gift season

Hi friend,

Here we are—at the darkest point of the year. 

It’s ironic because this week is often the most busy, with a million things to do—when the rest of nature is actually the most inactive. The long nights and short days mean early to bed, late to rise for most of the world. Except us, because we’re ~different.~

During a recent long, cozy night, I read The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer—it’s short, sweet, and filled with sugary nuggets of wisdom.

Mostly, she talks about how we can take our power back—from the powers that be—by being of service to each other and giving freely. Instead of a competitive economy where we over consume, overspend, and overwork (guilty, guilty, guilty), we focus on a gift economy where we use only what we need, share our extras, and rely on each other, instead of our chronic individualism (also guilty). 

In this season of gift giving, I want to first say thank you for being here. I’m so grateful to be connected with you and that’s what we need right now: community and connection.

And, I want to offer a gift for the start of the new year. In the past week, I’ve talked to 2 people—one wanting to go freelance, the other just starting her book writing journey—and all I did was offer advice based on my experience, resources, and mostly, encouragement. 

If you—or someone you know—could use someone to bounce a creative idea off of, or talk about making a living from being creative, or just needs a cheerleader, I want to offer this as a gift at the start of the new year: a totally free, no strings attached 20 minute call to talk, connect, and talk about what you’re creating.

We can talk about:

• Writing projects

• Books !!! 

• Writing a book

• The publishing process

• Freelancing and being self-employed

• Taking the leap in your career / creative life

What better way to start the new year than connecting? If you (or a friend) want to chat, send me an email at [email protected]. I love talking with people, so feel free to share widely and freely. 

I hope you have a wonderful holiday season ahead, whether you’re staying put or traveling. Tomorrow, the light starts to return—and the days will start to get longer, once again. This time of year is ultimately a celebration of light—and even in situations that feel tricky, you might look around and realize the light is YOU.

Happy holidays and I can’t wait to connect in the year ahead.

xx Caitlin

P.S. If you need a good book to read, the NPR Best Books is a great resource (mostly because it’s not ranked). Here are some of my personal favorites:

Catalina by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio

Greta & Valdin by Rebecca K. Reilly

James by Percival Everett

The Cliffs by J. Courtney Sullivan

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

Madwoman by Chelsea Bieker

There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

The Garden Against Time by Olivia Laing

Tell Me I’m An Artist by Chelsea Martin

Didion & Babitz by Lili Anolik

Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino

The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer

P.P.S. If you’re looking for a way to give directly to someone, Glide is hosting a toy drive for kids living in the Tenderloin. Here’s the Amazon registry.