The dreaded first post... 2.0
Putting myself out there and all that! (again)
A quick note before you start reading: I am human. I basically lost momentum and life got a bit much, so I didn’t really keep up with my Substack when I originally launched it in 2023. I’ve been away, and now I am back and have done a few updates to this post. From May 2025, this post will look a little different to what was originally posted but will still be 100% me. I hope you enjoy. Please subscribe if you haven’t already! Thanks! Rebecca x
So, here we are: the dreaded first post.
I’m ripping the plaster off and putting myself out there into the world.
My name is Rebecca Hansell and I am an Artist & