5SmartReads

an annoying ringing in my ear, EMDR, and where i’m thriving This is the well check: my sometimes messy, always honest wellness diary. How I stay mentally, physically, and spiritually healthy through it all (and real talk about what doesn’t work, too). I want to be transparent about my health updates, while protecting myself in vulnerability. These are deeply personal dispatches, and the paywall is what lets me be brutally honest.

Sushma and I met when I was a new blogger (in my Hitha On The Go era), and she was quickly rising the ranks in PR for food & beverage brands. Over a decade later, we’ve supported each other through the newlywed phase, raising our sons to be good men, growing and scaling companies, closing career chapters, and supporting each other with sandwich caregiving struggles and grief. She’s also the ultimate hype woman, generous with her time and voice and hyping you up when you’re not in the room.

one listen gave me a unicorn day - and a pretty great following day this email might be cut off in your browser - click here to read it in full. I listened to this podcast on Thursday morning. And I’m not exaggerating when I say it turned around the entire day (and week). The first half of the week was…fine. I was in Philly on Monday for my mom’s follow-up appointments. It took up the whole day (started at 10:30 and wrapped up at 2:30, plus the train rides there and back).

how I'm taking care of myself this month September - thank you. You were my best month of the year (and in maybe years). I don’t know if it was the solar system finally giving me a break (adiós, Mars in Cancer) or the tide turning for good, but I’m grateful for you. Now, I did overdo it a bit with my ‘yes’ RSVPs, making sure I was at all of my mom’s follow up appointments, and hosting friends in our home.

Is anyone else guilty of overdoing it just a little bit in September? It’s me, I am, and I have minimal regrets. Last week was my best work week of the year. Tuesday: hosting the Start With Yourself book salon was one of those “I’m in the right place, this is the right work” moments. Wednesday: I made it to Philadelphia for my mom’s follow up appointment with her surgeon (and a quick meeting with one of my advisors), and made it home in time for back-to-school night.

You can’t log onto the internet without being baited. And I’m not just talking about the news. I just logged on to Instagram, swiped over to my Reels tab, and was fed the following: • “We need to talk about Best of the Best…” • “If you’re a Cancer and feel like you’ve been personally victimized by the universe…” • “A little delusion can change your life…” • and at least three clips from the Patrick Clancy interview Every post hijacked my brain, and not in a good way.

this email might be cut off in your inbox - click here to read it in full. “We’re here today because I am very online (too online, sometimes) and because I have a hard time saying no. Someone from Emma Grede’s team, however, was paying attention and invited me to host one of the first Start With Yourself community book clubs.” This is how I kicked off my Tuesday morning, at a beautiful coffee and flower shop in Chelsea, surrounded by 20 of my smartest friends.

I’m expanding my well checks posts into a wider series, covering my health, caregiving, and my career. These check ins are where I write honestly about my health, caregiving for my parents while raising my boys, and what building this business actually looks like — the numbers, the doubts, the wins. They are deeply personal, and the paywall is what lets me be vulnerable and brutally honest. It’s why I’ve priced subscriptions as low as Substack will let me go.

“AI is going to eradicate humanity.” ”It’s all a PR stunt to help protect their IPOs.” ”I couldn’t live without Claude.” ”I refuse to use Chat.” ”AI is incredible.” “AI is evil.” AI is like Madonna. There’s no such thing as a neutral opinion on AI or Madonna, and the former is hijacking the news cycle, our minds, and our well being. My previous #5SmartReads on AI post is more timely today than when I first published it, and I’d like to revisit this topic again today.

This is the first week in 2026 that felt normal. I’d forgotten what that felt like. I woke up by 6, and savored my morning coffee in relative peace. Breakfast and the school drop off went fairly smoothly. I did all the things I’m supposed to do to take care of myself (meditated, journaled, lifted really heavy weights), and I enjoyed them. I savored the morning rush with the kids, and laughing at the dinner table with them.