even tho i'm constantly rejecting him

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The other week, I was SO excited to spend some time with my male bsf (who I matched w/ on Tinder last Nov, but we both instantly agreed we'd make better friends than lovers) because I was fiiiinally gonna meet the girl he's seeing.

His roommate came too, which was... fine.

Except he'd been drinking since noon. And by 7 p.m., he was saying things like “it's cuz you’re just so cute” when it wasn’t even part of the conversation.

Every time I stepped back, he stepped closer.

Not aggressive, just… persistent in a way that made me want to leave the interaction entirely.

Thankfully, my friend noticed. He had a quiet convo with his roommate (as this wasn't the first time he's gotten drunk + I've shut him hitting on me down lol), and the rest of the night went on without issue.

But even now, I’m still thinking about how quickly a well-intentioned moment can make someone shut down when boundaries aren’t respected.

And you know where else I see this happen?

In email (oh come oooon, you knew that was coming 😉)

When you push too hard.

When you treat unsubscribes like betrayal.

Or even when you show up one-sided instead of giving people the space to choose.

🌊 What to Do When People Unsubscribe 🌊

It sucks when people leave your list, I get it.

You spent all this time creating value, sharing your stories, giving helpful context, and they just... bounce.

But here’s the thing most brands forget:

Unsubscribes aren’t rejection.

They’re just boundaries being put in place for a plethora of reasons.

Maybe their inbox is overflowing. Maybe your product isn’t relevant to them anymore. Maybe they don’t vibe with your style (and hey, that’s okay! They’re just not your people).

Trying to “win them back” with pushy copy, begging, or guilt-tripping?

That gives the same energy as someone who won’t stop texting after you said you’re not interested.

It’s ick-inducing.

Instead, here’s what to do:​
✅ Make it easy to unsubscribe (no shady dark patterns or broken links)
✅ Avoid over-sending when people are inactive — it makes them bounce faster
✅ Treat unsubscribes as data, not drama
✅ Focus on nurturing the people who do stick around

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🛠️ Your 5-Minute Challenge 🛠️

• Check how easy it is to unsubscribe in your last campaign (would you find the link as a reader?)
• Review the tone of your emails: are you pushing too hard for clicks or leaving space for the reader to choose?
• Revisit your cold/ unengaged subscriber segments. Are you still emailing people who haven’t opened in months?
• Check your preferences page. Are your readers able to pick & choose what topics they receive from you?
• Jot down one small change you can make next time to better respect your reader’s attention and autonomy.

That’s it. Small shifts like these build long-term trust without the guilt-tripping required.

Reading: Still The Nightingale. Yes, it's made me cry multiple times. Yes, it's made me realize there's an entire side of history that was never taught in school (aka the women's side of war + how much they did while their hubby's were forced to the front lines).

Listening: Also still this album. And that's on ADHD hyperfixation mode. 🤓 But I do slowly feel myself coming out of this one lmao. Got any new album reccs for me??? 👀

Wellness Goal: Greeeeeat question. I don't really have one this week, especially since I leave for the 13-hour drive back to Michigan tonight 😅 Probably just keeping up with my new pet project.

Obsessing Over: Hmmmm, do stickers count?? My laptop case is officially covered (hey, don't judge. I couldn't commit to covering the laptop itself 🫣), as is my water bottle. And they're pretty dope, ngl. I collect them everywhere now xD

Oh, and btw: I ADORED my bsf's girl! She's truly a sweetheart, and I hope they become official, bc I'd love to keep her around. 🩵

Alsooooo, with Black Friday + holiday sales szn creeping up…

I’m offering 25% off email audits now through Sept 1 for email subscribers ONLY.

It’s the perfect time to make sure your flows, campaigns, and segments are ready to connect AND convert (I hate this verbiage, but it's the easiest way to explain it lmao).

And if you refer someone else for an audit (or any service), you’ll get 20% of their total invoice sent right to you. 😎 Because sharing is caring… and should be rewarded, duh.

(Just make sure they drop your name on the contact form!)

Also, side note, while I’ve got you:

I’m working on building out a free resource vault full of helpful templates, tips, and tools for when you’re not quite ready to outsource your emails yet.

This likely won't go live until 2026, but I'm gonna keep reminding you because your ideas matter and I would love to hear them pls!!!!

If there’s anything you’ve been stuck on or wish someone would just hand you, reply back and tell me. I’d love to include it. :)
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Talk to ya next week,

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