Since 2020, I've taken December off.
At the end of November, 2020, I ended one of my largest anchor client contracts and replaced that work with my work on this - Solo School, and the other things around it.
I signed a contract for January, closed my laptop, and parked myself on my parents' couch (we moved in with them for the holidays because we couldn't go south for the winter that year.)
I crocheted. I watched movies. I baked cookies. I ordered way too much good food. I slept in and stayed up late. I shopped for gifts and snuggled my kids. Some days I slept until I couldn't sleep any more, and then slept just a little bit longer.
I had slow coffee in the morning.
I watched the snow falling through the windows in the quiet morning light.
I took a minute to see my breath in the cold air.
I slowed.
I stopped.
I imagine this is what our ancestors did, as winter fell. Yes, merriment and celebration this time of year, but also a distinct, irresistible pull to curl up in 7 of your favourite blankets with a good book and a better companion.
The call of rest, of slumber, of dormancy.
It reminds me of the biphasic sleep pattern that we, as humans, evolved to have before artificial light changed everything.
Go to sleep when it gets dark. Rest deeply for hours. Wake in the middle of the night, in an almost dreamlike state, to talk, read, make art, connect with each other, eat food, restore, and then back to sleep for the rest of the dark.
I've built 3 of these rest periods into my business.
April, August, and December.
The three months between? I push, I create, I do, I explore, I learn.
But April, August, and December, in the last of spring before I can plant the garden; the hottest part of summer; the darkest part of winter... I rest.
I didn't choose these months by accident. They chose me.
I've always had a harder time being productive during those months, so it makes sense that I choose them for rest.
This is my last newsletter before that rest. I may or may not write a few through December, but the requirement is gone. It's purely for pleasure, the writing I'll do. And to take this rest requires help.
My coaches in Solo School who keep going, doing their thing. The automations that keep running. The moderators in my group. The structures of my business, carefully crafted with expert help, ensuring things keep working.
On top of the skills I've developed and things I've learned, a lot of what has made the difference is just the incremental bits of permission.
Permission to not take the calls. Permission to lean back. Permission to do it the way I want. Permission to say no. That's the greatest support I've ever gotten from anyone.
Permission to do what feels right for me.
Because as much as I should be able to give that to myself, decades of rejection sensitivity and miscommunication make me question it.
So, here's me - giving YOU permission to lean back and December in a way that will give you the most kickass January imaginable.
- Cheryl
❤️ We all need a village.
So I built one.
And it's for all of you.
Anyone reading this right now can come join Solo School today, and meet with Amy tomorrow morning.
Or chat with Courtney about their bookkeeping in the afternoon.
They can get Deana's help next week drafting a difficult email to that family member, contractor, or person in your life that's about to get a difficult message. (Opting out of upcoming holidays, anyone?)
They can see the regulating exercises Paula has dropped in the community chat so they can feel more grounded and safe.
They can use our AI tools to get an ADHD coach buddy in their pocket.
They can take a course on copy and in less than an hour, have better tools than half the copywriters on Fiverr.
They can drop into the sales workshop replay and have a new script that feels good and actually works before their sales call tomorrow.
This is what we've built. A whole village of support and care and resources, instantly accessible on an app in your pocket.
If you'd like to join us:
December 4, Solo School will be going up to just under $5k/year.
That is your all-access pass to 12+ hours per week of group coaching and 20+ courses, all built specifically and exclusively for neurodivergent entrepreneurs like you.
UNTIL December 4, if you want to be radically supported and lock in the current rate that amounts to less than $10/day (monthly or annual, doesn't matter), I invite you to join us.
Note: I extended this to December 4 to align with my other promotion, coming out on Friday. So you have a little bit of extra time!
🐿️ Squirrel Squad - Facebook Group Updates
I'll be bringing in some volunteer moderators shortly, so watch this space for some introductions and updates!
💪 Business adaptation of the week
Christy Farr. She is my adaptation of the week.
Her work in Space Healing for neurodivergent folks had already been life changing, but this week I got on a 1:1 with her to talk about my office.
See, it's a mishmash of purposes and old furniture rejected from other parts of the house. As much as I love my business, it's always been something I was doing while the kids were busy. Or just because my hubby wasn't working. Or just until something changed.
It's always operated in the margins of my life, around everything else, trying to not to take up too much space or make too much noise. So of course, it mostly gets the leftover space. The leftover furniture. The leftover energy.
It's done remarkably well for something that I keep trying to make small (lest it be perceived) but after hitting a milestone this past week, it's time for me to let my business grow up and get a real space.
And Christy helped me map out my whole new office, in a way that will suit my needs, AND will require me to get furniture that isn't just hand-me-down rejects from other parts of the house.
10/10, if you have a space in your house that needs healing (or a trash bag, or a snow shovel) - go hire Christy. She isn't paying me to say this, but Solo School literally wouldn't exist if it weren't for her wisdom.
I owe her everything.
(Including before and after photos. Pending.)
🎁 My favourite things this week
I saw a TikTok that said "Millennial culture is just picking up all the hobbies we couldn't have as kids and enjoying them as adults while watching the world burn" and I laughed while holding my new Home Alone LEGO set.
Because yes. It is.
But also, after years and years of wanting it, I finally found someone selling it for less than retail on marketplace and snatched it up.
If you're feeling so inspired, give it a watch (especially if you have kiddos around) in December. Have a laugh at the real villain of the movie, Uncle Frank. Recoil in horror at what passed for parenting in the 80s. Soothe your trauma bonds with the complete absence of true caring from family members. Enjoy the strong character growth of Mrs McAllister as she learns that she is supposed to notice her son's existence at times other than when he's in trouble, during their heartfelt embrace. Turn "how many times this would be a felony now" into a bingo game!
In all seriousness, it's become one of my favourite holiday movies and I'm really, really stoked to have the LEGO set. I'll be sure to post build updates!
🐲 Hobby Hoarder Updates
Secret project announcement coming. Shhhh ;)
📚 What I'm reading
If it's not obvious from the essay this week, I'm reading Wintering by Katherine May. The essay wasn't inspired by the reading, the reading was inspired by the essay. I've had that book in my TBR pile for awhile and it felt like it was time.
Much of my December reading is going to be for fun, so I'll make sure to keep updating StoryGraph for you if you want to follow along!
Want to follow my reading? Check me out on StoryGraph, the minority-owned GoodReads competitor I love!
