I bought some blue blocking glasses a couple of weeks ago and they finally arrived two days ago. I happened to pop them on and go on IG Stories the other night, just testing things out. They are, shall we say, big.
Now granted- I was a little frazzled and maybe slightly playing up the shear size of these particular blue blockers. But, I had already decided to embrace them and love them for all their hipsterness. I was confident that if I really committed and had enough attitude, I could pull them off. In fact, I still think that! Ha!
Now, it was possibly pointed out to me that I may have slightly resembled Edna Mode from The Incredibles.
But let’s just think about this for a second. Edna was an icon! She was innovative and willing to take risks! She was unapologetic, slightly blunt and had a fabulous haircut, besides maybe the bangs.
So, much as I have decided to embrace these glasses, I have also decided to take the comparison to Edna as a complete compliment! Thank you, Lisa Foss (who agreed to let me share this)!
And yes, you can fully expect to find me sporting them in IG stories on the regular, because, why not?!
Real Talk
Ok, so if you’ve followed me for any length of time then you know that I am a 3 on the Enneagram. Sometimes I cringe to share that because it automatically means I’m sharing my deepest, darkest insecurities and flaws. For the sake of the conversation, however, I would like to point out that 3’s really don’t like to be interrupted when they are in production mode.
Like, at all.
So (I’m sure you can see where I’m going with this), it has been a little rough relaunching my entire brand at the end of a 6 month summer that just will. not. quit! Kids constantly needing things? Check! New puppy who’s destructive and needy? Check again! House to care for? Ha!! Everyone is lucky to be wearing clean underwear at this point!
So where the heck am I actually going with this? Well, a pandemic relaunch centered on “living well” may not have exactly made me “live well” all of the time. I got grumpy and annoyed. I was tired and pushed to the brink. My children have been growing up buck wild (Hamilton reference). And I may have even thought to myself at one point, “Well, if I just sit here and keep working for another hour, the puppy will probably lose bladder control and pee in the kitchen… but maybe cleaning up pee is worth it for another hour of work…?”
Dooooooon’t wooooorry- I opted for taking him out!
The point is (I swear I’m getting to one!), balance isn’t always a thing that is possible. A few years ago our society championed the hustle. Then the pendulum swung towards everyone needing to slow the heck down. But I actually think that sometimes a little hustle is necessary to make the slowing down practical. Sometimes you have to put other things on the back burner for a short time so that you can just downright get after it!
And that is OK!!
You’ll come back around. I’ll come back around. I won’t have piles of folded laundry stacked on my bedroom floor forever. I won’t always question the necessity of potty training my dog. Most importantly, I won’t always be #distractedmom. But by golly, if a short stint as #distractedmom allows my family to live better for longer stretches of time- it’s totally worth it.
We just have to remember a couple of things if we have to hop into hustle mode for a time:
We’re going to need to come back out. This isn’t a lifestyle, it’s a short-term strategy.
Give yourself grace. Some frozen Trader Joe’s dinners aren’t the end of the world and kids can help out around the house. Everybody is going to be ok!
So, have your hustle. Get yourself caught up. Do what you’ve got to do, and then level back out.
Have you ever experienced something similar? Let’s chat about it in the comments!
Favorites on IG this Past Week
@thenester - If you haven’t watched Myquillyn’s store fall tours, where she not only tells you what two buy, but all the things NOT to buy for fall, it’s brilliant and you must watch right now! In the end, it really all comes down to a statement pumpkin.
@jaminato - is now apparently running her own online dating service called “Jumble” and I have added myself to the roster! Ha! I mean, who wouldn’t want a single mom of 4 kids (who are about to be virtually educated from home), in her late 30s, who currently has stacks of folded laundry covering the floor of her bedroom? What more could a man ask for?! I’m sure Jami will have no trouble at all finding me an amazing match! hahahaha!
@thelazygenius - THIS post by Kendra. It is lifegiving! Just because you can, doesn’t mean you have to! By the way, Kendra's new book, The Lazy Genius Way, just hit the New York Times Best Seller List and it absolutely deserves every bit of that accolade! You can get it here!
Now, hop over to Substack and share your thoughts! I would love to chat with you over there and hear if you have ever been caught in that hustle-to-slow-down pendulum. Or maybe you’ve decided to embrace some big glasses! What have been your favorites on IG this past week? Let’s all discuss!
Until next week,
MacKenzie
(affiliate links were used in this email- thanks for your support!)
This hit the nail on the head for me—being okay with the temporary hustle with the goal of settling back into life again. After so many years of living in utter survival mode which led into burnout, and having to figure out slowly how to get to a healthier place again the last 2 years, our current upheaval and moving has tensions up, and I think it is simply a fear of not wanting to be stuck where I was for so long, alone. Thanks for the reminder. It’s amazing how moving can bring up so much Raw emotion and open those neatly stuffed boxes of memories you wished to forget!!
