Development Digest - May 2026
What if personal growth didn't always have to feel so serious?
This month, we're exploring the value of having fun, staying curious, and giving ourselves permission to enjoy life a little more. Inside this edition of our Digest, you'll find reflections on learning for the sheer joy of learning, a preview of our upcoming podcast theme, practical thoughts on non-attachment, a recommendation we think you'll love, and a few simple ways to bring more lightness and enjoyment into your everyday life.
We hope this month's newsletter leaves you feeling inspired, encouraged, and perhaps a little more curious than before!
Making Room for Fun
Somewhere along the way, many adults receive an unspoken message: life is serious business. Responsibilities increase, schedules fill up, bills need to be paid, obligations multiply, and before we know it, fun becomes something we do if there is time left over.
There is rarely any time left over.
Many people are like the two of us: for most of our days, we’ve approached enjoyment as though it must be earned. We tell ourselves we'll relax after the project list is finished, after the house is cleaned and organized, after the bills are paid, after we lose the weight, after life calms down. Yet life has a way of continually presenting us with another responsibility waiting around the corner.
Over the last few years, we’ve started thinking a bit differently:
What if fun is a necessity rather than a reward?
Our new relationship with fun is teaching us that fun nourishes parts of us that achievement never can. It brings energy to tired minds, creativity to stuck situations, and lightness to heavy hearts. It reminds us that we are more than our responsibilities. We are human beings who are meant to experience delight, wonder, laughter, and play. (And as most of you know, Annette has always struggled with play!)
The same can be said for learning.
Typically, in adulthood, learning is attached to productivity. We feel pressure to learn only what will advance our career, improve our finances, or solve a problem. What if we learned something new simply because something fascinates us?
Some of the most enriching learning happens for no practical reason at all!
You might want to learn more about astronomy, gardening, watercolor painting, ancient history, birds, languages, cooking, music, or philosophy. Not because it will make you money. Not because you will become an expert. Simply because it sparks something alive inside of you.
There is something deeply healing about allowing yourself to be curious again.
This month, we invite you to consider two simple questions:
What sounds fun right now?
What would you love to learn if no one were grading you and there was no outcome to achieve?
You may be surprised by your answers.
Those of us on this personal development path can sometimes forget that life is not only about becoming a better version of ourselves. It is also about enjoying the version that already exists.
Let’s all try to have more fun this summer!
JUNE: Curiosity and the Art of Enjoying Life
Over the past several months, we've explored some meaningful and challenging topics together. Next month, we'd like to shift gears and spend some time exploring something lighter, while still deeply valuable: Curiosity and the Art of Enjoying Life.
Many of us become so focused on solving problems, meeting expectations, and accomplishing goals that we forget how to simply explore life with openness and wonder. Curiosity invites us to ask questions, try new experiences, challenge assumptions, and remain teachable throughout our lives.
At the same time, enjoying life is a skill that can be cultivated. “I’ll do that when I retire,” is something we hear around the coaching table. However, enjoying life is not something to be reserved for vacations, retirement, or special occasions. We must be intentional with finding it in everyday moments: a conversation with a friend, a walk outside, learning something new, savoring a meal, reading a great book, or discovering a new hobby.
Throughout June, we'll explore how curiosity helps us stay engaged with life, how it supports personal growth, and how it can reconnect us with joy, creativity, and possibility.
We hope you'll join us as we practice looking at life with fresh eyes and an open heart.
Ask Annette and Ada
Q: I listened to your week of podcasts on attachment, detachment, and non-attachment. I appreciated what you taught, but I still can't live non-attached. Is there anything else you can share with me that would help me live in a more non-attached way?
A: Thank you for your question and for participating in our podcast community! Please remember, learning to be less attached is a lifelong practice.
Let’s review a few of our main points: Many people hear the concept of non-attachment and assume it means they should stop caring about how anything turns out. This is not non-attachment nor is this realistic. Of course, we care about our relationships, our health, our work, and the people we love.
Non-attachment is the ability to stop believing that your peace, happiness, or well-being depends entirely on a specific outcome.
One way to practice non-attachment is to intentionally focus on what is your responsibility rather than the result.
You CAN take responsibility for your effort, integrity, communication, preparation, and actions. But you CANNOT control how another person responds, how quickly healing occurs, whether a job opportunity works out, or whether life unfolds exactly as planned.
