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Hey Reader,

WELCOME⭐️

If you're new to this newsletter, thank you for being here.

Every two weeks, I send an email rounding up tips, stories, and resources on improving mindset, money, productivity, or other lifestyle matters.

I often draw inspiration for these newsletters from real life conversations or events.

WEEKLY MUSINGS 🌺

This past Sunday, I completed my 3rd half marathon.

The first time I ran a half was in 2018, then 2023, and now 2024.

And each time, my overall pace has gotten worse!

As someone who is keen on the idea of continuous "self improvement", this is definitely low-key annoying.

We often hear that the only person you should compare yourself to is your past self.

While there's certainly wisdom in that, I've come to realize it's not always constructive to compare ourselves to our past achievements.

My first half marathon in 2018 occurred under different life circumstances.

Back then, I had a lot more time to focus on generous training sessions, and my lifestyle was geared more toward personal, athletic, and leisure goals.

Fast forward to today, my time is a bit more segmented, responsibilities have evolved, and the rhythm and flow of life is just different.

It begs the question, how do we reset our expectations in the same pursuits when our lives are inevitably changing?

When I used to do health coaching, I would often work with new moms striving to get their "old body back," using their past selves as a benchmark for comparison.

However, the truth is, life changes—like birthing an ENTIRE HUMAN —transform us in profound ways.

Expecting to turn back the clock fails to honor the remarkable and complex changes we undergo, and the new demands and changes in lifestyle factors and priorities that make today different than yesterday - it's just not so black and white.

I think it's important to give ourselves some grace and recognize that our best today may look different from our best yesterday.

Let's honor our current selves with as much respect and admiration as our former selves.

What's an area of your life that you often compare yourself to that maybe such a comparison is no longer relevant or fair?

Let me know! You can reply directly to this email. PS - I love hearing back from you, and appreciate the insights that many of you offer in response to these emails.

ON THE PODCAST 🎙️

This past week, I had the chance to sit down with Arshiya ("Arshi") Kherani. This was one of my favorite discussions on the podcast!

I think as brown women (or men), we often hear this phrase of "you're doing too much". Cultural stigmas and outdated narratives tell us we should play it safe and not defy the status quo.

I love meeting people, especially women like Arshi, who aren't afraid to take the road less traveled.

Arshi is a Leadership Coach who partners with rising leaders with hyphenated backgrounds through her program, Niyah Coaching.

She's a storyteller & entrepreneur at heart, and is a Co-Founder at Potluck Stories, an LA-based community organization that hosts monthly interactive storytelling events that amplifies underrepresented voices.

Arshi walks us through the various twists and turns she's encountered in her 20s and now 30s, and I love the messaging she has to share.

Tune in to hear us discuss:

• Overcoming the grip of fear
• Finding your confidence
• The art of living with intention and finding your north star
• How to lean into the narrative of "you're doing too much"
• Embracing pivoting and change in life's direction

🎧Listen to episode 54 of The Brown Girl Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or choose another listening platform here.

Connect with Arshi on her website or grab her FREE resource checklist to evaluate if you have the tools you need to achieve success as a leader who holds multiple identities and truths.

WHAT I’VE BEEN LOVING LATELY ⭐

I celebrated my birthday last month and on my wish list was the Almond Cow plant milk maker.

I've always loved the idea of making my own plant milk (e.g. almond milk, oat milk, etc) but never cared to actually do it because it's a lot of work and messy with a regular blender.

This gadget makes it easy to make my own plant milk and it brings me a small dose of weekly joy.

Lately I've been making oat milk with raw oats, water, and a single date for sweetening.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS 🫶🏽

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PS: You can always reply directly to this email to reach me.

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