Are you with me?
This post was originally shared via my newsletter, The Conversations I Wish I Had. You can subscribe here!
Early in my holiday break (I took two weeks off), I could barely fathom going back to work. The chilling was TOO damn good. Let me be on vacation forever! I cried from my pile of blankets and books.
Fast forward to the last couple of days, and I was legitimately excited to sit at my desk. Full of ideas, focus, and an itch to knock socks off—you know how it is.
This, I believe, is the sweet power of ~rest~.
Ooooh. Ahhhhh.
That New Year pep will likely fade to some extent as the months go on. That’s alright.
I intend to pace myself. Breathe. Try to notice the progress I make every day. Keep prioritizing fun.
Because, the way I see it, growth at all costs sacrifices glee. And without glee, there's no release.
And without a release, we’re just freelance zombies who’ve been bamboozled by the corporate mad scientists. We’re just empty eyeballs and strained minds, glazed over by screens that control our anxieties like puppets.
Is that dramatic?
Look. I don’t think business/work is supposed to be easy all the time. Goals motivate us. Challenges give us a reason to roll out of bed, pour the coffee, and be present with our craft. Learning, practicing, and messing up are all part of the deal.
But it’s 2025. We still deserve ease too.
We don’t have to be all perfect and polished hot takes in the name of algorithms and acceptance.
Leave that to the machines. We humans are inconsistent, flawed, and limited in our energy capacity.
We’re also skilled, curious, experienced, passionate, opinionated, and eager to help. Which means we’ve got a message—you’ve got a message.
If you feel that message rumbling in your gut like a fiery burrito, and you want to “get it on paper,” I’m here for you.
And if you’re not quite sure what exactly that message is yet, that’s okay. Welcome to the figuring-it-out club.
We have fabulous membership perks.
Let this be your nudge/reminder to pause before you feel like you need to. Looong before the next holiday season.
Because what would happen if you prioritized slowing down to savour the simple AND doing I-gave-it-my-all, bar-raising, fulfilling work?
Speaking from experience, that's where a lot of the juicy message-making stuff bubbles to the surface.
Since it’s fun, here are a few things I’m putting on my metaphorical 2025 vision board. A lot of them have carried over from 2024.
Prioritizing friendships
Getting more involved in my local community
Being a writer out in the wild
Lifting heavier weights
Strengthening my professional network, online and in-person
Re-prioritizing my brand—not purely to “grow,” but because it motivates me
Providing the best dang client experience yet
Causing a ruckus where it matters
What's on yours?