2024 was the best year of my life. HANDS DOWN.
And the thing is, it wasn’t the best because of what did or didn’t happen to me*. Sure, there were some nice things (I ran some fun live shows, had nice friend hangs, joined TikTok and… immediately blew up on there), but there were probably an equal amount of cruddy things (some weird friend dynamics, some work-related angst, a death in my family, the not insignificant facts of *gestures* all the awfulness happening in the world and how much pain it causes me).
2024 was the best year of my life because of how I responded to what did and didn’t happen. And how I responded changed drastically from previous years in most part thanks to this book:
“Gentle” by Courtney Carver came out last week, but I was lucky enough to read it a year ago when Courtney hired me as one of the editors. From that experience, I do have a storytelling lesson to share in the future (about how I coached Courtney to find and write the last two stories she tells in the book), but for this week, I just wanna tell you about it and urge you to consider getting this book (or getting it from the library). The basic message is:
Stop thinking that the hardest way is the best (or only) way to do things. It’s split up into three sections: Rest, Less and Rise.
“Rest” is things like: schedule your rest before you schedule anything else. How to find rest even in the small moments between all the stuff you absolutely have to do. Stop thinking you’re only allowed to rest once you’ve worked hard (or as a means to work even harder afterwards).
“Less” is in part less stuff — Courtney is a big noise in the minimalism world, with her project Be More With Less. But also, less stressing out about the weird tone you inferred in that email you just got. Less thinking you HAVE to agree to take on every task for everyone when you don’t (and less neglecting your needs in the process). Less being awful to yourself just because you’re not a perfect robot who nails everything all the time.
“Rise” is what to do in order to make your life lovely, once you’ve done embodied the first two concepts.
And here’s my favourite thing about Courtney’s book:
The title — Gentle — speaks to how she writes. It’s not just soft, it’s also so KIND. She doesn’t tell you off for the way you’re living now. Throughout the book, she suggests actions and activities; but in case those actions feel like too much, in each chapter you’ll find “The Gentle Step” — one tiny thing you can do either right away or within 24 hours, that’s extremely do-able.
Through all of it is the underlying secret message of the book, which is: stop waiting to start your life “when”.
When you’ve got the job
When you’re in the relationship
When your body is the way you wish it could be
When you’re on top of your admin
When you feel ready
Start your life right now. Be in it RIGHT NOW. Because some internal shifts could actually make your life lovely. Right now. Really.
That was my experience. Did I still have hard times last year? Sure! I’m a [single] parent in a high inflation season who also is, you know, a person in the world while so much of the world feels terrifying and depressing. But I was able to bring such a gentleness to my experience of my life — and, most importantly, to myself — that I rode those waves more easily than I ever have before.
You can buy “Gentle” everywhere that sells books (or order it from most libraries than lend them), but here are some links:
US: Bookshop.org (which supports indie bookstores!) • Amazon IF YOU MUST** • Audible • Kobo
CANADA: Canadian indie bookstore • Amazon if you MUST**
UK: Amazon UK** (the only place I can find it in the UK)
Or don’t forget that when you check a book out of your local library, the author gets paid! So don’t feel bad about doing that (though if you’re anything like me, you’ll want to turn down so many corners that you’ll wish you owned it…)
Get Gentle now, and maybe 2025 can be the greatest year of YOUR life :)
You rule!
xx (Yes Yes) Marsha
PS *honorary mention should go to when I got into a frozen lake in my bikini just before new year, which probably counts as both one of the worst and best things of my year
PPS Story and storytelling lesson coming next time — but you can get my free guide to the magic bullet for captivating storytelling, along with free coaching via email on storytelling and writing captivating presentations, when you join the Yes Yes Family — it’s FREE! Just pop your details in below and I’ll ship the guide over*:
*you can unsubscribe whenever you like because, clearly, I am not the boss of you
PPPPPPPPS get the book, you’ll be so grateful you did xx
**if you do buy the from Amazon in the US, Canada or the UK using one of these links, I get a small (like, truly tiny) kickback. Which means a teeny tiny bit of Bezos’ obscene wealth goes to me instead of him. I feel ok about this. I promise I won’t spend any of it on going into space in a giant vag-shaped rocket.
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