easing into 2025
give yourself the gift of grace this year
Wednesday Wisdom
“Maybe this year, you can give the gift of you to yourself. You can show up for yourself as much as you show up for everyone else. You can live in the truth that you deserve…yourself.” ~ Cleo Wade
Morning Musings
I had every intention of sending you all a newsletter last week. I mean, the first day of the new year starting on a Wednesday when this newsletter drops? I couldn’t have scripted it any more perfectly. And in 2017, when I launched this creative accountability project inspired my good friend and fellow newsletter writer, Anuli, that’s exactly what I would’ve done.
I would’ve ignored my body’s need for rest, my soul’s desire for community and my brain’s urge to slow down all in service of getting a newsletter out at 8 a.m. CT Wednesday morning.
Thankfully for both of us, I’ve grown a lot since I sent that first issue eight years ago. I’ve now come to understand that my instinct to “push through” and “get sh*t done” is actually an invitation to press pause and slow down.
I now know that my worth is not intrinsically tied to my output and how much I produce—although sometimes I forget this truth. And after a full calendar year of full-time freelancing, I’ve also accepted I am the boss and I make the rules. Perhaps most importantly though, I’ve learned that rest is not the enemy. Capitalism is. And if I want to fight back against the systems of oppression, then I need to lead my own mini-revolution and not constantly give into the pressure to do more, be more, produce more.
And I’m so glad I did. Now I’m not going to lie to you, I did spend several hours cleaning up the website for Werking Moms Club, which you can learn more about below (and shoutout to Kyndall for becoming the first paid member, EEKK!!).
But I did not push myself to put out a newsletter last week even though the calendar (and everything I’ve come to internalize over my 37 years of living on this planet) requested that I do just that.
Instead, I attended storytime and a family-friendly Noon Year’s Eve celebration with my parents, Jeff, Violet, my friend Rachel and her sons. Over the break, I caught up on RHOP with my sister, made my own whiskey blend with college friends, visited another college friend in Pennsylvania, ate a LOT of cookies and, of course, watched Beyoncé Bowl multiple times.
Ahead of the break, Jeff and I made the executive decision to take off Jan. 2 and Jan. 3 to a) enjoy day dates while the bebe was in daycare (shoutout to my college friend Michellene for the inspo!) and b) declutter, run errands and plan ahead for 2025. We got more done around the house in two days than we’d been able to accomplish in the almost three years since we first moved into our condo.
And all of that was possible because I took a break. It reminds me of the poem, “She Let Go” by Safire Rose, which I stumbled upon on Insight Timer many moons ago:
She let go.
She let go. Without a thought or a word, she let go.
She let go of the fear.
She let go of the judgments.
She let go of the confluence of opinions swarming around her head.
She let go of the committee of indecision within her.
She let go of all the ‘right’ reasons.
Wholly and completely, without hesitation or worry, she just let go.
She didn’t ask anyone for advice.
She didn’t read a book on how to let go.
She didn’t search the scriptures.
She just let go.
She let go of all of the memories that held her back.
She let go of all of the anxiety that kept her from moving forward.
She let go of the planning and all of the calculations about how to do it just right.
She didn’t promise to let go.
She didn’t journal about it.
She didn’t write the projected date in her Day-Timer.
She made no public announcement and put no ad in the paper.
She didn’t check the weather report or read her daily horoscope.
She just let go.
She didn’t analyze whether she should let go.
She didn’t call her friends to discuss the matter.
She didn’t do a five-step Spiritual Mind Treatment.
She didn’t call the prayer line.
She didn’t utter one word.
She just let go.
No one was around when it happened.
There was no applause or congratulations.
No one thanked her or praised her.
No one noticed a thing.
Like a leaf falling from a tree, she just let go.
There was no effort.
There was no struggle.
It wasn’t good and it wasn’t bad.
It was what it was, and it is just that.
In the space of letting go, she let it all be.
A small smile came over her face.
A light breeze blew through her.
