Hi ,

This week, we’re unpacking the joy behind saying no in a very good 3 Good Things from Kathryn Worsham Humphries—and sharing plenty of recs and reads that will hopefully prompt you to say a resounding yes! Have a great weekend, in whatever way is right for you. —Aliza Abarbanel, Executive Editor

This Week's Picks

3 Good Things with Kathryn Worsham Humphries from All You Need Method

I initially connected with Kathryn professionally through her small business-focused PR firm All You Need Method, then grew to following her on social media, where she often shares snippets of her life with her adorable baby and family in Houston (don’t miss the sweet English-inspired nursery she designed). Since she’s a pro at juggling a busy work life and new mom responsibilities, we’ve asked her to share her best recs on how she gets it all done while taking care of herself. Enjoy! —Alisha, Founder at GNI

Like many of us these days, I work from home and have flexibility in my schedule, but a normal 9-to-5 workday was still ingrained in me as the “right way” of doing things. This blog post from Canyon Coffee inspired me to rethink my workday schedule by honoring my circadian rhythm.

I am most productive in the morning and have a serious slump in the late afternoon. Rather than feel guilty about taking a break during this window, I now feel empowered to use this time to recharge so that I can continue bringing my best self to my work.

Rather than dive into extreme commitments, I’ve found that finding morning rituals I actually enjoy (e.g. not waking up before dawn to do an intense workout) allows me to maintain a healthy lifestyle, no matter what else happens in the day. Specifically, I’ve adopted 3 healthy morning habits that I look forward to:

1. Waking up before the sun (and my daughter) to enjoy the quiet stillness of my home over a hot cup of coffee while I read, pray, and journal—without looking at my phone. Depending on when my 18 month old wakes up, this window of time might be 10 minutes, or it might be a leisurely 30 minutes.
2. 10-15 minutes of movement before I get on my computer. Melissa Wood Health’s quick flows make me feel like I’ve worked my muscles in a gentle way.
3. A nutrient-dense smoothie for breakfast to ensure at least 1 dose of fresh fruits and veggies every day. I love Kelly LeVeque’s Fab 4 Smoothie recipes. Mine include kale, banana, and peanut butter with various seeds to support my cycle. 

3.  Sitting in the discomfort of saying no

It seems like 2023 is the year everyone is pledging to living slower, setting boundaries, and saying “no”—whether to social events, mindlessly scrolling on social media, or taking on work that does not ladder up to top priorities. Still, saying no is something many of us struggle with. I struggle with saying no to social invitations, not because I need to socialize to be happy (I’m an introvert), but because I worry about disappointing people. On the flip side, when I say yes to everything, I feel overwhelmed and burned out. I recently talked to my therapist about this dilemma and she explained that I will likely always feel a little guilty saying no, so instead of saying yes to avoid feeling guilty, I need to learn to sit in the discomfort. If I’m happy to be at home rather than at the event I said no to—even if I’m feeling a little discomfort—then I have made the right choice. 

You can follow Kathryn on Instagram at @kathrynwhumphries and @allyouneedmethod.

This Week's Reads