Reinvent Yourself Using These Super Helpful Reframes (So You Don't Feel Like a Big, Fat Imposter)

You know how sometimes apps give you the option to continue using the legacy version?

I wish the internet let us do this.

I wish we could go back in time and use the 2009 version of it, when blogging was still a fresh, fun thing, and meeting people online was actually a joy, and not everything was an ad.

Thankfully, Substack has brought a lot of that back (here’s the link to my on-demand workshop on starting your own newsletter—grab it now if you’re curious). And, I’m really glad to have a space for this kind of writing; the kind that feels real, and human, and highlights the quirks of what it means to be alive, telling real stories that make you laugh and feel less alone.

More people should trust their voice enough to start a Substack. We need you to tell us about your experiences. We want to know what’s happened to you, and what kind of perspective you can offer us as a result. Your daily life is fascinating, I promise, because you know why? Because we get to see the world through a new set of eyes.

What if you stopped thinking about your newsletter as the product, and started thinking about connection as the product? How would you show up differently? Would you write more of the fun things you actually want to write? Would you let yourself off the hook for not making everything perfect?

If you are someone who wants the ability to work from anywhere, a newsletter is non-negotiable. The question is, do you have the guts to write what you want?

I am working on this myself, as someone who is extremely used to “being a position of authority” and writing "content” from that position of authority. But, what happens when you are not an authority, but just a person experimenting with something new?

Here are six phrases I’ve found helpful when dipping my toe into new digital waters (and avoiding imposter syndrome):

• In this newsletter, I’m exploring _________, and [the reasons why this matters].
• In this newsletter, I’m documenting the process of __________ as I go from _______ to ________.
• In this newsletter, I’m on a mission to discover _____________.
• In this newsletter, I’m experimenting with ________ in order to answer one question: _________________.
• In this newsletter, I’m setting out to answer one question: _______________.
• In this newsletter, I’m researching the best ways to __________ and writing about my findings each and every week.

I hope that helps you as you do THE SELF-REINVENTION THING. What a hilarious bitch.