When I first moved to New York City in 2018, I was really excited. I thought it would be an amazing place to live but in reality I found it hard to meet and connect with people. It was difficult to go beyond small talk and I started to feel really lonely. At that time, I also started my freelance business as a content writer and I was feeling overwhelmed. My confidence was low and I wasn’t sure where to turn for support.
About 8 months into my freelancing journey, I came across an online magazine called Shut Up & Yoga. I thought they were using a bot that kept liking my Instagram posts, but I really liked the content they were sharing. Shut Up & Yoga provided a new perspective, their voice was unique and the content really resonated with me. I reached out to them and started exchanging emails with Anastasia, the founder. I wrote an article for the magazine and we kept in touch. She truly supported my writing, praise that I really needed at the time.
Eventually, I visited her in Toronto and I knew I wanted to ask if I could get more involved in her magazine. Late one evening, we were coworking in the East Room and I asked her if she needed help. Her immediate reaction was “Wow, really? You want that?” It turns out this was something we both wanted. Right then and there, we started googling possible job titles and discussing tasks. We settled on Editorial Director. It was nice having someone to share work with, someone who trusted and valued my opinions.
As a freelancer it can get lonely, trying to figure it all out on your own but this was different, we were both equally committed and passionate about this project. I have learnt so much from Anastasia. She has a way of building real relationships with everyone we interact with, whether they’re writers or readers. She always shows so much interest, making people feel like they matter and always showing her excitement in their ideas. In a world where Instagram likes and follows are measures of success and worth, it has felt so comforting and uplifting to know there is another, more human way, to ‘network’ and collaborate. I am now Co-Founder of Shut Up & Yoga and Anastasia continues to inspire me every day.