The Let Me Play Project

09/30/2023

A much-later-'gram, but I took my third rank test in aikido this June & passed! I am now 4th kyu, or Yonkyu, meaning that I know about 20 techniques and have trained on at least 140 days.

4th kyu's proving to be pretty fun. I definitely feel like an advanced-beginner now. My aikido friends are throwing me around with more energy, & I'm starting to pick techniques up faster. I can also see so much self-improvement from my first test in June 2022 to my third test in June of 2023. 🌱

The pressure is off me for the moment, as my dojo is preparing six (!) of our members for various degrees of black belt testing this November. But today I got my white board ready to track all of the techniques I need to learn & the days I need to train ahead of my next test, which gave me a tingle of excitement. ✨️

I've always loved checklists, & this tracking method has worked wonders for me preparing for my tests so far; seeing the empty bullet points on the board shows me what I will soon know. Great motivation for a lifelong learner!

I am currently 20 days into the 100 required training days to be eligible for my next test. If all goes according to plan, I hope to test next March.

In the meantime, I am excited to support my fellow dojo members – to roll, to throw, & to grow!

🍑

09/01/2023

A delayed flight just means more time to play and more treats to eat. 😋

08/28/2023

Cooking up some new episodes at one of my favorite cafés...across the country! An adventurous season is in the oven.

02/22/2023

Happy (day after) Mardi Gras! 🎉

This holiday always sneaks up on me, as I've never lived in NOLA, & I've yet to "shrive."

However! I love using holidays as inspiration on what to feed myself for the week. So, I was glad to find a new recipe for alle belle (eggless Goan pancakes) that cleared out some old pantry ingredients as well as a simple recipe for jambalaya.

As a certified Lazy Chef™ who would much rather actively play or work than cook, I don't usually have energy left over each night to thoughtfully consider food, & I often wind up just feeding myself whatever is easiest.

The liminal space between freelance projects gives me freedom to create on my own timeline, though. So, I am grateful for the holiday inspiration as well as for the energy I have to explore a little culinary creativity. 👩‍🍳

This time between gigs is essential for me to rest, reflect, & redirect, & I hope that we can create space for anyone to take secure sabaticals if they wish.

💜💛💚

01/08/2023

Sarah was featured on this episode of the SPARKED Podcast!

Got a career or business question for the Brainstrust? Submit here. How do you satisfy an impulse to build a living around multiple passions and be in co…

01/01/2023

💫 SIDE QUEST UNLOCKED! 💫

SIDE QUEST II: SPARKED
Sarah was featured on one of her favorite shows -- the SPARKED Podcast hosted by & !
This special Side Quest episode is Sarah's response to her question being answered.

To Complete This Quest:

☆ Read our Side Quest II Substack article (link in bio)

☆ Listen to the SPARKED Podcast episode (3rd pic)

☆ Listen to this LMP SQ episode

Find both podcasts on Spotify, Amazon Music, & Apple Podcasts.

Thanks for playing!

12/31/2022

🦉📜 NEW SCROLL ALERT! 📜🦉

This year of play has been absolutely magical, & I wouldn't trade it for the world.

It was, however, a bumpy ride. So, I thought it best to reflect on the year by sharing some of my more chaotic moments.

If you'd like to hear about some of my bumps and boings of 2022, follow the Substack link in the bio to the article, "A Year of 'Oops'."

And don't worry, there's plenty of play to come; my days without play are of auld lang syne.

Thanks for playing!

12/13/2022

Winter is coming, friends, and LMP Season II is blowing in along with it! ❄

A lovely season awaits, with episodes airing weekly, beginning 12.21.22.

We had so much fun at our Season I launch party, that we decided to do it again! Come help us launch The Frosty Season off at our Virtual Launch Party on Topia this Sunday (12.18.22) at 7pm EST. (More details to come.)

The path we've traveled has been beautiful so far; can't wait to show you what lies ahead.

12/01/2022

A big thank you to everyone who has joined me on the first year of my quest! It's amazing to me that this little project created from desperation and selfishness has sprouted into something of beauty and wonder and has tugged on the heartstrings of people outside of myself.

Spotify puts these yearly Wrapped reports together for listeners and artists in an aesthetically satisfying way, so I thought I'd share! These data are only from Spotify, of course, but it warms my heart to see the first year of LMP presented numerically.

I had no concept of the content amount, your loyalty, or even the Top Episode, so this Wrapped report was cool to see! LMP truly is a budding community, and it does not surprise me at all that Spotify has deemed you all as Adventures.

Many thanks, friends, and I hope to have you along for LMP Season II, releasing soon!

All are welcome. All are appreciated. All are loved.

💜

09/16/2022

"Having a growth mindset is more than operating with an open mind – it’s believing that effort and practice lead to mastery and that failures are setbacks, not final results."

Excellent piece on growth vs fixed mindsets from Lewis Howes at The School of Greatness! If you want to hear more about the topic, check out our podcast episode I.VII: GROWTH in the comments below. 🌱

Learn about the difference between a fixed and a growth mindset and how they can impact your behavior and life.

09/06/2022

Happy birthday to me! I gave myself the gift of knowledge for my birthday and got licensed to drive a motorcycle. This was very exhilarating, as I'd never driven a stick-shift vehicle nor operated a clutch, but the instructors were very supportive and patient, and they cheered me on all the way. 🏍

08/24/2022

"Many of us find ourselves worrying more about saying the right thing in a conversation, as opposed to asking the right question. I can tell you that’s a missed opportunity because personal development and growth begin when you demonstrate curiosity by asking questions."

Curiosity transcends medium! I like to think the questions we discuss on our podcast help to inspire growth, too.

While listening is an important skill, the art of asking questions is equally, if not more, important when it comes to learning more about your work tasks, unlocking hidden opportunities, delivering better results, and mitigating unforeseen risks. Great questions have three main characteristics: Gre...