When you notice yourself becoming attached, gently ask:
"What part of this belongs to me, and what part belongs to life?"
Then put your energy into the part that belongs to you.
Non-attachment is not passive. It is an active practice of showing up fully while releasing the illusion that you can control everything.
We often tell our clients that non-attachment sounds like this:
"I deeply care. I will give this my best effort. And I will be okay, even if the outcome is different than I hoped."
That mindset takes practice, but over time it creates tremendous freedom.
Please try concentrating on what is within your control and what is your responsibility, while letting go of controlling the outcome. Let us know if this is helpful!
Warmly,
Annette and Ada
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Do you have questions about personal development, navigating relationships, or creating a more balanced and fulfilling life? If you have a question, there’s a very good chance you are not alone, and now’s your chance to ask us directly! Each month, we’ll choose one or more questions to answer in our newsletter. Whether you’re seeking advice on setting boundaries, developing self-understanding, or simply finding peace in the midst of life’s challenges, we’re here to provide you with thoughtful, compassionate insights.
Your privacy is our priority. While we’ll share your questions and our answers, we’ll never share your name or identifying details. Feel free to ask any personal development question that’s on your heart or mind. This is your opportunity to gain clarity and guidance in a safe and supportive space.
To submit your question, visit the newsletter page of our website and click the big button that says “Submit Your Question for Ask Annette and Ada.”
Send us your questions today, and you might see your answer in our next edition of Development Digest.
May’s Recommendation:
Shrinking
Every now and then, we come across a show that manages to be funny, heartfelt, thought-provoking, and deeply human all at the same time. A show that fits this mold is Shrinking.
The series follows a therapist navigating grief, relationships, personal growth, and all the various challenges of life. While the situations are sometimes exaggerated for comedy, the emotional themes are surprisingly relatable.
What we appreciate most about Shrinking is that the characters are imperfect. They make mistakes, struggle with difficult emotions, and occasionally create their own problems. Yet throughout the series, we see people learning, healing, reconnecting, and growing.
As personal development coaches, we especially appreciate how the show explores themes such as vulnerability, honesty, accountability, boundaries, communication, and resilience. It reminds us that personal growth is rarely a straight line and that healing often happens through our relationships with others.
At the same time, Shrinking is genuinely funny. Many scenes had us laughing out loud, while others touched our hearts.
If you're looking for a show that balances humor with meaningful life lessons, we highly recommend giving Shrinking a try this summer!
Self-Care Tip of the Month:
Schedule a “Curiosity Hour
Most adults schedule appointments, meetings, errands, and responsibilities.
Very few schedule exploration.
This month, try setting aside one hour each week for something with no purpose other than curiosity.
Read just for fun
Watch a documentary
Visit a local museum
Learn a few words in a new language
Listen to music from another culture
Take a different route on your daily walk
Try a new recipe
Your goal is not mastery.
We simply want you to explore!
Curiosity has a remarkable way of waking us up. It shifts us out of autopilot and reminds us that there is still so much to discover in the world and within ourselves.
Sometimes, we can think that self-care is always about doing less, but for the month of June, let’s make self-care about being interested in life!
What We’re Cooking:
Lemon Blueberry Breakfast Cake
What can be better than cake for breakfast? Annette loves it with her morning latte on special occasions!
As the weather warms and berries begin appearing in stores and farmers’ markets, this simple breakfast cake feels like a little celebration of the season. We haven’t made cake for breakfast since last year, but we can’t wait to enjoy a piece soon.
Ingredients
2 cups flour (we use our favorite gluten-free flour blend from Authentic Foods, and it works great!)
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk (or dairy-free milk)
⅓ cup melted butter or coconut oil
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1½ cups fresh blueberries
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Grease an 8-inch square baking dish.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, butter, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined.
Gently fold in blueberries.
Pour into prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool slightly before serving.
Enjoy warm, perhaps while sitting outside and savoring a quiet moment of curiosity about what adventures the coming month might bring.
Please remember, you do not need a reason to enjoy your life.
And you do not need to earn fun, justify curiosity, or prove your worth through constant productivity.
We appreciate each and every one of you for coming in for your sessions and for joining us for our podcast.
