Hi, I’m Rebecca. I’ve (re)started this Medium page in the hopes of training myself gently and lovingly into regular writing (because I’m posting it somewhere).

One thing to expect from this page: stories. Tales. Narratives. And a whole lot of oversharing, because most of these stories will be mine, about my life and lessons learned in them.

One thing I expect of my readers: suspended disbelief. Can you live, but for a moment, in a state where believing or disbelieving matters less than just taking in the story? It’s a state of mind where the most important thing you can do is listen (or read) as deeply and openly as you can, whether you believe in what I’m telling you or not. Whether what I’m telling you applies to you, or to how you see the world. Whether you agree with me or not.

Here’s why: Most of the time, I’m not trying to convince you of anything. Most of the time, I’m just trying to make room for questions we don’t usually ask ourselves. Most of the time, I’m offering you yet another thought experiment, to wonder if you might have the ability to adjust the lens you view your life through in order to maximize your own sense of joy. Most of the time, I’m hoping to help, if you’re willing.

But if none of this resonates and you just enjoy reading, by all means, join me on this writing adventure.

Who in the world is Rebecca?

When people ask me the common question, “where are you from?” I always pause. We live in a city where everyone comes from somewhere else, including me. And I pause, because my answer can never be as simple as “I’m from [city],” which is usually the expected answer.

You see, I don’t have a pronounced accent in English. I’m blonde, green-eyed, average-sized all-around. Nothing outward about me could indicate that I’m not your average American.

But I’m not. I’m an American-Brazilian, Swiss-raised Jew. And I connect with these cultural facets in ways that may surprise you. Oh! the stories I have to tell. Of places gone, adventures had, and all the things I learned along the way.

This Medium page is coming back after years of feedback from friends and strangers alike:

“You’re easy to talk to.”

“I really like how you think.”

“I’ve never asked myself that.”

“I just learned something.”

“You should be a therapist.”

I was scared, though. Still am. Scared of being told off, or rejected, or even criticized because I’m not articulating my thoughts well enough. Scared of whatever other criticism you might throw at someone trying to launch themselves in the world and be both vulnerable and public about it. I’ve heard it enough in the past to feel and hold onto that fear more than I should.

And this Medium page, well, it’s about me. It’s open, honest, vulnerable, possibly misguided at times, but it’s all me. It’s Rebecca to my core, in some ways. Whittled with words, shaped by stories, Me.

So, I hope you’ll give me grace for my shortcomings, stick around for a while, and maybe grow with me.

Happy reading,

Happy thinking,

Happy living,

Rebecca