Hey Reader,

Look at these two Candy Land boards.

(Seriously. Don’t read ahead. Just look.)

Old Candy Land.

New Candy Land.

What do you notice?

For me, the first one feels calm.

The second one feels like it’s yelling at me.

I saw this comparison on Instagram the other day, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it.

The original video was about kids and overstimulation, but my brain went straight to business.

Because the longer you’re in business, the more you add.

…Another offer.
…Another freebie.
…Another platform.
…Another idea that sounds smart in the moment.

None of it is wrong.

But eventually, the path forward starts to feel… buried.

You sit down to work and instead of a clear path, it feels like the board is crowded.

There are so many possible moves that figuring out which one matters takes more energy than it should.

Lately I’ve been looking at my own business and asking:

• What am I doing that doesn’t really matter?
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• Where am I wasting time overcomplicating things?
  ​
• What could I cut and no one would notice?
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Business-wise, this is still a work in progress for me.

So I decided to test it at home.

I moved half of our dishes into that weird cabinet above the fridge.

I have two kids under 3. Turns out I don't actually need SIX coffee mugs sitting by the coffee pot.

It’s a small change.

But the kitchen feels calmer and in turn my entire life feels .01% calmer too.

I keep wondering if business works the same way.

Not adding something new.

Just removing a few pieces from the board.

Anyway.

That’s what I’ve been thinking about this week.

❤️ Mara

P.S. - I’d love to know, what’s something you’ve simplified recently that made your life easier. I’m always looking for ideas.

P.P.S. - February recap is coming next week. Numbers + real talk.

Email Sources:
​1. The History of Candy Land
​2. Video: The Candy Land Effect 🍭✨ (just a discussion, not a theory!)
​3. Not a source, but just really interesting - The Worst And Weirdest of Candy Land​
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