Decomposition is Life 🍂

Author

Damon Brown
December 17, 2025

This edition is brought to you by the upcoming Institute for Independent Journalists Conference March 5 - 6. Learn more below 👇🏾

Hi reader,

Me and my boys started a garden

Well, more like random odds and ends we’ll eventually eat.

Oregano.

Basil.

Peppers. Lots and lots of hot peppers.

I water them every other day or so, depending on how thirsty they look

I talk to them with a “Good morning to you”, at minimum.

We chat.

But this morning, I noticed the basil was looking really rough.

A little anemic.

I immediately thought of what would happen if it died

No more freshness to our pizzas, I said to myself.

Then I quickly shifted to how I’m not cut out for this

I’ve never had a green thumb. And this is Exhibit A - Z.

I caught myself right before the trap snapped on me

Simply, what if it isn’t the season for it to grow? ❄️

One of the resources I wish I had when I started writing (cough) decades ago was the Institute for Independent Journalists. I’ve known founder Katherine Reynolds Lewis for almost as long as I’ve been freelancing and have loved her new, inclusive take on what defines good, important journalism.

And the Institute for Independent Journalists is having its 2026 live, online freelance conference on March 5 - 6!

Early bird registration is now open! This live online conference hosted on SoundPath is designed to grow your freelance journalism career, with sessions focused on funding your reporting through fellowships, building a paying audience through newsletters or social media, and the IIJ’s first-ever Pitch Fest! Get your next great story in front of editors for live feedback! Register before December 31 for just $49 and gain immediate access to a bonus bundle of resources, including guides for pitching more than 20 media outlets!

And BringYourWorth.tv viewers get an exclusive discount! Register here and use the promo code DAMON to get an immediate price off the already early bird cost.

Details: 

March 5 - 6, 2025

When someone we respect doesn’t achieve their goal

We tend to blame the circumstances, not them.

When we are new at something

We tend to blame ourselves, not the circumstances.

It’s why we collect degrees (I’m not judging - I have two)

Why we obsessively gather information

We keep asking the opinions of others

Because we think it will shore us up against one simple insecurity:

We don’t want to fail.

Or, more accurately, we don’t want to feel like a failure.

But that insulation is a fool’s errand

As it would be more powerful to recognize we are never a failure

We are often just trying to plant tomatoes in the snow

Or watering oregano on the darkest day of the year 🌚

🙋🏾 I’m Damon! (http://www.damonbrown.net) I help side hustlers, solopreneurs & others like yourself bloom. As a bestselling author, 2x startup founder & 4x TEDTalker, I co-founded the popular connection app Cuddlr and led it to acquisition within a year while being a stay at home dad with my infant son.

🫱🏼‍🫲🏿 Today, my boutique coaching business Bring Your Worth supports hundreds through one-on-one virtual and in-person support, as well as behind-the-scenes services for TED, HEROIC, and other impactful organizations. You can catch this free weekly newsletter as well as the 18,000-subscriber strong television show BringYourWorth.tv.

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