Springy links, recs, requests, and announcements!
I'm back, baby!
When I was a baby magazine editor working for pennies, free drinks at press events, and the tiny Baked by Melissa cupcakes that somehow always showed up in the office kitchen, I had a lot of fears. The fear that I’d pitch a bad idea and be ridiculed in front of the staff; the fear that I’d freeze up on live TV when the host asked you a left-field question; the fear that I’d get stuck on an un-air conditioned subway train and show up to work late and sweaty; the fear that I’d accidentally share an elevator with Anna Wintour wearing a pair of red Toms (each one of these things did, in fact, happen to me).
But there was no fear like the fear we all felt when our editor in chief went on vacation.
Sure, we had a few days of freedom, no scary phone call from the assistant beckoning you to run to the corner office on your excruciating Aldo heels, no impossible-to-address, totally-contradictory editorial notes in black Sharpie showing up on your proofs, no surprise visits from Ms. Wintour happening on your floor.
But what we really feared was the return. A week off from the grind and the endless sales meetings, and our big boss was suddenly full of ideas. Ideas that would inevitably involve your entire section being ripped up and rebuilt from scratch, crazy new initiatives you were suddenly expected to execute — in general, the routine being fully shaken up. Probably a good thing for the brand, but a terrible thing for those of us at the bottom scrambling around to make all these ideas happen.
It’s very funny now being on the other side of this. No, I don’t have layers of minions underneath me (I don’t even have a single minion, tbh!), but I am my own boss. And when I come back from vacation, I feel so full of possibility and fresh perspective! I get it, and I’m kind of sorry for all the griping I did about my former EICs’ post-trip creativity surges.
I’m writing this on Monday, which has been my first day back at the desk since we returned from our trip — my first day with the kids back in school. And I’m feeling such a tension: one part of me doesn’t remember how to sit still (at least not without a cocktail in one hand and book in the other); one part of me has such big ideas that I feel itchy and uncomfortably eager to dive in headfirst. But I’m truly not ready yet! (And again, no minions to offload these ideas to.)
So I’m tapping into the way I engage with exercise after breaks, and easing back in. I’ve dealt with some of the boring admin stuff that always feels like it has to come first, and I’m planting some seeds so that I can step into those big ideas in a smart, sustainable way in the coming weeks. Today, instead of a big, audacious post, I’m sharing with you a bunch of random bits and bobs I’ve been meaning to talk with you about! And as always, I’m all ears for your ideas and special requests.
Lots more soon.
Reporting ask
I’m interested in learning more about the way major chain gyms are training their personal trainers these days. I’m keeping this vague because I’m in a very exploratory moment right now, but if you happen to be a trainer who works at a big chain, or if you happen to be a client at a big chain and have worked with a new-to-you trainer recently, would you please reach out? I’d love to ask you a few questions, and it can definitely be off the record. Feel free to send a DM here on Substack, or reply to this email if it’s in your inbox. And do share this with anyone you think might fit this bill!
Pilates for Abortion Funds update
A quick note that my monthly fundraiser, Pilates for Abortion Funds, is happening on Tuesday, April 29 at 8pm ET on Zoom (recording to follow)! Admission is proof of a donation of any amount to your favorite local/state/regional abortion fund, Care for All in Wisconsin, or the National Network of Abortion Funds. You can learn more about it here.
Join a How to Mover’s helpful time management workshop!
How to Move reader, coach, and new friend of mine
is hosting a Values-Based Time Management Workshop (the first time she mentioned this to me I think I literally did a fist-pump? I need this!!) — a 60-minute session designed to help you realign your time so you can do more of what you love with the people you love. You’ll take a closer look at where your time is really going, identify your core values, and create a plan to bring your daily actions into deeper alignment with what matters most. Sign up here.
New offer note: Let’s talk 1:1!
I love chatting with you all about your workout questions via comments, chat, and DMs. But sometimes it’s hard to get into the right level of nuance to be truly helpful (and to avoid jumping to conclusions that might not actually be quite right for you!). I’ll always be available to you in those formats, but I wanted to note that I’m now offering a 1:1 office hours session — I’ll have availability for this on Mondays and Wednesdays, and you can sign up for a half-hour session here. We can talk about adjusting the workouts to fit your needs better, we can troubleshoot exercises that are giving you trouble, anything that is in my scope of practice (i.e. I cannot diagnose or treat injuries or medical conditions!) and would be helpful to you! And just a heads up that I may suggest this option to you in the future if you reach out with questions that are a bit more nuanced than a DM is appropriate for.
You can access this benefit by upgrading to a founding membership, or for a one-off fee of $50 (payable by Zelle or Venmo in advance of our chat).
Book recommendation!
On the theme of vacation and scariness: I’m literally always thrilled to get a chance to brag about one of my friends, and today I’m psyched to brag that during my vacation, I got to read an advance copy of my bestie
’s fifth (FIFTH!) thriller, The Last Ferry Out. Y’all, this book was so, so good. Honestly, thrillers are not my genre (I’m jumpy!), and I really have to gird my loins when Andi has a new book coming out, but I never regret reading them (although I sometimes regret reading them too close to bed) and I could not have adored this one more. It’s a twisting, turning journey that involves a bunch of expats and a grieving woman trying to solve the mystery of what happened to her partner on a remote, mysterious island. It was gripping and I absolutely inhaled it and I absolutely did not solve the mystery on my own! The Last Ferry Out is out next month, and you can preorder it at one of the links here OR go to your local indie bookstore to preorder. Also Andi’s bday is next week, and a preorder would be a great way to celebrate!
Okay, that’s it from me! See you Sunday for a new workout. So glad to be back.
xo
Anna
Welcome home, my friend! And WOW, thank you so much for the Last Ferry Out shout-out! I am SO thrilled you enjoyed it (and see, I told you this one is more emotional than scary, right?)!
Ugh, totally know that feeling, so many ideas and not knowing where to start! Nosy me wants to know if you are going to drop the publication name or do we just have to be content with the knowledge that you were at Conde Nast? 😂