Oh girl!! That's so hard! I know this move has been a huge thing for you guys, and then you add in spiders and that practically seems unfathomable! You will get through this! There is hope on the other side!
I LOVE all the gif's...what a great way to make your newsletter lighthearted + funny, with a strong edge toward serious/practical. I once heard someone say that gif- choosing is his spiritual gift. Ha! I think God has gifted you with the same ability to reference and therefore broaden conversation. Its fully you and I love it! Amen to the hustle and the reminder that its a short term solution. xo
"Hustle mode" is one way to describe this week: diving back into homeschooling my 14yo son and trying to figure out how to also keep up with the freelance editing business I've spent the last year busting my bee-hind to launch (never mind my house...). And distance learning for my 12th grader begins next week. Thank you for the reminder that this is TEMPORARY! I believe we *will* eventually get into a groove and find a way to make it all work.
I started by taking a couple of classes last summer. Then I worked for an academic editing service for several months and learned that I do NOT like academic editing. Now I'm working primarily with self-publishing authors and absolutely loving it. It feels amazing to be doing something that I not only love, but am really good at! I've homeschooled for 17 years and (mostly) loved it, but I never felt like I was great at it.
I love the idea of temporary hustle! Life is a marathon, but sometimes it calls from sprinting. Knowing that it's okay to speed up our pace and slow down our pace as we need is really freeing! Also, blue-blocker glasses all the way! I love your Edna hipster glasses! They sure make all the difference when spending so much of the day in front of a screen!
I am loving your new newsletter format! I can just go to the site and don't have to worry about digging around in my email to find it. The comment feature is so cool! I too feel like I have been in survival mode and am just starting to dig myself out. This too shall pass! Thank you for the reminder!
I love the site format too! So easy to always go back and find. And girl, I hear ya on the survival mode. It's been a rough season, we all just have to keep pressing forward!
This hit the nail on the head for me—being okay with the temporary hustle with the goal of settling back into life again. After so many years of living in utter survival mode which led into burnout, and having to figure out slowly how to get to a healthier place again the last 2 years, our current upheaval and moving has tensions up, and I think it is simply a fear of not wanting to be stuck where I was for so long, alone. Thanks for the reminder. It’s amazing how moving can bring up so much Raw emotion and open those neatly stuffed boxes of memories you wished to forget!!
Oh girl!! That's so hard! I know this move has been a huge thing for you guys, and then you add in spiders and that practically seems unfathomable! You will get through this! There is hope on the other side!
I LOVE all the gif's...what a great way to make your newsletter lighthearted + funny, with a strong edge toward serious/practical. I once heard someone say that gif- choosing is his spiritual gift. Ha! I think God has gifted you with the same ability to reference and therefore broaden conversation. Its fully you and I love it! Amen to the hustle and the reminder that its a short term solution. xo
Haha- I will take GIFs choosing as a spiritual gift any day of the week!
also...I get a Carl Frederickson from UP vibe with the bluelights..
I agree with this!! 🤣🤣🤓
That's hilarious!
"Hustle mode" is one way to describe this week: diving back into homeschooling my 14yo son and trying to figure out how to also keep up with the freelance editing business I've spent the last year busting my bee-hind to launch (never mind my house...). And distance learning for my 12th grader begins next week. Thank you for the reminder that this is TEMPORARY! I believe we *will* eventually get into a groove and find a way to make it all work.
freelance editing?? I'd love to hear more about that - sounds like my idea of a dream job!
I started by taking a couple of classes last summer. Then I worked for an academic editing service for several months and learned that I do NOT like academic editing. Now I'm working primarily with self-publishing authors and absolutely loving it. It feels amazing to be doing something that I not only love, but am really good at! I've homeschooled for 17 years and (mostly) loved it, but I never felt like I was great at it.
What a cool job! And it makes such a difference to do something you feel good at! I often felt that exact same way about homeschooling.
Oh girl! I feel you! It can be so hard! Here's to hoping we find those new rhythms soon!
I love the idea of temporary hustle! Life is a marathon, but sometimes it calls from sprinting. Knowing that it's okay to speed up our pace and slow down our pace as we need is really freeing! Also, blue-blocker glasses all the way! I love your Edna hipster glasses! They sure make all the difference when spending so much of the day in front of a screen!
I am loving your new newsletter format! I can just go to the site and don't have to worry about digging around in my email to find it. The comment feature is so cool! I too feel like I have been in survival mode and am just starting to dig myself out. This too shall pass! Thank you for the reminder!
I love the site format too! So easy to always go back and find. And girl, I hear ya on the survival mode. It's been a rough season, we all just have to keep pressing forward!