Introduction

Hello reader - I’m grateful you’re here! 

I’m starting the new year off with this writing project, one I am both excited and a little terrified to turn over to the digital stratosphere. It’s a commitment to creating, to executing, and to getting my ideas out of my head and into the world. 

Why I’m making this - 

Over the past few weeks I’ve been going through my very own multi-step, uniquely & possibly overly laborious process of reflecting on the last year (oh boy, stay tuned for that post). While working on this project, I had an epiphany about the way I spend my time. In 2025 I stayed busy, as I always do, but I realized that my busyness is largely made up of the consumption of other people’s creativity. I don’t say this as a negative thing, not by any stretch - I have been reading more than ever, going to plays, going to workshops and lectures all over the city, and generally surrounding myself with art & creative experiences - all things I love to do. But I realized that the time I dedicate to consuming inevitably takes time away from creating or cultivating my own creativity. 

I’ve been thinking a lot about this binary of consumption vs. creation. Consumption is such a negative word, and creation is such a positive one - I find that so interesting. There is obviously a place for both; there has to be. Creators need consumers, and vice versa. And I intend to continue to consume/appreciate others’ creativity - but I have inadvertently spent y e a r s doing primarily, and sometimes only, that. SO with all that said -  I’m kicking 2026 off with an active shift in my allocation. 

What’s stood in the way - 

Make it stand out

I have long tried to convince myself that the world is oversaturated with content, that nobody needs or cares to have one more blog to read or substack to subscribe to, and/or that it’s self indulgent to contribute to that glut for one’s own profit or ego.. but I’ve also realized that these are largely excuses. To be clear, I still think they are true. BUT I can finally admit that the actual obstacle to overcome was my fear of judgment and vulnerability, which has been cleverly hiding itself behind other fancy rationales, and thus skating through unchallenged. So I’ve decided it’s time to be vulnerable, and barrel on through while I let the others decide if the work is good or bad or right or wrong. (That was a bastardized version of an Andy Warhol quote, lest I be accused of mild plagiarism.)

The meatier, less easy-to-dispel roadblock (that I am still struggling with) is my lack of a ‘niche’. This has plagued me in my career as well - what I outwardly frame as versatility, I secretly shame as fluffiness & lack of direction. Plus let’s consider my added layer of feverish perfectionism, the kind that makes me reread an email 18 times before sending, and a hefty dash of procrastinatory tendencies - and here we have a literal nightmare cocktail of obstructions for actually getting sh*t done.

I don’t have the perfect answer on this one. All I can say is, I’m doing the scary thing and pressing onward anyways. I’m trying to reframe my lack of niche/focus as a delightful party mix of possibility, and I’m leaning into the fuzziness… my therapist would be so proud. Inevitably that means the content of this project will be all over the place and there is no easy elevator pitch. Yes, this is a marketing nightmare, and I’m ok with that - for now, I’m just excited to see what sticks & where it takes me. 

Who this is for -

My data analytics background requires that I put this into words. [Rule number one - You never start a project unless you know - & can clearly state - who it’s for and what the point is.] 

In all honesty, this venture is primarily for me. It’s to propel my own growth, to get out of my head, to make something that feels authentic to me and my eccentricities, and embrace the aspects of my personality that don’t fit neatly into a box, professional or otherwise. The ~macro goal~ of all of that, as cheesy as it sounds, is to really believe in myself and my potential - to believe that I’m worthy of taking up space in the “creator world,” that my voice and ideas are valuable, (or dare I say interesting?) and deserving of an existence outside of my cramped imagination. 

Once again, I realize this is a mission statement that would make any marketer throw their hands up in exasperation. These goals may end up changing, but this is chiefly a creative outlet.. and for those who are interested to get to know how my brain works a little better, it’s here for their consumption. For anyone who does end up reading, my hope is they will get at least one nugget from every entry - whether that’s a laugh, an aha moment, a fun fact, an idea for something they want to try or do in their own life, or something else outside the scope of my imagination. I do ultimately hope this project will find its way to others, and I hope it can inspire someone that relates to my analysis paralysis to take their own step towards doing the scary thing.

And finally, who I am (in a nutshell): 

[sorry, I couldn’t resist]

I’m Rebecca, I’m 33 years old, I live in New York City and I recently quit my corporate research & analytics job to go freelance and open myself up to new opportunities. An interviewer once asked me what I wanted her to know about me that my resume didn’t tell her, and this project is my answer to that question. Throughout this work, I’ll apply the analytical tendencies & research skills I’ve polished through my career to a collage of topics and interests that have until now lived in the periphery of my 9-5 life. I’m leaning into my dual enthusiasm for both the digital and analog, the concrete and the abstract, the academic and the ‘woo-woo’, the hard and soft. Most of my thinking is done on paper, so I will share pictures of my notebook work too, as I’ve been doing in this post. This will all be one big messy experiment in blending the tech/digital and the tangible/analog - and perhaps encouraging others to do the same if, like me, you find yourself equally called to both worlds. 

I’m happy you’re here, and I hope you’ll be back! Thanks for reading <3