(Recorded April 8) There is no one I was more delighted to connect with during this wild, winding time than longtime friendtor Alexandra Franzen. I’ve been following her work since 2011, and consistently delighted by the devotion, care, and creativity she gives to her community.
Alex is a writer, consultant, entrepreneur, retreat leader, and proud “checklist freak” based in Hawaii. She is the founder of the Tiny Press, a publishing imprint specializing in very short books–100 pages or less.
Today we’re talking about her 6th book, The Checklist Book: Set Realistic Goals, Celebrate Tiny Wins, Reduce Stress and Overwhelm, and Feel Calmer Every Day. Other books include You’re Going to Survive and So This Is the End: A Love Story.
In this conversation we touch on many of the topics she writes about: life, love, grief, unplugging from technology, creativity, focus, simplicity, time–and yes, the power of checklists for self-care, not just productivity!
Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/183
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More About Alexandra
Alexandra Franzen is a writer, consultant, and entrepreneur based in Hawaii. Her sixth book is The Checklist Book: Set Realistic Goals, Celebrate Tiny Wins, Reduce Stress and Overwhelm, and Feel Calmer Every Day. Other books include You’re Going to Survive and So This Is the End: A Love Story.
She has written articles for Time, Forbes, Newsweek, The Huffington Post, and Lifehacker. Her work has been mentioned in The New York Times Small Business Blog, The Atlantic, The Los Angeles Times, and Inc.
She writes about a wide range of topics: life, love, death, grief, unplugging from technology, creativity, focus, productivity, simplicity, time–and how we spend it.
She is the founder of the Tiny Press, a publishing imprint specializing in very short books–100 pages or less. Tiny Press books include Say It Now by Sherry Richert-Belul (#1 Amazon New Release), Wishwork by Alexa Fischer (featured on Good Morning America), and Your Next Level Life by Karen Arrington (nominated for 2020 NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Instructional Literary Work).
Topics Covered
10 years of self-employment - how her perspective has shifted; pull toward simplicity
Last on the show December 2017 talking about plan Z - we are in a collective plan z at the moment…
Fears that come up for us - how the anxiety shows up - and how we navigate around that back toward a calm place
Susan Hyatt’s question: “What is the high quality solution to this problem?”
If really spinning out, “Whatever you are thinking right now - this is not productive.”
Making a simple checklist: what are the next few things I can do, with the resources/time/energy I currently have
Very important that the checklist for the day not just be a to do list - it’s a vision for the day that’s realistic, focused, and flexible
Build moments that fuel you, increase your energy
Pratipaksha bhavanam: "Cultivate the opposite.” When everyone around you is panicking about money and hoarding resources, cultivate the opposite. Be exceptionally generous.
When the world feels topsy turvy, upside down, and so uncertain, cultivate the opposite. Build certainty. Make a checklist. Fill it with tiny goals that you can definitely achieve: drink water, have coffee, gaze at the sky, answer 3 emails, listen to an uplifting song.
When something isn’t working out and you feel so discouraged, cultivate the opposite. Ask yourself, “How can I make this feel amazing?” How could you make this situation feel like a big “win”—even if everybody cancels, even if nobody shows up for your party, even if you make zero dollars, even if things do not match your original vision? How could it feel beautiful, even then?
Spiritual bypassing vs. feeling all the feelings
“More than before”
Disruption has a way of bringing unexpectedly hard and unexpectedly beautiful things
Resources Mentioned
Alex on the web: Alexandra Franzen
Learn more: Articles, Newsletter, Books, Free Stuff
Related Pivot Podcasts: 76: On Plan Z, Creative Finish Lines and the Graceful No—with Alexandra Franzen
Story: Zen parable, “We’ll see”
From Alex:
Are you working from home? I made a checklist for you. A list of small things you can do to set yourself up for a calm, focused, and successful workday. Whether you've worked at home for a long time (like me) or whether it's a new adjustment for you, I hope this brightens your day.
Do you need a break from all the scary news? You might enjoy this. It's a podcast called So Obsessed. My friend Melissa and I chat about all of our obsessions. It's very silly and maybe it's exactly the kind of sweet, fluffy mind-escape that you need right now. Curl up with us and relax.
Feeling stressed? Consider doing a tiny project. It feels satisfying to tackle something tiny and get it done. Plus, tiny projects can make a big difference in people's lives. Here are 15 tiny project ideas for you.
Check out other episodes of the Pivot Podcast here. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen, and if you enjoy the show I would be very grateful for a rating and/or review! Sign-up for my weekly(ish) #PivotList newsletter to receive curated round-ups of what I’m reading, watching, listening to, and new tools I’m geeking out on.