Take Me With 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’ve been spending too much time on social media which is ironic because when people ask me how i’m doing these days I like to yell back:
“I’m fine I just don’t have any time!!!”
Every hour of the day feels accounted for. It looks like this:
Baby stuff, work stuff, more baby stuff, a lot more baby stuff, some work stuff, baby stuff, sleep, no sleep baby stuff, sleep, baby stuff. Repeat!
So how am I spending so much time scrolling through Instagram and eyeballing TikTok videos?
I’m using those platforms as my release. Quick intermissions. Short little breaks.
It takes a lot of effort to text someone back. It takes too much focus to open a book and read it. I don’t have the attention span right now for a podcast.
I pop on social media for a little escape. It feels like 30-seconds here and there but really it’s 5-minutes here and there - which adds up.
But it doesn’t make me feel good and it usually makes my brain hurt and shockingly it makes me feel more tired.
So I’m looking for things to replace the habit with. Maybe puzzles? Maybe phone calls? Perhaps you have some good ideas for me.
If you do, will you:
In this issue: Other ways to share that you’re struggling, a book based on a podcast interview, and so much more.
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
🍪: Taking this advice from a Pink song that I love:
When you’re scared and your whole body is shaking go in there and just do it. Just do it, whatever it is, and then boom…it’s gone. The fear is gone.
📚: I watched her reality show and just heard her talk about her story on a podcast and it was fascinating. I’m excited to read her book to dive into her life even more.
🎧: I listen to the radio a lot these days (on this fun thing) and this song always comes on. I adore it! It’s so good to dance to around the apartment in the morning.
Take Me With You
I took a workout class on Friday and in the middle of the class, the teacher opened up the front door and told us to get outside and run.
I used to love running. Now i’m rusty. I’m also still recovering from birthing a human.
But I followed the other 20 people and shuffled my way onto the sidewalk.
When I got outside, it felt good but scary. I felt anxious. I was doing something that I hadn’t done in such a long time.
There was a women running next to me. We were mostly going at the exact same pace. I didn’t want to slow down. I wanted to keep up up with her. She didn’t know it, and she didn’t know me, but she was my motivation, she was my pick-me-up as we ran circles around the block.
I wanted to tell her that I was struggling. I wanted to explain that I used to run 10 miles and then I hurt my knee so I stopped running and recently I had a baby so every part of my body is a little rickety and my self-confidence is low so I’m worried that everyone is looking at me running and laughing at all the weight I gained during pregnancy just flop around.
But we only had a few minutes left of the run and she seemed laser focused on finishing and I was trying to inhale oxygen. There wasn’t time to chat.
So instead, I flashed her a smile and said:
Let’s keep going. Take me with you please.
I don’t even think she heard me and if she did, I don’t even know that she understood what I was trying to say.
But I’m not great at asking for help and I’m even worse at letting anyone in my life know when I’m not feeling great. Sometimes I want to turn to Adam or a best friend and say: Help! I’m feeling really low. But when I try, my mouth freezes and drool slides out.
And yet, here I was, trying to whirl my body around Brooklyn, beside a stranger who didn’t care at all that I was struggling and probably didn’t even notice that I was trying to keep up with her.
But when I said:
Take me with you.
What I was really trying to say was:
There’s so much in life we try to do alone that just feels better to do when someone is by our side. We’re all so strong but sometimes we just want to feel weak for a second and know there’s somebody who can trust-fall catch us if we need it. That we know we can do impossible things, because we have before, but sometimes we just want someone else to make us believe what’s possible for us again. All of it. Invisible hugs, ya know?
She ended up running ahead of me. I lost her in the crowd. But I finished the run and went back to class and afterward walked myself home, alone.
When I said: Take me with you.
I was really just looking for someone to give me permission to be me again.
I didn’t need a response.
I just needed to say it out loud to make it all feel real again.
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.
👏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.
Also:
Books // Card Game // Bridesmaid for Hire // Scared to Be a Mom // Shop
Thank you for sharing the beautiful picture. I know how you feel to return to an activity that used to come easy. I haven't played basketball in many years. When I was younger, I said basketball will always be a part of my life. That was before kids, house and responsibilities. My kids signed me up for basketball tournament this coming holiday weekend. Very scary thought but I bought protective equipment and gave myself a month to get some rust off. The goal is to not get injured and not be too embarrassing. A low-bar but a realistic one. Hopefully, I survive.
Jen - you did it!! You didn't get injured, completed the run and didn't fall/embarrass yourself!!
Slow down and hydrate (non-carbonated), healthy snacks, smell the flowers/roses/plants, close your eyes, focus on your breath, stretch your arms/legs/neck, and other methods to get off the hamster wheel. There's a book by Rick Rubin, The Creative Act - it has 78 short tips (each 5-min or less read) that may help recharge/refocus/revive/rethink the way you view the world. Allowing yourself to slow down, also allows room for new creativity to enter.