You're Worth Every Penny

Issue 68

Friends, Today started out with a bang. Rather, as I reached longingly for the only cup of coffee in the house, I knocked it to the floor and shattered my sanity, but not the mug.

The rug was not spared. That is, until the upholstery cleaner arrived—who doubles as my significant other—and now the rug is not only good, it’s great (as is the couch ❤️).

Find someone who cleans designs into your furniture.

When your day begins in such a way as mine did, you have two options: Go to bed, stat! Or rummage through your daughter’s room until you find the classic Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Then, read it aloud as you chuckle over its reliability. I see you, Alexander 👀 .

Life is 50/50. Some days are diamonds. Some days are rocks. The sooner we accept this, the sooner we find the peaks and valleys level out(ish).

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A Worthy PSA

You are worthy. You were born worthy.

Nothing you’ve done, between taking your first breath and this moment now, makes you more or less worthy. It’s impossible. Worth is imovable. You cannot gain worth. You cannot lose worth. The whole of you is, was, and always will be worthy.

Two pennies—one glossy and current, the other dingy and ancient—are worth the same. This is true of humans. I’m no more worthy than the person I pass living on the street. Neither are you.

Also, does anyone use pennies anymore?

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Real Life Instagram

I used to post copious photos on Instagram. Every six months or so, I’d send a batch to print through Artifact Uprising. I’d tape them on my wall in a haphazard grid, using washi tape, and create a real life photo feed in my home.

I encourage you to do the same. Add and subtract as you wish.

Go to Artifact Uprising. I chose the 5x5 matte cards, some with borders, some without. I print them in batches of 25. Most worked out well. Some were trash.

This concept has imperfection written all over it. You can’t go wrong. Have fun!

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Vacuum Packed

Last week, I challenged you to create a vacuum by discarding, donating, selling, or purging several items from your life to make space for what’s waiting to rush in (because something’s always waiting).

There’s no shame in this game. I’m curious…

Whether you did or didn’t, I invite you to keep letting go of what no longer serves you. Minimize what you own and manage (because you do manage everything you own, whether literally or energetically).

Keep this in mind: “Fewer, better things.” I didn’t write it, but I do like the sentiment.

If you need a little momentum, try this: Set a timer for three minutes. Locate three items in view you don’t use, or maybe, items you can’t stand looking at. Put them aside. Decide now or later whether to say goodbye. Whatever you do, acknowledging the truth (you don’t need them), will bring you closer to living with less.

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Fireside ChatGPT

Everyone is talking about ChatGPT. But few people are talking about what GPT stands for: Generative Pretrained Transformer.

(Now I know why no one’s talking about it.)

If you’re living under a rock and you’ve never heard of ChatGPT (no judgement), it’s the newest trend in our world’s digital takeover. As I began describing ChatGPT to you, I realized I could ask it to describe itself. 🤯

I typed into the search box, “Please describe yourself to the layperson.” It spit out this:

I am a computer program called ChatGPT. I am able to understand and respond to written text in a way that mimics human conversation. I can answer questions, have conversations, and write in a variety of styles. I am not a human, but I can help people by providing information and assistance.

Net/net: You want a cover letter written, ask ChatGPT. You want a love letter written in the style of Charles Dickens, ask Chat GPT.

Net/net/net: I’ll be out of a job soon.

I’m kidding! AI will never replace prose written by real humans. (It’s not easy typing with fingers crossed 🤞:)

This is AI (artificial intelligence, not artificial insemenation) and it’s coming for us. Ignoring it, as I am tempted to do, is like scoffing at Facebook in the early 2000s, which I did. Eventually, you’ll want to get on board.

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Hot Writing Tip

This week’s writing topic: different.

You’ve read and written sentences like:

They met with each other on several different occasions.
We have two different opinions.
They sell 10 different flavors of ice cream.

Notice, each sentence above uses the word different accompanied by a number. But, why? 10 flavors of ice cream, by itself, implies difference. You don’t need the qualifier.

Here’s how each sounds without it:

They met with each other on several occasions.
We have different opinions.
They sell 10 flavors of ice cream.

The word different is redundent, unnecessary, extra fluff. More often than not, the word different can be cut, especially when plurals are involved: people, flavors, and days of the week are inherently different.

I hope that helps.

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My bed is calling. Your prescription: Remember, you’re worthy, no matter what! Until next week…