I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what to write in this week’s newsletter. The last edition appeared in your inbox mere hours before the US Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade, handing the right to regulate abortion back to the states. I’ve spent so much time doomscrolling since last Friday that it feels like I’m fused to my phone. It’s exhausting.

And it’s meant to be exhausting. On the whole, my life hasn’t changed day-to-day. The sun still rises. But the possibility of change, or the inability to choose change, is what’s frightening.

I won’t feed you some performative self-care-based newsletter like I was planning to. I started writing that version and it didn’t make me feel any better. Truth is, I’m furious and heartbroken and a little numb if I think about it too much. My nervous system has been active for a week straight and I’m tired.

So where does that leave us? Honestly, I’m not sure. But I think it starts by just getting through the day. Donate to a local abortion fund. Watch a Hallmark movie. Look up who’s running for election this November. Buy yourself a McDonald’s Diet Coke. Whether you crave action or soothing, decide what you need today and then seek it out.

To do list:

🍃 Go outside.

🧘‍♀️ Wrap up in a fuzzy blanket.

👗 Layer a t-shirt under (or over) your favorite dress.

💕 Text that person you’ve been thinking about. Tell them that you were thinking of them. Ask how they are and mean it.

“Required” reading:

Tree radio?! (Tree.fm)

As Pride Month comes to an end, let’s review some pronoun info (Pronouns.org)

How to hang eucalyptus in your shower the right way (Apartment Therapy)

Why you should talk to your friends about sex (The Good Trade)

Do nothing for two whole minutes; here’s how (Do Nothing)

This week’s aesthetic: prickly

The heroine recommends: The Comeback by Ella Berman

Amazon.com: The Comeback: 9780593099513: Berman, Ella: Books

A Hollywood-based novel about a jilted star who takes revenge on the man who ruined her career. This book is a fascinating and, at times, heartbreaking exploration of what a young woman will do to avenge the life she should have had. Make sure to check the trigger warnings first.

Shop on Bookshop*, listen on Libro.fm*, or borrow from your local library.

Click here to submit a recommendation!

A parting thought:

You don’t need to justify your emotions. They can exist without judgment.

xx, Annie

Hello Heroine

#19: Let's take a deep breath 🌾