Honoring the summer shift

Welcome to Swag-HER!: Your Career, Your Way, a newsletter for professional women and their allies! We’ll explore how to break through the barriers to your success, making space for the career - and life -? you want.

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Growing up, I was the kid that loved the blank slate of a new school year, a new spiral bound notebook, and pens that had not yet touched paper. As an adult, I love summer, but fall is still my favorite. I adore the seasonal shift, the warmth and brightness of summer slowly fading into cooler temperatures and a slower pace. It’s an opportunity for us to reset and shift our focus to what matters most in the final third of the year. It’s a great time to pause and reflect on what will be most important from today to 12/31.?

There’s so much going on in our world right now, from rapid change at work (e.g. AI) to non-stop political coverage, global suffering and strife, and that doesn’t take into account stressors like caregiving for aging parents, kids, spouses, siblings, and friends. It’s a lot, but preparation and awareness go a long way.?

Let’s take the end of August as an opportunity to reset, to do more of what fuels us and less of what drains us (hello, doom scrolling and 24-hour news cycle) in preparation for the hard things and opportunities ahead, where we’ll need our grit and determination.?

Here’s what I’m doing to refuel and refocus this fall.?

What’s on your “to-don’t” list?

As women know all too well, many of us take on more at work and at home than men, and this imbalance can negatively impact our physical and mental health. If we don’t carve out time for ourselves, it’s a recipe for burnout, but that doesn’t always feel possible. Sometimes, given what’s happening in our lives, getting through it is the only option. We have to triage our incoming to-do list and do all we can to survive it. But there are things we can do to lighten our mental load, too.?

When I work with clients who share that they feel overwhelmed, I ask, ‘what’s on your ‘to-don’t’ list?” When our “to dos” fill our plates, we can feel out of control. One approach is to transfer some things by dividing your list up like this:

• To-do: The things on this list should be both pressing and something that only you can do. These are your high-priority tasks.?
• To-don’t: Your to-don’ts can be things that either someone else can do (delegate), aren’t a priority (delay), or aren’t necessary (drop).?
• To-dare: Challenging ourselves is how we grow, so don’t forget to add that to your list. It could be anything from sending out an email to a new networking contact to tacking on an extra mile to your morning run. What will you dare yourself to do??
• To-delight: Your to-delight list should replenish you. What gives you joy or helps you to change your perspective?

Learn from other wise women

But in our interconnected world, it’s easier than ever to learn from the experiences of others. I’m a big fan of podcasts. When I’m in need of wisdom and perspective, I rely on a few favorites to help me make a mental shift from surviving to thriving.?

Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus

In this podcast, comedian Julia Louis-Dreyfus sits down with iconic older women to learn from the kind of wisdom that only comes with age. The conversations are deep and intimate, and often very funny. I find myself laughing, tearing up, and always inspired by these women who led the way.?

Happier with Gretchen Rubin ?

This podcast is filled with ideas and tips, and I love her perspective of adding or subtracting things to our everyday life in order to feel a little bit better every day. I have two sisters, so I especially love the exchanges and care between Gretchen and her sister;? they’re really different from each other, but have such a respectful relationship.? They started the year with 24 for 24 lists in this episode including big and small things that may be fodder for the balance of the year —?I definitely recommend it. ?

Women at Work

This podcast from HBR has so many great interviews with experts on women’s careers and leadership. The hosts reflect on their own careers as well, telling on themselves, and engage with each other and the guests in ways that are so accessible and helpful. Plus, you can scroll through the episodes to find a topic in your life that could use a shift.??

Take care

When you’re taking care of everyone and everything around you, it can be hard to take care of yourself. But self-care isn’t selfish — it’s essential to meet your own needs. Add things to your “to-delight” list that energize you. It will be different for all of us. For some it’s time in nature or a yoga practice, for others it’s making time to knit or taking a social media break. What’s important is that it refills your cup.?

For me, gratitude helps me to set a positive foundation for my day, even when work and life are challenging. I use the 5 Minute Journal app as my gratitude journal, and setting aside five minutes to consider what I’m grateful for has been a real game changer. One thing that I think most of us need is improved sleep. Studies have shown that not only do women get less sleep than men —?we also have worse symptoms of sleep deprivation! The Calm app, which has white noise, guided meditation, and other sleep-enhancing tools,? has helped me improve my sleep in a big way. I plan to check out the Oura ring that so many rave about; it’s now eligible for some HSA/FSA plans.?

As we shift into the final act of 2024, I hope you can approach it with a renewed commitment to yourself. You’re worth making time for.?

Last month, I celebrated one year of Swag-HER! I’m so grateful for your readership and support of my work. I hope you’ll share Swag-HER with the women in your life! Make sure you never miss an issue by clicking “Subscribe” in the upper right-hand corner.?

Speaking of anniversaries, we’re approaching the book birthday of The Mirrored Door , happening on October 10, 2024! Writing this book has changed my life. It has given me the opportunity to help other women step through the mirrored door, and has connected me with so many incredible individuals. If this book has meant something to you, I would appreciate you leaving a review on Amazon . It will help others discover the book and spread its message. My goal is to get to 100 reviews by October 10 - can you help??

Haven’t read it yet? Click here to get your copy of The Mirrored Door: Break Through the Hidden Barrier that Locks Successful Women in Place! Winner of the 2023 NYC Big Book award, it's the perfect gift for the professional woman in your life.?