Gracia’s Index — Start Here

There’s a fine line between courting someone and harassment. — Springtime in Berlin “Hey, how are you doing?” I looked up from my phone and saw a man who I did not know. From his stance, I could see he was trying to make an advance. I applaud his bravery, as rejection always lurks around the corner. “What are you doing?” he asked…

Don’t postpone that dream or idea for sometime in the future. — I was twenty. The median age was seventeen. Many of the dancers were even younger. I had wanted to explore this sport much earlier, but I was afraid of sucking through the initial stage of picking up a new hobby. At twenty, a classmate from one of my project groups…

Writer, spreadsheet & tooling nerd, amateur filmmaker, personal development junkie (aren’t we all), language lover, introvert. — My name is Gracia Kleijnen, and I came here to write *aggressively chugs down a cup of coffee and slams it on the table while placing fingers back on the home row*. Professionally, I work in copywriting. That implies I write a lot. And the production of streams of words…

#1 You don’t need to be Picasso — Are your digital illustration supplies gathering dust in some drawer, because you promised yourself to finally learn how to illustrate but never did? I don’t blame you. The possibilities with digital illustration are endless, and, frankly, quite intimidating. In a previous life where I tried to learn how to code…

I thought living in Germany for 7+ years would be enough — Want to prove you master a language at an advanced level? Opt for a C2 exam. Certificate holders gain smoother access to universities and jobs. They also have an easier time assimilating in a foreign country. I thought getting the German Goethe C2 certificate would be doable without too much…

How I see full-time jobs, procreation, and love differently in 2023 — So you told the world how you thought about topic XYZ for years. But now you’ve changed your mind? That’s only natural. You interact with new people outside of your comfort bubble. You self-educate and are constantly exposed to new ideas, online and in the real world. I don’t expect…

Attributed to a lack of patience and stupidity — Mistakes are uncomfortable and painful, but essential for personal growth. I wish I was perfect, though. I’d brag about how I learn from my mistakes the first time around. Apparently, I need repetition and like to learn the hard way. Dipping into my 2022 yearly reviews, here are 4 minor…

Same shhh, different year, new attempt — We all get frustrated after mindlessly downing a box of chocolate cookies, skipping the gym because we feel tired (read: are lazy), or scrolling cat videos deep into the night. Whenever I don’t accomplish my goals, it’s either due to: My anxiety gut-punching me paralyzed in the heat of the…

Sorted alphabetically and per category — TABLE OF CONTENTS(Desktop) - ALl 201 Medium publications that are currently also on the spreadsheet template — plus topics (A-Z) PUBLICATIONS PER CATEGORY #1 Animal & environment #2 Books #3 Broad #4 Creative Writing #5 Culture, Art, Music & Creativity #6 Design, Product & UX #7 Humor & Comedy #8 Mental Health & Mindfulness #9 Naughty #10 Parenting #11 Poetry & Fiction #12…