Hi beautiful people! I had a different newsletter planned for today, one I’m so excited for you to read, but I woke up this morning feeling that it’s important to shine a light on our little BS community. You all have been amazing this week. I have received the loveliest notes from BS readers far and wide — from London to Johannesburg, Australia to Brazil — sharing words of love and support for LA. It means so much.
It’s clear that we’re all feeling pretty emotional this week, so I want to talk about some coping strategies.
Over the past few months of writing this newsletter, I’ve learned so many little self-care tips from all of you. I think about Emma who replied to our Holiday stress, anyone? issue saying that focusing on “friends, fitness, and reading” helps center her in challenging times. After our New Year = More BS issue, Caila told us her 2025 goal is to journal daily. “It’s such a good way to let out feelings,” she wrote. Totally agree! London from Buffalo recently shared that they love, “Listening to audiobooks and watching the snow fall outside” this time of year when things tend to get dark. Notes like that remind me to savor the little pockets of joy in my own life.
We all have our little grounding practices and while I’m not an expert, I’ve been using a few small reminders to center myself this week. Maybe mine will help you the same way yours help me.
BEAU. When life feels chaotic or out of control, I remember our sweet little BEAU acronym: Breathe, Embrace, Accept, Uplift. Priority number one: Take a deep breath. It’s so simple but works wonders. From there, I can move into embracing (someone I love), accepting (the current situation), and uplifting (myself and others). When so much is out of my control, I can control my breath and perspective.
Do for one person what you wish you could do for everyone. It might not seem like a lot, but sending a small donation with a message of love and support to a family that lost their home in the fires goes a long way. These families need help, and so do these. This is a marathon, not a sprint, but we can rebuild together. Thank you to the amazing writers and organizers who have built these comprehensive, real-time databases. And thank you all for asking about ways to help LA!
Find inspiration. Feeling awe and inspiration helps me see the horizon line, even if it’s almost entirely out of sight. Right now, I’m inspired by the city of LA and the people who have put together these massive relief efforts. Take Avery, who started the charity organization Altadena Girls to get clothes and personal-care items to teenage girls across Altadena who lost their homes and belongings in the fires. It’s incredible what she’s doing. I felt inspired reading this beautiful letter by Noora Raj Brown about losing her home in the Palisades fire and still feeling so much gratitude and love for life. On that note…
Rediscover joy in something you’ve taken for granted. It could be taking a walk and breathing in cold, brisk air that’s clean and not polluted. Oftentimes a tragedy puts these small but meaningful things in perspective.
I hope these small reminders help you. If you have a thought to share, I’d love to hear about it (you can replyto this email).
Before you go, I want to share some fun and lighthearted saves from this week.
TO WATCH: One Of Them Days. This trailer made me lol and it’s out today!
TO READ: Two Loves, One Hate, and a Hmm by Suzy Welch.
TO EAT: This chicken schnitzel caesar salad courtesy of Caroline Chambers. Fun fact: the Caesar salad comes from Tijuana!
TO PLAY: This song.
TO CONSIDER: Hoda Kotb on making Wednesdays magical.
TO TAKE WITH YOU: “Healing happens in layers.”
Love,
Hailee (Beau)
New segment alert! I send voice notes more than texts, so this is a place to share the spirit of a voice note and something that excited me this week.
● There’s champagne, there’s beautifully written cards, and then there’s “congratulations on your engagement” billboards. This was a wild and very sweet surprise. Thank you Delaware North and Buffalo. I’m honored.
Highlighting your comments on the previous week’s issue. Today, we hear Meghan’s response to New Year = More BS.
“I love when you highlight responses. I wish I could reach out to Amy and personally wish her luck on the job search! I love seeing how the issues have impacted us differently (and similarly for that matter). - Meghan
