#11: Start by Stopping

☀️ Why Quitting Was the Best Choice I Made

I was 19 when I quit my first pick for a Bachelor’s degree.

I had just started studying International Relations. After a very conflicted final year of high school, it seemed like the most reasonable choice. I’d been active in debate programs and competitions, so the path felt adjacent.

But that was just one side of me in high school.

I was also volunteering as a graphic designer for NGOs, working on posters, flyers, and print layouts. I was in a drama club that took me to theatre festivals across the country. I loved hosting teambuilding workshops, jumping into random internships, and saying yes to just about anything that sounded remotely creative or challenging.

So yeah, multipotentialite energy before I even knew the word.

A few weeks into university, though, I knew. This wasn’t it. I was climbing the wrong ladder.

And quitting felt like the only option that made sense. Not because I was giving up, but because I knew myself well enough to recognize what wouldn’t fulfill me.

People asked if I was ashamed to start over. If I regretted “wasting a year.” But how could I lose something that was never really mine?

Quitting gave me back time. Energy. Curiosity. It led me to a Bachelor’s program that fit like a glove, and then to a profession that actually lit something up in me.

I think we need to talk more about that kind of quitting.

The kind that isn’t about failure, but about clarity.
The kind that doesn’t signal weakness, but self-awareness.
The kind that takes guts, not guilt.

This edition is for anyone standing at a crossroads, unsure if letting go means falling behind. (Spoiler: it doesn’t.)

📖 3 Articles to Spark Your Curiosity

1. Maybe Impostor Syndrome Is Actually About Authenticity
   What if that creeping self-doubt isn’t about not being good enough,  but about not being true to yourself? This piece reframes impostor syndrome through the lens of authenticity, offering a surprisingly empowering shift in perspective.

2. Alternatives to Work-Life Balance
   The elusive balance we’re all chasing? It might not exist, and that’s okay. This article offers 4 alternative mental models to help you redefine how life and work can actually coexist, without forcing them into a 50/50 equation.

3. Of Quitters and Winners
   Leaving something behind doesn’t always mean failure. Sometimes, it’s the smartest move. A compelling reflection on why walking away can be brave, necessary, and even strategic when the path you’re on no longer fits.

🗞️ 3 Headlines Worth Exploring

1. This Mental Health Service Is for Burnt-Out Creators
   Burnout in the creator economy isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a crisis. This new mental health startup aims to support digital creatives with therapy designed specifically for their chaotic, public-facing work lives.

2. OOH Ads in the Age of AI Skepticism
   When everyone’s faking it, realness stands out. This article explores how out-of-home advertising (think billboards and street posters) is regaining power in a world increasingly skeptical of what they see online.

3. “Whole Human Work” > Work-Life Balance
   Why split your identity in two? This Forbes piece makes the case for a new way of working - one that doesn’t ask you to choose between being a worker and a person, but allows you to be fully both.

☀️ 3 Actions to Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

1. Quit Something Small (On Purpose)
   It could be a group chat, a weekly call, a habit that no longer serves you. Let go and see what space opens up.

2. Revisit a Past “Mistake” with Curiosity, Not Judgment
   What did it teach you? What doors did it open? Flip the narrative.

3. Do One Task the “Wrong” Way
   Forget the rules. Let go of perfection. Try a messier, freer version of something you usually overthink.

⚡ 6 Quick Resources

🎨 To play: The Forever Labyrinth
An art quest through time, space, and endless curiosity.

🎥 To watch: Jack of All Trades… and Proud
This TED talk reframes generalists as creative powerhouses. It’s time to embrace the winding path.

💡 To be inspired: Famous Failures
A reminder that even the greats stumbled, hard.

🔍 To check out: 5-Day Creativity Challenge - NYT
A gentle reboot for your curious brain.

🕹️ To learn: The CIA’s Decision-Making Framework
A former spy explains how to simplify choices under stress. Surprisingly relatable.

🎓 To think about: How to Learn from Your Mistakes
Why failing isn’t always the hard part, but processing it is.

🎲 This week’s wonderfully random corner of the internet 

🪦 Killed by Google

A quirky graveyard of abandoned Google products. Because even giants quit things sometimes.

📝 Word of the Week

Renunciation (noun) - the act of rejecting something once embraced.

Not a sign of weakness, but of strength and clarity.

🧘‍♀️ Question of the Week for Introspection

What’s something you’ve been holding onto out of habit or fear, when deep down, you know it’s time to let go?

See you next Sunday! Until then, keep your eyes open, your questions big, and your sense of wonder alive.

Your curious internet friend,

Ruxandra