Hey beautiful humans,
This week's podcast episode was a special one - you all voted for it! When I put up a poll asking what you wanted to hear about, two topics tied: unexpected lessons from my divorce journey and things about me that aren't about divorce. So I decided to weave them together into one episode!
I shared five unexpected lessons that completely caught me off guard during my healing journey, peppered with personal interludes that reveal sides of me you might not know from my social media presence. From my British roots and theater background to my sacred nightly ritual of Bob's Burgers and New York Times crosswords, it felt vulnerable and fun to open up about the fullness of who I am.
The Five Unexpected Lessons
1. The Anticlimactic Nature of Closure
That email from my lawyer saying "you're divorced" felt nothing like I expected - quiet, confusing, and strangely sad rather than triumphant.
2. Speaking Your Truth Is Healing, Not Harmful
Despite warnings against sharing my divorce online, it became the most empowering thing I could have done, creating community when isolation was expected.
3. Self-Permission Is More Powerful Than External Validation
From booking that solo Disney World trip to learning I don't need everyone's approval for my choices - giving myself permission changed everything.
4. Healing Isn't Linear
The frustrating reality that you don't go one step forward and two steps back, but rather one step forward, two steps to the right, then diagonal left - it's a crisscrossing journey that doesn't make sense.
5. The Path Forward Is About Values, Not Timelines
Losing my expected life path taught me to follow my values and move toward the life I want, rather than chasing concrete goals with rigid timelines.
I also shared a little dating update at the end - how it feels like I'm slowly opening my tightly gripped fist and finding someone's palm safely underneath. It's scary and beautiful and surprisingly easy in the best way.
This Week's Journal Prompts
These five prompts are designed around the lessons I shared:
1. Permission Prompt
What is something you've been waiting for permission to do that you could actually give yourself permission for today? Write about what's holding you back and what your first step might look like.
2. Identity Beyond Challenges Prompt
List five things that bring you joy that have nothing to do with your current challenges or healing journey. How might you intentionally make more space for these parts of yourself this week?
3. Values Clarification Prompt
Think about how your values have shifted through difficult experiences. What three values are most important to you now that weren't priorities before? How are these values guiding your decisions today?
4. Unexpected Growth Prompt
Reflect on something difficult you've experienced that led to unexpected growth. What strength or quality emerged in you that surprised you? How has this quality served you since?
5. Personal Narrative Prompt
If you were to think of your life as a story, what chapter are you currently in? What would you title this chapter, and what do you hope the next chapter might be called? What small action could move you toward that next chapter?
A Gentle Reminder
Whatever you're doing right now, whatever you're going through, whatever phase of life you're in - you're doing a really good job. Maybe you haven't heard that in a while, so I'm saying it again: You are doing a really good job.
Keep seeking the sparkles, friends. They're always there, even when everything feels impossible.
With love and glimmers,
Emma
P.S. If you haven't grabbed a copy of "Daily Sparkles: Illuminating Your Life With 1000 Glimmers" yet, it's available everywhere books are sold. And if you're in the DC/Maryland/Virginia area, keep an eye out for upcoming book events - I'll be announcing them here first!
P.P.S. Try the glimmer game this week: take a photo of whatever's in front of you and find five glimmers in that single image. I promise you'll find them.
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