Big black dog supporting mom with breast cancer

My blog is part journal, part soul-searching conversation—an honest, heartfelt space where I write through life’s twists and turns. From facing breast cancer and career pivots to embracing the emotional chaos that makes us human, I share real stories about resilience, identity, and growth. Each post is a blend of personal reflection and hard-earned insight, written for those navigating the messy middle of life with heart, humor, and hope.

Whether you’re in the middle of a major life shift, craving emotional connection, or simply looking for meaningful inspiration, you’re welcome here. Writing is therapy for me, and my hope is that reading it offers something healing for you, too.

I’m always open to topic suggestions—because the best conversations are two-way. 💬
Let’s connect, grow, and keep finding meaning in the mess.

wendy Neuberger wendy Neuberger

Self-Promotion in the dopamine culture

Whether I like it or not, my work needs to not only reflect my passion but also speak to the rapid pace of modern attention spans. Self-promotion, in this world of dopamine hits and quick scrolls, is almost as intricate as the art itself.

When it comes to selling my ceramics, I currently use Etsy as my platform of choice. It offers buyers a sense of security with its guarantees, which makes people feel safer shopping there than on some lesser-known e-commerce sites. Etsy also claims to help bring in customers, but I’ve found that self-promotion has been the most effective strategy. As an artist, promoting myself has become just as important as creating the work itself.

Thankfully, I have a background in graphic design and marketing, which gives me a slight edge in crafting eye-catching content. But even with those skills, there’s one major challenge—our collective attention span is shrinking. In fact, the average watch time spent on a content clip on my Instagram account is just 3.4 seconds before they scroll on to the next. I can’t even get 5 seconds! That’s the reality of the world we live in, where dopamine culture reigns supreme.

Remember the days before smart phones, when life moved at a slower pace? Back then, people took their time to enjoy things—reading a paperback book, eating a meal without checking their phone, speaking verses texting, or even having uninterrupted conversations. But as technology has evolved, so has our relationship with time. Everything is a quick hit—tweets, texts, emojis, and bite-sized videos. We’re constantly bombarded with fast content, and now our brains crave that instant rush of novelty. Squirrel!!

This is the world we’re trying to market in now. People love to see the process behind my ceramics, but how do you capture a project that takes 8-16 hours to complete in a video that holds their attention for less than five seconds? It’s a real puzzle. I spend more time than I’d like editing, trimming, and speeding up footage to create bite-sized versions of my work. The goal? To grab people’s attention before they move on to the next thing in their never-ending scroll.

It's frustrating, for sure. But mastering the art of quick-hit videos this fast culture has become part of the job. Self-promotion, in our world of dopamine hits and quick scrolls, is almost as intricate as the sculptures themselves.

Did you make it to the end? If you did, I thank you!

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