; relief from discomfort or obligation.
I know there will be challenges + hurdles this year, but I’m hoping to confront them with a goal of looking for ease. Looking for ways to make the uncomfortable a little more comfortable. To make the friction a little smoother. I’m choosing to pick comfort above all else + letting that guide me where I need to be. (Sorry to all you hustlers out there, it’s just not for me in this season of life.)
Think about it or reply:
If you could pick any word to be the theme of this year, what would that word be?
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🔗 Link(s) in Bio
Things I’ve been loving that have absolutely nothing to do with marketing or business
The Cut: If You Need Me in 2023, I’ll Be Living Life on ‘Do Not Disturb’ – The most relatable new year article I’ve seen so far.
BuzzFeed News: I Read 365 Books This Year And Here Are My Recommendations For Your Highly Specific Needs – Adding so many of these to my Goodreads list because your girl needs to stop mindlessly scrolling!!! I admire how Kelsey replaced the scrolling addiction for a reading one – this is what I aspire to.
Quartz: Why you should stop asking “Can I squeeze this in?” – I just finished reading Greg McKeown’s Essentialism which essentially covers the same idea: we only have a finite number of resources. How can we do the vital few instead of the trivial many?
Wondermind: 5 Tips for a Less Terrible Seasonal Depression Szn – Living in New England, I typically feel seasonal depression every winter. But this year, I’m determined to make it better.
Harvard Business Review: When Mindfulness Does – and Doesn’t – Help at Work – Are corporate mindfulness programs the new ping pong table? Sure, meditation apps and mindfulness offerings are encouraging, but this research suggests that it’s not all helpful.
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💭 Content Calendar
Ideas for you to take into your week ahead as a content creator
Still 2023 content planning? Me too!
Despite our best attempts, it’s easy to get behind on content calendar planning. So, here are the tools I’m using to plan out my content this month:
Pen + Paper - There are so many incredible digital tools that I love using. But when I’m already feeling behind + overwhelmed, I turn to simplicity. I literally have one blank page in my planner for my content brainstorm where I’ll just let my brain flow as fast as my pen can go. If you’re just getting ideas out, don’t overcomplicate it. Think first, then optimize + organize.
2023 Content Calendar Idea Lists - Again, don’t overcomplicate it. Many social media organizations make these idea lists for content creators to pull from. Are some of the hashtag holidays and ideas cringeworthy? Yes. But if you sift through the rough parts, you might find some gems. Don’t reinvent the wheel. My favorites come from Sprout Social, HubSpot, and Emplifi – but just search “2023 content ideas” and browse away.
Outsource where you can - Use Canva templates to mock up designs. Create a test account or use tools like Later or Planoly to visualize designs in Instagram or TikTok. Repurpose copy from a blog post as a Tweet or Facebook Post. You’re not taking the easy way out, you’re getting things done. Use whatever you can to make progress.
Have I said it enough? Don’t overcomplicate it. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel.
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👋 The (ring) Light at the End of the Tunnel
The perfect read for the midway point of week two. 🙏