Company Memo: Best Planners, One-of-a-Kind Accessories, and Humans of New York Series

There are a million ways to get organized this fall—at our house, we have a 12-month old school paper calendar, a dry erase calendar, we all use the Cozi Family Organizer app on our phones (Maddox even has it on her iPod), and for my birthday, Graham got me a gift card for Emily Ley’s Simplified Planner to help me create a schedule for my blog posts. I loved reading Lorae’s organizational recommendation list this week, and the Passion Planner sounds nothing short of inspirational. Plus, it’s gorgeous. Hello, Rose Gold Blossom design. As we go into this Labor Day weekend, I hope you’ll take a few minutes to read the Company Memo. Have a safe and happy holiday!

Do: Mental Health First Aid Training

Yesterday, I shared a very personal story about grief after losing my brothers to suicide. One of my missions is to work to de-stigmatize mental health and help people understand that mental health first aid training is as important as CPR first aid training. This week, Mashable reported that Lady Gaga is partnering up with Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) to bring training to every American city on her Joanne tour. The goal is to train over 150,000 people to be “first aiders” by the end of the year. (Since 2008, more than 1 million people have been trained by MHFA.) Mental Health First Aid trains people to understand the signs and risk factors associated with mental illness, and how to follow up and support with appropriate resources. In 2015, I received a grant from the state of Virginia and became a certified MHFA instructor. As a mother, I would want any educator, coach, or fellow parent trained in this program since we are all the eyes and ears of our children. Please consider asking your employer to sign up, or take a day to participate at a training near you.

Watch: Humans of New York Series

I don’t know many people who haven’t heard of Humans of New York. In 2010, photo-journalist Brandon Stanton began bringing fellow New Yorkers to life through his incredibly moving photo documentaries on Facebook. These stories, both beautiful and haunting, give us a glimpse into how others live. With two best selling books, HONY has now produced the video Humans of New York: The Series, with over 1200 interviews, four years in the making. This empathic documentary will move you to see humanity through a more honest lens.

Want: Passion Planner

Back-to-school shopping is one of my favorite times of the year. I know, I’m a nut! Also around this time, my type A personality begins thinking what planner I need to buy for the coming year. I love documenting my life on paper—who am I kidding—I’d be lost without it, and there are so many good organizers our there. These two articles share the hippest and best planner products. The ones I follow and look to for inspiration are Erin Condren, Emily Ley, and Ink and Volt, but my vote for Best Planner for the 3rd year in a row goes to Passion Planner. They are a get-one, give-one company which means when you buy a planner, they give one away (to schools, organizations and individuals). My favorite components of the Passion Planner are the passion roadmap, monthly reflections, inspirational quotes, the not-to-do list, weekly & daily focus, and good things that happened sections. They come in a classic and compact size so you can pick what fits your lifestyle (and your purse!). There is great ability to personalize your planner with drawings, bullets, and highlighters—whatever brings you joy and focus. This year, Passion Planner even announced a new ECO planner that is more environmentally friendly. If you aren’t ready to commit to a new planner just yet, they have a template you can play with to get a feel for how your passions can come to life. Thanks for letting me geek out on planners, guys, and here’s to hoping we all have a more organized year!

Read: Washington Post article on Encouraging Childhood Independence

My kids are entering a new school in still-new city this fall. I don’t like to consider myself a helicopter parent but know that I can HOVER with the best of them. A good friend posted this Washington Post article and I couldn’t help but share with my fellow sojourners in the weeds of parenting. I think back to how I grew up with no fear of walking to and from school, and bicycling around open streets just before dusk with parents on their way home from work, and I wonder what’s changed? This article is meant for discussion and thought: what are we capable of, what are our children capable of, and what opportunities can we give them to have the confidence and independence they need to conquer the world.

Listen: Podcast Guide

Catching up on podcasts is my favorite thing to do while walking the dog, folding laundry, or cleaning the house. My best girlfriends and I like to share podcasts and discuss on Voxer. We fell in love with Serial in the fall of 2014, and were all intrigued by S-Town last year. Here is a podcast guide from Of A Kind (think subscription newsletter similar to The Skimm melded with the lastest fashion designers yet to hit mainstream).

Insta-Follow: Gaia for Women

Founded by Paula Minnis, this global textile company has been built by refugee women rebuilding their lives in Texas. Anyone would covet their beautifully colored and hand-crafted accessories. Many of their products are composed of upcycled, vintage or eco-friendly materials. Gais’s goal is to design with consumption in mind so that not an inch is wasted, which also means some of their pieces are one of a kind. Most of their artisans work from home, set their own schedules, and remain with their children. These resettled refugee women are rebuilding their lives in the US, earning a living wage for their handcrafted collections. Follow them and you will understand why I drool over their feed. The Faye earrings, Sunnie Bracelets, and The Adila Clutch are my top picks.

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