Hey, hi, hello!
Last week I unexpectedly had to focus on my health + this breakdown wasn't scheduled because I was waiting for the link to go live and then... forgot. (oopsies). Sooo this week you'll be getting TWO psych breakdowns!
If you haven't read last week's Email Paradise (EP), you miiiiight be a lil out of the loop (go read it!!!!).
Reminder of this week's prompt in case you haven't done it yet:
Inspo hunting!!! I try to do this weekly, and I truly do think it's half the reason I've been able to create more content.
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Set a timer for 15 minutes (timed work helps you stay focused) and open... any social site *on your laptop*.
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It can be Insta, LinkedIn, Substack, wherever you consume the most content. And look for things that inspire you in terms of, "wait, I have something to say about that."
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Whether it's agreeing, disagreeing, or simply adding to the original creator's thought. Try to aim for at least 5 different pieces of content.
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Copy & paste the portion of it that inspired you into a google doc.
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Once you finish that, set ANOTHER 15-minute timer, and this time, journal out your thoughts on the topic!
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(bonus points if you turn your journaled thoughts into a new piece of content & post it before the week is up!)
And now for the Psych Behind It ๐๐ผ
- Reactive thinking is easier than thinking from scratch. As human beans, we crave connection and having conversations. By using existing content as a jumping off point, it's a lower cognitive lift than staring at a blank page and asking "what do I wanna say today."โ
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Plus, we all have perspectives & opinions. If someone were to ask you a question - you'll have your answers shaped by your experience. So get into the habit of sharing them! (:
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- Disagreement and friction are generative forces. It's natural to have more to say when you're in opposition to someone else's perspective. By leaning into the, "no, I have a completely different opinion than this", you automatically start firing off examples & proof as to why.
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It's a cognitive activation that carries you through the writing beforeeee self-doubt kicks in. And by seeking out content you have a reaction to, you're essentially "mining" for that activation on purpose.
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- Journaling the reaction before writing the content captures thinking that would otherwise disappear. Thoughts are fleeting, but writing them down in the moment helps you expand them into longer ideas in the future. The first pass at an idea is almost always the most honest and energetic one.
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It hasn't been stretched, shaped, or molded for an audience yet, which means it still has the genuine conviction that makes writing feel like a human wrote it (because, DUH! one did!).
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Mining that raw journal entry for a post helps remove the forced, performative feeling.
Which is pretty cool when you think about it, right??
Because in a world where GenAI is already starting to cannibalize itself (this is something I'll likely be talking about on the 'gram soon!), and a lot of businesses are starting to blend together, finding and USING your voice is what's going to help you stand out.
And that's why I want to help you become a better writer so you can get more of your original opinions out there. No one can copy the real you. Not even a LLM.
And then for thiiiiis week, if haven't read Email Paradise (EP), go read it!!!!
Reminder of this week's prompt in case you haven't done it yet:
Set a 20-minute timer and write out your ideal life in 15 years. Get hyperspecific and use as many sensory details as you can!
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What does life look like when you wake up? Do you still work? Do you do the same thing every day? What does it smell like when you walk around the house (RV or other dwelling)?
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What does it feel like? Sound like? Are you alone? Do you have a partner with you? Kiddos jumping on the bed? Can you hear the ocean? Are you doing the same hobbies as now? Have you learn new ones?
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Daydream, let your mind wander, and imagine what that life will look like. And if you want to take it one step further, check out WOOP method for next steps.
And now for the Psych Behind It ๐๐ผ
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You're teaching your brain new pathways. Hyperspecificity about imagined experience teaches you that specificity is always a choice. The reason boring, vague copy tends to be default isn't because the writer lacks imagination. It's often because they didn't slow down enough to ask , "so what" or "what's next". โ
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This prompt forces the next question over and over. That habit of drilling down transfers directly to how you render any experience on the page, real or invented.โโ
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When you're emotionally invested in the material, it helps you write better sensory details than a neutral topic. When you truly WANT the life you're describing, your brain recruits sensation more readily because it's trying to make the vision FEEL real to you. That neurological reach toward vividness (making it feel real) is the same reach that creates the most alive writing. You're training it on stakes that are genuinely yours.โโ
- The gap between where you are and where you want to be builds tension. As human beans, that tension does 2 things: it motivates and helps you find your voice. It feels like something is at stake, even though it's something imagined, and that is naturally going to sound different on the page than writing from a neutral position.
And you'll never guess why it's so important to find your voice...
Okay, fine, hopefully by now you can guessed it: IT MAKES IT EASIER TO WRITE AND SELL YOUR SH*T!!!
hehe, anyway:
Catch ya on the next wave,
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