Sometimes saying yes to something means saying no to something else.

A fond farewell to A Little Better (at least for now).

Photo by Caleb Chen on Unsplash

I started this project for several reasons. I wanted to write more regularly, share some of the things that helped me maintain my emotional well-being, and challenge myself with an open-ended project. However, I'm now in a position where I need to take my own advice and let something go to embrace something new.

I'm one of those people with many interests, multiple hobbies, and a cyclical focus on various creative outlets. I've been talking about returning to my fiction writing for a long time, and my participation in National Novel Writing Month this year made me realize that focusing on fiction is what I need to do right now. It elevates my mood, even when it isn't going well (like right now, as the novel I'm working on is objectively terrible).

I'm also going through a period of serious overwhelm. Some of this is admittedly my own fault for taking on too much, and some of it is due to work factors beyond my control. I'm at a point where I need to prioritize some things over others, which means choosing what's essential and most fulfilling.

Even though there are still many topics to explore in this newsletter, I think it's okay to stop here. Many writers reach an inflection point like this, where they choose some specific topic to write about to grow their audience or serve a single community, but I'm a generalist. I was never looking for a "niche" to exploit. Instead of pivoting to a newsletter with one tiny focus, I've decided to bring this project to a close.

I'm not saying I'll never post here again. Never say never, right? But I'm not making any specific plans to come back or setting a date. This newsletter has run its natural course, and although I've gotten a lot out of it, it's time to do other things now.

Thank you for sticking with me. I appreciate all of you so much. I hope that I've helped you in some small way.

Challenge:

As one final challenge, please pass on something you've learned here over the last two years. The next time a struggling friend or family member reaches out for help, share a tip or technique from A Little Better that helped you. People drawn to self-improvement are sometimes thought of as selfish because we often focus inward. I don't think that's accurate, and one way we can disprove that notion is by passing on what we've learned. Be compassionate rather than judgmental and offer a hand -- metaphorical or literal. We can all change for the better and help others to change, too.