Lately, I’ve been really diving into the idea of treating myself with kindness and compassion. It’s shaping the way I organize my schedule – not just for the present me, but also for the future version of myself, weeks or even months ahead.
I’m learning to be gentler with myself when things don’t go exactly as planned. I tend to set high standards, but instead of beating myself up, I’m practicing self-love and recognizing that sometimes my expectations are just too ambitious given the circumstances.
It’s all about balancing kindness for my current and short-term future self, with kindness toward my long-term future self.
My mantra lately has been “do something today that your future self will thank you for” but I’m wondering if that should change to “do something today that your future self AND your current self will thank you for.”
Sometimes, it’s putting my head down and doing the work I don’t want to do. Sometimes, it’s putting my head down and having a nap so that I can show up recharged tomorrow.
Right Now…
Blogs and newsletters have gotten so transactional. I miss the old-school internet charm of diving into a writer’s world and getting a glimpse into what was happening in their life at that moment.
‘Right Now’ is my way of bringing back that personal touch while sharing the ‘behind-the-scenes’ of building my online business. I hope you enjoy it.
What I’ve shipped:
For the past month, I’ve been collaborating with a small group of coaches, refining their coaching offers for 2024. It’s a program I call The Offer Lab. This idea has been brewing for over a year, and I finally made it happen by dedicating focused time in my schedule and prioritizing being of service over perfectionism.
A big shoutout to my amazing new coach friends who’ve joined me! 👋
What I’m enjoying:
I’ve been loving long walks with my dog, Bella, often for 1-2+ hours on nights when I’m not at work events. I use this time to listen to podcasts, record my thoughts, or brainstorm project ideas while getting some extra steps in. Also, weekend naps have been a game-changer, leaving me refreshed and energized for the next day.
Pro-tip: Try using an app like Otter.ai to transcribe your walk-and-talk sessions and create content outlines for your business.
What I’m reading:
My summer and fall were all about deep-diving into various business books for tech startups. Like the serious ‘highlighter + notes in the margin, and notebook full of reflection’ kind of studying as I helped to craft some content for a few of the programs we’ve been launching in my full-time job.
I’m now slowly making my way through a more personal development-focused book, ‘The Practicing Mind: Developing Focus and Discipline in Your Life‘, as an audiobook for my commute. Somewhat ironic, given the topic of the book is being focused on the present mind and the author calls out the distractions of the radio and chit-chat while driving 🤷♀️.
What I’m listening to:
It had been a while since I truly listened to podcasts on the regular as I’ve been listening to more audiobooks on my commute. I’ve found my way back to podcasts now that I’m spending a lot of time walking my dog, particularly enjoying the new Billion Dollar Creator show by Nathan Barry and Rachel Rogers (I’ve followed them both separately for years).
I also happily stumbled upon Steph Crowder from Courage & Clarity as a guest on the Get Paid Podcast with Claire Pelletreau, and it’s been great catching up on her back-catalogue episodes after her year-plus-long hiatus.
What I’m grateful for:
Honestly, I’ve got to give credit to my past self for all the hard work I’ve put in. It didn’t always show results right away, but the outcomes have gradually built up and I’ve truly grown into a new version of myself in the process. Thank you, past Jessica 💗
What I’m looking forward to:
I’m starting to plan out when I will take time off in 2024. I often don’t book vacation in advance, and then find myself too busy to actually unplug. So I’m carving out my blank spaces first.
In addition to the vacation time, I’m also looking forward to 2024 in general. I spent this past Sunday working on my own business Growth Strategy Intensive and I feel so clear about what I need to do and what I want to achieve. 2023 has been really foundational for me, but I believe 2024 will be a complete game-changer. I’m looking forward to the journey ahead of me.
Quote of the month:
“If you have no tolerance for failure, you will never create anything new.” – Brené Brown
I hope you enjoyed the blog version of this newsletter. If you’d like to subscribe to receive further updates and more behind-the-scenes content about my journey to building an online business, you can subscribe here.
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