👋 I can't wait any longer

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This past week, I found myself doing that thing where I say:

I’ll start that next year.

Next year no longer seems like it’s wrapped tightly in duct tape, like it’s so far back in your junk closet you can’t possibly get your hands on it unless suitcases and art supplies and yearbooks fall on you first.

Next year is soon, so soon.

In a few sweet days, when the costumes unzip and the masks are put away, and we grab just one more Butterfinger from the candy pile, we’ll find ourselves hugging November hello.

And after November comes December, and you know how this ends. It ends with us all balling our eyes out when 2025 rolls around.

If you too have felt like you slept through so much of 2024, there’s still hope, there’s still a way to pull off the most impossible things before it’s over.

If you too have felt like this year has been kind of meaningless, or will go down as the year that not much happened for you, let’s change that.

👋 Welcome to the Monday Pick-Me-Up. Friends don’t let friends waste a year of their life. So, hello friend. Let’s help each other end this year with purpose, with a plan, and most importantly, feeling proud of our courageous selves. Here’s what I mean.

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⏰I can't wait any longer

Let’s push aside the fact that there are 64 more days left of the year and be a little delusional together. Most people will tell you that when November hits, everyone’s energy levels start to sink and their to-do lists are used as coasters for their hot toddy.

But not us, okay?

We are going to do something life changing for ourselves before the end of the year so that when we’re counting down to 2025, we’re holding a glass of warm milk (or champagne…if that’s more your style) feeling so proud of yourselves that our smile seems like it’s airbrushed onto our face.

How are we going to do that with everything else going on? Some of you have plans! jobs! kids! stress! no time at all!

That’s why we’re going to be 1/3 delusional and 2/3 realistic.

This is my plan and I’m going to stick to it. It’s a fool proof plan even for those who are busy, tired, anxious, or all of the above.

Get out of my way:

The only way we’re going to make this work is to cut out some of the BS in our lives. I feel like I have no time to do anything these days but then I look at my day and somehow I had time to binge three episodes of Love is Blind, know every single thing my 300 friends posted about their lives on Instagram, and be up to date with all the Reddit boards I stalk.

There’s time in our day, we just have to find it.

So first, find it.

Before you can pick the things you want to get done before the end of the year, you need to know how much time you actually have.

That’s why this isn’t one size fits all.

Some of you might have 6 spare hours a day and some of you might have 6 minutes.

If you don’t know, spend a day writing down everything you did during every hour of the day — and check your screen time on your phone — you’ll see how long you spent on TikTok and Instagram.

Then decide what are three things you are willing to cut out of your life, or at least cut out a little bit, so you can use that extra time to work on your co0o0ol little end of year thing.

My plan: I’m carving out one hour a day for my co0o0ol little end of year thing. That’s 5 hours a week (not counting the weekend). That’s 45 hours between now and the end of the year. 45 freaking hours!!! Okay but to make this happen, I need to drop a few things from my life (which I mentioned above). Could I find more time to work on my co0o0ol little thing? Yeah, but the key to getting it done is not overpromising and underdelivering. So i’m sticking to my five hours a week plan.

Pick Your Co0o0ol Little Thing

You have until November 1st to pick your Co0o0ol Little Thing It can be anything that you want to get done between now and the end of the year that would make you feel like a total and complete badass.

But because we’re 2/3 realistic here, whatever you pick doesn’t have to be totally done by the end of the year. You can finish the first major step of that thing. Finally starting something is as rewarding as finally finishing it too, especially if you procrastinated doing that thing for years.

My Co0o0ol Little Thing is going to be finish that third book I wrote called Finally the Bride. The entire book is written except for the last chapter. Yet that one chapter has taken me over three years to write (I have reasons and excuses why that is). I want to do this because I am someone who has like a million books in me but I can’t start any of them until this is done. After I finish the book, I want to get it published on Amazon and then mail copies to people who kindly pre-paid and supported the book in 2020 and 2021 —- I owe you.

By November 1st, drop your Co0o0ol Little Thing here (or if you want to be private — email me it!!)

Little Long List

I’ve never been a one track mind kind of gal. I’m built to work hard on 15 things at once. SO, in addition to the Co0o0ol Little Thing, I also want to get a bunch of things done that I’ve been putting off all year. I’m capping that list at 10. Everything else can wait until the new year.

That list will include things like:

1. Hire the estate planning lawyer I’ve been chatting with to draft a will by the end of the year

2. Print all credit card statements from the year and audit my spending to see what I can change for next yer

3. Take care of the bags of clothes and items in our apartment and car trunk we’ve been meaning to sell or donate.

[& more! The deadline to write this list is my November 1st].

5 items will be done in November // 5 in December

Okay, that’s the plan.

Friends don’t let friends waste a year of their life. So, hello friend. Let’s help each other end this year with purpose, with a plan, and most importantly, feeling proud of our courageous selves.

LMK what you think and if you’re up for doing this too. I’ll report back on my own progress and you can share yours here for feedback/encouragement/or virtual hugs — which can feel like magic.

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👏 Instant Pick Me Ups

🛒: Quick gift ideas for friends who need pick-me-ups:

• A gift basket idea for a friend who needs a little pick-me-up includes these funky hair clips and temporary tattoos, this custom name bracelet, and these cozy socks.

• Instant Camera: The gift I give to people when I don’t know what to get them.

• Paint Your Pet: For the animal lover in your life. I got this for one of my besties who loves her dog more than anything.

• Homesick Candles: I sent this to a friend who was really missing NYC.

• Storm Cloud: An unusual little item for a person who needs a pick-me-up on their desk.

• Handwritten Blanket: This personalized blanket is a thoughtful gift for anyone.

• Flower Art: Nice housewarming gift option.

📖: 84 books to read based on your mood.

🎵: A playlist to get you through the morning.

⏰: A reminder to text someone you’ve been thinking about lately and simply say: You’ve been on my mind lately. Tell me something good in your life.