Why We Always Dream of Leaving But Are So Afraid to Go

Hi there, 

Guess who’s in your inbox on a Tuesday (again). 

If you’re new here, I deliver Internetly on Sundays, but I went to Puerto Rico this weekend. Instead of writing, I spent the weekend eating mofongo (a Puerto Rican dish made with deep-fried plantains) hiking the El Yunque rainforest, and lounging in Isla Verde beach. 

Each time I fly away from NYC (my hometown), it reconfirms how ready I am to leave. But NYC doesn’t make it easy to leave her. 

I grew up in Brooklyn, my adolescence punctuated with occasions like getting inebriated off of Four Loko in Tompkins Square and dancing to Butch Clancy at The Gramercy Theatre. Encased by glittering skyscrapers and the cacophony of ambulance sirens, Manhattan can make you feel both claustrophobic and free-spirited. 

I love NYC. It’s a magical city. But the same thing that makes New Yorkers so passionate, so ambitious, is also what wears them down. Being “busy,” working multiple jobs, asking “What do you do?” within minutes of an encounter - it’s second nature to us. 

We are over 8 million in this city. The stereotypes are true. We walk fast. We’re in a rush. We aren’t particularly friendly (because, well, we’re not very relaxed). 

I’m looking to break free from this urban snow globe. I need to breathe, to drain NYC’s competitiveness from my psyche. The destination is still unknown, but I’ll figure that out as I go. 

Despite it all, I’m terrified to leave NYC. It’s peculiar, considering someone reading this is probably horrified at the idea of moving to NYC. Life’s funny that way. 

I don’t know where life will take me next.

But I’m ready to see the world outside of the grind.

🖼 On Becoming a Prolific Creator

This Week: Put Your Idea in Motion Before It’s Perfect 

If you’re an aspiring creator, perfectionism is not your friend. 

We like to sit on ideas, waiting until we get the perfect vision before launching. But creations don’t work this way. 

It’s like pottery class. Your idea is a slab of clay, shapeless and drab. Once you slam the clay onto the table, it begins spinning and a pair of hands shape it into something beautiful. Yet for the clay to achieve its final form, it must be in motion. 

Our creations are the same. Whether writing, coding, designing, sewing, whatever, you must have your hands working on it for it to achieve the final form. It has to be out there!

And the end result might surprise you! It might take a different, exciting, and unexpected shape. But you won’t know unless you’re working on it.  

For example, I launched Internetly feeling “eh” about it. It didn’t look great. I just knew I wanted to write a newsletter. And that if I didn’t post the first edition by Friday, I owed my boyfriend $150 (true story). 

Now, it’s taken a cool new shape. I’m digging into what it’s becoming. But it wouldn’t be here if I didn’t put the idea on the potter’s wheel.

🥒 Content Diet

1. Magic Flow Playlist by Magic Mind 

Woohoo for music recs!

I love this playlist from Magic Mind. It’s my go-to writing playlist. It has a handful of tunes with flavors of electro chill, warm vocal drizzles, and deep house.

Guaranteed to get you plugged into a mindset of creativity, productivity, and focus. 

✍🏼 Freelancing Journey

This Week: Do You Need to Pay for Courses, Coaches, or Certifications? 

If you’re a freelance writer, there’s a lot of (paid) resources out there. The question is: is it worth the money? 

I’ll put in my 2 cents here, as someone who’s paid for coaches and courses, and done certifications (Google Ads, Hubspot Content Marketing, etc). 

Certifications: 

Meh. Honestly, no. I’ve never been asked about my certifications - ever.

I can’t think of a single certification that would be a make-it-or-break-it ordeal when hiring a freelance writer. Can you? If so, respond and let me know. I’m curious. 

Courses: 

Yes! I’d suggest you find out what your weak spots are and find courses to help fill in the gaps. It doesn’t have to be paid. But if you’re the type of learner who needs accountability and hand-holding, paying for cohort-bases-courses could be for you. 

I took Ship 30 for 30 back in January 2020 and it catapulted me to a new level. I got to practice prioritizing writing, publishing consistently, and learning about data-driven writing. Worth it. 

Coaches: 

1,000% yes. 

Coaches sound scary because, well, they’re expensive. 

But it’s for good reason. All high-performing individuals - whether it’s basketball, CEOs, six-figure writers - have at one point had a coach in their corner.

Even Bill Gates opened his Ted Talk with, “Everyone needs a coach.” Working with a good coach is like taking their hand and jumping onto a rocketship. All of their years of learning are distilled into mere hours. 

I’ll add with all of these that it's important you see yourself as a business, and not just a freelancer. 

Just like how people invest in their businesses by hiring high-quality staff, remodeling, or updating their services, you must treat yourself the same.

Coaches, courses, and certificates are signals that you take yourself - and the quality of your business - seriously. 

Just make sure you finish what you purchase! Sometimes, we spend the money and think our work is done. It’s not. 

(And yes, this is a note to self. After sending this newsletter, I’m off to work on Kaleigh Moore’s course, How to Write Better). 

That’s it, folks.

Thanks for your patience. Hopefully, by next Sunday, we’ll be back on schedule.

Dug this newsletter? It would mean the world to me if you shared it with a pal!

See you soon.

Have a beautiful week,

Alice 💌