Why Is It So Hard to Talk About the Things We Create?

Welcome to Slow Brew Sunday, the newsletter that helps you start your week with a clear mind and full cup. 🍵 From intentional shifts and gentle productivity tips to personal stories and encouragement, I hope our cozy corner of the internet gives you what you need to ease into your week.

Hey Friends,

We are getting closer to opening up pre-orders for my book (!!), which means the days where I work on it quietly behind ze laptop are coming to an end.

I got off a call with my editor last week, and we were prepping for an upcoming meeting with my book’s marketer and publicist to talk through the promo strategy. (It officially comes out in J.A.N.U.A.R.Y., btw) I’ve been so in it the last two years, it just hit me how cool it is that this book baby of mine will finally be out into the world. And soon. Also, woah… my book has a publicist! How cool!!

I most definitely did a little happy dance as I was recapping it to Andrew.

But then, alas… almost immediately I had the opposite thought.

Oh my gosh. People are actually going to read my book. I’m going to have to start talking about it and promoting it soon.

I’m excited, obviously, and I’m very grateful. But it also feels quite nervewracking.

I love creating. I love writing, ideating, and taking something from a tiny curiosity to something real that other people can enjoy, use, or experience. I love the tinkering, the iterating, the refining…

But, talking about the things I make has never felt as comfortable. Similar to how it feels at a block party when everyone goes around and answers, “so, what do you do for work?”

I do think writing on Substack has pushed me to practice cross-sharing more. I finally started putting more of my writing on Instagram, and I even signed up for the auto-DM Manychat thing, which I avoided for a very long time. (I really don’t like how it’s killed thoughtful conversation in the comments section. Now everyone just comments one word on everyone’s posts to get a link.)

But I also had to admit that I might have been missing out on sharing my work more widely. And because the actual convos on Substack still feel much more thoughtful, using Instagram to help more people find their way over here feels worth it.

I poured my soul into this book. I’m really proud of it. And I really want you to read it! But dang, why does it feel so vulnerable to talk about the things we create?

So, I am going to stomp on any self-doubt, because this book deserves it. And if you are also in need of some self-doubt-stomping, let’s do it together. All of the books, art, tv, movies, media, that we know and love depended on people being brave enough to share it in the first place. ➡️ Share something you’re proud of in the comments and we can cheer each other on!

Wish me luck (call is Monday!)

Have a lovely Sunday x

Psst… I yap a lot, so if this email gets truncated in Gmail, click “view in browser” to read the entire post.

I will shamelessly (and proudly) talk about the work I poured myself into creating.

Let yourself (and your work) be seen. That’s the challenge this week!

1. 🛒 In My Cart — Looking into these circadian lights for our new house (if we ever start our renovation ha). I love the idea of cozy ambient lighting for evenings that also happen to be good for our natural rhythm… goodbye stark overhead lights!!

2. 🌶️ In my cart on repeat — Humble House habanero + aji amarillo sauce. This is THE sauce for my egg tacos. It’s not really spicy, more tangy — there’s habanero and mango in it. I recommend it to everyone, so consider yourself told.

3. 💄 Oldie but a goodie — Cocokind MyMatcha stick. I’ve been using it for years as a chapstick, but I also swipe it on my eyebrows and I swear it’s helping them grow. *Not science ~ just vibes and slightly fuller brows!

4. 🥤 Small swap, big relief — My new RTIC water bottle. I was so over washing straws every single day, so I wanted something as simple as humanly possible. It’s ceramic on the inside, which is a nice break from all the stainless steel happening in my life.

5. 🧪 Does it actually work? — Blackstrap molasses to reverse graying?? I have no idea, but I saw it enough times that curiosity won. It’s icky, but will report back (probably in like six months when I remember).

Sooo, this is where I’m at:

Meet Jill (@empty.mouse.house)
age 58 — Charleston
🍵 Sippin' on: protein coffee
🎧 Listening to: Anything with a chill vibe
🎥 Watching: Emily in Paris
📖 Reading: Buy Back Your Time 
🎉 Exciting about: finding my own “Magical Second Act”

We want to feature you! Nominate yourself for our Reader Spotlight that we share weekly!

Writing these letters is one of my favorite parts of my week! It also takes me an embarrassing number of hours to put these together. If Slow Brew has become a cozy ritual for you, here are a few easy ways to support this free space:

💛 Tap the heart or leave a comment — it truly helps!
📱 Screenshot your fave part & share on IG stories tagging @julesacree​
💫 Share Slow Brew Sunday with anyone who may enjoy it!
📌 Want to partner with us? Reply to this email and let’s chat!

Share Slow Brew Sunday

🫶🏼 read more slow brew sunday letters here

🤎 if you enjoy motherhood content, you might love my other newsletter Mother, etc.

☁️ browse my favorite cozy tools & resources here

💌 come say hi in our group chat

🌸 follow my day-to-day life @julesacree on Insta & YouTube

​📌 Our newsletter may have affiliate links, so if you buy through them, we get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). We only recommend stuff we love and think you’ll love to! If it’s sponsored, we’ll clearly mark it so. Thanks for supporting our free newsletter!