Yes! Nervous + Freedom travel hand-in-hand I think. The more it matters to us, the more anxious about how it will land. Thanks for sharing those links - I hadn’t read them yet. Will do so!
I loved your reflection on the different approaches of the three authors!
This hits home - doing something purely because you want to, with no “purpose”to serve, versus performing an action to achieve an end result; and the difference in the psychology behind it.
Thanks Ayesha! And yes! The feeling, and the outcome are completely different. For example, I can’t imagine any of my work related writing having room for fake, sarcastic, definitions 😁
Independent writing is uncomfortable, but that’s probably why it produces more honest thinking
Absolutely. I’ve more respect for fiction authors now - no business outcome to optimize for, just reader enjoyment.
I definitely get more nervous about how the stories I write for Being Fearless, Being Me will land, vs the ones I write for Code Like a Girl.
The CLAG ones are often a bit more formal and a little less personal.
The ones for BFBM are usually deeply personal. At the same time I find it freeing.
I will always remember the day I published the story of my eating disorder on medium: https://medium.com/invisible-illness/2016-the-year-i-recovered-from-an-eating-disorder-63c66f221272
It was the last step in removing all the shame I had had around having an eating disorder. It freed me.
This story I posted in May did the same. https://dinahbeingme.substack.com/p/i-didnt-plan-to-come-off-antidepressants
My hope was also that by telling my story others could find help.
So yes I still get nervous about talking about my feeling is the real world, but I also feel they bring me freedom.
Ok i didn't realize how long this was getting. Thanks for reading :-)
Yes! Nervous + Freedom travel hand-in-hand I think. The more it matters to us, the more anxious about how it will land. Thanks for sharing those links - I hadn’t read them yet. Will do so!
I did do an updated version for Substack of the Medium article last year. https://dinahbeingme.substack.com/p/heres-how-i-made-peace-with-my-body
I loved your reflection on the different approaches of the three authors!
This hits home - doing something purely because you want to, with no “purpose”to serve, versus performing an action to achieve an end result; and the difference in the psychology behind it.
Thanks Ayesha! And yes! The feeling, and the outcome are completely different. For example, I can’t imagine any of my work related writing having room for fake, sarcastic, definitions 😁
This hit.
I find the more that I have done things for 'money' (work, not for myself), the harder I find it to do things for joy or for myself.
It’s so true! I’m enjoying developing more than I have in ages, and I’m sure a large part of it is that I am currently unaffiliated 😅
A sticky note I’m leaving on your desk:
I didn’t want this essay to end.
That’s high praise! Thanks Alyx ❤️🙏