Dear Subscriber First Name,

As the holidays draw near, I feel a unique blend of frantic, anticipative, and introspective energy that only the last quarter of the year can inspire.

I’ll admit, this time of the year tends to fill me with work-related anxiety and dread, as boundaries become blurred and overtime is expected. As I feel my happiness fray at its edges, I lean on my anticipation of holiday family time, and become more introspective as I reflect on how I can exercise autonomy over my current reality. e.g., what book(s) could I read to help me reshape my relationship with work, and redefine my happiness and standards?

One thought that comes up often is, “just hang in there til the holidays”. As if the pre-holiday madness is payment due for the opportunity to sign off, turn off notifications, and check in to life. Does a similar thought cross your mind?

In a work-obsessed economy, I feel the need to raise the question, what if we didn’t have to earn rest? What if it’s already within our right as human beings to slow down, take time, and recharge.

Whether you’re spending this holiday season with loved ones or in solitude, I hope you make time for activities that make you happy and centered, including rest. You deserve it :)

Cheers,
Haemee

P.S. - If you’d like to suggest a theme for an upcoming issue, message us at: newsletter@asianbossgirl.com.

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Reading: What We Carry by Maya Shanbhag Lang - Lang’s story is “a deeply moving memoir about immigrants and their native-born children, the complicated love between mothers and daughters, and the discovery of strength.”

Watching: PEN15 on Hulu - Being reminded of my awkward, pubescent days isn’t top of my list, but PEN15 makes it cringey and fun. Set in 2000, Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle play 7th grade students figuring out life as teens. This is the show’s last season.

Eating: Hojicha Mochi Muffins - What screams “holidays” better than baked carbs?! This recipe is a beautiful medley of the hojicha’s toasted flavor (a Japanese green tea), and the joy of a muffin with mochi-like chewiness from the sweet rice flour.

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