Welcome, Fellow Archivists, to another irregular update from The Stratagem’s Archive. A lot has been happening behind the scenes — not all productive, but enough to share, especially since it ties back to my earlier post, What If Everything Just Stopped? What’s Next for The Stratagem’s Archives?
I’ve recently taken a few steps back from posting consistently like before. My mind needed a break from the creative burn-out I dug myself into. Thankfully, the compulsion to constantly write and publish has dulled a bit, and I can think with less judgment — a nice feeling, though not the main point of this update.
Procrastination, Projects, and ChatGPT
Instead of publishing like a maniac, I’ve been quietly cleaning up The Stratagem’s Archive — making it easier to navigate, compiling all 118 posts into relevant pages, and finishing my ebook.
I went into this thinking, “I can do this in a dedicated day. It’s going to be easy!”
Nope.
Instead, your grade-B dumbass here (emphasis on the B) hit multiple creative speed bumps:
- Messing around with ChatGPT while contemplating the point of flirting and attraction because my asexual, inexperienced, and socially awkward ass needs explicit communication.
- Finishing six half-done ebook drafts on Canva and avoiding them like they were cursed.
- Printing two more sticker designs because, well, they exist now.
- Printing 50 official blog/business cards to feel “professional.”
- Staring at my iPad like it owed me rent money.
The Art of Resting Without Quitting
Here’s what I’ve realized: procrastination isn’t always the enemy. Sometimes it’s your brain saying, “maybe I don’t need to be in survival mode 24/7.”
I’ve spent months building, writing, and publishing like my existence depended on it — and maybe it did, in a way. But there’s a difference between living to prove you can and living because you want to.
So if my projects take longer to finish… if I stare at a blinking cursor longer than I write a sentence… if I talk to ChatGPT instead of publishing a new post — that’s okay.
I’m still here. Still showing up in my own way. And maybe that’s what growth actually looks like: slow, unglamorous, and perfectly imperfect.
Reflection for Fellow Archivists
- When was the last time you let yourself pause without guilt?
- How do you balance productivity and self-compassion?
- What small progress can you celebrate this week, even if it feels like nothing?
Take a moment to sit quietly with these questions, or maybe jot down a few thoughts.
Closing Note
If this newsletter made you laugh, sigh, or feel a little less alone in your creative chaos, give it a like, share it with a friend, or just let it linger in your mind for a bit.
And to everyone who keeps reading, commenting, subscribing, or simply following along quietly — thank you for spending a small piece of your time here, in The Stratagem’s Archive.
Here’s to all of us learning to rest without quitting, one messy draft at a time.
Check Out Past Letters Below
Letters from the Void Newsletter
A Mini Ebook for Action: Introducing The Stratagem’s Manifesto 2.0
The Stratagem’s Manifesto 1.5: You’re Not Falling Behind—You’re Growing
The Stratagem’s Manifesto 1.0–You’re Not Falling Behind—You’re a Work in Progress
