Introducing 'Be Cringe'
Your permission slip to show up more authentically, even when it feels really embarrassing
Picture this: there’s something you really want to do — sing karaoke at a bar with friends, start a YouTube channel, cook for your neighbors. You’re really excited about it, you have momentum, but something lurking in the corners stops you.
“Wait,” you think. “Is this too cringe or embarrassing? Does it look like I’m trying too hard? Will I regret this when people actually see it?”
And so, you don’t do The Thing™.
If you’re anything like me, this isn’t a rare occurrence but rather a cycle that has continued for years (or…decades).
I know I’ve spent way too much time thinking about how I may be perceived by others and wanting desperately to stop the cycle. This exact desire is what prompted me to rebrand my Substack to This Might Be Cringe. After writing Embarrassment is Fake, I felt inspired to show up as my authentic self, despite the cringe.
In many ways, it worked. I went from posting less than a dozen essays in 2024 to posting over 40 in 2025. This was because I committed more time to my writing, but also because I decided to stop censoring myself to comply with what I thought would be more ‘palatable’. I’ve seen immense growth in how I show up in the world, in the tough conversations I have, in sharing more of my ‘whole self’ with the people in my life.
But still, there are areas I hold back on. I do a double-take before taking a selfie in public, I try to minimize the amount of space I take up in the world, and I still self-edit more than I’d like. I’m still afraid of being cringe, and I’m ready to do something about it.
I bet some of you are too.
That’s why I’m ecstatic to introduce you to Be Cringe, a monthly practice that allows you (and me!) to take small steps to living a more authentic life (even when it feels embarrassing). I’ve been sitting on this for almost a year, and I’m so excited to finally share this with you all.
What is Be Cringe?
Be Cringe is a monthly practice about letting the person you are on the inside show up more freely in the world.
Each month, I’ll send out our new theme: Be Cringe About Showing Up, Be Cringe About Taking Up Space, etc.
These themes are intentionally open-ended and are designed to apply to your life. You’ll never see a blanket directive like “compliment one stranger each day this month,” unless that’s the way you want to embody a theme, of course.
There will be a subscriber chat to share wins along the way — more on this, and what else to expect, below.
Why Be Cringe?
It’s really easy to want to live authentically, but harder to act without a guarantee of success or approval. I truly think we’ll all shine brighter and bring more to the world if we allow ourselves to loosen the grip we have on being perceived.
Many of us have learned to protect ourselves by staying quiet, playing it ‘cool’, containing our emotions, or making ourselves smaller.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re waiting to show up with confidence, this is for you.
Why monthly?
A month is long enough to notice patterns, to practice, to fail, to try again, and to find your groove, while still being short enough to be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It’s meant to be non-burdensome while still having impact.
How to Join
On the first Monday of each month, I’ll publish a post introducing that month’s Be Cringe theme. I’ll share why it’s important, how I’m approaching it in my own life, and a few ideas for how you might explore it in yours. I’ll also share a recap on how the previous month went.
As a free subscriber, you’ll see the theme and get a brief overview of each month.
If you’re a paid subscriber, you get:
the full monthly post with deeper reflections and ideas
access to a private subscriber chat
an optional weekly check-in thread
early access to each month’s theme in the chat before it goes live
The chat is there for sharing wins, asking questions, or just reading along. Participation is optional!
While I’ve planned a full year of themes that build gently over time, there’s no wrong time to join. Every month stands on its own, and you’re welcome to jump in wherever you are, whenever you’d like.
I’ll be doing this whether five people join or fifty — either way, I’d love the company.
If you’ve been craving a way to show up more authentically and honestly, I’d love for you to join me. Subscriptions are $5/month or $50/year, and for 2026 you can snag a full year of Be Cringe for $35 (about the cost of one OMNY tap per month, RIP, MetroCard). This will be active for all of 2026, and can only be accessed here.
Our chat is open now, so whether you’re reading this before the challenge launches, during the first month, or halfway through the year, I’d love to have you join in.
You don’t need my permission or guidance to step into your own, full, authentic self. I believe this already exists within all of us. But I also know this work is often easier (and maybe even a bit more fun) with some structure and a supportive community.
I’ll see you for the first month of Be Cringe on January 5th, and every first Monday after that.
If you’ve made it this far, I’d love to know: what’s one way your life would improve if you released the expectations and perceptions of others? What’s the hardest thing to let go of when you think about stepping outside of your comfort zone? What scares you, and what excites you?