Becca Greenberg’s Stories, Lessons & Insights

Becca Greenberg shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Becca, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
When it comes to losing track of time, I find myself lost deep within a book. My dirty indulgence are romance books and my kindle always stays stocked. As I read these stories, I become intwined with the characters, their emotions and development. These books become my escape, and a path to find myself again when the days get hard as they egg on my secret wishes in life. I too, am trying to make a name for myself as a romance author. After publishing my poetry book, I realized the stories I had been reading during its creation was something I also wanted a say in. Having the chance to read so many different books and stories really connects all aspects of my life, giving me hope and release.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Becca Greenberg and I have accumulated quite a few titles. I’m a self-published author and independent photographer based in Denver, Colorado. At the moment I’m in the middle of an accelerated degree program at DU, wrapping up my BA in English and I’ve just started my MSW. All of the things I am pursuing came from different pivotal moments in my life and all experiences, good and bad, have gifted me an amazing platform to develop more into myself. Just this summer, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Florence, Italy, and then afterwards, join musician Ethan Jewell on an international tour. I have been so incredibly lucky to learn and grow with other students and artists and I can’t wait to see what other titles I develop.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who taught you the most about work?
My father. He’s an incredibly successful neurologist and truly the hardest worker I know. As a kid, the norm was knowing dad and his work. Listening to meetings when he’d pick my sister and I up from school, I learned where my cerebellum was by age 6. His work, however, never took him away from being a dad. He taught me so much about showing up and putting in effort. He always pushed me to perform to the level he knew I could, even when I didn’t see it myself. Now, I don’t know where I’d be without him. He’s my rock in so many ways, whether I’m calling him to show off what I made for dinner or having to debate my career path, he’s there and he’s supportive. I know from watching and learning from him that I can be successful in whatever makes me happy, as long as I don’t go “hands off” when things get hard.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
This is a loaded question in some respects because yes, there’s been lots of times I almost gave up, and its never been limited to one thing. I’ve had multiple times where I’ve wanted to drop out of school because I felt so defeated and uninspired by my career path. I almost unpublished my book after I hadn’t recieved a single sale in a year. There were even times I thought about stopping photography because the demand was so low and the clients I did have, didn’t pay me at times. These times, and many more, giving up felt like a safety net. Like I could remove all the hurt from me by just, not caring anymore. But that’s not how it works. When I got so close to going through with it, one distinct memory popped up in my head and re-routed my thoughts. It was from when I was 12 years old and was a frequent flyer at my public library. One day when walking the shelves, my fingers paused upon a space between two books. That space? The alphabetical place in which my book could sit if it ever existed. There’s been so much change in my life but the one thing that always eggs me forward is the chance to do something impactful like that. Whether it’s entering a 9-5 career of a public servant, watching people gasp and awe over a photo of their most important moment, or seeing another 12 year old fall in love with wanting to be a writer because of a book I wrote, those ideas keep me going. Failure is guaranteed if you stop trying, but I’m slowly learning you can make it go away, with time.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? How do you differentiate between fads and real foundational shifts?
The difference between fads and a genuine foundational shift can be hard to identify at points, though I know at least for me, I’m slowly figuring out the difference. When it comes to fads, they’re an amazing feeling in the moment. The scrunchies and whipped coffee of 2019 – 2020 were practices I sought out everyday. Even the green plastic vines to hang from the ceiling was something I couldn’t live without and ordered a bit too many of. Yet, in my apartment today, you can’t find a single one of those. Why? Because fads aren’t truly you. Yes, you can learn a lot about what you like/dislike when it comes to the cyclical nature of fads, like I wouldn’t even look at low rise jeans till I saw them appear on websites again. But that $50 “hot commodity” item that “EVERYONE” has nowadays, isn’t really what’s going to make you happy. The real, foundational shift is within you. My decoration style isn’t plastic vines or neon led’s anymore, its soft lamp lighting and a large fake tree my boyfriend and I have named “Stuart”. It’s me reading books that spike my interest, not what’s taken over the internet. It’s me putting effort into making a genuine name for myself, not learning the “get rich quick” tips that cycle on and off my page. Foundational shifts feel real because you can connect them to yourself. If your general sense of self is slipping, fads will feel a lot more important than they actually are to you.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel the most at peace when I’m engaging in something that high school me never thought she could. For example, if you asked 16 year old me to go on a hike, she’d laugh in your face and tell you off. But now? The quietness that blankets my mind and the soft gaze that takes over the fields I hike through are things I can’t live without. Same with things like driving, or cooking, or even who I engage with. Not too long ago I thought that escape was when I felt at peace. When I’d drive through all hours of night just to get away, when I’d only order food and the most I could cook was ramen, or even when I’d date or hangout with people who could pull me away, physically and mentally, from my room. That’s no longer the case. See, I craved escape and called it peace because I didn’t know what else to do. But moving away from home and really seeing a different side to the world has renamed that word for me. Peace is now a quiet hike, a leisurely drive to go leaf peeping, cooking different meals everynight, trying flavors from all around the globe, and even, being with someone who creates the peace for me, making me happy where I am. I like to find peace in everything around me but if all else fails, I’m 30 minutes from the mountains so good luck pinging me there.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.beccasgreenberg.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/becgreenbergphoto?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beccagreenberg
• Other: Instagram 2: https://www.instagram.com/authorbeccagreenberg?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Image Credits
Becca Greenberg