Hola Brightside Bestianas,

Amber and I are three days into our Spanish adventure; we just landed in Mallorca after a whirlwind few days in Barcelona and Madrid. Our whole trip was inspired by a last-minute opportunity to hit the European leg of the Eras Tour (ticket prices were significantly lower than what they were in the US last summer), and we’re laughing at some of the decisions we made in our euphoric rush to book everything.

We opted to fly into Barcelona to save a bit of money, but probably spent exorbitantly more (energetically and financially) on hotels and the logistics of getting to Madrid. We tried to make the most of our 24 hours in Barcelona by going to the Sagrada Familia only to realize you need to book tickets two weeks in advance, then Goldie-Locksed around for a few hours as we sifted through recommendations from friends. We ended up at the perfect tapas bar (Raó) that Amber found on her own - so it all worked out, but in retrospect, we probably should have flown straight to Madrid (or had more of a plan for Barcelona). We’re laughing at ourselves and chalking it up to an expensive lesson. As my friend Shereen wisely said to me when I was with her in Chicago last week, beware of the decisions you make when you’re in a scarcity mindset.

The concert was last night, and The Taylor Swift of it all has me at a loss for words. In short, it was pure magic. In a sea of 67,000 people, we happened to run into our good friend Meaghan on the floor (what are the ODDS???), and we scream-sang our little hearts out for 3+ hours. It meant a lot to me to see this tour, I desperately wanted to go last summer but couldn’t swing tickets - and say what you will about Miss Taylor Swift, I know she’s a divisive figure, but she was fucking transcendent. The concert had me reflecting on the number of hours I’ve spent singing (and, okay, crying) to her music over the years, truly going back to age 13 and seeing it all live was healing in a way I don’t think I’ve fully comprehended yet. It was so worth the adventure and the lessons we learned getting there.

What I’m thinking about

Being fully present (identifying limiting beliefs in real-time, making space for them, choosing joy anyway)

I’m noticing a bunch of silly patterns cropping up as a result of last-minute decision-making. A few weeks ago, Daniela and I decided at the last minute to get tickets for a talk with Chrissy Rutherford (writer of my favorite newsletter) & Rebecca Gordon. We were 20 minutes late, couldn’t get in, whimsically embraced the hiccup by walking around the Upper East Side, and got a ticket when we got back to my car. You truly just have to laugh. A-few-years-ago-me would have been so self-critical and barraged myself for the consequences of my impulsivity, but my impulsivity is one of the things I’ve come to love the most about myself. This version of me can process the frustration of the hiccups in real-time but not let them stop me from being present in what’s in front of me and choosing to embrace (or at least look for) the magic that could unfold, taking it all as cosmic redirection.

 What work looks like (“my life is my job now”)

I’m writing this from the plane to Mallorca, and while I’ve never had a super consistent routine for writing these newsletters, I realize I really need to get one. In a conversation between Kristen Stewart and Rachel Sennott for last summer’s Interview Mag, Kristen emphasized the importance of “designing the fuck out of your process,” which I’m feeling inspired to do. Right now, I’m kind of in this post-corporate-America lala land, just saying yes to travel and embracing my new freedom with incredible enthusiasm - and I’m excited to figure out how my creative process fits within this new lifestyle. I’m constantly inspired and have hundreds (hundreds) of notes with content ideas on my phone, and it’s time to bring some of them to life!

How to be fully self-expressed

This is old news at this point, but I posted some reaction videos on TikTok about Hope Woodard’s viral “cancellation” after she made a joke about giving her number to a guy at a pizza shop. I have so much to say about cancel culture; that’s a whole other newsletter, but the comments I got (the majority of which were from men) were CRAZY. I made the videos private, not because I don’t stand by my POV (we shouldn’t be so quick to judge Hope because so many of us are guilty of saying some of the same things she was without thinking), but because it felt so insane to be exposed to so much intense energy from strangers suddenly. As I grow this platform, that will be something I need to make peace with, but I’ve been in the safe, intimate bubble of this newsletter community for so long that it’s just … something new for me to reflect on. Authentic self-expression is so important to me, and I’m thinking about what it means to maintain that while growing my audience.

Things that have made me think recently

• Lena Dunham’s op-ed for Vogue on manicures. As someone who thinks way too much about my cuticles, this was a delicious read.

• Money With Katie’s POV on “Commodified Memories” REALLY spoke to me.

• Dania’s recent newsletter discussed the “hidden tolls and fees” of being outspoken. Dania is incredibly involved and vocal about support efforts regarding the crisis in Palestine (and many others), which I’m constantly inspired by. I loved this honest reflection.

• Last November, I attended an incredible United Women in Business panel. My friend Akansha generously sent me her ticket when she had a last-minute conflict, and I got to hear from an incredible lineup of female founders. Jasmine Garnsworthy offhandedly mentioned her love for To Be Magnetic in one of her Q&A responses, which I downloaded immediately. I have REALLY enjoyed the programs as a complement to my work in therapy (and life), and they just kicked off a 5-week “summer manifestation” challenge. It’s all about moving through one specific “block” or limiting belief to make space for something you’re calling in this summer. I have many limiting beliefs, so it’s hard to pick just one (😅), but I’m excited to report back mid-July with my progress. If you join, let me know!

That’s it from me, for now … off to the beach I go!

Although a family of pigeons is currently subletting my patio (help), when I get back to NYC, I’m excited to help them relocate and take the space back. I love this chair from ABC Carpet, but I'm looking for something more budget-friendly! Brightside shoppers, send it!