Memo 015: Motion to Get Back On Track
Setbacks Don’t Get the Final Say
Opening Statement
Let the record reflect: no one’s life runs on a perfect docket. Some weeks, your calendar is airtight, your to-do list is in full compliance, and you feel like the judge, jury, and star witness in your own success story. Other weeks? You’re late to your own life.
Full Disclosure: This week was a setback for me, personally. I missed the memo, literally. Candidly, it’s been harder to keep all of my evidence organized as of late.
A setback, missing a deadline, falling off your routine, or just feeling mentally scattered, doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means you’ve reached the edge of your current capacity. In my court, that’s not cause for dismissal, but for amendment. Because getting “back on track” isn’t about returning to where you were, it’s about building the systems and stamina to get where you’re going. When life starts to feel unmanageable, it’s usually because you’re being stretched to fit the next level. So instead of spiraling, I’m choosing to simply . . . get back on track. No drama, no panic. Just a Wednesday evening Memo.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with life lately, just take the next right step toward your glossed life. Then the next. Then the next. That’s how we win cases, and that’s how we win at life.
Exhibits
Gloss Docket
Grabbing: The Bared Footwear Attila Heel; Omni energy drinks (living for the Georgia Peach flavor)
Listening: I told you things by Gracie Abrams x Sign of the Times by Harry Styles x Illicit Affairs by Taylor Swift mashup
Obsessing: Taylor Swift going on New Heights podcast . . . I’m about to tune in; playing For the Girls with my besties in the park
Styling: an I <3 NY tee (because I really do); layering a mini dress over a button down in a Serena Van Der Woodsen coded look.
Stepping into: getting back on track when you drop the ball
Testimony
Right now, I’m straddling the overlap of three, very demanding, full-time jobs: lawyer, model, and creator. My workload doesn’t ask politely . . . it storms in like opposing counsel on a caffeine high. My docket is overflowing, my email feels like a live crime scene, and sleep has become the only negotiable part of my schedule. Every day feels like a sprint through quicksand.
And yet, I’m excited knowing that life feels most unmanageable right before you level up. Those overwhelming days aren’t proof that you can’t handle the dream, they’re proof that you’re brushing up against the ceiling of your current systems, and you’re about to break through.
Here’s what I remind myself when I’m in the weeds:
Audit the Case: Just like a lawyer reviews evidence, review your commitments. Which tasks actually move the needle? Which ones are just “noise” you’ve been conditioned to prioritize? If it doesn’t directly advance your goals, it’s optional.
Set Temporary Precedent: In court, not every ruling stands forever. In life, not every sacrifice is permanent. Sometimes you intentionally let certain things slide (think social events, hyper-detailed admin work, even a perfect gym streak) because you’re focusing on what’s most critical in this season.
File Micro-Motions Daily: Overwhelm tells you to wait until you “have time” to get back on track. But time rarely frees itself. Start with five minutes, clean your desk, schedule one overdue call, outline one post, post Gloss Briefing for this week (me to me). Momentum compounds faster than motivation.
Remember the Standard of Proof: You don’t have to prove to anyone else that you’re crushing it. The only evidence that matters is how you feel about your progress.
In law and in life, I’ve learned that you can win a case without winning every motion. And you can still build a dream life while dropping a ball or two along the way.
So treat your overwhelm like Exhibit A that you’re about to grow into a glossier version of yourself. Because the truth is, no one builds an extraordinary life by staying in “manageable.” Growth is messy. Progress is inconvenient. And sometimes the only way to handle it is to fumble your way through knowing this is your court and your rules.
Closing Argument
The jury’s in: you don’t need to be perfectly “on track” to be making progress. You just need to keep moving, especially when it’s uncomfortable. your future self won’t remember the messy week, the missed post, or the short nights of sleep. She’ll remember that you kept going when it felt like the wheels might come off. The fact that you’re overwhelmed might actually be launching you into your next level. . . and that’s how you win.
Setbacks don’t get the final say unless you let them. And in your courtroom, you’re the one who bangs the gavel.
Briefing adjourned.
Xo,
Alyssa, CGO