Confidence | Puttylike

A Simple Trick to Sidestep Your Self-Criticism

16 July 2019

Sometimes I’m ashamed to share my work. You might think that’s understandable (particularly if you’ve been exposed to many of my posts before!) but this isn’t simply a healthy sense of shame at my evident limitations. Often, it’s fear of my own unoriginality. That inner voice of shame tells me to scrap my work, and […]

You Might As Well Do The Thing: How to Make Decisions While Anxious

25 June 2019

25 Comments

As a standup comedian who talks a lot about anxiety, I frequently get asked the same question: “how are you SO great?” But after that, people often ask how anyone with anxiety can possibly do something as terrifying as standup. For a long time this confused me, too. It’s not like I’m immune to the […]

12 Myths About Multipotentialites and Affirmations to Overcome Them

11 June 2019

24 Comments

Most of us multipotentialites grew up hearing lies. Okay, that’s a little dramatic. Maybe no one was intentionally lying to us. But long before any of us heard the word “multipotentialite,” we heard a lot of myths about work, worth, and identity. Here’s a myth you’ve probably heard: Everyone has one “true calling,” which (much […]

How to Conquer Self-Doubt and Do All the Things

24 April 2019

17 Comments

It’s Newbie Month here on Puttylike! During the month of April, we’re publishing articles about the thrills and challenges of exploring new things. (YAY, EXPLORING NEW THINGS! #Multipotentialite) ** Last year, I met a woman who told me she wanted to be a writer. “That sounds so stupid to say out loud,” she scoffed. “Writer.” I […]

April is Newbie Month at Puttylike! We’ll Be Exploring the Thrills & Challenges of Exploring New Things

8 April 2019

20 Comments

Hey Puttylike readers, we’re trying something new this month—and we want to invite you to do the same! As multipotentialites, our interests branch far and wide, and it’s not uncommon to discover something new that we’re excited about exploring. Sometimes we jump in, completely unafraid. But other times, in the face of a new interest, […]

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” asked a family member, doubtfully.

17 December 2018

12 Comments

I was super excited about my plan. I was going to write a book, and do software development, and share about anxiety through stand-up comedy. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” asked a family member, doubtfully. And that was enough to utterly deflate me. One comment! And not even a harsh one—a simple question. […]

How to Recover After a Setback

5 December 2018

18 Comments

This year I’ve experienced a constant stream of setbacks, of varying degrees of seriousness: minor administrative life hassle, major family tragedy, missed career opportunities, painful emotional entanglements, idiotic breakages, unexpected financial demands. At times, it’s felt as if the universe was sending me regular doses of deliberate punishment. Each problem on its own wouldn’t be […]

How to Deal with the Fear of Being “Too Complex”

25 September 2018

45 Comments

Hi, I’m Claire. I also go by Nyles. And no, I don’t have a preference for which name you use. This post is partly a Hello! to the Puttylike community–I’m the new Managing Editor for the blog, and I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself–but I also want to talk about this thing […]