NEWSLETTER
June 2025

I have a friend. She’s a brilliant scientist and has worked for a few major pharmaceutical companies for probably 30+ years at this point.

She was recently interviewing for a new job. The interview went really well, and she texted me that things were looking good -– she thought she would get an offer soon.

And then she texted me these words. I copied them directly from her text so they are 100% accurate. She wrote: "I hope I can live up to their expectations."

We were texting so she couldn’t really see my face as I read the text. But my face basically conveyed this message, ‘Seriously. Seriously??’

Words have a lot of power. Of course our thoughts do too. And we get a bit sloppy with both. Meaning we allow these kinds of words and thoughts to slip in easily despite being uninvited guests. Words like my friend’s I hope I can live up to their expectations that discount 40 years of education and experience.

There’s a great quote by the motivational speaker Nadeem Kazi: "Your words become your world."

Truth!

Our words matter. They help define how we see ourselves, the world around us, and our place in it. Granted, we trend towards humility so sometimes our words are not a full reflection of how we feel. An very old habit of warding off the evil eye –- throw the glow onto someone else. Hubris has been punished probably as long as there's been religion. There's more to it than just humility -- we like to hedge because we worry that our luck will run out, or we don't want to set ourselves up for disappointment.

Sometimes we say words even though we don’t mean them. And, yes ultimately, it’s your energy, how you feel, that matters most. But I think there’s something to Don Miguel Ruiz’s 'agreement' from The Four Agreements: Be impeccable with your word. And that applies to how we speak about ourselves too.

We get sloppy with our word choice in other ways too -- we use words like ‘never, impossible, and can’t.’ We talk about the world in a way that is fixed as though it can’t be changed. We talk about ‘it is what it is.’ We repeat concerns about the economy, the environment, kids these days -- as though there aren't brilliant, incredible minds working on 'problems' all of the time.

"Your words create your world."

They can keep us in a state of worry, fear, or scarcity. Or the opposite: joy, appreciation and abundance. Words can create for us a dystopia or a utopia. Yes, I understand that there is some actual reality. But sooo much of our reality is perception. What is possible. Versus it just is what it is.

Words form our perception.

I know I can be more aware of the words I use. More vigilant. Because I believe that, like you, I am a decent human. I am compassionate and intelligent (see -- I wanted to write 'reasonably intelligent' -- lest you think I think too highly of myself).

And I use words to diminish myself or what I believe is possible. For instance, a friend will say something complimentary like, "Oh your business has grown so much. This is going to be a big year for you." And I’ll reply something like (I’ve probably used these exact words): "Well, we’ll see what happens." Not, ‘yes, it’s going to be a big year and I’m so excited.’ It’s not terrible. I’m not saying, ‘No, impossible. This year will suck.’ But I’m hedging. Being cautious. Diminishing what I've created and what my future holds.

So, yes, there’s some language there for me to clean up.

And to my friend who wrote "I hope I can live up to their expectations" -- you will far exceed their expectations because there are very few people with your sheer quantity of relevant experience, commitment, and knowledge. They are the lucky ones.💗

I was walking on my street after dinner one evening this past week with my husband and two of my neighbors. I don't really remember the conversation -- we were just jabbering. It had been a warm day and the night was perfect -- you know the kind of night when the humidity wraps around you like a blanket? I love that feeling.

Yes, my curly hair always looks like Monica's from 'Friends' -- do you remember that episode where she goes to Jamaica and her hair is enormous? Yes, that's me in the summer. But I love the feeling of warm air at night so the hair consequences are worth it!

So, as the four of us are walking up the street back to our homes, our next-door neighbor's five-year-old son runs out and tell us we have to come quick -- he found a baby deer. Curled up and sleeping in their pachysandra.

Oh my goodness -- I'm not sure I've ever seen anything so cute -- and I've had three children!

It's so easy to forget that there is beauty and wonder all around us. It can be easy to miss -- we are busy: doing, thinking, planning. Sometimes I forget to pick my head up and just take it all in.

And how appropriate that a five-year-old was the one to find the fawn. Because he always has his head up, looking around, taking it all in.

Wonder and beauty are all around us.

Thanks, Bren, for the reminder. I needed it.🤍

A Business I LOVE: Nicole Andreacchio Clean Beauty Consultant

"...every woman deserves to age like fine wine—without a 10-step routine, a bathroom full of overwhelm, or the pressure to have it all together."

~ Nicole Andreacchio

I first reached out to Nicole a few years ago when one of my boys was having issues with his skin. I wasn't against visiting a dermatologist and going the medication route, but I wanted to try a more natural approach first. And thus I was introduced to Nicole through a friend -- Nicole helps folks find clean skincare solutions. And she is so knowledgeable. She works with a few clean beauty companies but she's also well versed in a huge variety of products on the markets including a number I could just purchase on Amazon.

After sharing her initial suggestions, Nicole would periodically check in to see how everything was going. I felt oddly guilty when we chose to go the medication route for his skin needs, like maybe I hadn't tried hard enough to exhaust more natural options -- I know it's so silly. But, when I talked to Nicole, she was so understanding. Maybe is what I appreciate most about her approach -- yes, she's going to help you find a clean beauty solution, but if you need more of a 'medical approach,' she's going to be your champion during that process too. She really just wants you to feel good about your skin -- feel comfortable and confident.

More recently, I felt like I could do better with my own skin. I've always had pretty oily skin -- thanks, Dad! -- which is a blessing as I get older. But I noticed it was starting to lose its glow and elasticity. I have incredibly sensitive skin, and Nicole has been so helpful in helping me find products that my skin won't react to (I get hives ALL the time from skincare -- I'm so used to it that I have 'hives' protocol). I really love the products I'm using now, and whenever I hear about something new that maybe I could add into my regimen, Nicole is usually like "Um, I don't think you really need that" or "No, that's not great for your skin, try this instead."

I asked Nicole how she first got into clean beauty -- here's what she wrote to me: "I first got into clean beauty 17 years ago when I was pregnant with my first. That’s when I realized the ingredients we put on our bodies matter just as much as what we put in them. Back then, truly clean options were slim (and usually didn’t work). So I started researching, testing, and never stopped. These days, I only share the best-of-the-best—products that perform and meet super high quality standards."

If you are looking for a change in your skincare routine, or maybe you want to try a more 'clean' beauty approach, or just reduce the number of products you currently use, Nicole is a wonderful resource. She will help you find the routine that works for you. At this point, I trust her judgment implicitly -- I just do what she tells me to do!

Nicole has a super short questionnaire that she has all new clients complete so she can better understand your skin type and what you're looking to achieve. If you are curious, fill out the questionnaire, and she'll get back to you with some recommendations!

Fill out Nicole's clean beauty questionnaire here

How can I help??

I want to make you an offer (and no, it's not one you can't refuse!).

It's an offer of help, a conversation, guidance.

Over the last few years, I've expanded my JOY work beyond the original anchor of 1:1 coaching -- I wrote a book roughly two-and-a-half years ago. I have a fairly popular twice-weekly podcast. I lead three, multi-day retreats per year, and I created a subscription program.

I am sincere when I write that I love connecting with new folks -- I leave time in my calendar each week to do so. It just makes me happy. So, here's the offer part! If you are curious about creating a podcast, writing a book, or even holding a retreat and you have questions about how I went about the process, I would be happy to hop on a call and chat about it.

There's no cost. No catch. I'm not a business coach. But I can share what I've learned and connect you to other people who can help you too.

I want you to win, my friend. Just reply to this email and we'll set up a time to chat!