“If you’re worried and you can’t sleep, just count your blessings instead of sheep... 😴 ~Irving Berlin

By Jessica L. Williams • Issue #306 • View online

…and you’ll fall asleep counting your blessings.”

This week’s quote is inspired by one of my favorite Christmas movies and a reader question:

Anything you recommend for anxiety at night (thinking of the day ahead)?

I wanted to share my answer here as well, as it might be helpful to you:

For anxiety, I think it’s great that you’re aware of it first of all. It took me a long time to realize that that was anxiety. What has helped me is either trying to figure out what is making me anxious or doing a brain dump of everything in my head.

Sometimes by getting it out of my head and onto paper, I can see what’s really bugging me, but also create an action plan for getting everything done. Plus, that can stop your brain from going over things repeatedly, which can help you relax enough for a good night’s sleep.

I realize if I don’t sleep, everything else is affected. So that is a huge one for me.

Another thing that might help is creating a wind-down routine for yourself. So that could include wrapping up your work for the day, making a to-do list for tomorrow, doing that brain dump, some light stretching, reading a book, or something to signal to your body that it’s time for bed. Whatever could work for you. You could try one of those things and then layer on other things as needed.

In other news, I took this week off work, and it’s been such an excellent opportunity to take care of some things on my to-do list:

Finished a client project that’s been on my list for several months.
Set up a new page/system for managing ad requests for my newsletter
Had another Side Hustle Day, which went very well and I got some fantastic feedback. Relatedly, I’m wondering if there is anything I need to tweak on the offer at this point or if it’s just a matter of doing more. (leaning towards the latter)
Went to the eye doctor and got an updated prescription and some cute new frames.
Saw Wakanda Forever and truly enjoyed myself. That mid-credit scene got me. 🥹

Remember that you can use some of your day job PTO to work on your business. I want to keep this in mind and figure out a better scheduling rhythm for next year.

On to the picks!

Note: This email may contain affiliate links. If you click through my link and make a purchase, I may receive “thank you money” at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products that I use and love.

#loves 😍

📝. Reading: If I had my life to live over again. This poem came back across my radar this week, and it’s such a good reminder as we wind down the year and start thinking about 2023.

🍿. Watching: The School for Good and Evil. Finally got around to watching this all-star cast movie. Sophie, who wants to be a princess, and her best friend Agatha, who wants to be left alone, are taken to schools for good and evil but put in the wrong houses. Or were they? 🤨 It has been on my list since I read the book a few years ago, and while the beginning seemed a bit slow, I enjoyed it. Wait until you get to the scene featuring Billie Eilish’s “you should see me in a crown.” Also the fashion. 😍

#reads 🤓

Nathan Barry

@nathanbarry

Here's how I'd get my first 100 subscribers if I was starting from scratch:

6:34 PM - 29 Nov 2022

Work Your 9–5. Build on the Side. You Will Change Your Life in 7 Years.

“Making money for yourself, on your own terms, doing a thing that feels at the core of who you are and what you want to express to the world is the most liberating feeling I’ve ever felt.”

Love this post about building on the side and the reminder that it’s a long game.

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Love, love, love this art/reminder from Brandy Morris.

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