Day 4: How 90 Days of Writing Transformed My Independence 🧨
Hi friends! Welcome to Full Stop., my daily journey to live with outward honesty: speaking truths, learning, and examining life.
Not in Reading Mood? Listen Here 👇
Happy Independence Day ❤️🤍💙
Cheers to a day where eating hotdogs at 10 AM is normalized and when fireworks-related injuries surge…
But in all seriousness, Happy Independence Day to all my friends reading this in the States.
Yesterday marked the three-month anniversary of starting Full Stop, amounting to my 90th consecutive article published.
Writing—thinking and outwardly expressing myself—provides me with an unmatched sense of autonomy.
In that first newsletter entry, I described the visit from Lemn Sissay, an author who visited my creative nonfiction writing class:
“He, like many other writers, stated that: ‘writing is an act of rebellion, an act of courage, an act of faith. It is at the heart of what it means to be human.’ I want to be human.”
(Feel free to read my very first edition of Full Stop here)
Ninety editions later, I still believe these words and find it gratifying to be able to quote myself.
I feel unconstrained by my usual people-pleasing tendencies and the need to act on what I “should” be doing rather than what I actually want to do.
Thanks to the framework of Full Stop—the ability to publish daily—this habit has now become a ritual that reinforces my personal notion of independence, of living for myself (something I once considered “too selfish” or cringy to say out loud).
A huge mindset shift I’ve undergone during my final semester of undergrad is that we genuinely don’t owe anyone anything. Is this an excuse to be a completely selfish, egoistic person who only protects their best interest?
Gosh, I hope not.
To me, this means acting with greater authenticity and honesty. To boldly stand up and act on what you believe in, without hesitation or constraint.
➡️ Here’s how other Full Stoppers answered the question:
Daily affirmations: stating who and what I am (loved, strong, worthy)
Yoga and exercise
Sticking to a schedule I make for myself
Developing trust in myself by doing the things I say I will do
Thank you for reflecting with me, and I look forward to more of your insightful responses!
🎯 Tomorrow’s question is this: How have you been kind to yourself this week?
Drop your answer here if you feel compelled and you’ll be (anonymously) featured in the next edition of Full Stop.
From the co-founder of Glu,
Natalie
Natalie, a recent graduate from Brown University with a degree in neuroscience, is passionate about fostering human connection through radical vulnerability. Writing daily to challenge and dismantle limiting beliefs, she shares her journey from pre-med student to budding entrepreneur. Follow Full Stop. to join in on her path of discovery and growth.