Week 1: The Lesson is ... ?
What I'm learning from starting a sub stack and watching the Olympics, plus what I'm reading!
Welcome to the first newsletter of Junk Drawer! I’m still working through bringing my vision to life, so bear with me as things might look a bit different in the coming weeks.
Weekly Gratitude
When I first started therapy, I was immediately set up with a gratitude journal. I was (and continue to be) shocked by how something so simple shifted my perspective. I’m sure I’ll write more on that at some point, but I wanted to give some context to this section and why it comes at the beginning of my newsletter!
My friends - we’ll start off light! Who doesn’t appreciate their friends? In all seriousness, found family is a huge thing to me. This time of year has lots of birthdays and life celebrations, so I’m especially reflective and thankful for the incredible people in my life <3
My plants - I have a little indoor jungle in my dining room, and there is something so peaceful about taking care of my plants and watching them all grow. Special shout out to my prayer plant Guilty (yes, I name my plants) for growing 2 new leaves this week and continuing to blossom!
Virtual connections - you had to know this was going to make an appearance here! As a hybrid worker (but heavily remote) I’ve come to appreciate the different ways that we can connect and build community online, it’s a big reason why I took the leap to start Junk Drawer :) If you want to help build this community, go ahead and share this week’s newsletter with someone you think would enjoy it!
Lesson of the Week
The Olympics are above all, a demonstration of human tenacity. The work each athlete puts in just to get to the competition is astounding. Of course, there’s so much to be inspired by and to learn from!
One thing I keep coming back to, is time. How much time goes into chasing the Olympic dream. I love to watch Tom Daley, a British diver (the knitter!), who at 14, competed at his first Olympics in 2008. He didn’t medal, and in 2012 returned to the Olympic platform to win his first Olympic medal. He then competed in the 2016, 2020, and this years (2024) Olympics - medaling at each. Daley has spent well over a decade chasing (and achieving) this dream.
This week I was really struck by the time it has taken him to get to where he is. The Olympics are every four years. If I get impatient just waiting to watch the athletes, I can’t imagine the impatience and drive to compete. Not to mention all the preparation - training, qualifying competitions, and much more.
It takes time to learn a skill and then master it to become among the best in the world.
I was nervous about starting a substack, it felt strangely vulnerable and I wasn’t sure if the risk would have any reward. I had this expectation it would succeed or fail within a day. At closer look, this expectation makes ZERO sense, as I hadn’t set an exact goal for myself. So, I reframed the risk and the reward. The risk? No one reads anything I ever put out there. The reward? I spend time working on my writing, discussing things I love. When I thought about it that way, it was a no brainer. Of course I should put time into this!
When I look at the goals I’ve set for my future, none of them happen overnight. They all take time - completing degrees, research, time in professional positions, etc. I can give myself this time and rest easy knowing that in four years, all the work I am doing will result in a completely different phase of life.
Currently Consuming
As any young person can probably attest to, I consume a lot of media in a day/week/month. Instead of telling you about just a book or podcast, I thought I’d set aside apart of the newsletter for my top picks and recommendations each week!
For this week, here’s my favorite media:
Book (s): You’ll quickly learn that I am an avid reader and could probably write an entire post just about books. Maybe someday in the future! But for now, I’ll recommend the entire (yes, entire) Throne of Glass series, by Sarah J. Maas. This is the first series she ever wrote (at 16!), and I think it is some of her best work. The world building is impeccable and I am SO invested in the characters. If you’re into emotional rollercoasters and twists, Throne of Glass promises all that and much, much more.
Nonfiction: Blood by Dr. Jen Gunter. This book is a treasure trove of information about the health of people who menstruate. This book taught me more about my health and body than any anatomy or health class I’ve taken! It can be a little science heavy, so for my not-science nerd people just a warning, but it is so worth pushing through. Information about your body is a kind of power - and this book is a great way to learn.
Podcast: This Podcast Will Kill You. If you’re a germ nerd (hi! me too) you will LOVE this podcast. They deep dive into different diseases each week, covering everything from pathogenesis to social impacts. It’s engaging, funny, and hosted by two brilliant women scientists.
Music: Maggie Rogers, “Don’t Forget Me”. SUCH a good album! Her voice is so soothing and I often find myself playing this throughout the work day.
Shows: The Olympics! What else is there to say? I’m always wowed by what the human body can do. I also love seeing how each city tackles the massive development that the Olympics requires.
Misc.: I’ve been loving Quartiles by Apple News! If you don’t know, it’s a word game where you combine different pieces to make as many words as possible. It’s a good challenge if you enjoy wordle and are looking for something different.
Phrase of the Week
"If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, don't hesitate. Give in to it". - Mary Oliver, Don't Hesitate
Career Corner
Graduating college just a year ago, landing my first “big girl” job in public health and navigating the transition is something I still feel like I’m working through! I also LOVE public health and am passionate about connecting people with resources and tools.
I wanted to dedicate a part of the newsletter to advice, stories, and resources for job searches, career transitions, etc. etc.
I develop a lot of materials for different health education campaigns, ensuring these materials are accessible and useful for different audiences is vital to my work. The Public Health Communications Collaborative has a ton of good resources, but I especially love and use their guide for accessible social media.
I spent the better half of 2023 applying and interviewing for jobs, and in total I applied for close to 150 positions. I used this spread sheet from The Muse to keep track of every application, email, interview, etc etc. I cannot express how much this helped me! I was able to look back at where I applied, when I applied, when (and if) I heard back, and if I got an offer. It might seem like extra work, but it really was essential.
Phew! We made it through the first newsletter. If you’re still reading, thanks for being here and I hope you’ll stick around for next week! If you haven’t already subscribed, go ahead and join the party.