Penned Wednesday Newsletter

Vol. 18 | October 2, 2024

"Nuggets of Wisdom, Inspiration, and Fun for Your Mid-Week Slump."

Hey Reader,

Have you been catastrophizing lately? Or have you ever been guilty of catastrophizing at some point (or points) in your life? Well, I have.

I recently completed reading Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams and one of the phrases that stood out to me was when Queenie’s grandmother told her, “Nuh badda catastrophize.” In other words, don’t assume the worse is going to happen. But isn’t that exactly what we do sometimes without even thinking about it?

Let's Catastrophize, Shall We?

"You’re heading to work, it’s your first day after a long, luxurious vacation, and then you come upon traffic. Great, you think. I’m going to be late on my first day back. If I’m late, my boss will think I’m unreliable. They’ll start monitoring me more closely. I’ll get a poor review, then I’ll probably lose my job, and if I lose my job, I’ll struggle to pay bills, lose my house… Before you know it, you’re convinced that a little traffic jam is the first step toward losing everything."

As Queenie Granny say, “Nuh badda catastrophize!”

Here’s how you can change the above catastrophic line of thinking:

1. Tell yourself that you can use this time to mentally prepare for the day.

2. Take some deep breaths, repeatedly – it calms the nerves.

3. Play some music - make sure it's a genre that makes you come alive.

4. Reflect on the enjoyable moments from your vacation (or something fun).

Now, wasn’t it nicer not to catastrophize?

Beep. Beep...

For those of you who know me well enough, you know that I love to drive. I will drive anywhere as long as there’s petrol in my vehicle, and of course, as long as I’m in the mood (my mood determines alot). Anyway, fun fact, did you know that most car horns beep in the key of F? Now, let’s see how many of you are gonna blow that horn today – lol. Oh, by the way, today is National Name Your Car Day. I call mine Black Panther. What do you call yours? Send me a message.

Now for Peanuts

'Peanuts' is a popular comic strip with the famous Charlie Brown and Snoopy. It’s known for its subtle, gentle humor and its ability to address complex topics like anxiety, failure, and self-doubt through the lens of children. Despite its surface-level simplicity, the comic strip delves deeply into the human experience. Schulz used minimalist line art and clever dialogue to express profound truths and observations about life.

Question For You?

What have you catastrophized about in the past that ended up working out in the long run? Please share your response with me (you can also click here to respond to this email).​

Me: Just this morning. I woke up to no internet and started catastrophizing that I wouldn’t be able to publish this newsletter, I would have broken my promise to get back on track with my weekly newsletter, I’d feel bad, etc., get the point? Then I remembered that I had phone data and could easily hotspot. Now, was it worth all that catastrophizing? Nope. Why? Because I had a solution.

Anyhoos...

As you continue through the week, remember to take a moment and breathe when things seem to be spiraling, trust in the universe and the powers that be that things will work out exactly how they're supposed to.

Until next Wednesday, Happy Penned Wednesday, Reader! May you be blessed, may you be safe, and please be kind - to yourself and others.

P.S. Please feel free to share this newsletter with your friends - just hit that forward button in your email😉. Leave a comment on the blog, or send via email, or you can send me a comment via DM on Instagram. Plus, subscribe to my YouTube channel. Use the hashtag #ThePennedTribe #PennedNewsletter when leaving a comment. Thank you!

THIS WEEK'S AFFIRMATION

💫 Repeat after me, “I will not catastrophize, I will not catastrophize, I will not catastrophize. It will be well."

~ Deon Cecile

Feel Good Magazine is dedicated to helping Women Over 40 live their best lives through sharing stories on life, wellness, business, family, relationships, and fun. Our magazine is light, inspiring, motivating, and edutaining. It's PENNED INSPIRATION that is BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED to lift spirits. What's your story? Do you want to tell it? Will it make others Feel Good? Does it provide hope? Is it Inspiring and Edutaining? If so, we’ll be happy to feature you! Let’s start the conversation, send us an email at iamdeoncecile@gmail.com. ​CLICK HERE TO READ VOLUMES 1 - 5 ​

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