PROGRESS REPORT

#121

Illustration by Cyra Cupid

Natalie Takes Over

Howdy, I’m Natalie! When I’m not working, you can generally find me singing, frantically scribbling lyrics, or crying to videos of babies on the internet.

Role

Engagement Lead

Current Location

Brooklyn, NY

Hometown

Marietta, GA

What “Progress” Means to Me

The active pursuit of understanding yourself and the world around you.

I think progress can take many forms, in the micro and macro. But my hyper-emotional, over-analytical brain likes to look at progress through the lens of what it can teach me about myself and how I engage with life.

Tactic I Use When I Need to Make Progress

It depends on my mood. 🤷🏻‍♀️

After years of trying to work against the way my brain naturally functions (see: hyperactive), I’ve finally developed a few methods for making progress depending on my mood and the situation. Sometimes it’s sitting for hours and painstakingly forcing myself to write when it’s the last thing I want to do. Sometimes it’s getting up, going for a walk to clear my head, grabbing coffee with a colleague, and returning to the task hours later with fresh eyes.

Fact I Learned This Past Week

Humming can increase nitric oxide in the body by 15-20x.

Nitric oxide is beneficial for your blood circulation, immune system, nervous system, and more. I love knowing we have so many healing tools within ourselves.

Quote I Live By

"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for."
—John A. Shedd

I’ve never regretted any of the big, risky decisions I've made in life. But often, I need the reminder (and the push) to take them.

This Month’s Favorite Road Trip Songs

If you’re like me and are into bouncing between crying, belting, and dancing on road trips, then this playlist is for you. Featuring James Blake, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, BANKS, Novo Amor, and more.

Favorite Way to Unwind

Writing my lil songs!

I’m a singer-songwriter—I’ve been writing lyrics since I was six! Committing myself to a practice in the last few years has transformed my love and enthusiasm for life in ways I couldn’t imagine. Shameless plug here.