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Nothing Happens in the Winter

Share the goods.

A cartoon dog in a scarf enjoys the snow.

When the snow really starts to fall in Michigan it seems as though the entire state goes into hibernation. Why? Because there are few things better than cozying up and doing absolutely nothing. That feeling of nothing, and not feeling guilty for staying inside all day, is one of the best parts of winter, in our opinion.
Because we are experts in practicing the art of relaxation and coziness, a few of our team members at 8THIRTYFOUR have shared their favorite “nothing” day activities:

TV Binge Session

Waking up late on a Saturday morning and feasting on pancakes, bacon, and coffee is the best way to start a day of nothing. Crawl back into bed with a bundle of blankets and binge watch all the shows you’ve been hoarding in your Netflix queue.

All the Comfort Food

The ideal, lazy-day schedule is prepping an easy batch of chili in the morning to cook in the Crockpot all day long (the smells!), camping out on the couch to watch old rom-coms, football, and The Office, and finally, a few on-and-off-again naps. After a day of doing absolutely nothing, you can reward yourself with fresh, delicious chili… and maybe a cocktail.

Cookie Tasting Affair

It’s that special time of year when cabinets and freezers start filling up with Girl Scout cookies! Take these sweet beauties up a notch by thoughtfully pairing them with ideal beverages. Whip up a hot toddy to enjoy alongside your Lemonades; Samoas taste better when you sip a Manhattan; Thin Mints deserve a premium White Russian; Tagalongs need a bold chilled white wine; and you can layout your Trefoils next to fresh gutter water because they are TRASH. Fight me. They are the worst. Basically, garbage cookies.

Go Out and Explore (A little)

If you’re not a stay-inside-no-matter-what type of person, short, exploratory strolls are always a great way to waste a day while still tricking yourself into thinking you were productive. Wander down a path that you haven’t explored before or just let your feet take you to your favorite chill coffee shop. There you can melt away a few hours just browsing social media on your laptop or phone. This lazy technique might get you out of the house, but you can make anything into nothing if you try hard enough!

The Perfect Day

Sweatpants. Vinyl records. Delicious Food. Wine. Need I say more?

Fuel Your Creativity

Allowing yourself to be “bored” leads to some of the best creative ideas. In a world full of constant interaction with technology and social media, doing nothing can stimulate your brain and lead to creative thoughts. So, drop a bath bomb in in your tub full of hot water (which will also warm you up this winter), and relax in stillness for a few minutes. Bring a notebook to put next to you in case any earth-shattering ideas pop into your head, and enjoy your time of technology-free, head-clearing silence.
What are you doing on Tuesday, February 19th? Nothing? Oh, good. Then be sure to join us at 8THIRTYFOUR for our first ever Nothing Party. We will be celebrating absolutely nothing while enjoying crockpot snacks and boozy winter drinks. Be sure to RSVP! We can’t wait to hang out and do nothing with you.

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Recent Musings

Something on Your Mind?

We’re officially two days out…

Uncomfortable Conversations | The Pause is happening this Thursday, Sept 24, and we’re getting real about perimenopause with a panel of industry experts who have the answers (see our speaker spotlights for more details).

Come for the expert insight. Stay because you get to hang with us. 

Registration closes soon. Grab your spot at the link in bio.
Introducing our third speaker for Uncomfortable Conversations | The Pause, happening this Thursday. 

Meet @bitnermd, co-founder of @true.womenshealth, a concierge practice in West Michigan, focused on helping women thrive through midlife while reducing chronic conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, depression, and diabetes. 

Dr. Bitner is a board-certified OB/GYN specializing in midlife, menopause, and sexual health. She’s the author of I Want to Age Like That! and has published peer-reviewed research on menopause care. She was named Menopause Practitioner of the Year by The Menopause Society in 2015. Dr. Bitner is committed to translating evidence into practical, scalable solutions that improve women’s health, confidence, and participation at work and in life. We’re beyond excited to have her join our panel discussion this Thursday. 

Register now to hear from Dr. Bitner and our industry experts at The Pause on September 24th. 

Secure your spot at the link in bio.
Every WOSB deserves support, access, guidance, and a network, because when they have it, they’re unstoppable.

Just because you be small, does not mean you are not mighty. The Women’s Owners Network will accept its first cohort this November. Applications are due October 1.

Thank you to @lakemichigan_cu for partnering with us to provide this program. Their support means we can offer this at a significantly lower cost to business owners.

Go apply at the link in bio.
Introducing our second speaker for Uncomfortable Conversations | The Pause, happening this Thursday. 

Meet Cheryl Bergman, Executive Director of the @miwomenscomm.

Cheryl is a statewide policy leader driving economic opportunity and better health outcomes for women across Michigan. Appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2019, she brings together employers, healthcare experts, advocates, and policymakers to tackle the issues that actually move the needle - economic security, affordable childcare, and midlife women's health.

Before this role, Cheryl helped elect Michigan's first woman U.S. Senator and first woman Governor, and served as Senior Advisor on Governor Whitmer's 2018 campaign.

She's exactly the voice this conversation needs.

Join Cheryl and our powerhouse lineup of industry experts at The Pause on September 24th. 

Link in bio to register - spaces are going fast.
We love this trend, so we thought we’d jump on it and ask the team some “hard-hitting questions” to end the week. 

We’re a team made up of Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z. Find out who knows the most about the classics. Any guesses?
We've received so many questions from new grads about breaking into a competitive market as a young professional. It starts with one thing according to @bodespeaks: being the salesperson of YOU. Emulate the leaders in your industry and show up where they show up.

It's not who you know, it's who knows you
Use the playbook of people you admire
Show up consistently and be seen
A handwritten note beats 100 LinkedIn messages, always.

See more Bode wisdom at her YouTube channel linked in our bio.
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