New Year's Resolution: Soft Eyes 👀

Author

Damon Brown
December 31, 2024

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Hi reader,

When you read this, you and I likely have already reached the goal: Seeing 2025 🤞🏾

For me, it’s been one of those years that has had more twists and turns than a Six Flags rollercoaster.

Same for many in my closest circle.

Survivor bias, indeed.

This year has taught me not to build, to push, to thrive, but instead to rest, to let go.

To soften.

So as I raise a glass of Shirley Temples with my kids tonight, I lack the usual urgency, the usual ambition, the usual need to clarify ambitious goals for the next 52 weeks.

I know I’ve done the work, the hard internal work, that has built the foundation for the future. Groundedness makes strategy that much easier.

And so the next step is to listen to the wisdom already within the work. To slow down enough to hear what myself or those that I love have already learned.

And to see again with soft eyes*.

*My favorite scene from The Wire. Explicit language, incredible lesson!

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Now I’m taking my own advice and will be on TV break until the New Year 🥱

Hopefully you make an opportunity to do the same.

In the meantime, here is the Best of BringYourWorth.tv running throughout this week, including a 24/7 livestream of my best-seller The Bite-Sized Entrepreneur illustrated by AI. Enjoy! 👇🏾

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 2025 live, online freelance conference on Feb. 27-28!

Here’s the breakdown: Engage in 12 information-packed, interactive sessions on pitching, harnessing artificial intelligence, funding your journalism, podcasting, boosting your income, and more. On day one, keynote speaker and author Celeste Headlee will share her experiences working in mainstream media (NPR, PBS, WNYC), as well as independently. Learn directly from editors what they want in a pitch, including from Bloomberg, the New York Times, Washington Post, Economic Hardship Reporting Project, and more. Fellowship directors will explain how to get funding for an important journalism project. The best way to weather a storm is together.

Only $59 early bird registration for 12 live, interactive sessions, delivering 15 hours of learning. Sign up now and get instant access to a bonus bundle with four recorded full-length editor panels, three recorded interviews with freelance experts and New York Times opinion editor Katie Kingsbury, a layoff recovery guide, tip sheets, freelance checklists, an income tracking worksheet and more.

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: 

Feb. 27-28, 2025

10 am - 7 pm ET 

Here’s to the next leg of the journey 📍

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🙋🏾 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.

🚀 Think coaching could help you get to the next level? Reach out and let’s chat.

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