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Slow to Flow

Saturday Takeover by Susan

Ever since I remember, I've dreamt of writing for a living. 👩🏼‍💻 But because of my notorious globetrotting since the age of 18, I never seemed to stay in one place long enough to convince others that I'm legit.

By Susan Rov

5 min read

For someone pretty new to the team, I can't help but feel like this newsletter takeover is a trap. 🤔

The freedom of expression is a digital carrot dangling in front of me. All for my teammates to determine whether I've bothered to cultivate a personality or not.

We’re at the stage when I don't even know them well enough to know whether they consider "The Office" hilarious or lame. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Luckily, I am more enthralling when you read my writing than when you're trying to talk to me. I guess that's why I became a copywriter. Take this as a cue to never try calling me on the phone.

I think this is the part where I'm supposed to drop a meaningful quote or revelation that changed my life. But I've saved that for later. 👇🏽

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Self-employed from day 1

Ever since I remember, I've dreamt of writing for a living. 👩🏼‍💻 But because of my notorious globetrotting since the age of 18, I never seemed to stay in one place long enough to convince others that I'm legit.

Turns out that moving to the other side of the world, with no writing experience—except for a fitness blog and screenshots from my friends saying that my Instagram captions are pure gold—doesn't really cut it.

So I decided to take matters into my own hands. I became self-employed from day 1. The next thing I knew, I was writing articles about coffee and Googling "how to create an invoice".

close up image of someone mixing drinks at a bar

It wasn't exactly a straight road to success. It never is. And I was slinging cocktails behind the bar for a while before I could make writing a full-time gig.

Now I prefer the barstool instead of an apron. But, I will still judge you based on your choice of drink. 🍸 That hasn’t changed.

The rest—as they say—is history.

The world of distractions

My biggest achievement to date is that I don’t stare at my phone first thing in the morning. I journal, drink coffee, and read. 💆🏼‍♀️

Color me idealistic but I think that flooding your brain with other people's problems—before you even brush your teeth—is not the right way to live.

The distractions are the main reason everyone claims they don't have time. ⏰ We let other people steal it from us. Most of us don’t even realize it's happening though.

image of a beautiful sunrise at the beach

I am a big fan of strict boundary measures, like having notifications turned off and doing something for yourself before you start doing $#!t for others. Filling your own cup and all that.

Staying in the present moment is a big thing for me. 🙏🏽 I avoid mindless scrolling and I’m allergic to TV noise. When my life flashes before my eyes, I don't want it to be the first time I'm noticing the scenery.

What brings me joy

Going for a sunrise run 🏃🏼‍♀️ or getting out of my comfort zone is my idea of having fun. I've done competitive swimming for 12 years and I think that's where it comes from.

But I believe that training every day does so much more for me than just exercising my body. It's my form of therapy. It's an endorphin high. It's my sanctuary. I can't imagine my life without it. ❤️‍🔥

I am also one of the last 462 people on the planet who still read fiction every day. 📖 But not your typical bestseller stuff. It’s either classics or transgressive fiction.

They’re basically the most f^cked up books you can find at a bookstore. 🫣 Sometimes they are sealed and stored behind the counter to make sure people don’t come across them by chance. True story!

breathtaking image of a view of the ocean

What else? I thrive off change and uncertainty. 😳 That’s probably a weird thing to say. But, I love to plunge into the unknown then having to figure it out as I go along. Now you understand why I become self-employed on day 1 or changed countries 4 times.

Other joys

At the end of the day, it’s the little things that are the most important. 👇🏽

image of coffee cup with latte art and airpods

Sipping full-bodied red wine on a slow afternoon. Grabbing an almond croissant from the local bakery. 🥐 Truffle pizza and a Negroni. ⁠Freshly ground Kenyan coffee made in my V60.

Going for a dip in the ocean. Writing. Booking flights. Deep conversations. The look on my mum's face when I visit home. Buying gifts for others. 🎁

3 things on my 2023 wishlist

  1. Getting a dog 🐶
  2. Writing a fiction book 🖋️
  3. Living walking distance from the beach 🌊

3 random questions I hate answering

  1. Where are you from? I am originally from Slovakia, but I left when I was 18. Then I lived in Scotland for 6 years. After that, Australia for 4 years. Then I traveled without having a home address for a year. Now I live in Portugal. 🗺️ I don't like answering this question because it doesn't tell you the full story. It allows you to frame it and I don't like that. I'm the narrator.
  2. Why are you so quiet? I'm thinking! I might appear quiet but I’m probably having a party in my head. 💃🏼 My counter-question is why is it acceptable to ask an introvert why they are quiet and not acceptable to ask an extrovert why they just can’t shut up?
  3. Favorite movie? I don't really watch movies. Is this the part where I get fired? 🙃
Susan Rov

About Susan Rov

Susan traded cocktails and lattes for words that move. As a copywriter on a mission to end boring, she brightens brands and makes an impact. Number 463 on the list of fiction readers left standing, you'll find Susan at sunrise—running, writing, and wondering how to change the world next. That drive led her to become a founding team member of BRIL.LA.