Hi, friend. How are you?
March has been an intense month - filming That Desi Spark (a podcast-turned-show that I’m hosting), speaking at SXSW, our annual team offsite and in-person meetings with all of our partners and vendors, Rho’s 10th birthday, and tending to some personal matters.
My friend
was the creator and one of the original hosts of That Desi Spark, which she sold last year. I’ve been in conversations with the her and the new owners for months, and accepted the role of host at the end of last year. Working on this show has been a dream come true - prepping for and guiding the conversations, working with an incredibly talented team, and being a part of an established, valuable brand. I can’t wait for you to watch these conversations. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel (our first interview drops this week).This was my second time speaking at SXSW, and it was one of my favorite panels I’ve been on. We spoke about leading with humanity in an increasingly digital and AI-led world, and I shared the nitty gritty on how I lead my multi-generational, global team (one that works remotely and asynchronously). March is also when our team and our partners travel to New York for our annual in-person meetings, and we had an incredibly productive few days together (and a delicious team dinner at Gelso & Grand - highly recommend their private dining room for a large group dinner).
I miiiiiight have gone over the top for Rho’s birthday celebrations (a family dinner at his favorite restaurant on his actual birthday, a class celebration and larger party at Chelsea Piers, and a family friends party at home). 10 is such a big year for him, and the shift from kid to pre-teen is so clear and somewhat confounding. I’m grateful for this advice, shared by a kind IG friend. I’m still grappling with the fact that we’ve been parents for 10 years now - it feels like Rho was born yesterday, and that he’s also been here my whole life. Parenting is a wild, wonderful journey, and I’m finding my sea legs for this new chapter.
I won’t lie - things have been tough on the personal front. My mental health has been pretty low since we got back from India, and we’ve weathered a fair number of challenges as a family. I’ve needed to rely on propanalol and more breaks than I usually have. Taking a writing pause this month helped me manage the mental and emotional load, but I sincerely missed this practice and community. My initial reaction is to immediately ramp things back up to what I consider normal, but I really need to reset what normal looks like (and that it will look lighter than what I considered it). April’s plan reflects this intention, and I’m bringing back the accountability group to support each other.
It’s my intention to resume my normal writing cadence (‘just the hits’ on Sunday, #5SmartReads on Wednesdays, and the monthly plans). I’m also giving myself grace to play and try out some new formats or themes that align with my new normal, so there may be some weeks where I miss a newsletter or two. I’m going to continue pausing paid subscriptions until I can stay consistent with our posting schedule (for my annual subscribers, your renewal date will be pushed out for the days I’ve paused billing).
It’s really good to be back. I’ve missed you.
My go-to planner is out of stock, so I’m giving this one a try this quarter. My favorite feature so far is the time tracking for a task (you predict how many 30-minute blocks a task takes, and update it once completed). I’ve been actually using the daily schedule section to write down when I plan to do each task.
I honestly can’t get enough of the Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco album and press tour. Their episode of Hot Ones - pure cinema.
My Armoire rentals for SXSW were just perfect. I wore this dress for our panel, this one for my book signing, and this top and jeans while we wandered around. I ended up purchasing this skirt (it’s the perfect spring outfit, when paired with a white t-shirt and a denim jacket). I completed each look with these shoes and this bag (an old and new favorite, respectively). If you’d like to try Armoire, my link gets you 50% off your first month and 2 bonus items.
I don’t remember where I found this tip, but setting a 5 minute timer and having 1:1 time with each kid - doing whatever they want to do, with no screens - helped us reset during highly emotional moments during their spring break at home.
Some little things I’m loving right now - Hotel Lobby Candle’s newest scent (London is perfect, truly), this high protein and fiber snack mix, little silky scarves, and the best seamless, full coverage underwear.
If you’ve made it this far, THANK YOU. And if you enjoyed this Substack, please:
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Please take a break - or several.
xo,
HPN
You have, and always will be, the host of my choice! No one else can tell stories or bring work ethic to life like you. ♥️
I joined dietitian Barbie Boules’ new Brain Space program (segments on nutrition, movement, stress, sleep & 3 others) this January and one reframe has been beyond worth the price of the program. Instead of feeling I need to revamp my whole diet or exercise regime, she’s encouraged us to think about what we can add to a meal or pour daily movement. It’s definitely helped keep the inner perfectionist at bay, and I’m truly amazed at what this has done for my overall well-being, especially in a time of such high current event based stress.
Sharing in case that reframe is helpful for you 🌻