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I fluffed the pillows on my twin bed while listening to the late-night sounds of downtown Brooklyn trickle in through my window. The digital clock on my Ikea nightstand flashed 1:07 a.m. I set a steaming mug of Earl Grey tea next to the clock before nestling into my pillow fortress and cracking the spine of my recently acquired treasure. 

It was July 2007, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows had just been released. Literally. I picked up my copy at a Barnes & Noble midnight release party before heading home to begin my binge-read.

👆That’s me standing underneath the Harry Potter banner in Times Square.

My roommate, not a Harry Potter fan, opted to stay with a friend for the weekend so she wouldn’t disturb my focus. (Or, more likely, so she could sleep without being disturbed by my gasps, sobs, and frequent refilling of the electric kettle.) 

I was alone for the next two days, lost in a fiction-induced dissociation. It was pure bliss. But also, it was lonely. I remember feeling a pang of sadness that I didn’t have anyone to share this experience with in real-time. 

When I emerged from my reading cocoon two days later, the world felt different. I felt different…and emotionally hungover. It was hard to reorient myself to my friends and classmates after this big emotional experience. I felt fragmented—like I had to leave a part of myself in my dorm room before walking into class. 

I was pressing my thumb into a familiar bruise. This part of you belongs here, and that part of you belongs there. Never shall the two meet.

This past weekend, almost 17 years later, I finally healed that old wound. 

My dear friend and book buddy Natalie said yes to my invitation to rent a cabin in the woods to celebrate the release of House of Flame and Shadows, the most recent release in the Crescent City series by Sarah J. Maas. 

I was just as excited about this book release as I was about Harry Potter back in 2007. Only this time, I was a full-grown adult with money to spend on a bougie AirBnB and a friend to accompany me on the journey! 

We hit the road on Friday—wearing matching book-themed t-shirts, obviously—to begin our long weekend of binging bliss. 

We came prepared to be emotionally destroyed by this book. 

We spent hours reading on the couch, next to the fire pit, in a magical reading hammock, and, of course, in the hot tub. 

There were frequent breaks for crying, screaming, theorizing, judging characters’ terrible choices, etc. On the final day (after being forced to check out of our AirBnB with less than 100 pages left in the book), we drove to a secluded park to finish reading by the river. 

Two grown women sitting at a picnic table crying their eyes out while reading their Kindles. It was a whole mood. We scared away several innocent hikers looking for a spot to stop for lunch. But you know what? We didn’t care! We were fully engrossed in the experience, savoring every moment we were able to be our authentic selves with each other. 

Reliving this binge-reading experience with a friend was a true gift and a reminder that there’s nothing more powerful than being seen and accepted for who you are. 

I’m learning how to honor myself by weaving my fragmented parts into one beautifully integrated whole—especially in my business.

I don’t want to be one person in my personal life and another person in my professional life. I want to feel fully integrated all the time. This is the gift of being a business owner! You get to erase the arbitrary line between work and life. 

Your work is your life. Your life is your work. Always the two shall meet. 

My business supported this vision pragmatically by supplying the funds and flexibility to book the space and take time off from work. When I returned on Tuesday, I didn’t need to step into a professional costume and pretend like I hadn’t just nerded out for four straight days. 

When I showed up to work, my business asked me, “How did it go? What did you learn? What did you discover that we can share with our people?!” 

The more I show you who I really am, and the better I get at attracting clients who like who I am, the more I fall in love with my business. 

I want this for you, too. 

I want you to feel the freedom of giving yourself permission to be exactly who you are in your business. I want you to end the day feeling energized by your work. I want you to trust that you can say yes to the things you desire, knowing that everything you do for yourself is in service of the work you’re doing in the world. 

How does this sound to you? 

I’d love to know what ideas and desires this conversation is sparking for you. If you want to share, reply to this email and let me know what you’re thinking. 

If you want to practice expressing yourself with me in real time, you’re always welcome to join my free weekly writing group, called, wait for it… Express Yourself! We meet every Thursday at 9am PST for one hour. Click here to register, always for free. 

The downside to binge-reading a novel is definitely the emotional hangover that comes afterward. I’m deep in the post-reading slump now. Send chocolate and tissues! 😭

Here’s to bringing your nerd fantasies to life! 🥂

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