Jessica's Friday Five: one question to ask at dinner tonight

Hi Reader,

I've been away from home for the last few weeks for family and work travel - it's been a delightful couple of weeks, and I'm always delighted to return home and get back into my routines. We got to visit this spot that I loved, and I'll never forget how much fun it was to watch my Swiftie daughter enjoy the new album release from Taylor (I took this picture to show my daughter while I was waiting for an elevator). Let's get to your Friday Five!

1. Ask this at dinner: This week, I had the opportunity to chat with several Friday Fivers at a conference I attended (hi to those I got to hang out with in real life!), and one shared how well this tip from a few issues ago worked for her with her nephews. So I thought I'd share another suggestion I gave that reporter: Ask, "What made you smile (or laugh) today?" This question immediately shifts the focus to positive moments, helping us all notice joy in our daily experiences. Instead of the generic "fine" response that "How was school?" often gets, this invites them to reflect on specific bright spots. I've found it works well because it assumes something good happened, which encourages kids to look for those moments even on tough days. If they say "nothing," you can gently pivot with "What's something you're looking forward to tomorrow?" This keeps the conversation positive while acknowledging that some days are just hard.​
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2. Spend time in the settings: In chatting with some longtime friends and colleagues this week, I clarified for myself that one of the things holding back so many of us from making our work easier is that we don't spend time in the settings of the tools we use every day. The settings are where the magic can happen in your most frequently used tools (think email, Slack, WhatsApp, AI tools, calendar, etc.). My suggestion for you: take a few minutes to review the settings of your email program today. You'll undoubtedly find features and tweak settings that will make the tool work so much better for you. Then hit reply and let me know if you found any settings I should have tips about in future Friday Five issues!
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3. Throw a soup party: I heard about this idea earlier this year and set a reminder to consider it this fall, and I think I'm going to do it! Pick a date where there will likely be a chill in the air where you live, and invite your friends, family, or neighbors. Everyone brings a crockpot or container of homemade soup. You'll provide cups that can handle warm liquids, and everyone will try the soups. Maybe you could also provide some bread or ask the person who isn't keen on soup cooking to bring that. How fun! If you try it, please let me know.
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4. My #1, never-skip-it email newsletter: I told several folks this week in person that if I could only get one single email newsletter, it'd be Tangle News. This is incredibly high praise because, as you can imagine, I get a lot of email newsletters (and love them!). As an American, I think if everyone in my country read this newsletter each day, we'd be in a much different place. It's so helpful. One of you (hi, Kayla!) also recently told me that you love https://ground.news/, and I've started visiting their site regularly as well. If you're living in America, try out the Tangle free newsletter this week - unsubscribe if you don't like it, but I think you might really appreciate it.
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5. Want to help an advocacy cause but don't feel like an advocate? Is there an issue you care about but you're not entirely sure how to help? Consider your skills and think creatively about what they could look like. My friend Sheryl (hi friend!) is a finance professional. In a recent conversation, we discussed the possibility of her joining the board of directors for a nonprofit organization that does excellent advocacy work, which could utilize her skills in a treasurer role. An introverted friend of mine, Lynne, knocked on doors with us during a political campaign and found it really hard for her personality. For the rest of the campaign, Lynne provided childcare for those who wanted to volunteer to knock on doors or phone bank and needed a safe spot for their kids to hang out. My friend Connie used to make delicious comfort food dinners to feed phone bankers. There's a place for all of us. In 8 days, there's a big event to stand up for democracy all across America - it's sure to lift your spirits to be there. Text a friend to see if they'd like to go with you. Or offer to help in another way so that others can attend.

Bonus Sponsor Resource: Daily Nutrition Gummies. I decided about 7 months ago to try these daily greens gummies. I was curious but didn't really expect to like them as much as I do. They make a meaningful difference in my life, particularly in terms of gut health, skin health, and energy levels. I also just really like the ritual of it - they taste great and so it's kinda like a bit of a morning treat as well. Here's my tip: use my link and then hang out on the page for a few seconds - a 52% off coupon will appear. Magic! It's definitely worth trying to see if it helps you, too! This resource is from one of our Friday Five sponsors - thank you to them for keeping this newsletter free for readers!

Last Friday's Most-Clicked Link: The laser hair removal tool I've been using this past year. Those of you who got it - please tell me how it goes for you!

P.S. Some of y'all (and this issue impacted me, too) couldn't click on any of the links in last week's Friday Five. Such a bummer! It was a tech issue on the side of the tool I use to send these, but it's now corrected, so you can go read that issue and click any links here.