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Great one!

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You were my inspiration for it!

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Love that!

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Thanks for sharing this Dianne. Really enjoyed this. I think getting a coach is probably one of the best things you can do - it can help with so much, be it self-doubt, external validation of your ideas plus accountability to keep moving forward.

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This is an excellent explanation of the work I do! Thanks for that — even if you didn’t intend it that way, Sophia. 😂

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Haha, glad I managed to sum it up well! (I recently started working with a coach and it's been a tremendous help already but I should also add that your book (I have owned several editions!) has been so helpful and I credit your book (and your blog) for getting me my first freelance writing assignments!).

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Thank you so much! Congrats on your successful freelancing.

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Re: paywalled stories, I think it's fine if they're clearly labeled as such. I don't expect that everything is available to me personally All The Time and I value your curation-- if there's something you recommend and I DO have access to it, what a delight! And if I don't, oh well, there's still lots in your roundup for me to enjoy.

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Okay, good to know. I will be curious to see what the survey says. I’m glad you find things work clicking on in the newsletter — that makes me happy.

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Yes, yes, yes to all of this, and especially to investing in ourselves! This is so good.

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Thank you Sarah. It seems obvious and yet it's not!

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The quote about perfection getting in the way of good enough is what kept me from starting my Substack. I struggle with wanting to ensure the most comprehensive, perfect, polished posts. I feel such relief I every time I queue up a Not So Secret Agent post and finally just get it OUT. It’s bizarre to be on this side of what my authors feel. And it’s so rewarding every time to just push through this hesitation. It really is a practice. Does the desire for perfection ever recede or is it just quieter over time?

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I feel you Sally! Women, especially, struggle with perfection. You can quiet the critic when you see the value of the work you have created here on Substack. It’s impressive! Keep going, please. It gets easier.

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