I have no words to adequately respond to the devastating fires in LA right now. I’ve been going through this spreadsheet of mutual aid requests and making donations along with making a recurring donation to World Central Kitchen. To my Angeleno friends - we’re here for you, now and in the months and years to come as you rebuild.
I can’t believe I used to look forward to jet lag. Granted, this was before I had children, and I was already working remotely. It was a time where waking up at 3 am meant curling up on the couch with a hot cup of coffee, pulling out my journal and vowing to keep up with a consistent morning pages practice. I’d read the physical newspaper while sipping my second cup of coffee, and watch the sun rise over the midtown skyline. This week was the polar opposite of my old idyllic mornings. All of us had our fair share of meltdowns and hangry moments, and I’m not proud of how I reacted at 3:25 am on Wednesday morning. Writing this after my first decent night’s sleep (6 hours, uninterrupted) reminded me of some of the tools and rituals that helps us reset and calm ourselves down - and these made for a fairly peaceful Friday morning.
If ease is my theme for the year, imperfect consistency is how I’ll find my way there. And our jet lagged mornings reminded me that power and peace exist in loosening the grip and letting others lead. And, you know, try to take care of myself as best as I can:
For my fellow New Yorkers: I’ll be in conversation with two of my dearest friends (and debut authors) later this month. I’d love for you to join us.
You can catch up on the latest posts here:
If budget permits, I would be so appreciative if you upgrade your subscription. You’ll receive the full edition of #5SmartReads (my weekly news series that amplifies underreported stories and underrepresented perspectives), and access to our accountability group for the plan. I’m extending the annual subscription discount (50% off, just $30/year) through the end of January.
The Stolen Queenby Fiona Davis Is there a word for ‘I know kind of how this book is going to go, but also not and I’m excited for the ride?’ That’s how I feel about Fiona Davis’ entire backlist, and The Stolen Queen (her first book that leaves NYC) is likely my favorite. We have trailblazing women in antiquities and art, one of the first Met Galas, and Indiana Jones-esque adventures in Egypt. It’s the perfect vacation-in-book-form read. If things just feel heavy and awful, this will help get your mind off *gesticulates wildly* all of this. You can find my 2024 reads here, and my December reads here. Stitched Notebook Set ($18 for 3 notebooks)The logical part of my brain knows that a specific notebook won’t change your life. The emotional part of my brain will wax poetically about these perfect notebooks and how writing in them every morning has changed my life. And both parts of my brain would be correct, but let’s lean into the latter. Whenever I share my little ‘well check’ on Instagram and in the chat, I get a request to share the link to my journal. I’ve filled 3 of them since beginning my journaling practice last summer (and I’ve never before finished an entire notebook). While the practice of morning pages is what improved my life, having a notebook I’m genuinely happy to write in made it possible. I also feel the same about these pens, in case you were wondering. Find this month’s Amazon favorites here. No apps, no hacks. A guide to optimizing productivity (CNN)‘New year, same me’ is my modus operandi for 2025. I worked really hard last year to find a rhythm and develop rituals that helped me stay present and engaged in my work and my home life. And I feel slightly smug that many of mine mirror that of my friend Upasna - and I also learned a few things from here in this smart, succinct piece. There is no notebook, app, or specific pen that will change your life (though the right notebook and pen have certainly sparked joy in mine). Mindful productivity requires you to be ruthlessly honest with yourself and how you’ve been working, and to face where you have room for improvement. That, in my opinion, is the hardest part. We are addicted to the dopamine surge that comes with that app, or that notebook that our parasocial besties claim as their secret weapons, versus admitting that we’re losing hours of our day to scrolling. I’ve been there. Hell, I still slip into that space (especially over the holidays). You are great. Being honest about your screen time usage and how you fall down Reddit rabbit holes (guilty) won’t change that, but it will help you unlock a level within you that’s even better.
Here are some ways to support folks in LA:
If you enjoyed this weekend’s letter, please consider:
As always, take exquisite care of yourself this week. xo,
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lessons from jet lag
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