“I have no special talents, I am only passionately curious.”
A. Einstein
10 Things I Learnt In My First Year As A Freelance Copywriter
Christmas is gone, New Year is here, and it’s time to celebrate! One year ago today, I was about to say goodbye to my former life as an employee to become a self-employed geek. Cheers! What better way of kicking off this new year, than by taking stock of my first 365 (pandemic) days as…
20 Books To Say Goodbye To 2020
Whether you will spend your Christmas holidays alone or within your restricted household, this year’s celebrations are not as festive as they used to be. No wonder you feel depressed and fed up already. But don’t panic, I have got the solution! Here is a list of 20 books that will keep you busy while…
My Journey To Copywriting – Chapter IV Behind The Scenes (II): The Art Of Negotiation
My mission to become a sassy freelance copywriter was almost accomplished. My last challenge was to send out a marvellous pitch to land my first client, deliver a superb copy, and kick start my new glorious career. Easier said than done. Unfortunately, boldness isn’t enough to thrive. You need to master a few additional tricks.…
What Dealing With Burnout In My Early Twenties Taught Me (And How To Recover From It)
Some years ago, I went through one of the most challenging times in my life. I was working full time in a quite demanding sector while completing a postgraduate degree in finance. My work weeks were busy; my study arrangements hectic. My sense of duty and time management skills helped me to carry on, but…
3(+1) Ways To Perfect Your English If You Are Already A Pro
Much to my regret, English isn’t my first language. It took me almost two decades, several trips to the UK, and a lot of frustration to get a grip on it. Yet, I feel like I have reached a plateau – a point where I am no longer making progress. Living in a country where the official…
How Long?
ES (Original) Y Cuánto Vive? Cuánto vive el hombre, por fin? Vive mil días o uno solo? Una semana o varios siglos? Por cuánto tiempo muere el hombre? Qué quiere decir “Para Siempre”? Preocupado por este asuntome dediqué a aclarar las cosas. Busqué a los sabios sacerdotes,los esperé después del rito,los aceché cuando salíana visitar…
My 3-Step Guide To Stay Afloat During Uncertain Times
Dear Reader, I am having a rough period. And if you are one of the 7bn humans on this beautiful planet, you can probably relate. I am away from my loved ones, with a loooong winter ahead of me, and amid a global pandemic – while struggling with its devastating social and economic impact. Insult…
My Journey To Copywriting – Bonus Content: Creative Struggles (And How to Overcome Them)
This week’s post ought to be a different one. But if you are reading this, something didn’t work out as planned. The reason is, you can’t control creativity. The so-called “creative block” is an actual nightmare for those who rely on their creativity to earn a living. And no one is immune (not the best…
What my neighbouring sandwich shop owner taught me about endurance
Today I am going to tell you a story. Prologue I have been living in my rented studio for five years now (jeez). Despite the predictable disadvantages of a one-room flat – especially when someone stays over for more than 24 hours – I love this accommodation. It’s my place. And as for any relationship involving affection, I embrace…
How To Fail At Interviews And Get Over It
I was halfway through Elizabeth Day’s memoir How to Fail: Everything I’ve Ever Learned From Things Going Wrong when the topic of this week’s post popped up in my mind. Day’s chapters go like “How to Fail at Test”; “How to Fail at Friendship”; “How to Fail at Being Gwyneth Paltrow”; etc. The whole point here being: we…
What it’s like to be a Millennial in 2020
Disclaimer: I thought a lot about whether to publish this post. Reason is, people don’t like “negative vibes”. More so, people don’t like negative vibes online. The Internet shall be a timeless, happy place, and you better keep your pity party private if you want to conquer it. Well, I don’t strive to conquer anything. I…
My Journey To Copywriting – Chapter IV Behind The Scenes (I): The Tricks Of The Trade
After months of thinking and getting ready, I had finally come to a decision: going freelance was the way. Everybody knew about it by then, and I was already tapping any existing freelancing platform on earth to look for clients. Sounds great, right? Yes, but. Have you ever wondered how do you set up a (copywriting) freelance business? Which steps do you take to make your solopreneurial leap…
Going Back: The 5 Stages Of Expats Homecoming
We all agree: Summer 2020 was weird. I have already babbled enough about what this pandemic summer taught me, and I will leave it at that. But be it customary or atypical, summer means only one thing for expats: homecoming. Now, no matter what type of expat you are, homecoming is always a big deal. Trust me:…
6 Brutal Truths This Pandemic Summer Told Me
So this is it. Summer is over. Actually, this fool year’s weird summer is over. Did it feel a non-summer for you too? But I am sad, nonetheless. As a heavily sun-dependent soul, autumn is a real pain for me. Just to give you a flavour of my uneasiness, I start feeling gloomy in early August. This year’s moodiness was even worse…
The Joy And Pain Of Being An Expat – Part I
Being an expat is great. You see the world, meet new people, jaw-drop at weird customs, and enjoy unprecedented freedom. But “expat mode” is not a preset feature of your personality: you need to get used to it. Here is everything I wish I knew before moving abroad. Some of the things I will discuss…
My Impostor Syndrome And How I Have (Not) Overcome It
Hello, my name is Nadia and I suffer from impostor syndrome. Impostor syndrome is a psychological phenomenon first identified in 1978. The name reflects a belief that you are inadequate, incompetent, and “fake”. Everything you have achieved in life is due to “external factors” and not to your skills and commitment. You go through life…
My Journey To Copywriting – Chapter III Finding (Freelance) Work
Making up your mind: done. Learning the ropes: done. Building an online presence: done. I was ready to rock! Yeah, but… How? I realised that pursuing a new career and starting a new career is not exactly the same thing. Think about it: a functioning oven, a soft dough, and tasty toppings don’t make pizza.…
29 Things You Understand By Age 29
I have recently turned 29. Just saying it gives me chills. That got even worse after reading that “Those under 25 no longer want to be compared to millennials.” Excuse me?! But don’t worry guys, you will get there. Time is relentless, you know. So what better way to celebrate an otherwise unremarkable birthday, than…
8 Types Of Expats You Meet Abroad
When I moved to Brussels, my foreignness was obvious. I looked daunted and lost in such a big and completely unknown city. Moreover, I couldn’t understand the language. And if you are about to say something like “How come you didn’t understand it? Italian (my mother tongue) and French (one of Belgium’s official languages) are sister languages!” you…
What I Learnt From Changing Career In My Late Twenties
Changing career is never easy. It doesn’t matter whether you experience Sunday night blues on a regular basis – that anxiety you feel on Sunday when thinking about the impending work week – or how many telltale signs you need a career makeover you can tick off. The majority of people simply settle for a…
5 Lessons The Pandemic Taught Me About Being An Expat
When massive lockdowns were declared, expats split into two groups: the ones who stayed in their host country, and those who got onto repatriation flights to rejoin their homeland. As a representative of the first group – I decided to enjoy my lockdown in a Belgian studio 3000 km away from my birthplace – I…
Thought Of The Day: Suspicious
EN – It’s that time of the week again. IT – Ci risiamo: il mio frigo piange.
