Hi friend,

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, drained, or just plain sad right now, you’re not alone.

Sometimes life throws us a curveball (or five), and it’s hard to keep up. The to-do list seems endless; the weight of the world feels heavy; and even getting out of bed can feel like a big lift.

I’ve been there. And real talk, I’m in it right now. There’s been tears already today.

And you know what? That’s okay. As bumper-sticker-pop-psychololgy as this sounds, it’s okay to not be okay.

Tangent: My ADHD brain just had the idea of asking AI to create an image of this saying as a sticker, so I gave this prompt to Imagen: “A sticker that says, ‘It’s okay to not be okay.'”

And this is what it gave me, someone wearing a shirt that says, “It’s okay to not be kay.”

KAY.

So then I gave the same prompt to DALL-E, and it gave me this, “Onk say one to.”

Let’s go with it.

Today I’m saying, “Onk say one to,” putting a hand on my heart, and offering myself some kindness.

Because when we’re already feeling overwhelmed, the last thing we need is another thing on our to-do list, or another guilt trip about not “doing” or “being enough.”

If even going for a 5-minute walk outside feels like too much today, here’s a few ideas:

• Say no to extra commitments (even if it feels hard).
• Don’t even get up from your desk (or bed), and watch a video or listen to a song that brings you joy (I’m partial to this oldie, Dubstep Cat).
• Remind yourself you’re doing the best you can (even if it doesn’t feel like enough).

It’s not about “fixing” everything or pretending to be happy. It’s about acknowledging our feelings and offering ourselves grace.

If you’re feeling blah too, I hope you’ll be kind to yourself. You deserve it. We all do. 

Sending you virtual hugs and a reminder you’re not alone.

– Nicole

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P.S. In case you missed last week’s note, I shared the super-memorable 🙄 acronym BLARCIFT as a tool for tough emotional conversations. Check it out here.

P.P.S. Looking for team building workshops that support wellbeing AND productivity? Check out my team building workshops here.