🦆 CHILL THE DUCK OUT

Volume 002: This week’s prescription: one orange and no multitasking.

🧠 Cold Open

There are two kinds of people in this world:

1. Those who eat oranges like it’s a sacred ritual.

2. And those who devour them like a raccoon in a fruit stand.

Both are valid.

This week, we’re talking about how a humble orange (yes, really) can help you regulate your nervous system, feel more grounded, and maybe even trick your brain into thinking everything is slightly more under control than it is.

Because sometimes, the most effective mental health hack isn’t a spreadsheet or a mindset shift.

Sometimes, it’s citrus.

🎉 This Week’s Microjoy: Peel Therapy

Grab an orange. Or a clementine. Or whatever citrusy orb brings you joy.

Now slow it down:
🍊 Peel it like it’s a ritual.
👃 Inhale deeply. Science says that orange scent lowers stress.
🧠 Eat it like it’s the main character moment it is.

🧠 Why it works:
The scent of citrus is known to reduce cortisol and improve mood. Pair that with the tactile satisfaction of peeling + eating, and you’ve got a snack that's practically aromatherapy in disguise.

😌 Stress-Less Hack: Rename Your Calendar Events

If your calendar is full of meetings like “Sync w/ Ops” and “Finance Check-In,” no wonder it feels like a slow march into inbox purgatory.

Let’s fix that.

Give your calendar events a joy rebrand:

• “Weekly 1:1” → “Emotional Check-In With My Work Spouse”

• “Q2 Budget Review” → “Fantasy Math Time”

• “Dentist” → “Mouth Spa Adventure”

• “Team Sync” → “Corporate Karaoke (No Singing)”

🧠 Why it helps:
Your brain reacts emotionally to language cues, even small ones. Renaming tasks adds a layer of playfulness and reduces anticipatory stress. Plus, it makes your day feel a little less like a to-do list and a little more like a sitcom.

✨ Unsolicited Joy of the Week

High school teacher Megan Davidhizar received two rubber ducks from students 16 years ago. Now? She has hundreds. Each one was a gift, lovingly labeled with the name of the student or colleague who gave it. Her collection recently went viral on TikTok - and it’s pure serotonin.

Because sometimes, joy starts with a duck.

👉 Check out the full story here
📸 When the emotional support ducks unionize and elect a queen. 👑🦆

🔥 Micro-Challenge: One-Orange Meditation

This week, try one orange snack session without multitasking.

No scrolling. No background noise. Just you, the peel, the scent, and the weird joy of pulling a segment apart like it’s sacred geometry.

🧠 Why it helps:
This is a sensory grounding exercise. You’re using smell, touch, and taste to bring your nervous system into the present. Plus, oranges = snack therapy.

💬 Tell me what you’re celebrating

You hydrated, stretched, and only mildly panicked today? ICON. I wanna hear about it.

Send a quick testimonial, a duck emoji, or a dramatic voice memo. It all counts.
📩 Just reply to this email or catch me at [email protected].

Even better - if you’re digging the newsletter, send it to a friend (or all of them!) and tell them to subscribe… so we can grow this joy cult one inbox at a time.

👉 www.chilltheduckout.com
More joy. Less stress. No toxic positivity.

🫶 Duckin’ Done

That’s Volume 002.

May your peels come off in one satisfying spiral, your segments separate with ease, and your nervous system mistake it for a vacation.

Until next time: breathe deep, snack slowly, and chill the duck out.

— Jason
Editor-in-Chill 🦆
www.chilltheduckout.com