Originally published on Substack

Once a month, I share my future works in progress by sharing what I’m learning, exploring, and currently curious about.

WHAT I CREATED

New blog post: What My Body Was Holding: What 365 Days of Meditation Revealed

WHAT I DID

WAVE 2025 - Seattle Conference

I attended Erin Pohan’s WAVE conference for women in accounting and finance. I loved that it was a one day “micro-conference” because one day meant my usual post-event “social hangover” is much less than a typical 3 day conference.

Update on Goal to Meet 50 New People

I set a goal to meet 1:1 with 50 new business owners this year to grow my network. So far, I’ve connected with 28 - more than halfway there! I really went for it in Q2 when I had momentum (and time). Now my schedule’s getting busier and I want to be more intentional about who I’m meeting next (not just any business owner anymore). So for Q3, I’m slowing down. I’m really proud of my progress so far.

My Workshop with Diversability

I gave a workshop Navigating Business Finances to the community members of Diversability. This was my second time giving this workshop. The attendees asked good questions that I’ll use to improve the workshop’s next iteration.

My goal is to iterate on this workshop until it’s unrecognizable because it’s gotten so much better, informative, and empowering than the original version.

WHAT I READ

BOOKS

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz - The customer marketing manager from the proposal and billing software Anchor, Haley Kershner, sent out books to Anchor’s customers as a way to introduce herself. Interestingly, she was also present at the WAVE conference in Seattle. I hadn’t read the book then when I met her, but I read it cover-to-cover the next day while I rested and loved it.

Every human is a magician, and we can either put a spell on someone with our word or we can release someone from a spell.

The day you stop making assumptions, you will communicate cleanly and clearly, free of emotional poison.

The Games People Play by Eric Berne - Another book chosen for me! One of my connection calls suggested I might like this book and she was completely right. It’s from the 60s but most of it is still relevant today. I wasn’t a fan of some parts but agreed with the overall message.

“Tell Me This” is also played in schoolrooms, where the pupils know that the “right” answer to an open-ended question asked by a certain type of teacher is not to be found by processing the factual data, but by guessing or outguessing which of several possible answers will make the teacher happy.

People pick as friends, associates and intimates other people who play the same games.

Limits to Growth by Donella H. Meadows & 2 more - I listened to the audiobook version of this so I don’t have any quotes ready to share.

I’ll just say: It’s an important book. Please listen to it’s lessons.

SUBSTACK

Stoop Coffee: How a Simple Idea Transformed My Neighborhood by Patty Smith - A low-lift way to build community: sit in your driveway and drink coffee outside and invite people to join you.

How I Accidentally Created My Ideal Work Situation By Being A Sulky, Easily Dissatisfied So-And-So: The job I loved paid $16 an hour. So. by Yes & Yes -Another Substacker writing about money in non-finance bro ways.

Totally insane and truly helpful: The best creativity advice I've read in ages by MasonCurrey - Unconventional advice on how to get stuff done when you have ADHD. So many good suggestions. My favorite comes from the original IG thread referenced in the post.

Screenshot of IG comment: I put on upbeat Celtic music and pretend it’s the day of the big festival that only comes once a year in our quaint medieval village and everything I have to get done is in preparation for the celebration