Get your butterflies flying in formation

and the culinary prowess of cream of chicken soup

Hello friends! Happy New Year! I hope you enjoyed your holiday season, and you have ushered 2024 in with ease.

I have to apologize for my brief break. I closed the year sprinting in all areas of my life. Between an end-of-year funding campaign for the nonprofit I manage to the wonderful holiday parties and workshops I was lucky to host, to teaching my last sourdough classes of the year, and then juggling the general holiday chaos that ensues in December, I found myself run ragged. Oh also, I got pancreatitis. That was fun.

This year has forced me out of my comfort zone in so many areas, professionally and personally. The momentum of Hailey’s Wild Kitchen has been nothing short of miraculous. I’m in awe of how this year has transpired and the joyous interactions I cultivated. That said, I said yes to everything and everyone. I began swirling down the toilet drain of all the things I was working to undo: stress, anxiety, overworking myself, and thus, making my family and myself grumpy. No one likes Grumpy Hailey.

So I checked out. I ignored my phone. I unplugged from social media. I apologize to anyone whose messages I missed. I am still catching up on texts, and I haven’t yet opened Instagram. I didn’t document my food. I didn’t create any content. I didn’t stress about my social media presence or writing here.

I did play a ton of games with my girls. I practiced yoga almost every day. I decided to put my wine opener in the drawer and drink tea instead. I listened to so many glorious podcasts. I basically slowed the hell down for two weeks. I’ve had the time and space to finally hear myself think, which is ironic because the intent of my new professional direction was to create more time and flexibility for myself. Old habits die hard.

I heard some wisdom yesterday (from one of my favorite podcasts: Hidden Brain). Even when I think about it now I get a visceral reaction: “Get your butterflies flying in formation.”

I have been so preoccupied with all of the shoulds of this little hustle of mine — how often I should I post, how often I teach, what my content looks or feels like, do I include my kids, do I share minutia, real life, CASSEROLES? It’s comical I know. I’m laughing at the absurdity of it, too. However, putting oneself out there is scary as shit!

If you’re still with me, good on you! The punchline is coming, I promise.

That said, what I’ve been doing these past couple weeks is getting my butterflies to fly in formation. What I’ve realized about myself is honesty, vulnerability, and harmless self-deprecation ooze out of my being. I love casseroles. I am unashamed to tout the culinary prowess of cream of chicken soup. I love liverwurst and cucumber sandwiches with LOTS of mayo. I love mayo. I also love you for reading this little newsletter and sticking with me.

Lots of goodness to come this year. I plan to share lots more real life, more casseroles, more of my family because they are my reason behind all of this. Thanks again for following along. Wishing you and yours a year of intentional time, JOY, and lots of soul-reviving casseroles.

xoH