September means a reset & check-ins

Hi friend, 

How’s it going? 

No really — how is it going? 

When I first started this series of weekly emails, it was because I wanted to connect with you. 

I wanted to have hard conversations that I couldn’t always have on the limited space that is 2200 characters on Instagram, and share the stories that make up all the little — and big — pieces of me, while holding space for the idea that together we could create more. 

And so, on March 19th, 2020, I started these weekly emails of love, stories, advocacy, and everything in between. 

And what a freaking time to start my very first email series. 

It dawned on me this morning that this is the 25th Thoughtful Thursday that I’m sending out. 

Which also means that if you’ve been here from the beginning, we’ve navigated 25 weeks of COVID together. 

And pardon my language, but damn. 

We’ve been through a lot together.

From the first few weeks of uncertainty paired with extreme levels of racism towards the global Asian community, (no thanks to Trump calling it the China Virus), to Ahmed Aubrey, a revolution for Black Lives, a few good cries and even more moments of gratitude, a new pivot, a launch in between, and a lot of reminders of the power of your story, this email series has served as a breathing documentation of a moment in time in which we will be hard-pressed to ever forget.

Because whether you’ve been here since March, or if this is your first dose of these weekly letters of love, I really just want to check in. 

In the ever present hustle culture of our society it is really easy to forget that in the last 25 weeks, we have all undergone a collective trauma. 

And it must be acknowledged that this trauma was also worse for some (as it tends to be, as it often has). 

So this email is a hello, and a check-in.

Wherever you are as you read this email — whether it’s on your phone or in your new home office — I hope this also serves as your reminder to take stock of the ever changing narratives that exist in your world. And more importantly, I hope it serves as your reminder to be kind to yourself during all of it.  

Our stories are bigger than us — yes. But they also are us, so we need us to be okay.  

P.S. How are you isn’t a rhetorical question. I mean it. Hit reply and let me know — I read every single email on the other side.