Let us countdown the ways
You can quantify almost any win. Here are mine for 2022.
Two weeks ago, I shared my tips for summarizing your year at work. Self-advocacy plays a crucial role in your trajectory for 2023, so I wanted to drive those points home in early December while we still had some brain cells left.
Right now, my brain is a potato pancake.
But before I check out until the new year, let’s reflect a little deeper than I did to conclude that piece. Turns out, you can quantify almost any win. Our Tiny Rebellions elevates small joys, challenges, and victories for a reason: to empower us to live closer to our unencumbered truth. I put some numbers to my truth for the year and would like to share them with you. Let’s count them down like a Swarovski crystal orb dropping in the heart of Times Square:
228,000 - People who viewed my dumb video of two deer that went viral. I pour so much energy into thoughtful content, but a ten-second clip of my husband and me yelling at wildlife in our backyard garners the most attention. Go figure. The internet is both funny and a hellscape.
60% - The average open rate for Our Tiny Rebellions in your inbox. Wow. This measurement tells me what I suspected: readers are engaged, in-segment, and want to be here. I am thankful for each and every person who takes five minutes on Fridays to examine the little things with me.
58 - The number of Reels I’ve made. As a woman prone to theatrics, I think I’ve finally found my place on social media. I can be creative, silly, serious, and impulsive. It’s so much fun and another way to make people think. I’m no expert but would be happy to help anyone who needs encouragement getting started.
37 – How old I am. Aside from chronic back pain that I blame on my mattress, I feel amazing in my late Thirties. I might be more fun, fit, and fashionable than I’ve been since my early Twenties, and I state this not as a brag but as the result of deliberate changes I’ve made to be happier. There are things we can’t control but a lot we can.
36 – Women who shared their wins for our Mother’s Day issue. I’m not going to lie – at first, sourcing wins was like pulling teeth. We are not great at celebrating ourselves. Next spring, I’m going to start asking you earlier and annoying you even more. Prepare yourself!
28 – Issues of Our Tiny Rebellions this year. For most of 2022, I held three jobs: in-house counsel for a Fortune 100 company, unofficial in-house counsel for my husband’s firm, and mom. Putting together this newsletter was not always easy in terms of time capacity or brain capacity, but I wrote as often as I could without torpedoing myself. Now that I’m down to two jobs, expect more issues, more depth, more content, more often.
11 – Pairs of sneakers painted. I find nothing more relaxing than using my hands to create. Making art that people can wear, though, brings my joy to another level.
10 – The combined ages of my children, Hazel (7) and Ruby (3). This age combo feels easier than the prior ones—Hazel can be dropped off places now, and Ruby no longer naps. But I wouldn’t call it easy. Hazel has a hard time articulating her dynamic range of emotions, which causes her to lash out often. And Ruby is, well, three. She says “Right?” after every sentence and won’t stop until we answer “Right.” She, too, can turn on a dime. I’m starting to understand why the saying “bigger kids, bigger problems” exists. Yet, they are the greatest gifts, aside from maybe this next one.
9 – How many years Doug and I have been married. We’ve always kind of viewed each other as diamonds in the rough, two flawed people who don’t always get it right but have the potential to make their dreams come true. We are each other’s biggest fans in the most literal sense. I am so proud to now call him my partner in another facet of our lives, but I will crush him if he doesn’t heed my legal advice. K? (Love you.)
7 – Houseplants in my house. Lord knows why—the last thing I needed was something else to dote on—but I can’t stop buying them. They’re like my kids now, too.
4 – Races run. Admittedly, my fitness plateaued this year as I got too comfortable in my routine, but I used these races to keep me honest. I’m looking forward to the discomfort of several new challenges in the new year, like an aerial yoga class in January (eek!) and a longer-distance race by springtime.
3 – Vacations. Doug and I visited Montreal for the first time together in May. We savored the last week of summer at the Jersey Shore, and we made a family pilgrimage to the Mouse Mecca in November.
3 – Difficult transitions. Ruby learned how to sleep in a big girl bed. Hazel made her brave move to first grade in public school. I left the corporate world behind. Change is hard, not only on the person going through it but on those who love that person. We either want to look away or fix the pain points immediately, but neither will work. We just need to show up with our love in tow and be there. That’s the best we can do.
1 – Living room facelift. Since the pandemic started, we’ve really allowed our home to be, uh, lived in. But now that the girls are older, I’ve begun sprucing up some spaces, and it’s really bringing me immense pleasure to not trip anymore over the fettuccini noodles that were once a jute rug. Photos to come.
0 – The number of butter boards I made, because fuck that.
In sum, I wish the Our Tiny Rebellions community a big, juicy, HAPPY EVERYTHING. Sharing this space with you means the world to me. I can’t wait to keep going.
Try putting some numbers to your year and share them! Your 2022 wins matter and will help set your intentions to realize more of them in 2023. Email me (averagejoelle3@gmail.com), comment below, or tag me on Instagram (@averagejoelle) for a repost!
The little things
Last Saturday, we threw the ugliest sweater party ever. We turned our backyard into a tented tacky mess of tinsel, photo props, a taco truck, and ice luges (yes, multiple). We wanted to give our local friends, who are mostly parents of young kids like us, a night to blow off steam for all the hard work we do to make the holidays great for everyone else. And boy, did they understand the assignment. The sweaters were absolutely terrible in the best way.
Also
I read:
The Best (and Worst) of the Year I Ate New York – Grub Street
It’s Hard Being The Only One In The Family With Kids During The Holidays – Scary Mommy
My Favorite Female Created Content of 2022 – The Belle Curve
I bought:
A wild Terez athleisure outfit I’ve been eyeing for a while. Their current OMG Sale knocked almost 60% off the price, so the purchase was a no-brainer.
I listened to:
Fred Again’s album, “Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9, 2022),” a scrapbook of melodic, nostalgic dance tunes that feel like you’re scrolling your friend’s Instagram feed.
Your wins
Karen’s away on vacation and seems to have passed the “vacationing with small kids” threshold. They’re using the kids club! And hanging by the pool without swim diapers! They’ve got no strollers! They’re genuinely enjoying themselves without feeling like the trip is a slog. I’m so thrilled there’s light at the end of this tunnel. Enjoy, Karen!