One of the questions I get asked most often is,

"How did you end up doing all of... this?"

The honest answer?

I don't think I've ever had a master plan.

I've had values.

I've had curiosity.

And I've had a habit of saying yes to things that felt meaningful long before they looked strategic.

Looking back, that's how I found my way to NASA.

It's how I built Synergy Squad.

It's how I found Build in Beta.

None of those opportunities were part of some carefully crafted roadmap.

They started as conversations, invitations, and moments of curiosity.

At the time, they looked like side quests.

Looking back, they became the story.

That realization has completely changed how I'm approaching the second half of this year.

Maybe alignment doesn't always look like certainty.

Maybe it looks like curiosity.

Before you keep reading, take a moment to ask yourself:

What unexpectedly shaped your year so far?

Not the goals you checked off.

The moments you couldn't have planned.

The conversations that stayed with you.

The hobby you picked up "just for fun."

The person who quietly changed your perspective.

The invitation you almost declined.

Sometimes our biggest growth happens outside the places we were measuring.

I've noticed something surprising over the last six months.

The less I try to optimize every minute of my life, the more alive I feel.

I've spent more time reading.

Writing with fountain pens.

Coloring.

Exploring bookstores.

Building communities that encourage experimentation instead of perfection.

Creating technology that gives people their attention back instead of competing for it.

Ironically, these things haven't distracted me from my work.

They've made me better at it.

When do your shoulders relax?

What are you doing when you forget to check your phone?

Write down three moments from the last month that made you feel fully present.

I've also become more aware of what no longer fits.

The pressure to monetize every hobby.

Treating rest like something I have to earn.

Feeling like every interest needs to become content.

Holding onto commitments simply because I once said yes.

Sometimes growth isn't about adding more.

Sometimes it's about creating space.

Complete this sentence without overthinking it.

You might surprise yourself.

Instead of asking,

"What have I accomplished?"

I'm asking different questions.

These questions won't give you a perfect five-year plan.

But they might help you recognize the life you're already building.

I'm not interested in becoming busier.

I'm interested in becoming more intentional.

I want more curiosity.

More presence.

More meaningful conversations.

More communities that make people feel less alone.

More technology that protects our humanity.

More room for unexpected opportunities.

Because if my life has taught me anything, it's this:

Imagine it's December.

You're sitting somewhere peaceful with your favorite drink.

You look back on the second half of this year.

What would make you smile?

Not because it impressed someone else.

Because it felt deeply true to who you are.

Write about that version of your life.

Saturday, July 18

If you've been moving so quickly that you haven't had time to notice what's changing inside you, I'd love for you to join me.

We'll spend time slowing down, reflecting on the first half of the year, and gently choosing how we want to move through the second half.

No hustle.

No pressure.

No reinventing yourself.

Just thoughtful prompts, quiet reflection, and space to reconnect with what matters.

You'll leave with:

✨ Reserve your spot https://luma.com/7r8rzj84

If our paths cross this month, I'd love to say hello.

Build in Beta @ The Gathering Spot DC

An evening of building, experimenting, and shipping ideas alongside fellow creators.

RSVP: luma.com/mfcibza7

Synergy Squad Virtual Session

A gentle accountability session for creators, founders, and professionals who want to make meaningful progress in community.

https://www.skool.com/synergy-squad-3058/about

Build in Beta: Admin Days (Virtual)

Bring the boring stuff—the systems, the backlog, or the workflow you've been meaning to automate. We'll build it together.

RSVP: luma.com/z34j12b9

Your Personal AI Employee: A Hands-On Intro to Zo Computer

Hosted by Addy De La Cruz

RSVP: luma.com/0x6oqsjz

Midyear Guided Journaling Session

Reflect. Recalibrate. Realign.

RSVP: https://luma.com/7r8rzj84

Build in Beta @ The Gathering Spot DC

Bring your ideas. We'll build them together.

RSVP: luma.com/zvw0q2r2

Synergy Squad Virtual Session

Join us for an evening of reflection, accountability, and community.

https://www.skool.com/synergy-squad-3058/about

Equitable AI & Machine Learning Systems (CEAMLS) Symposium
Morgan State University • Baltimore, MD

I'm excited to be leading a workshop inspired by Aligned, Not Automated, exploring how we can build technology that supports—not overwhelms—our humanity. My fellow Build in Beta builder, Addy De La Cruz, will also be presenting on sustainable software.

Registration: equitableaisymposium.com

Build in Beta: Admin Days (Virtual)

Another opportunity to clear your backlog and build better systems.

RSVP: luma.com/mp7q5s5v

Black Writers Weekend
Atlanta, GA

I'll be speaking on two panels:

Registration: blackwritersweekend.com

Build in Beta Showcase @ The Gathering Spot DC

Come celebrate what our community has been building.

RSVP: luma.com/o7edr2iu

I'd love to hear from you.

Hit reply and tell me:

What's one unexpected side quest that's changed your life?

Maybe it became a career.

Maybe it became a friendship.

Maybe it simply reminded you who you are.

I'd love to collect these stories.

Until next month,

Brée

P.S. My hope for you this month is that you stop asking whether you're behind.

Instead, ask whether you're paying attention.

The next chapter of your life might not arrive as a five-year plan.

It might look like a conversation.

A class.

A community.

A bookstore you wandered into because you had twenty extra minutes.

Don't underestimate the side quest.

They have a funny way of becoming the story.