Accidentally on purpose

On letting things happen instead of making them happen & the first community spotlight!

Accidental lens blur — Valencia.

Last week I was in a section of my favourite bookshop I don’t usually visit and stumbled into what’s now my book of the year: Poor Artists. I wasn’t searching for anything specific, it just caught my eye (how can a book with “The White Pube” on the cover not?) and then I couldn’t put it down.

Accidental discoveries like that are what I love most about actual bookshops. You get to browse the aisles and find something you didn’t know you needed, algorithms be damned.

Weirdly, a lot of the last few weeks has been about getting outside my usual bubble, visiting a few random galleries, having conversations with strangers at train stations (the most unlike me thing ever, but I promise it happened), exploring areas I’m not usually in. It’s been rather lovely, even if half of it happened accidentally.

I think I’ve been opening up more. Being more open to random things happening, letting some things unfold without needing to plan every detail, going with the energy of what feels good or exciting.

Partly it may be the impact of Poor Artists. There’s a bit in the book where a character talks about stopping the constant evaluation of whether a thing is GOOD or BAD. Instead, feel the ENERGY behind it. Is it pulling you forward? Does it feel alive? That’s the signal. The judgment, good, bad, worthy, embarrassing, that all comes later, and usually from a defensive place.

I tend to slip into defensive mode by default. Tracking metrics, feeling behind, planning every step. I read somewhere that it’s almost impossible to grow from a place of defence. Growth needs curiosity and openness, not armour. Control feels safe, but it also blocks the surprises I crave most.

These last few weeks reminded me that the best things often happen by accident, but only because I showed up on purpose. There’s something worth protecting in that.

Community Spotlight

I’m trying something new. This space is to celebrate and share stories from within the Imperfect community. If you want to be featured, just hit reply and tell me what you’re working on. I’d love to do more of these!

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When you first subscribe to this newsletter, I ask a simple question: What brings you here? Most people skip it. Diana didn’t. She wrote back to tell me she’d finally taken the leap to write full-time after 30+ years of being “sensible.”

After decades with a “real job” while her writing dream sat in the background,

Diana Laskaris

stopped waiting for permission and launched her first novel last year. Now she’s writing full-time, working on book two, and figuring out how to stay financially afloat while finally doing the work she’s been dreaming of all along.

I’m really excited to share her story, and a short Q&A about her journey:

What pushed you to take the leap after 30+ years? What changed, internally or externally, that made you say “now”?

I did a lot of creative writing all through my education. But after school, I got caught up in others’ expectations of what “success” looked like. I became successful through everything except writing. After several decades, moving to another country, and finally freeing myself from needing others’ approval, I asked myself, “Will I be happy if I die having never written a novel?” When the answer came back “no,” I committed myself to writing.

What’s one thing you wish someone had told you before you made the leap?

I wish someone had told me that the most important thing is just to keep doing what you love, even if it’s not a career. I wrote nonfiction, blogs, articles, etc. but mostly stayed away from fiction. I think if I had continued writing creative stories even while doing other things, I would have honed my craft so much more. And, I would have enjoyed being creative all the while.

You mentioned you might need other outlets to stay financially afloat. How are you navigating that balance - between protecting your writing time and keeping the lights on?

The one advantage of having had professional success for so many years is that I have a good amount of savings. I also have continued one professional pursuit I truly enjoy--being a certified hypnotherapist and coach. I work with many people, including creatives feeling insecure, stuck, or anxious. The tools and skills I have mastered are transformational, and I love to share them with others.

Where can people find and support your work?

Check out my books on Amazon, my new Substack newsletter, and my hypnotherapy website. I’m also on Instagram, X, Facebook, & LinkedIn.

Huge thanks to Diana for sharing her story so openly!

Elsewhere in the Imperfect world

It’s been a busy week! Together with

Elena Mostovova

we published this write-up based on our podcast episode on how to let more art into your life. Check it out for some lovely pictures of moon jars!

And if you missed it, last week on the podcast I spoke with Jacob O’Bryant about his journey into becoming a startup founder, and why he doesn’t regret quitting and getting a job again.