Good News Only

No links because I'm not trying to sell you a thing :)

As we head into a long weekend thanks to Memorial Day, I want to share some good news and positive things about life that I’m enjoying lately…

A friend captured E & I watching the sunset in Florence, Italy | August 2022

1. I adore finding cute cards at local shops and sending snail mail. In a world where almost everything is digital and instant, I think a handwritten note sent the old fashioned way with a stamp holds so much value.

2. With the help of paying subscribers and one-time donations, this week alone we were able to send $100 to a mom whose only hurdle left in order to reunify with her child was an unpaid electric bill.

   Also, we purchased a new double-stroller for another mom in need right now who has two little under the age of two! As a mom of one little guy in Los Angeles, I cannot imagine trying to do anything or go anywhere without a stroller, so I am certain this will improve her quality of life tremendously!

   For many of us, paying an electric bill or getting a new stroller isn’t fun but we can do it without FEELING it. For these two mamas and many others, it’s something that’s hard to prioritize when money is tight and rent, formula, and diapers keep you living paycheck to paycheck, unable to get ahead to save up.

   I’m proud of us. Together we are making the world a better place. Isn’t it beautiful?

   

3. Ditching my phone for an hour of uninterrupted time for any and everything has become a new habit I’m really proud of. Want to know what’s wild about it? Nearly every single time I come back to my phone, I haven’t missed a thing… or at least nothing urgent/important.

4. Knowing the difference between celebrating and escaping has been really helpful in my pursuit of continued self-awareness. Here’s what a fellow author who is also a therapist shared on her IG:

   “Celebration is an action that is rooted in truth wheres escape is a reaction to pain. Celebration helps us process our emotions and move through our feelings whereas escape simply hits pause on our emotional process.”

   Chew on that for a bit ;-)

5. Choosing to cheat my sleep, not my family is a rule I aim to live by. Before anyone comes at me, I’m not saying neglect sleep. Sleep is SUPER important. But remembering that I would rather cheat my sleep than my family really helps me keep my priorities straight. For example: if I have something I need to finish for work by the next morning, I can either do it instead of spending time with E and Shia OR I can choose to stay up late or wake up early to get it done. I’m always glad when I choose to cheat my sleep, not my fam. The best part is that once you implement this rule in your life long enough, you don’t have to cheat anything — you just manage your time more efficiently because you don’t want to have to make that choice.

6. If you were to peek into what I’m saving on Instagram, you’d see a gigantic collection of recipes! I’m so into baking these days. And I share so my neighbors aren’t mad about this new weekly practice I’ve got going. :)

7. Finally I’ve found a system that’s helping me wear all of the clothes in my closet! It’s stupidly simple: I’m moving the item to the other side of the closet after I’ve worn it. And if I didn’t love how I felt in it, I’m turning the hanger around so that after I get through every piece once, I know what I want to keep vs donate.

8. With my new job, I’ve had a couple of quick flights out of state, and can I just say that flying without a child is a mini-vacation? And reading on an airplane? Well if that isn’t the most underrated hobby of all time!

   Hobbies include: reading on flights.

9. You know what gives me hope? Married folks being respectful of their spouse when their spouse isn’t around. I have been so encouraged recently by the number of married men I’ve interacted with who are so appropriate and respectful of their wives in situations where integrity is really their only accountability.

   And if you know my story (told in Soul Care to Save Your Life), I can’t emphasize enough how much self-awareness has helped me navigate weird encounters with men who, married or not, do not care or respect that I’m married.

10. Storing yummy protein balls (bite size) is saving my entire family from my hanger when the pre-dinner munchies strike.

11. I’d like to celebrate my evening self for putting me to bed before 10pm with a cleansed face and flossed teeth. It makes my morning self so much happier.

Did any of these bring a smile to your face? What inspired you? What’s on your own “good news” newsletter?

Love & lots of hope,

Manda

Brownies + strawberries with a side of milk has satisfied my cravings almost every night this week! 10/10 recommend — pregnant or not.