👋 You're allowed to want things. Big, ridiculous things.
It's Monday. I'm here for you.
Hi, friend. Jen Glantz here.
Here's what I can't stop thinking about this week:
The horizon that isn't there.
You know when you wake up and there's just nothing tugging at you? No excitement pulsing through your veins? No spark making you jump out of bed?
I don't have that right now. And maybe you don't either.
It's this weird limbo where nothing seems to be happening. I wake up, I do the things, I go to sleep. Rinse. Repeat. No mountains on my horizon. No big dreams pulling me forward. Just kind of, idk, existing?
And it's making me feel like I'm slowly disappearing.
Without that magnetic pull toward something, I'm just drifting. Scrolling endlessly. Watching other people's lives unfold while mine feels paused. I catch myself thinking, What exactly am I doing here? as if I'm a confused tourist who accidentally wandered into the wrong life.
What's happening when we feel this way:
Our brains are literally wired for pursuit. The dopamine isn't actually in the getting, it's in the WANTING. Science tells us we're happiest when we're actively stretching toward something juicy. When that pursuit disappears, so does our spark.
Without goals, our identity gets fuzzy. Who am I if I'm not becoming something? starts looping in our minds. We've built entire cultures around achievement and forward motion. No wonder we feel lost when we're standing still.
But the deeper truth? Sometimes this emptiness comes because we've been chasing other people's horizons. Following paths that were never meant for us. No wonder nothing feels electric we're trying to get excited about someone else's dream.
Why we need to fix this:
Living without direction isn't just boring it's soul crushing. We're wired for growth. For reaching. For stretching beyond what we know.
When we stop setting our sights on something anything we start shrinking. Our world gets smaller. Our thoughts get darker. We become spectators in our own lives.
How to find your way again:
Stop waiting for inspiration to hit you like lightning. That's not how it works. Start by creating tiny pockets of curiosity in your day. What makes you lose track of time? What conversations light you up?
Instead of trying to find your life's purpose (ugh, the pressure), just follow what feels warm.
Create something anything instead of just consuming. Make terrible art. Write bad poetry. Start the podcast no one will listen to. Action creates momentum, and momentum breaks dullness.
You know what's worse than making something mediocre? Making nothing but wishing you did.
Remember: complacency isn't your natural state. It's just what happens when you forget that you're allowed to want things. Big, ridiculous things. Things that make no sense to anyone but you.
Your eyes haven't lost the ability to see horizons you've just been staring at the ground for too long.
Look up. Choose a direction. Move.
Take care of yourself this week (ilysm),
Jen Glantz
Ps. I’ll break from entering your inbox net Monday on Memorial Day. I’ll miss you but will be back in June with more warm internet hugs.
Hello dear May! May it bring us all a dose of sunshine we’ve been craving since the start of the year.
Book: A great lounge chair read I can’t seem to put down even when the sun goes away.
Summer Bag: If you live in cross-body bags during the summer, this one is for you. It’s the perfect size for on-the-go adventures and I love the color it come sin.
Song: Makes me feel like i’m a pop star dancing around my room like nobody/everyone is watching.
Most-Worn Item Of the Week: I’m really diving deep into my leopard wearing phase this summer. I wear this $21 mini skirt at least every other day (it’s not too short) and these high-rise jean shorts when the weather is super hot.
Lipstick: This brand is my favorite non-toxic lipstick. Wearing Sunday Pink all summer.
I took my first solo trip with Gemma this week. It was a 2025 bucket list item of mine to take a little girl's trip with her and even though I had some travel anxiety, I felt brave enough to do this with her. We also got handed the ultimate travel day — with a 5-hour delay (2 and a half of those hours were sitting on the plane waiting for it to take off). Traveling with a toddler is an Olympic sport. You need to be flexible, strong, and at your freaking best. If they see you panic, they will panic. So as the pilot kept announcing the news that our plane wasn't taking off anytime soon, I had to keep calm, smile, and think of plan B, C, D, E, F, etc... to entertain Gemma. It all worked out and when we landed in NYC every part of my body sighed with relief.
I haven't given an apartment update in a long time but we are staying put in this apartment for another year! The guy who rented our old apartment (down the hall) has parties every few weeks with 30+ people. We barely fit ourselves (two adults, Gemma, Goofy, and our stuff) in the place. He made the tiny apartment into a mini nightclub. I'm telling you, that apartment has lived so many lives and is a weird kind of magic.
A few weeks ago, I traveled to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to host a day-long workshop for Guardian Insurance employees. This is my third time doing this and it's something I really look forward to. I absolutely love teaching workshops and have always felt like it's part of what I'm meant to do in this life. The workshop was on public speaking, storytelling, and communication. PS. If you/your company/conference is looking for a 2025 speaker, let's chat!
I'm looking for bathing suits right now and the process is kind of humiliating. I really love my body but all of a sudden when I put it into these little fabric things that don't seem to cover what they are meant to cover (mostly the boob area), I start to feel sad, defeated, and just bad about myself. I'm on a massive hunt to find flattering bathing suits and will share my findings. Let me know if you have any suggestions too. So far, my no-no list is anything from TJ Maxx or Old Navy, which is sad because those bathing suits used to be my cheap go-to.
How do people make groups of friends? I went to a birthday part for a one of Gemma’s friends and all the moms there seemed to know each other and be in this beautiful and loving friend group. I found myself so jealous. I want that so badly. I feel bad saying that because I have soo many really good friends, but they are scattered all over the place. I don’t have a group. Groups are nice! Groups are fun! Groups are also drama sometimes (i know that). But just for fun, please let me know, how do people make groups of friends?
Tiktok failed to load.
Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
Thank you for reading this week’s pick-me-up. I adore you! I’ll be back in your inbox on Monday. Until then, hit reply and say helllloooo! And if you're enjoying what you read, consider becoming a paid subscriber or sharing with friends who might appreciate it too. Your support means the world to me! Thank you for being here! ✨
When you figure out the friend group thing let me know...in the same boat!
Love this week's newsletter :)