read this if you feel like a failure
5 Good Things, Vol.
Hi there!
Welcome to the second edition of 5 Good Things — a series dedicated to finding and sharing the good things in life. You might notice a new look with this series. As always, I'm continually looking for ways to make each newsletter better than the last. In this issue, I’ve curated a diverse mix of inspiration and enjoyment for your reading.
Here’s a quick rundown of what to expect—
💫 Something that inspired me: Insights on finding my passion and navigating failure, inspired by another Substack writer.
📝 Something that might be helpful: A handy tool for your next journaling session.
🧖♀️ Something personal: A short recap of my first spa day.
🐮 Something that surprised me: An interesting fact from the How To Money newsletter, and a reminder about the importance of the company you keep.
🍑 Something just for fun: A mouth-watering, beginner-friendly dessert recipe that’s sure to impress, complete with my own special touches.
Thank you for being a part of this journey, and here’s to finding the good things in life together. Wishing you a wonderful rest of your week!
Ever since I read this post by , it's been on my mind making me rethink my entire approach to failure and finding my thing.
You know the thing.
For some it’s a career; for others it’s a hobby they enjoy doing, or maybe it’s the role of a being a parent — just simply something that fuels their drive.
If I hadn’t mentioned it before, I consider myself a multi-passionate person, meaning I can’t possibly comprehend pursuing just *one* thing in my life. You know those kids who knew exactly what they wanted to be when they grew up? Yeah, that wasn’t me.
I had ideas that ranged from being a music teacher to a nurse to even a dentist (not sure what I was thinking). I was and still am all over the place — for now I’ve settled with being a mom and weekly email writer :)
Which brings me to Arman’s post…
From dropping out of college to starting AND ending my piano teaching business within less than a year, I’ve had my fair share of what most would call failures. Arman writes:
“. . . failure can be fun if you’re failing while staying true to the only person that matters — yourself.”
Cooking has become a daily fun challenge for me. After two-ish years, I'm finally starting to feel a lot more comfortable in the kitchen than when I first started. I've also learned that (like anything else) it's all about trial and error—and practice, of course!
Despite the fact that I've messed up countless of recipes, with each mistake, I learn & improve.
That's what I love about cooking: it’s always a learning experience, never a win or lose situation. (which I guess you can apply to any situation, not just cooking!)
“. . . if you find yourself continuing to show up, anxious to take another crack at it, and regardless of any outside criticism or praise, you’ve found your thing.”
Another thing I thoroughly enjoy is writing this newsletter each week. I could honestly spend hours at my computer crafting the perfect email for all of you.
A little unknown fact: I actually started a newsletter last year and wrote a few issues, but it never stuck with me. I never shared it with anyone other than my husband and sister. You’d figure I’d write the whole thing off (see what I did there), but something sparked in me to try it again.
I've enjoyed every part of creating this newsletter since the beginning. Sure, I may not be the greatest, most interesting writer out there, but I truly enjoy sharing things that have brought value to my life, hoping they do the same for you.
So I’m not sure if cooking or writing is my thing just yet, but I sure do enjoy exploring and failing at both.
📌 Is there something in your life that you enjoy failing at? I’d love to hear about it.
**Thanks, Arman, for writing such a thought-provoking piece!**
If you enjoy journaling and collecting prompts as much as I do, you'll appreciate this (free) tool made by Colby from the 1% Better newsletter. It effortlessly generates reflection questions for your journaling sessions, using prompts from James Clear’s 3-2-1 Newsletter as the source.
Feel free to make a copy & start using it right away.
I had my first ever spa day this past Sunday and will be starting a GoFundMe for next year’s visit. Just kidding.
It was lovely! The whole experience was so relaxing and by the end of it, I felt like I was floating on a cloud. ☁️
Then reality hit when it was time to put the kids to bed.
Cheers to more spa days in the future (and to watching my bank account drain faster than ever)!!
Below is a screenshot from a newsletter I subscribe to called How To Money. What began as a podcast has now expanded to include a newsletter featuring “money news, budget hacks, and little nuggets of encouragement.” Both their podcast and newsletter are definitely worth checking out.
The cow fact caught my attention, but what really struck me was the reminder of the saying: you are who you hang out with.
The people we surround ourselves with, whether friends or family, have a significant influence on us. Do they inspire and uplift you, or do they bring you down? Take note of your energy after spending time with them — are you filled with happiness or drained by negativity?
And it’s not just about people. The books you read, the things you watch or listen to, they all shape you.
So here’s your friendly reminder to be choosy :)
Surround yourself with things that make you feel good and inspire you. And hey! Since you’re reading this newsletter, you’ve already got the right idea 🤓
When this recipe landed in my inbox, right away I knew I had to try it. Without wasting any time, I bought the ingredients and got to work. This sweet treat is perfect for a cozy night in or family gatherings. It's a very beginner-friendly recipe & incredibly flavorful.
I've only made it once so far, but it's easily one of the best desserts I've ever made. Though my baking experience isn’t extensive, I can confidently say this one is a must-try. Give it a shot, and you’ll see what I mean.
Don’t forget to add ice cream on top — vanilla bean is the way to go.
A few tweaks I made to the original recipe:
Instead of fresh peaches, I used canned ones.
The recipe suggests not to drain the juice, but I highly recommend draining it to avoid the cobbler getting soggy. Nobody wants a soggy cobbler 😝
I sprinkled cinnamon and nutmeg on top of the cobbler, but next time, I'm mixing them with the peaches before pouring into the baking pan.
I added a crumble topping. I couldn't find a recipe I liked, so I improvised ⬇️
In a bowl, grate a stick of cold butter (1/2 cup). Add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of flour and 1/3 cup each of brown sugar and white sugar. Mix everything until it forms a crumble, then add cinnamon and a splash of vanilla (measure with your <3).
The recipe says to bake the cobbler for 38-40 minutes, but I recommend baking it for at least an hour. Then, check with a toothpick to see if the center is cooked through. Enjoy!
Love the setup! I am jealous of your spa day 🧖🏻♀️
For now, I’ll just keep on having my spa days at home lol
Fellow multi passionate, here! 🙋♀️ I love that take on failure being fun. It means trying stuff worth trying, which is way better than not doing anything at all!!