Make Sure You Pick the Right One

It's Monday. I'm Here for You.

The Pick Me Up is a Monday morning newsletter filled with advice, personal stories, and tips to help you get out of bed and jumpstart your week.

Greetings, friend! It’s me, Jen Glantz. I’m writing this to you from my Brooklyn apartment. There’s a baby on my chest.

Not just any baby. My baby.

I haven’t announced the news here yet. So let me do that real fast:

In March, my baby entered the world. Her name is Gemma LoveJoy. She’s my everything.

I don’t have maternity leave. I don’t even really want it. I’m here, writing and working, doing what I love, but just doing it while multitasking inside of this new adventure.

What does that look like? A lot of diaper changes, breast feeding, tip-toeing around the apartment, and finding ways to not be such a loud talker on my Zoom calls.

Some days make me feel like a zombie. Other days make me feel like a superhero. Most days are somewhere in between that.

I’m trying to do it all and it’s all making me think about what I want next in my life (I’m sharing more about that below). And if you want more of the baby stuff and the scary stuff, I’m writing

Scared to Be a Mom

whenever I can.

In this issue: How to pick the right fork to follow, extra reads I love, what’s making me feel energized when I’m squeezed dry.

Why you’re getting this: I'm Jen Glantz and this is The Pick-Me-Up newsletter. I've been sending it every Monday, for 8-years, to thousands of awesome humans, just like you. Thank you for letting this email live in in your inbox. It truly makes my heart explode with joy.

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Instant Pick Me Ups

🍪: When you’re not sure what decision to make, take out forks. Yes, forks. Also, sticky notes. Write each potential scenario on each sticky note. Attach one to each fork. Pick the decision you think you want to make and carry that fork around with you all day. How does it make you feel when you read the sticky note on it? If you think you made the wrong decision, grab a different fork.

📚: I’m done reading pregnancy books (phew) but here are the ones I read during my 9-months and here are all the books I’m eager to read now as a pick-me-up.

🎧: I was just looking at my podcast stats and saw that this was one of the most popular episodes I released last year. Sharing it here in case you’re asking yourself: what should I do with my life?

Ps. If you’re asking that question a lot - that’s OK! Here’s how I can help you. I’d looove to help you.

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Make Sure You Pick the Right One

I just had a birthday. I just had a baby.

So it’s probably normal that I’m also having a mid-thirties crisis about my life, my career, and what the heck is next for me.

Right before the baby came, I turned to Adam and said:

I wish our lives were in a different place than they are right now.

He turned to me with these big, sad blue eyes and replied:

We’re happy. We have so much fun. We’re both healthy. Our lives are great. What do you mean?

It’s good to be with a partner who doesn’t see the muck like you do. Who isn’t sulking in the rubble with you. Who is able to look above it all and remind you of what’s there when you take a step away from the mess you’re eyeballing.

I mean more money! A bigger apartment! Careers that don’t require the both of us to be attached to computer screens! You know, those things!

Whenever I get in a mindset of self-doubt or feeling like a complete failure, the last thing I need to hear is a pick-me-up from someone I love.

So when he tells me that none of that is true, that we have all we need, that we’re going to be okay, I give him a hug, lace up my sneakers and go for the longest walk my little legs can last for.

On that day, I walked to a coffee shop and read an article about a NYC supermarket billionaire. The interview asked him a simple question:

A lot of very smart New Yorkers work very hard and they're not as successful as you. What makes you different?

His response:

You start in life and you'll reach many, many forks in the road. You have to make sure you're in the right fork, most of the time.

I let those words toss in my head for a while.

We all have things happening to us in life: our careers, our relationships, our problems.

When we want to get out, when we want to change something, when we want better, we have to look at our options.

Maybe we’re walking down the wrong path.

But we’re never too far down it. Never.

For every step you took in one direction, you can take a step to the left or right. Never backward. Just to the side.

I think about that while I take inventory on everything I have in my life.

I think about how change can happen to use quite fast, as long as we pick the right direction.

The good new is, when you pick the wrong one, you realize.

You have to step to the side.

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Random Pick-Me-Ups

💍: Relationship advice if you’re single, dating, married, or on the verge of a divorce.

👚: I put together all my pregnancy, maternity, and newborn must-haves on a post here. Share this with anyone who might need it. All of these recommendations are honest and based off my research and my adventure.

📰: A really good article on how to introduce two people over email. I saved this advice to make the process easier and less awkward.

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Ps. Let’s work together - here’s how:

👏1:1 coaching: I specialize in working with people who want to switch careers, start their own business, improve their personal brand, or are feeling lost in life. Book a session and let’s work together this month.

👏Courses: Want a quick pick-me-up? I offer a handful of digital courses that include videos, assignments, and real-time personalized feedback from me along the way. Check them out here - the most popular one is the personal branding course.

👏Company workshops & speaking: I offer company workshops and conference keynotes on topics that include personal branding, social media trends, storytelling, and more. I’ve worked with Google, Apple, HBO, ESPN, and more. Learn more here.

Advertise: Want to showcase your business or brand in one of my newsletters or on my social media? Let’s chat about open opportunities.

+ Random:

Books // Card Game // Bridesmaid for Hire // Scared to Be a Mom // Shop

Instagram // TikTok // Podcast

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