My Summer of Solitude

Daily News for Curious Minds

Be the smartest person in the room by reading 1440! Dive into 1440, where 4 million Americans find their daily, fact-based news fix. We navigate through 100+ sources to deliver a comprehensive roundup from every corner of the internet – politics, global events, business, and culture, all in a quick, 5-minute newsletter. It's completely free and devoid of bias or political influence, ensuring you get the facts straight. Subscribe to 1440 today.

Sign up now!

Welcome to Creatives Anonymous, a weekly newsletter that explores what it means to be a modern-day creative through essays, interviews, and commentary.

Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe here.

This summer is going to be different. 

Friends are moving, getting married, and facing significant life changes of their own.

While it’s sad that this summer won’t feel like it did last year (I will still say it was one of the best summers of my life thus far), I’m seeing it as an opportunity. 

One word has been floating around in the books, articles, and media I’ve consumed recently: solitude. 

By definition, solitude is “the state or situation of being alone.” 

So I’m deeming this summer the “Summer of Solitude” (every time I say it, I can’t help but think of the “Fortress of Solitude” from Superman). 

Honestly, it sounds more depressing than it is. But that’s not my intention. 

My intention for my Summer of Solitude is to lock in, level up, and become the best version of myself. I have audacious goals that I want to achieve in the next few months (more on that soon), and they require complete focus. It’s also about setting me up for this next phase of life I’m about to embark on. 

Over the last few weeks, I’ve realized that my adult life moves in four-year cycles. Every four-ish years, I make a significant life change. That said, I feel a massive shift coming that will change the trajectory of the rest of my year. I can’t explain it, but it’s there. 

Summer of Solitude isn’t about hustling or doing more. It’s about doing fewer but more aligned things to help me reach my next life phase. It’s also about introspection—thinking about what I really want for this next phase of my life, based on what has worked/what hasn’t in this last one. I’m also using this time as a hard reset, which has been a long time in the making. 

This year has already been marked by massive change for me—physically, mentally, emotionally, and professionally. 

And while this year has felt like an uphill battle (seriously, I feel like Sisyphus pushing the boulder up the hill), it has transformed me in ways I can’t even begin to describe. 

It’s made me so uncomfortable, pushing me so far out of my comfort zone, and making me do things I never thought I would. It’s forced me to step into a new version of myself, one I never thought could exist.  

And I’m not done yet. 

This next phase will force me to dig deeper and come to terms with everything I thought I knew. It will require a new version of myself with a new level of bravery, courage, and vulnerability, stripping away habits, limiting beliefs, and people no longer serving me. 

And it’s terrifying. Change, especially on this magnitude, is scary. It’s fear of the unknown because I don’t know what’s coming next. But, the possibilities are so exciting. 

That said, here’s what my Summer of Solitude is going to look like: 

• Maximizing my mornings. The sun rises at roughly 5:15 a.m. here in Seattle during the summer, so I want to train myself to start waking up earlier to maximize my mornings. I’ve been reading 5 AM Club and slowly implementing some of the practices in the book. I don’t know if I’ll quite make it to a 5 a.m. wake-up call, but I want to make it at least an hour earlier! 

• Exploring my area. I only have one major trip planned this summer, which leaves a lot of time to cross off some of my Seattle/Western Washington bucket list items. Think lots of museums, parks, and day trips. 

• Creating. I have a huge backlist of creative projects, including editing a million sets of photos that I took this spring. This summer will be a great time to return to my creative practice. 

• Education. I want to use this time to upskill, both professionally and personally. I'm specifically looking to get back into my study of Greek and strengthen some skills for work. 

At its core, Summer of Solitude is about realigning myself to the things I enjoy and my values and setting myself up for success as I enter my next life phase.

Creative Corner

• 🎞️ What I’m Consuming: The Favorites by Layne Fargo and Sirens on Netflix. 10/10 recommend.

• 💡 What I’m Loving: Nespresso’s limited-edition Pistachio Vanilla double espresso pods.

• 🎨 What I’m Working On: Editing photos I took at Volunteer Park last weekend!

• 💭 Weekly Musing:

Thank you 💕

If you liked this newsletter, I’d love it if you could forward it to someone who you think would like it, too!

I’m so grateful for all of your support!

Alexa Phillips is a writer, brand strategist, and multi-passionate creative. She is the founder of Bright Eyes Creative, a Seattle-based brand consultancy and media company that helps founder-led consumer brands and creatives design brand experiences and media.

Where to find me:

• Learn more about my services 

• Listen to my recent podcast episodes.

• Follow along as I build Culture Slant, a new magazine + podcast at the intersection of brand, marketing, media, culture, commerce, and technology.

• Join Write Club, free weekly 90-minute co-writing sessions dedicated to helping you knock out all the content you have to write for your business.