Your Life. Your Layout. Let’s Design a Week That Actually Works for You.

Hey firestarter,

Here’s a little truth that shook me to my core: Most of us are planning for a life we don’t even want.

We fill our planners with routines that don’t feel right. We chase goals that sound impressive but leave us empty. And when we can’t keep up?

We blame ourselves.

But what if the problem wasn’t you? What if your life just needs a new layout?

This week is all about building a system that fits who you are—not who someone else thinks you should be.

Here’s what's coming in this week’s content:

[ Blog: “Life Layouts – How to Plan for the Person You Actually Are” ] Discover how to match your planner to your personality, lifestyle, and brain type—with tips for building a system that feels good to use.

[ Quiz: “What’s Your Planning Style?” ] Take our fun new quiz to find out whether you're a Visual Planner, ADHD-Friendly Task-Juggler, Minimalist Strategist, or Creative Chaos Queen—and get tips that match your results! Find it today in our Facebook Community, or on Instagram, Lemon8, or TikTok!

[ Facebook Fun: “Planner Confessions + Dream Day Drop” ] We're opening the comment thread for honest planning confessions and dreaming out loud. What's your ideal day look like? Let’s design it together.

[ Blog: “Signs You’re Planning for a Life That’s Not Yours” ] Are you chasing goals that don’t excite you? Learn the red flags that your planning system might be out of alignment—and what to do instead.

Tiny detour on the flight path!

This weekend, I’ll be off adventuring at the World Oddities Expo in San Antonio, tagging along with Doc Ganem’s Badasseries for a weekend full of weird, wild, and wonderful things (yes, it’s as extra as it sounds).

Think of it as a little “creative chaos recharge.” I’ll try to take lots of photos so you can experience the strangeness vicariously.

If you need anything while I’m out, go ahead and message me—I’ll swoop in to help as soon as I can. Full Phoenix mode (and your next Ember drop) resumes Monday morning!

Last week's theme focused on gentle rejuvenation, ideal for May and my return from a period of intensive design work. Did you miss our content? If so, here's a quick summary!

Last week, The Ember returned to inboxes with a quiet reflection, a soft smile, and a warm cup of coffee. Okay, no, but really there was just a short personal note of explanation; you can find it here.

Burnout doesn’t mean you failed—it just means you tried really hard for too long. Tuesday's blog was your soft landing back into routine.

No pressure. No hustle. Just 5 gentle ways to start again.

Even a spark counts. Read it here.

Last week, I sent a call out because right now, the most important reason behind Phoenix on Fire community and the products we offer is you.

So let me ask you now: What's one small way you're resetting this week?

Reply to this email for a personal check-in or comment on any of our posts on social media. Because I promise, that's more than a question for engagement. Life is HARD for so many of us right now and you are NOT alone.

Click the image to answer on our Facebook post:

Spark, Burn, Ashes, Rise, Soar—discover your season and own it.

Burnout doesn’t mean you failed—it just means you tried really hard. Learn about our unique and accurate Phoenix Cycle and how to regain your best self during each phase here.

Let’s stop molding ourselves to the plan—and start molding the plan to us.

You ready?

Let’s design something that fits.

With love (and layout love),