I’ve become decent at creating habits over the last couple years. In bed by 10:30p, start the day with physical activity, write, research, read, cook. I do most of these daily, and sometimes don’t, but the one thing I’ve been the most consistent at is shooting pool at a dive bar with my friends once a week. Toward the tail end of the darkest pandemic period, we were desperate to do anything resembling normal life. Baking bread and Zoom Happy Hours weren’t cutting it any longer. So instead, we became obsessed with hitting balls into pockets on a felt table. In some ways playing billiards every week has reached the unrealistic TV show level of frequency, where nobody asks when and what time. We all show up after work every Thursday expecting to see everyone else there.
at times, I feel like words fail me, and I don’t know how to express myself, especially when something just hits and time and time again, what this newsletter or community does rather for me it’s beyond anything that I can put into words. Thank you for this piece. There’s a sense of me feeling like I needed to see this even though I don’t know yet, exactly what I need to create but this piece was like, as you said, starting from zero.
I know I am really late to the party having only just made my Substack letter and podcast, but this article was sent to me last year and it is something I re-read often. It has also been a massive part of my journey to creating the podcast. Thank you, thank you for sharing this! Still so relevant to today!
Stumbled across your publication today and glad I did! Love these words and your note on choosing to be something that you’re not even without the luxury of permission or qualifications.
"cringe of earnestness" !
Realizing that my natural state is earnest (and not aloof like I've pretended for most of life) was so enlightening but also freeing.
Phil Stutz's book - Tools - reminded me a lot of this piece.
Adds to list. Thanks for reading Daniela 🫶
“once I accepted that I am cringe, I am free to become my true self” 🤯 felt that
Ahhh missed this
❤️🔥
needed this today ❤️ loved the longer newsletter format!
Longer newsletters once per month this year!
at times, I feel like words fail me, and I don’t know how to express myself, especially when something just hits and time and time again, what this newsletter or community does rather for me it’s beyond anything that I can put into words. Thank you for this piece. There’s a sense of me feeling like I needed to see this even though I don’t know yet, exactly what I need to create but this piece was like, as you said, starting from zero.
I appreciate you Alex & Alice
I needed to and loved reading this. I'm a big fan of the long format <3
Welcome back!
phew! the way this resonates today, felt like an elixer I deeply needed. thank you for this.
Thanks Annika!! <3
This resonated a lot. As I embark on breaking through resistance and getting involved with consistency.
I know I am really late to the party having only just made my Substack letter and podcast, but this article was sent to me last year and it is something I re-read often. It has also been a massive part of my journey to creating the podcast. Thank you, thank you for sharing this! Still so relevant to today!
"You may begin with an audience of zero and you may get only a few clicks, shares, or views.
But if you make it with conviction—no matter how small or how personal it is—it will have value.
And if you build it with value, they will come."
This feels like a punch in the gut - a most needed one. Thanks for your beautiful writing and for this important reminder!
Stumbled across your publication today and glad I did! Love these words and your note on choosing to be something that you’re not even without the luxury of permission or qualifications.