April is a Cold Splash of Water
A little inspiration for the month ahead
Hi! Happy April. Hoppy April?
Wherever you are reading today’s post, I hope you are doing well. Over here, I have to say I’m enjoying a bit of a slower Tuesday and letting my brain chill on some proverbial ice after a season of serious strain.
Today’s self-enforced respite feels like a welcome and appropriate reaction to April 1. The start of a new month, a new quarter, a new season. It all bears the fecund weight of change and promise of opportunity. What better time is there to honor the feelings that come with transition and change and to reflect back on the period that has just come to a close?
In our family, March was a month of extreme upheaval and resettling. Our home’s foundation was quite literally jackhammered and broken apart, with new cement and a drainage system installed around our perimeter. On the floors above, there were ample and ongoing transformations made to our family routines and spaces. While I returned back to work, my husband returned to full-time caregiving. As our son transitioned into his toddler classroom, our daughter moved into her own bedroom (a.k.a my office).
Beyond just reshuffling my routine, I felt my spirit and mind shift into hustle mode at work. I had 30+ informal networking chats and “how are you??” catch-up calls, along with 7 formal interviews and assessments for full-time roles. I saved approximately 10 new versions of my resume and applied to as many open positions.
While I spent March sewing seeds of opportunity for my professional self, here’s hoping that April brings a bit more grounding and growth on all plains. We’ve planted tomato seeds in a small indoor greenhouse and should be watching little green sprouts poke their heads up in just a few days. My son gleefully squeals a “hello!” to his seeds each morning and bids them a dulcet farewell each night. Keeping up with my itty baby Substack has brought joy, reflection, and a dose of healthy stress, too. I’m so grateful to those of you who are here and cheering me on. Mom community has proven to be the best thus far.
While I’d love to share some prolific and well thought out article today, I think these limited brain juices are best squeezed in support of others on this platform, today. So, here are a few works that have shaped my thoughts and emotions over the last few days.
Pick what serves you and leave the rest.
— LJ
A 5-minute Spotify playlist to set the vibe.
This article recaps an interview between Dr. Molly Dickens and Dr. Devika Bhushan, former California Surgeon General. They discuss the importance of postpartum sleep and the equations we are currently using when weighing our infant and self-care choices as postpartum mothers. Spoiler alert: we’re most likely discounting any risk or benefit to moms in our choices.
This article rocked me. For Severance fans and feminists alike, it’s a must read. I love how modern media, especially science fiction, can cast a new light on the cultural phenomena we might not even recognize without its help.
Maybe its just because I’m dairy free at the moment, but I just keep coming back to this picture of a croissant and I think everyone needs to see it.
Is my Substack the only one filled with no -buy and low -tech diets these days? I doubt it. The slow living phenomenon feels juicy and enticing to me, and this author’s personal account of her most recent phone-free experiment inspired me to try something like this, too. Happy reading!
