Field Notes Renee Michaela Field Notes Renee Michaela

Field Notes: 12 Experiments in Building Joy After Burnout

What happens when you stop postponing life for "someday"? I'm spending my 33rd year running 12 experiments to answer one question: How do you build a state of joy that coexists with the uncertainty of life? This is autoethnographic research—documenting real-time experiments in creative expression, intentional living, and deprogramming from hustle culture. No guru shit, just messy truth from the wilderness.

Read More
Real Talk Renee Michaela Real Talk Renee Michaela

When Loss Became Language

A reflective essay on how loss became a language of its own — from losing a phone in a Scottish bog to losing jobs and identities years later. A story of creative recovery, writing as an anchor, and learning to live through the in-between.

Read More
Renee Michaela Renee Michaela

In Praise of Boring Days: Why Slowness is Sacred

What if boring wasn’t a sign you’re doing life wrong — but proof you’re finally coming home to yourself? A personal essay on romanticizing the mundane, reclaiming rest, and honoring the quieter seasons of becoming.

Read More
Renee Michaela Renee Michaela

Stop Shoulding All Over Yourself

We’re told intentional living starts at 5am with a perfect routine — but maybe it starts here: in one honest moment, where you choose what you actually need. A gentle reminder to drop the “shoulds” and come back to yourself.

Read More
Renee Michaela Renee Michaela

When Slowing Down Turns Into Getting Stuck

It’s been 57 days since I was laid off, and instead of sprinting toward the next chapter, I’ve been sitting in the quiet unknown. This post isn’t a list of takeaways or a tidy success story. It’s a reflection on what happens when life slows down without your permission—and the uncomfortable, beautiful lessons that surface when you finally stop trying to fix it all.

Read More