And the sun and the moon shone forevermore…
There is a lot of pressure to start the year off right, start the year off strong and have all of your goals and resolutions tied up in a nice neat bow by Jan. 1. But guess what…there’s still a lot of year left. And with the political climate the way it is, you’re going to need all the rest, peace and perseverance you can get. So go gentle into this new year. Don’t let arbitrary dates on a calendar dictate what you should do and when you should do it. Listen to your body, follow your heart and please, for the love of all things holy, give yourself grace. 💜
🎉 Werking Moms Club is Now Open! 🎉
After nearly a year of developing and fine tuning, I’m excited to announce that membership for the Werking Moms Club is NOW OPEN! Curious about the club? As a member you’ll gain:
🌟 A private space to connect with moms who get it.
📚 Access to career and personal development resources.
🧘🏾♀️ Wellness tools to help you recharge and show up as your best self.
🎙️ Exclusive invites to live events & much more!
And not only that, but the first episode of the Werking Moms Club podcast is also live! This first interview features none other than Latham Thomas, founder of Mama Glow and Mama Glow Foundation.
I’ve been fangirling over Latham for years now, so to kick off this podcast with her words of wisdom was truly a dream come true. I hope you’ll give it a listen & let me know what you think.
Upcoming Events
Jan. 11: Wellness Fest 2025 at The Groove Chicago. I’m leading the Self-Love Flow and Guided Meditation at 10 a.m. All classes are $10 and every dollar will benefit Doctors Without Borders in Palestine.
Jan. 14: Unlock Your Cosmic Career Potential: A Career Astrology Workshop. Curious about Werking Moms Club? Join our first event of the year with Alice Hu, founder of Woo Woo Company. In this interactive session, Alice will help you decode your birth chart to uncover career insights that align with your unique strengths and purpose. Whether you're navigating a career pivot, looking to rediscover your passion, or simply curious about how astrology can support your professional growth, this workshop is designed to inspire and empower.
Jan. 28: Author Talk with Dr. Uché Blackstock at Call & Response Books. I’m absolutely delighted to be sharing space with my friend and fellow author Dr. Uché Blackstock to celebrate the paperback release of her instant NYT bestselling book, Legacy. RSVP here and learn more about Dr. Blackstock in our conversation from Fortune last year.
What I’m Reading
For the Beyoncé Bowl, Every Boot, Hat, and Belt Buckle Held a Deeper Meaning (Harper's Bazaar)
What I Hope We’ll Carry Into 2025 (And Leave Behind) (
)
Now Hiring
Senior Creative, Copy for Hatch
Technical Officer, Prevention of Unsafe Abortion for World Health Organization
Senior Manager, Social Media Content for Everyday Health Group
National Education Reporter for Capital B
Social Media Manager, News & Culture for The National Domestic Workers Alliance
Development Coordinator for Open Books
Program Director for Playworks Illinois
Vice President of Programs for Chicago Scholars
🫶🏾 Paid Subscriber Shoutout 🫶🏾
A special thank-you to April, Jeff, Carol, Cait, Amanda, Harleen, Megan, Najja, Jessica, Priti, Cat, Jenna, Mallory, Rachel, Angel, Sarah, Camesha, Vix, Anna, Stephanie, Dominique, Tiffany, Emily, Mabinty, Lindsey, Casey, Lynnae, Dani, Amanda, Raina, Abigail, Sharon, Kristen, Heather, Renae, Jennie, Brittaney, Kyndall, Sarah, Cecilia, Jessica, Kimberly, Jessica, Ean, Lauren, Brittani, Jenni, Clement, Courtney, Gretchen, Elizabeth, Racquel, Genita, Olivia, Emily, Erin, Jeanice, Alex Jasmine and La’Chia for becoming paid subscribers and helping to fuel this newsletter. I truly appreciate your support! 💜
Oh honey you did your big one with this edition.
This message was right on time—I needed it. Thank you so much for the shout-out 🙏. I wish you an amazing 2025!