High Five Friday Newsletter

It’s High 5 Friday 🙌🏽

Today felt like a remake of the kids book, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

By 9:30AM, I had:

• A giant Florida bug on my counter
• A knife wound from making breakfast
• A bird (maybe a crane? maybe a pterodactyl?) slam into my windshield.
• And a flooded bathroom sink

And yet, by afternoon I was wiping away happy tears at my kids' spring concert. We grabbed lunch. We sang in the car. It made me realize:
Freedom in motherhood isn’t just about big milestones, sometimes, it’s about saying yes even when the morning is a mess. Motherhood should be a little lighter. A little freer. A little more yours.

That’s the future I had in mind when I created PocketPotty. Not because potty emergencies are glamorous, they aren’t, but because one small thing getting easier can open the door to everything else.

Here are five things helping me move toward that kind of freedom this week:

1

What I am holding onto:

The morning was messy. The concert was magic. Both were real.
Freedom isn’t waiting for the chaos to end, it’s showing up for the moments that matter.

2

What is happening behind the scenes at OneTwoBlue:

In the middle of launch chaos, I made one tiny decision that felt like freedom:
I designed a cheeky permission slip postcard to tuck into every PocketPotty order. A little joy, hiding in the chaos.

3

What you can try today:

🦜 Studies show hearing birdsong, even for a few seconds, can reset your nervous system.
Open a window. Step outside. Let the day feel lighter, even for a moment.

4

What I’m recommending:

📋 Create one tiny system.
A mom once shared her lunchbox rule:

• Something salty
• Something sweet
• Something refreshing
• Something crunchy

Simple, repeatable, sanity-saving.

5

What I am sitting with:

🧠 Small wins are how freedom gets built.
Research shows tiny victories fuel resilience. (Harvard Business Review)

Freedom isn’t built on perfect days, it’s built on small wins, like a packed lunchbox, a calm breath, a singing bird, one ordinary day at a time.

With a big high five,

💙 Nerissa

It’s High 5 Friday 🙌🏽

When your brain won’t stop spinning, sometimes the best relief is to focus on something simple — like a ball flying at your face. 😂

This week, in the thick of prepping for the PocketPotty launch, I surprised myself. I said yes to playing pickleball. Twice.

I’ve never been great at compartmentalizing. My brain likes to loop, rework, recheck, replan. But something happened on that court. I wasn’t multitasking. I wasn’t solving. I was just… focused.

And for once, that focus felt like a gift, not another demand.

It reminded me that I don’t always need more time or more help to feel better. Sometimes I just need to lose myself in something that interrupts the loop.

Here are five things helping me break the spiral this week; I hope they help you too:

1

What made me laugh (and sweat) :

Pickleball.
That’s it. That’s the bullet.
I’m not good. I forget the score. But I 10/10 recommend a low-stakes game where no one expects you to win, just to show up.

2

What is happening behind the scenes at OneTwoBlue:

I learned this week that the minimum order for packing tape is like 57 rolls. Which means I now own enough tape to launch PocketPotty and maybe a moving company. If anyone needs a roll, you know where to find me.

Also: keep an eye on your inbox. One of the upcoming launch emails will include a little surprise, tucked in quietly. It’s for the ones paying close attention to every email they get with a little 💙 in the subject line.

3

What you can try today:

🌈 The “Name 5 Things” Reset This is a sensory grounding exercise that helps your body interrupt anxiety in real time. You can do it anywhere; in the carpool line, in the kitchen, even in the middle of a toddler meltdown. Have you heard of it?

Here’s how it goes:

• Look around and name 5 things you can see
• Reach out and notice 4 things you can touch
• Tune in to 3 things you can hear
• Breathe in and catch 2 things you can smell
• And notice 1 thing you can taste (or wish you could!)

When your mind is racing, this gives your nervous system a place to land. It shifts your focus out of the chaos and into the present, one sense at a time.

4

What I’m recommending:

An upgraded hand sanitizer. It’s sleek, discreet, and smells amazing. It’s the kind of tiny upgrade that makes everyday moments feel a little more intentional. Presence isn’t always about sitting still — it’s about showing up with your senses on.

5

What I am sitting with:

🧠 Sometimes the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself, in movement, in laughter, in the moment you’re actually living.

Here’s to the moments that pull you back to yourself. Unexpected, simple, and exactly what you needed.

With a big high five,

💙 Nerissa

It’s High 5 Friday 🙌🏽

Motherhood can feel small sometimes.

A few years ago, that was me. Living in Brooklyn, staying home with twin babies, trying to find my footing. One day, exhausted and doubting myself, I crossed the bridge to Manhattan for a family event. And out of all the people in New York City, Gloria Steinem appeared on the sidewalk in front of me. As she smiled into the stroller, I thanked her for all she had done for women. And then she turned to me and said:

“Thank you for the important work you are doing to raise these babies.”

Sometimes what you need most isn’t doing more. It’s seeing what you’re already doing with new eyes. That’s exactly why I am launching PocketPotty. Because every mom deserves tools that help her feel seen, supported, and free to step out into the world with her kids. Sometimes that looks like kind words from a stranger. Sometimes it looks like a clean, portable potty in your bag.

Here are five things helping me see motherhood differently this week — I hope they help you too:

1

A quote I am holding onto:

❤️ “Perhaps you are the one you’ve been waiting for.” — Gloria Steinem

2

The story that I’m remembering:

A stranger saw me—sweaty, exhausted, doubting—and reminded me that raising kids is real work. Real contribution. Real legacy. ✨

3

What you can try today:

💬 Text a Friend Right Now

Pick someone who gets it. Send them a quick text that says: "Hey, can we be each other's emergency cheerleader? No advice needed. Just a "🙌🏽 + you got this" when one of us is having a day." It's simple. It's quick. And it's an easy way to feel a little less alone on the hard days.

4

What is bringing me peace:

An essential oil diffuser. Creating a calming environment can be a form of self-recognition. I love having a clean, essential oil diffuser running in the background — it makes my space feel more like mine even in the chaos. Here is a beautiful ceramic one. Along with a more budget friendly option.

5

What is shifting my perspective:

🧠 Harvard Business Review published research showing that the skills most valued in effective leaders—like empathy, adaptability, and clear communication—are developed every day in parenting. Motherhood is leadership. The world might not always reward these skills—but they shape families, communities, and futures. And they matter deeply.

Here’s to seeing yourself as you really are: capable, worthy, and already doing the most important work of all.

With a big high five,

💙 Nerissa