Alright, if you have the energy, raise your hand to show you survived the first full week back after the holidays.

Every year I forget how exhausting and traumatic the first full week back to work is. And I can see how in past years I've developed strategies and tactics to make it less painful/stressful. One year I pretended it didn't exist - that it was simply me and my inability to plan effectively. One year I completely ignored the holidays thinking that would make a difference. Just made the burnout accelerate.

Truth is - the gulf between holiday break and back to work highlights how work has become anti-human. How we are trapped in a system that actively encourages us to be productive and machine-like. And anything that smacks of human 'weakness' is rooted out and dismissed as not wanting it enough.

So how do we fix this? Perhaps it's in acknowledging that there's nothing to fix about us. The exhaustion isn't a personal failing. It's proof you're still human in a system that would prefer you weren't. Or rather, holding on to your humanity while operating in systems that actively reward us for inhumanity.

One of the things I want to figure out this year is how to make it easier for humans - particularly ones who identify as women/female/femme/feminine - to not only navigate but thrive in systems designed to keep us complacent and silent.

This is as much for me as for anyone else who is 40+ navigating a world that feels hostile to our existence and needs. What I've been noticing and seeking is opportunities to gather and collaborate with other women and non-binary folx. After experiencing the SheBuilds Lovable buildathon in October, I want that feeling more: feeling safe and secure with other people who help each other because that's how we all rise. Competitive from a space of opportunity for all rather than a label of best or biggest or most lucrative.

So this week's freebie? It's not a productivity hack. It's ridiculous validation wrapped in nostalgia and mythical creatures. Because sometimes staying human means remembering how to laugh at the absurdity of it all.

You survived the first week back. But here's what the system wants you to forget in the process:

You've already built things from nothing. You've already pivoted when plans fell apart. You've already figured out how to function on too little sleep, too few resources, and zero instruction manuals.

The exhaustion you're feeling isn't proof you're falling behind.

It's proof you're refusing to become a machine.

This isn't about reinventing yourself for 2026. It's about remembering that you've been adapting to hostile systems your whole life - and you're still here.

The question isn't "How do I fix myself?"

It's "What do I already know about surviving that I keep forgetting to trust?"

Some of my adventures from this past week, leaning heavily into whimsy and fun (it’s what I need right now):

iPhone hack of the year (maybe)

My buddy Nicole sent me this and I immediately tried it and got confused. But the promise is so alluring I can't let it go. If you're a mobile wizard and actually get this to work, please hit reply and tell me your secrets. I need to know if this is genius or just designed to make me feel inadequate.

Bowie, Mercury, & Pepe

And this is the energy that is always in fashion. Sometimes you need a reminder that legendary vibes transcend time, space, and species. This is that reminder.

This TikTok is my entire 2026 energy

An hysterical take on Blur's "Song 2" that perfectly captures the chaotic "woo-hoo" energy I'm bringing into this year. If you know, you know. And if you don't know yet, you will after watching this.

Partner of the week

Turns out newsletters don't pay for themselves. Who knew? This week's partner helps keep the lights on – and I thoroughly enjoy their product:

A big 2026 starts now. True builders use this stretch of time to get ahead, not slow down. Launch your website with AI, publish a stunning newsletter, and start earning more money quickly through the beehiiv Ad Network. Use code BIG30 for 30 percent off your first three months. Start building for 30% off today.

You survived Week One. Now you get to pick your ridiculous validation.

Some of you need permission to rest without guilt. Some of you need proof that being too early or too visible isn't a personal failure.

This week you get both options.

Option 1: Name Your Mood as a Cryptid

Match your current energy to a mythical creature. Get cryptid wisdom. Receive a battle cry.

Option 2: Your Personality as a Discontinued Product

Find out what 80s/90s/00s product you are. Get validation that discontinued doesn't mean failed.

When corporate speak makes your brain hurt and you just need to know what they actually want.

Role: You are a corporate translator who speaks both Business and Human fluently. You're excellent at cutting through jargon to reveal what people actually mean.

Objective: Translate this work message into plain human language, then tell me how to respond without wasting energy.

Context: I'm exhausted from the first week back. I got this message and I need to know: 1) What do they actually want from me, 2) How urgent is it really, and 3) What's the minimum viable response that keeps me human while meeting their actual need.

Here's the message: [paste message here]

Output:

✨ Try it in ChatGPT (free version works great)

The inaugural episode of Rails Optional with my buddy Dr. Nicole Eisdorfer drops Monday, January 12th at 11AM CST on Substack. Two neurodivergent, former HR execs, chatting about life post-corporate and building something of our own. The rails will definitely be optional.

Every Friday from 10:00-10:30AM CST, I'm going live in Joy Prompt Club. Come chat, get AI help, or just connect with other humans because we can and we want to. This week I'm opening it to everyone - you don't have to be a member.

Joy Prompt Club is open for Beta testers. Join here: https://joypromptclub.com/

It's completely FREE until Friday, January 30th. After that, anyone who stays gets locked in at $22/month for life. Regular price after Beta: $27/month.

FYI: I just posted an entire AI Confidential: Confidence NOW session in the Courses section. It's divided into 9 mini-sessions so you can watch or re-watch as you like.

One hour. Live, not recorded. Cameras optional. Come as you are.

Tuesday, January 20th | 7-8PM CST | No Recording

You made it through. That's the win.

I know it doesn't feel like enough. The to-do list is still long. The systems are still broken. The exhaustion is still real.

But you showed up anyway. And that matters more than the productivity gurus will ever admit.

💜

Take care of yourself, take care of each other,

Deb

P.S. If you tried one of this week's prompts and got something delightfully weird, hit reply and tell me. I want to know what cryptid you are or what discontinued product claimed you.

P.P.S. Forward this to someone who survived this week by the skin of their teeth. They're not alone.