Just Frickin' Enjoy Yourself [Weekend WRAP 82]
Hey Reader,
I’ve been enjoying a lovely week of Spring weather in my hometown of Jacksonville, FL. Yes, I am a native Florida man. We’ve done all the Florida things, but one of the trip highlights was taking our boys to Chamblin Bookmine for the first time.
It’s a multi-million-book maze as much as a mine, and our oldest in particular had a great time getting lost in the books. Finding specific books is difficult, but discovering books you didn’t expect is a joy. Chamblin’s is a place to wander and it was a lot of fun to share that with the boys.
💡 Big Idea: Just Enjoy Myself
Ted Lasso started back up on March 15, and one of the central storylines is the personal growth of Roy Kent as he transitions from famous footballer to full time coach, uncle, and maybe boyfriend of Keeley Jones. Let’s set the stage:
Roy has struggled his way to success his entire life. He had to overcome a rough upbringing, early entry into a football boarding school, and becoming one of the youngest players in the Premier League. It’s clear that Roy believes the struggle is a part of him and his success, and to a point that’s true. But ever since he “lost a step” at Chelsea he has slowly cut away people who appreciate him want to support him — even if he’s not a top footballer anymore.
This comes to a head in the episode (I don’t want to go to) Chelsea. Roy returns to his old club, they cheer for him like a favorite son. Later, Roy tells the story of realizing he lost a step and promptly quit the team at the end of the year. He ends the story by saying:
But that is not who I am. I guess."
I’m not the grumpy, un-fun guy that Roy is in the show, but that part hit me. Enjoying myself can be strangely difficult at times. Demands of work, running a business, raising kids, staying connected to family and friends, and the normal stuff of life can be a lot! Being present and happy in the moment is a mindful intention more than a default state.
But sitting here, drinking cold brew in the Florida sun, writing a newsletter to you, heading to the beach soon, it is a prime time to just enjoy myself and realize that success does not always come from struggle, long hours, and vacations spent working because I always-be-hustlin’.
👀 Video to Watch: Start a writing habit in 30 days
Other than going back to the most recent episode of Ted Lasso and watching Roy tell the whole story, starting at 43:55, or when the Chelsea fans sang to him at the start of the match, or the whole frickin’ show — this video will do nicely.
One of the best online courses I’ve taken is Ship30for30. Part course, part community, part daily challenge, Ship30 will get your creative juices flowing and give you the tools you need to build a writing habit. The newest Ship30 cohort starts Sunday, April 2nd - check out the info page if you’re interested in joining.
📰 Article I wrote: 4 simple ways to grow your email newsletter
Many of you know my “day job” is no longer full-time creator (hence the YouTube break) but a partner at Good People Digital, an agency that helps creators earn a living. This week I wrote an email to our clients and customers about how to grow an email newsletter subscriber list.
4 Marketing Methods for Email Newsletters
- Social content - posts and threads on social platforms.
- Social promotion - including shoutouts to your newsletter multiple times a week. Especially on YouTube videos, podcasts, etc.
- Optimize the opt-in - landing pages, websites, and platform descriptions.
- Referrals - newsletter swaps, systems like Sparkloop, etc.
If you’re interested in writing more, especially online, the Ship30 combo with these 4 marketing methods will help you get more traction and interest for your work. If you find it helpful and want more of these messages, send me a quick message and I’ll add you to the list!
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Have a great weekend,
Matt Ragland
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