taking it easy is taking everything in me 💁
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#WednesdayWisdom
"Women who love themselves love other women." — maryam hasnaa
Morning Musings
A few weeks ago, hubs and I officially started IVF. Prior to that, our doctor warned me to keep my heart rate below 150 bpm and to, ya know, "take it easy."
Umm, has she ever met me? I know how to do a lot of things, but taking it easy isn't one of them. In fact, my response to her went something like, "but...but what about my Peloton?" #Priorities, amirite? Spoiler: I was not right.
That first weekend I decided to test it out and see if I could still do my regular rides. I strapped on my shoes, fired up the bike and monitored my heart rate via my Apple Watch. As suspected, my heart rate skyrocketed as soon as I left the saddle. So long, personal records. Goodbye, leaderboard status.
According to the StrengthsFinder, an assessment we use at my day job, one of my top five strengths is Competition (second only to Communication). Somewhere in there is also being an Achiever. So you can see why this is a bit of a lethal combination.
Resting is not in my DNA. In fact, it took a reality show-level intervention from my sister and Jeff to convince me to cancel a trip home last weekend. I am queen of doing the most, oftentimes with the least.
And yet this process is forcing me to take a literal seat and be humble. To be perfectly honest, I'm at a bit of a loss when I'm not "doing." It's a typical Enneagram Type 3 problem. But I'm learning, or at least I'm trying.
I commented to a coworker that "taking it easy is taking everything in me." It's not my default setting or how I was hardwired. Go faster, go further -- always on the go. That's how I operate, but that's no longer serving me (tbh, I'm not quite sure it ever did).
So instead of chasing my CEO on the leaderboard, I'm becoming content with doing the low-impact rides and staying in the saddle. As the awesome women in the Black Girl Magic Peloton Facebook group reminded me (yes, there's a group for that), the bike will always be there. Now is the time to listen to my body.
Best,
L'Oreal
Happenings
March 19: #TalkItOut: Beyond the Binary. For their annual #TalkItOut Speaker Series, Chicago Foundation for Women is exploring what it means to build an inclusive movement for gender equity.
March 20: Girl Behind the Hustle Book Club. Join me and Girl Behind the Hustle founder Lu'Cretia Thomas for an evening of mingling and meditation as we discuss Shonda Rhimes' bestseller, Year of Yes. Use the promo code ltinthecity for a discount.
March 31: Chicago Women's DiversiTeaTime. This twist on a traditional afternoon tea seeks to celebrate, honor and connect diverse women in Chicago. Use the code LTintheCity for 10% off your ticket.
Links I Love
1. Column: Mikki Kendall on 'Hood Feminism,' white motherhood and the racist backlash against Honey Pot. I mean, the headline pretty much says it all. No further commentary except also buy Mikki's book. #ThatIsAll
2. The email autoresponder that saved my sanity. I'm low-key thinking about implementing this for my blog/personal inbox.
3. Nearly 6 decades after the Civil Rights Act, why do Black workers still have to hustle to get ahead? QTNA!
What I'm Reading Now
I had the privilege of interviewing author Samantha Irby when her debut collection of essays, Meaty, came out in 2013. Since then, we've become Twitter friends, she's released TWO more books and wrote the critically-acclaimed "Pool Party" episode of Shrill.
I recently had the chance to interview her again (this time for ZORA -- stay tuned for our convo later this month). But first I read an advanced reader copy (that's ARC for you non-bookworms) of her latest, Wow, No Thank You (which you should def preorder now), and ... I did not want it to end.
10/10 would recommend. 5 Goodreaders gold stars. I laughed out loud while reading in waiting rooms and on public transit. The world does not deserve Samantha Irby.
Now Hiring
Program Manager for Teens Take Charge
Podcast Writer/Researcher/Producer for James Clear
Operations Coordinator for Surge Institute
President for Noble Network of Charter Schools
Communications Specialist for ProPublica Illinois
Director of Marketing for Chicago Children's Choir
Senior Editor for Block Club Chicago
Director of Communications for the Katal Center for Health, Equity and Justice
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