Thought Of The Day: Black
EN – I don’t usually speak about politics. IT – Non sono solita parlare di politica.
Thought Of The Day: Teenage Dreams
EN – Last night I dreamt about a former high school friend of mine. IT – Ieri notte ho sognato una mia amica del liceo.
Thought Of The Day: Non-native Longing
English Version I’m not a jealous person. In fact, I am. But not a nasty one, I mean. I’m more the self-deprecating type. I do enjoy others’ success: I’m genuinely happy when they make it big. I just fall in the comparison trap, and I always come out a bit bruised. But I can live…
Il Pensiero Del Giorno: Insicurezze
Ho sempre ammirato le persone sicure di sé. Quelle che sono pienamente consapevoli delle loro virtù (e leggermente meno delle loro mancanze), quelle che hanno capito cosa vogliono, quelle che sanno come raggiungere i propri obiettivi. Mi dite come fate, signori? È una questione ereditaria, o c’è una scuola? Io, al contrario, non sono mai…
Il Pensiero Del Giorno: La Primavera Triste
Quindi è finito maggio. Ma come è successo, esattamente? Quand’è che siamo passati dalla settimana bianca alla prova costume? (Questa di per sé una tragedia su cui eviterei di soffermarmi, per ora.) La consapevolezza di aver “saltato” la primavera mi irrita non poco. È la mia stagione preferita, la mia temperatura preferita, la mia natura…
My Journey To Copywriting – Chapter II Building A Solid Online Presence
My training was over, and I looked forward to kick-off my career as a writing wizard. There was just a minor problem: I was clueless about where to start. My copywriting course had provided me with some limited suggestion, but I knew next to nothing about finding work. What I eventually found out is that securing a copywriting…
Il Pensiero Del Giorno: Abbracci
Oggi, per la prima volta dopo…3 mesi? 6 anni? una vita? ho riabbracciato un congiunto. È stato strano. È stato come tornare al volante dopo mesi di metropolitana, o tuffarsi in mare ad un anno dall’ultima nuotata: familiare eppur bizzarro. La cosa peggiore è l’avvilente senso di disagio che mi provoca persino dirlo ad alta…
7 Undeniable Signs You Need A Career Makeover
Whether you are an experienced middle-aged executive or an ambitious young professional, you have indeed wondered whether your job is a good fit for you. If you find yourself in any of the following situations, maybe it’s time to consider a career switch.
Expats vs. Migrants: Is There Any Difference?
Have you ever thought about living abroad? Have you ever dropped everything, packed your stuff, and just left? Was it a necessity or the desire to experience an unconventional life? During my seven years abroad, I have long wondered what moving in a foreign country means. What being a foreigner means. Why some of them are called “expats”…
My Journey To Copywriting – Chapter I Learning A Trade
“A passion without a plan is a hobby.” I stumbled on this quote somewhere on the Internet and I’ve been thinking about it ever since. It became a compelling truth once I decided to give my passion a chance. How could I make it work? I needed a plan. 1. Research I knew I wanted…
Losing Future: How Coronavirus Proved “Living One Day At A Time” Wrong
How many times have you heard someone summoning you about the importance of “living in the present”, “stop fussing about the future”, and “being here NOW”? How many times have you gone through a long list of reasons explaining you why living one day at a time will improve your life? And how many times…
3 Things Quarantine Gave Me I Will Miss In My Life After Lockdown
Here we are. We have an end date. Lockdown will be finally lifted in [insert your country deadline] days. Do I see a light at the end of the …curve? Sure. Do I believe the government took the right decision? Of course not. Is the reopening too early / late / unsafe / loose /…
My Journey To Copywriting – Prologue Finding Your Talent
I’ve never had a dream job. Either because I was one of those few lucky kids not haunted by the infamous what-do-you-want-to-be question, or – more likely – because I didn’t show any special talent during my childhood. A hard-working student first, a thorough professional later, working out for fun, and reading before sleep. That’s…
Quarter-Life Crisis: What Is And How To Deal With It
If you ended up reading this post there are high chances you are a millennial (roughly defined as someone born between 1981 and 1996, but actually much much more) struggling in his or her journey to adulthood. This is my personal and definitely down-to-earth definition of what the Macmillan Dictionary suggests as a quarter-life crisis:…
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Nadia Musumeci 