Welcome to 2021! A new year doesn't wipe the slate clean from last year's devastation (even this week’s horrific news), but I think it offers us the time to reflect on what worked last year and what we're tossing out. Last year gave me a BIG lesson in flexibility and dealing with unplanned chaos.
Your Pep Talk 🥇
You might have noticed the words, "Create Joy Persist," in my newsletter header. Those words are my personal mission statement. Whenever I make a decision, I reflect on these words. Is it something I want to create? Does it bring me joy? And a simple reminder to keep persisting.
For 2021, my word is "Healing." Last year was a lot of endurance and survival mode. This year, I want to take time to heal in whatever feels best for me. For more on one-word intentions, writer Gretchen Rubin explains it best.
What's your one-word mission statement? Write it down on a Post-It note and place it on your bathroom mirror or laptop. See how it pops up in your daily life. Collect it. You'd be surprised how often that one word will show up for you.
Feel free to share your one word with me.
My Latest News 📝
I wrapped up a story for the Spring 2021 Bust magazine about the fashionable seniors in Chinatown Pretty. I've got a few pitches out with editors, and I'm revising my YA rom-com and will send it to my beta readers by the end of January.
Check Out This... 🏃🏻♀️
ARTICLE: This NYT piece about a running group in Charlottesville, Virginia, was an uplifting reminder of how community can come together to cheer each other on.
BOOK: I read Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston in three days. It's a romance between America's First Son and Royal Prince, and a fun (fantasy) revision of the 2016 election. I escaped into this novel over the holidays and enjoyed every minute.
PODCAST: Seth Godin on The Marie Forleo Podcast episode sums up the practice of creativity in a way that felt so clear cut to me.
NONPROFIT: National Disaster Search Dog Foundation is one of my fave organizations because they pair rescue dogs with firefighters and rescue workers to search and find people during disasters.
I'm Grateful For... 🌴
Outdoor space. My friend Perrine told me about Lacey Park, a lovely park where it's lush and wide open. I went there over the holiday break with my family and reveled in the sunshine, trees, and picnic tables. It's not something everyone gets to have in December or January, so I'm grateful to have access to parks like this one.