A Note from Julie, the Greenhouse Curator:

My plants teach me plenty of life and business lessons. But every once in a while, my beagle does too.

 

The first time Harley saw this hedgehog toy, he wanted absolutely nothing to do with it. It squeaked loudly and unexpectedly, and every time it made a noise, he jumped back, barked, and looked at it like it might attack him.

 

From his perspective, this thing was unpredictable, possibly dangerous, and definitely not to be trusted. So he kept his distance.

 

Eventually, curiosity won. He got a little closer and nudged it. It squeaked again. He still jumped, but not as far this time. And then something clicked: It wasn’t dangerous, it was just noisy.

 

Now it’s his favorite toy.

Harley's hedgehog comes to mind when I think about the things we’re scared of in our work as proofreaders and editors. Many of them feel a lot like that squeaky toy. They seem loud, risky, and unpredictable.

 

Here are a few that tend to feel scary:

Those fears don't feel small when you’re in them. They trigger all the what-ifs. But like Harley and his hedgehog, the only way they stop being scary is through contact.

 

 

You raise your rate on one project. You follow up on an email you’ve been avoiding. You say no when something isn’t a good fit. You test a new service with one client.

 

Each time, your brain updates the story: Not dangerous, just uncomfortable.

 

Sometimes, the things you avoid the longest end up becoming the most useful parts of your business. The “scary” thing becomes something you rely on.

 

Just like the hedgehog. 🦔

Here are three posts I enjoyed reading on LinkedIn recently. Click the links below to read them.

Whenever I see the word “awhile,” I replace it with “for a while” and see how that sounds in the context. In the case of this screenshot, the end of the sentence would become “beating up this guy for quite for a while."

Nope. The writer needs to change “awhile” to “a while” in this case.

 

Carolina VonKampen

 

This new leaf on my Neon pothos is in the process of opening. There’s something I love about this in-between phase where growth is happening, even if it’s not fully visible yet.

Let's keep growing together!

What did you think of today's email? I'd love to hear your thoughts, questions, or feedback. Email julie@theproofreadergreenhouse.com

 

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