A Breaking Point

I popped up out of the wave, skidding across the shell-filled sand on my tush. Gasping for air, I wiped the salty water away from my eyes and realized...

My favorite sunglasses had become one with the ocean.

I didn't end up in the ocean yesterday by accident (or because it's my favorite place on the earth and I just so happen to live on an island surrounded by it.)

I went because if I didn't, I was going to snap.

You know when life stress is at that simmering point where it's about to become a boil?

You handle the water in the basement. You pay the vet bill because the dog just ate a dinosaur toy (true story). You get your husband an ice pack to help his broken elbow.

But for every problem you solve, three more pop up.

Nothing's going right. Everything's stacked against me.

I'm also technically supposed to be "off" this summer (outside of writing this newsletter and taking care of customers, ofc). But I'm not doing so great at that, either.

Something had to give.

I did what I always do when I hit a breaking point --

1. Admit to myself I need something to change
2. Ask my support system for help
3. Create a game plan for change
4. Go to the beach

Thanks to #2 (my Director of Ops, Lindsey!! My miracle worker!) she came up with a great idea for #3--

To send you my top 4 newsletters of the year each week in August... like a VH1 song countdown, newsletter edition.

"What if I shared what my strategy was with that email and my takeaway of why it did so well?" I added.

So that's what I'm doing!

Next month, we'll countdown my top 4️⃣ emails of 2026.

At the end of each, I'll share exactly what I aimed to do (the strategy), WHY I wrote each email the way I did (the thought), and why I think each one went so well (the analysis).

If want to know what it takes to build an email list of nearly 70,000 subscribers AND keep them super engaged -- you're going to love this series.

My top 4 emails are really different and I had a completely different strategy with each. So this will be fun!!

It's like a mini email course! 😀

What do you think, Reader? Are you excited to read this series? Hit "reply" and just say "yes" or "YAY!" or something so I know you're excited.

See you next Tuesday with Email #4 in our email countdown series!

PS. Proof of #4:

Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.​

If you have to, Unsubscribe here and break my heart. | Or you can just update my name and email preferences.

I love mail! Send it here: PO Box 1112, Setauket, NY 11733