This Is a Personal Growth Newsletter
What’s it like? Check out the archive. Should you subscribe? Let’s find out.
“Uhhhh how dare you? You write like you’ve been sitting in the corner of my brain taking notes on all the crap I try to ignore. And THEN you just like…drop into my inbox with a ‘HEY! Maybe deal with this?!’”
Who Should Subscribe
The Overthinkers: If your brain can turn a simple “chicken or fish?” into a spiral of “What does this choice say about me?”—welcome. You’re home. I see you. I am you. Let’s overthink everything together.
The Restless and the Questioners: Something in your life feels off, and you can’t quite name it. You’ve tried the advice from self-appointed TikTok therapists and Instagram glossy life coaches, but instead of feeling better, you just feel more stuck—or like maybe you’re the problem. (Me too.)
The People Who Need a Shove: If you’re waiting for the universe to tap you gently on the shoulder with a sign, I’ve got some news for you. The universe outsourced that job to me, and my method is less “tap” and more “full-body tackle.” “Congratulations!” or “I’m sorry!” depending on how you receive that information.
The Beautifully Messy: Life, for all its beauty, wonder, and joy, can be an absolute fucking disaster sometimes, and pretending otherwise is exhausting. If you’re tired of trying to keep it all together for everyone else and just want to live your loud, chaotic truth, I’m your person. Let’s embrace the mess together—but please bring your own paper towels.
The Brutal Honesty Crowd: I’ve had to call myself out on my own bullshit more times than I can count, and that’s the only reason I’m still standing. And since I often treat this newsletter like it’s my own personal therapy office, that means I’m going to sometimes say hard things. But don’t worry, I hate it, too.
Who Should NOT Subscribe
The Quick-Fix Crowd: If you want a step-by-step guide to turning your life into a Pinterest board, this is not the newsletter for you. I don’t do cure-all lists, growth hacks, or magical solutions.
The Instagram Perfect: I’m not an influencer. My life is punctuated with big risks, lots of mundane nothingness, questionable fashion choices, and laughably bad decisions. Seriously, all of my failures have an undeniable theatricality to them. But I stand by every one of them.
The Perfectionists: If you need neat endings, clean conclusions, and polished advice, you’re going to hate it here. Growth is all about understanding you will do your best work inside the messy middle of life. Sometimes that “best work” looks like taking big risks. Other times, it looks like really unattractive crying.
The Sideline Sitters: If you want to quietly consume and never engage, this isn’t your scene. Life doesn’t happen while you’re comfy on the couch. It happens when you get up and do something—anything—imperfectly.
Cliff’s Note’s Version
This newsletter is for people who are ready to show up for themselves—messy, scared, and totally unprepared. If that’s you, let’s do this. If it’s not, no big deal. But if you ever decide to burn it all down and try something real, I’ll be here with the matches and some tequila. (The tequila isn’t for you, though.)
Thank You, George
I would be remiss if I didn’t thank my dear friend, mentor, and favorite work collaborator George B. Thomas. Through the Beyond Your Default project, you helped me reclaim my voice and provided me with a platform (and your trust) in this kind of work. You are the true catalyst, George. Thank you for always believing in me, even in the darkest of moments.
