Celebrating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
I usually don’t like hand-lettering other people’s quotes.
I want my creations to be a reflection of my personal thoughts and experiences.
But Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a rare exception.
I’m proud to honor the life and legacy of this civil rights activist as a reminder to myself that we’ve come so far, but that we must continue to fight for equality, representation, and justice.
You Can Always Rewrite Your Story
How beautiful is it that we can create change in our own lives?
Simply by believing in our capacity to do so.
AN INTERESTING LINK
Here are 7 ideas for a 7 day reset that you can try.
By taking a week to focus on yourself and your well-being, you can refocus your mind, recharge your body, and realign yourself with your goals and passions.
SHOPPING LIST
One of my favorite ways to start the new year is to buy a new calendar and this one from Stendig is still a personal fav. Something about the big numbers and the simplicity that speak to my soul.
SOMETHING TO WATCH
I’ve been leaning into Feng Shui as a way to reset my home. I love Dear Modern’s Youtube channel for joy-filled, practical tips on creating flow in your home.
A PODCAST TO LISTEN TO
The most common New Year’s resolution is to lose weight, but I genuinely believe everyone can live a happy and healthy life at any size.
I really enjoyed listening to this Maintenance Phase episode where the hosts discuss “myths about fat people.”
7 Day Reset Challenge
Life can be hectic and overwhelming at times. We often find ourselves caught up in the daily grind, struggling to keep up with work, family, and social obligations. It’s easy to lose sight of what’s truly important, and before we know it, we find ourselves feeling burnt out and disconnected from our goals and passions. That’s why it’s so important to take a step back and do a 7 day reset every now and then. By taking a week to focus on yourself and your well-being, you can refocus your mind, recharge your body, and realign yourself with your goals and passions.
Here are 7 ideas for a 7 day reset that you can try
1. Declutter and simplify.
Spend a day going through your living space and getting rid of anything that you no longer need or use. The goal is to simplify your environment, making it easier to relax and focus on what’s truly important.
2. Try a Digital detox.
Take a break from all things digital. This means no social media, email, or television. Instead, spend your time engaging in activities such as reading, exercising, or spending time with loved ones.
3. Start Journaling.
Take some time each day to reflect on your thoughts and emotions. Journaling is a great way to process your feelings and gain insight into yourself.
4. Practice Mindfulness.
Spend a day practicing mindfulness, paying attention to the present moment and being aware of your thoughts and feelings. This can be done through meditation, yoga, or simply taking a walk in nature.
5. Eat healthy foods.
Spend a week focusing on eating healthy, whole foods. Avoid processed and junk foods, and try to include a variety of fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins in your diet.
6. Focus on Self-care.
Take a day to focus on self-care. This can mean anything from getting a massage or a mani-pedi, to taking a bubble bath or reading a book. The goal is to do something that makes you feel good and pampered.
7. Express Gratitude.
Spend a day focusing on gratitude. Take some time to appreciate the things in your life that you are thankful for, whether it be family, friends, or good health.
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Remember that a 7 day reset is not a one-time solution but a way to have regular breaks, that allows you to focus on your well-being, it’s important to make these practices a regular part of your life. Take the time to do a 7 day reset every few months, and you’ll find that you’re better able to handle the stresses and demands of daily life, and can focus on what’s truly important to you.
In conclusion, a 7 day reset is a powerful tool that can help you revitalize your mind, body, and spirit. By taking a step back and focusing on yourself and your well-being, you can realign yourself with your goals and passions, and find renewed energy and purpose in life.
You Deserve Great Moments of Rest
It’s okay to ease into the new year. To take things slower than normal. To let go of the desire to hit the ground running.
You’re not a machine. You’re a beautiful human being that deserves rest
AN INTERESTING LINK
These are the 7 types of rest…because you need more rest in your life. (via Betterhelp)
SHOPPING LIST
I’ve been using a white noise machine to fall asleep for the past few years and I love that Hatch Restore includes a gentle wake up alarm clock in addition to soothing sounds.
SOMETHING TO WATCH
My favorite way to relax is with a good movie and I have a recommendation for you.
The Glass Onion on Netflix was the best thing I watched over the holiday break. It’s an entertaining followup mystery to Knives Out, which I also greatly enjoyed.
Without spoiling anything, Janelle Monae is a gift to this world and an incredible actor. Here’s a review of the movie.
READING LIST
My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh is a modern fiction novel about a young woman that plans to take a year to hibernate with the help of a wacky cocktail of prescription meds. It’s dark and funny and sad and human. I loved it.
SoCurious By the numbers – A 2022 Recap
2022 was a year of new beginnings.
A year of significant growth, meaningful change, and beautiful new adventures.
I got a book deal, quit my fulltime job, and committed to 6 months of making content, so I could truly find my voice and create things that I genuinely love that are good for the world.
Here’s a snapshot of 2022 by the numbers, including stats for my Instagram account, the new Youtube channel, the SoCurious email newsletter, SoCurious website, and a few personal goals.
The email newsletter is the heart and soul of the SoCurious brand.
When I started the newsletter, I made one promise: no matter what I’m going to send out an issue. And every issue will include an original illustration, an inspirational message, and interesting links from around the internet. This is the second full year of making content and I was able to deliver on the promise, sending out a total of 89 emails.
Worth noting, that a big chunk of those were Patron exclusive emails and a few promotional emails for various projects I launched in 2022. I’m proud to say that we have 30 patrons and I’m hopeful to increase that number significantly in the coming year.
While the newsletter is the primary driver of the SoCurious brand, the website has become a higher priority in the past year.
We garnered 21,000 page views from nearly 11,000 unique users which I’m incredibly proud of. But the most significant thing that happened was adding/updating 36 long-form articles to the site.
My personal Instagram account was my primary social platform for 2022, receiving most of my attention.
The goal was to hit 10,000 followers on the platform, but unfortunately I’m still about 900 followers short. But vanity metrics aside, I loved exploring short form video creation and especially loved my 30 Day Instagram Reels Challenge. In total, I created 107 reels and 35 single image or carousel posts. Over the course of the year, I was able to add an additional 936 followers.
With the success of my 30 day reels challenge, I fell in love with the idea of creating more video content. I set the small but achievable goal of creating 10 new YouTube videos.
Youtube is integral to the next phase of growth because the platform offers monetization opportunities. The caveat though is that first you have to gain 1000 followers and have 4,000 hours of watch time. From my first 13 videos and 33 shorts, I was able to grow my audience to 158 subscribers and received a total of 114 watch hours.
It will certainly be a long road to hitting the metrics necessary to monetize, but making video content is an exciting new challenge, that pushes me to be a better storyteller.
Personally I have been focused on gaining press and generating revenue in new and interesting ways. This took a lot of new forms in 2022.
From the PR and marketing perspective, I was honored to be on The Living Swindled podcast talking about dating, as well as Your Woo Woo Best Friend podcast chatting about my experience as a heart-centered creative. In addition, I was written about in two publications: Keys Soulcare and Shoutout DFW.
On the revenue side of things, I worked with 7 new coaching clients this year and helped creative professionals gain breakthroughs in mindset and personal branding. I also had 2 speaking gigs where I was able to do thoughtful presentations on emotional intelligence and building systems for better creativity.
And finally I had the opportunity to do two paid brand collaborations this year. I created content for Amazon Prime Video and Purex.
SoCurious helps creative people find small but meaningful breakthroughs in personal development, career, and creativity.
A weekly dose of positivity in your inbox. Feel inspired, connected, and ready to take on the day.
Joy Bombs: Inspirational trading cards to keep, share, or leave for a stranger.
