I'm hosting a webinar on September 12th! Join me to learn about using automation to repurpose your content. Sign up here. ​ Hello, fellow tinkerer 👋 - Happy Wednesday. Today is my oldest daughter's birthday. She was stillborn back in 2015. So it's a somber day every year. We always get a cake to honor her. 1) Reflection:Talking about pregnancy loss makes some people uncomfortable. And yet, by not talking about it, parents who experience losing a baby feel isolated. I started writing about grief and loss shortly after Nelle died (within days). At first, it was to process my own feelings. But I've continued, now nine years later, so other people know they're not alone. My posts are far less frequent now, but I still think about her, all the time, and wonder who she would have been. 2) Tip:I started seeing a therapist after Nelle died. She gave me a tip I still use to this day, when I'm feeling particularly grief-stricken or anxious. She told me to go outside and observe the world as a child does, noticing things that are beautiful or out of place. It gets you focusing on something other than what's going on inside your head. A good friend of mine (and fellow bereaved parent) shared another tip, specifically for anxiety. She says to count something in the room, like books on a bookshelf or tiles on the floor. I used this a lot when I was pregnant again after loss and so anxious, all the time. Counting forces you to focus on something and can also help you regulate your breathing, if you breathe in and out as you count. 3) Product:Even if you've never experienced loss yourself, chances are, you know someone who has. And it's really awkward when you don't know what to say (and trust me — some things people say are really hurtful, even if unintentionally so). I love the book There's No Good Card for This: What To Say and Do When Life Is Scary, Awful and Unfair to People You Love by Kelsey Crowe and Emily McDowell. I've bought copies and given them to other people. Emily McDowell also has a fantastic line of empathy cards. Want more ideas?→ Here's a list of AI tools I actually find useful. → I've used Moleskine notebooks before and found this article really interesting. (I'm an avid notebook collector, as many writers are!) ​ That's it for this issue of Tinkering! See you again in two weeks. Cheers, PS: If you like this newsletter and want to support it, here's what you can do! 1) Forward this newsletter to a friend. Sharing is caring. |
Practical tips to make your day better & make your life easier.
Hello, fellow tinkerer 👋 Happy Wednesday. My kids are eagerly counting down the days left in the school year (five, including today), and then summer break begins. Do you love this newsletter and look forward to receiving it every week? Forward it to a friend! Sharing is caring. 💌 1) Reflection: My kids have attended the same summer camp since they were little, but this year will be a bit different. My oldest has aged out of the camp, and my middle child has opted only to attend camp for a...
Hello, fellow tinkerer 👋 Happy Wednesday. I'm writing this from the airport in Barcelona, waiting for my flight back to the U.S. My first trip to Europe (first of many, I hope), and my first long trip away from my family. 1) Reflection: When I booked this trip, I didn't realize that I'd be in Spain for Mother's Day. By that point, I'd been gone for several days, and I missed my family like crazy. I think solo trips are important — we all need some time alone — but I also think, for me, I need...
Hello, fellow tinkerer 👋 Happy Wednesday. I am headed to Spain in 5 days and am so excited. It will be my first trip to Europe. I am a master planner, but my travel companion (a longtime friend) is much more chill. So we'll see if I can absorb her "go with the flow" attitude. If you've got any travel tips for long flights — please reply and let me know!! 1) Reflection: I was listening to a podcast last week, and it mentioned an app that might be a good replacement for an app I'm currently...