the perfect birthday does exist
a day well spent doing *exactly* what I want
Wednesday Wisdom
“Rest is the enemy of confusion. Rest is the mother of clarity.” ~ Octavia Raheem
Morning Musings
This week’s newsletter is coming to you a bit later than usual because I spent yesterday living my best life and celebrating 37 years on this planet. To put it lightly, yesterday was one of the best birthdays I’ve ever had (and I’ve had many).
As I was going to bed last night after the Usher concert, I was reflecting on the day and why it was so perfect. And then I had this revelation: it’s because I spent the day doing exactly what I wanted. Here was my itinerary for the day:
8:30 a.m.-9:00 a.m.: 30-minute live Barre class with Ally Love on Peloton (spoiler: no birthday shoutout)
10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.: Spa day with my mother-in-law indulging in their seasonal treatments (pumpkin, baby!)
1:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m.: Chatting, shopping, getting my freebies at Sephora and Starbucks (pumpkin cream cold brew, FTW!)
4:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m.: 30-minute 2000s pop ride with Cody Rigsby on Peloton (still no birthday shoutout, but I did get to ride with my friend Junnell from Baltimore, which was fun!)
5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.: Daycare pickup, shower, get dressed & ready for the Usher concert
8:15 p.m.-11ish: Usher concert singing and dancing my ass off with Jeff and a fellow Scorpio sitting beside me.
Moreover, I kickstarted my birthday festivities with a quick trip to Barcelona for a wellness retreat last week, followed by family fun with trick-or-treating in downtown Evanston over the weekend, quite the contentious AFC North battle between the Ravens (my team) and the Browns (Jeff’s team) and a birthday mani on Monday.
Violet has a habit of ending each day saying, “Best. Day. Ever!” As a three-year-old, every day probably is the best day ever for her. But that feeling shouldn’t be limited to toddlers or birthdays. And while every day can’t necessarily be the “Best. Day. Ever!” that doesn’t mean we can’t try to inject more fun and joy into our everyday lives.
Sure, you may not be able to take an entire day off at a moment’s notice. But what can you do with five minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes or 30 minutes? Mini dance party while brushing your teeth and/or taking a shower? A quick meditation and/or yoga sequence or stretch? Call a good friend you haven’t talked to recently while making your morning coffee?
There are plenty of opportunities to infuse your day with the little things that make you happy Because those little things add up.
(Re)Introducing…Werking Mom
As promised, I’ve been cooking up something special for all the working moms out there (and the people who love them). While I’m reimagining my Werking Mom column into something bigger (stay tuned for more), I wanted to share this guest essay from a dear friend and fellow IVF mama, Alia Rajput Close.
In this column, Alia shares how a lot of the anxiety surrounding this year’s presidential election is eerily similar to the anxiety a lot of IVF families have felt, are feeling or will feel. I hope you’ll give it a read!
Navigating Hope and Healing: How Kamala Harris' Presidential Run Resurfaced My Infertility Trauma and Reignited My Resilience
Welcome to Werking Mom, my monthly column for paid subscribers! This space will explore the reality of juggling personal well-being, professional pursuits and raising a tiny human in today’s frantic world. This month’s column features a guest post from writer and IVF mom Alia Rajput Close. Thank you for being here and I hope you enjoy this month’s colum…
ICYMI
In my latest for Romper, I wrote about breastfeeding as both an act of resistance and resilience. I also interviewed my friend and doula Ymani Blake about the history of Black women breastfeeding in America.
What I’m Reading
Simple Steps to Make Voting Easier (YES! Magazine)
Work Wives Are Going Extinct (Marie Claire)
Dads Need Friends, Too (Romper)
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🎉 Birthday Sale on SWFP Swag! 🎉
My birthday is in two weeks and I want to start the party early! Use the promo code BIRTHDAY to save 10% on your order! 🎉
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#HBDGAL!
Happy Birthday, L'Oreal!!