My best newsletter of the year
Our annual Thanksgiving celebration / Issue 1,346
Oh, hi friends!
Once again, I’m overwhelmed by the persistence and vulnerability and bravery of you all — the people who choose to read this newsletter.
Yesterday, I asked about what you did this year.
The big and small things you’re thankful you finally decided to do (or stop doing).
Here is the first batch of responses from readers like you.
These are not wishes or goals.
These are real things that have happened to real people, and I’m very heartened by your actions.
This year, Brass Ring Daily readers are grateful they finally decided to…
Join a yoga studio, after years of wishing I had a more consistent practice. Who knew membership could be so motivating?
Learn French and travel to France!
Go for the job I wanted. It took me nine years, and those years were valuable in their own right as I learned a LOT…but I finally put in the work AND found the confidence (which was the real key) to get myself there. Now get to be immersed in my true passion (art) and make a difference in the life of adolescents daily, which I think is a crucial investment in the future of our world. There are certainly still challenges, but I’m no longer depleted and I never imagined I could feel this way about a job. Frankly, this shift has saved my career in education.
Commit to writing the novel that's been rattling around in my head for the last 8 years!
Launch The Uplifters Podcast. It was *the thing I knew I always wanted and needed to do, but was too scared to do.* Of course, it turned out to be just about the most magical and joyful thing I’ve ever done.
Take a break from applying for jobs and focus on my music, spending time with friends and family, and exercise. Oh! And I completed my first sprint triathlon.
Keep showing up. Looking through my writing diaries, there were a lot of spinning days but overall, I just kept showing up. That's how you eat an elephant, right?
Approximately 80% of the time I’m grateful that we finally decided to get a puppy. (Don’t ask about the other 20% — he’s certainly not a productivity tool…)
Subscribed to your newsletter! Talk to my partner about my childhood triggers! Look for remote jobs (my dream is to work from home)! Go to the gym!! (I thank God for everything.)
Begin to embrace uncertainty. My physical and mental health was suffering from overworking at a meaningless-to-me job that I only had for the security of a large paycheck. By starting to embrace uncertainty, I opened up to questioning a number of safety choices in my life. Certainty choices. And by doing THAT, I opened up the possibility for a life that I couldn’t have envisioned a year ago, the vision for which drives my every decision moving forward.
Take up yoga (life saving, transformational, comforting) and ditch the booze (freedom!).
Own how quickly I get bored. I'm more apt to move on faster or combine two things (walking while talking with the friend who needs to make her point multiple times before she can let it go, knitting while at a dinner party). I'm also grateful I recommitted to getting engrossed in activities that need time and attention — reading actual books, writing for myself and for deadlines…it's helpful to have goals and check-ins. I appreciate this one! And wish I had finally decided to make a few more changes...
Aim high and pitch Washington Post...I got an acceptance on the 2nd pitch and just finished writing my 8th piece!
Adopt two cats and start volunteering again.
Start listening more to my body. Sometimes I need the extra hour of sleep to have a good, functioning, and productive day. I'm still learning how to have a work routine as a freelancer that works for me and be a kind boss to myself.
Reduce my hours at work, giving me the space to work on my own creative projects, but mostly just give me a few hours that only I own. Not work, not family, just me.
Take my desire to make art to heart.
If you’d like to contribute, answer the question in this form right here.
This year, I’m grateful I finally decided to…
I have many more responses and will be sharing them throughout the week.
I hope you are as inspired as I am.
Keep reaching.
Loved this! Even found one to identify with and work toward over the coming year: "Reduce my hours at work, giving me the space to work on my own creative projects, but mostly just give me a few hours that only I own. Not work, not family, just me."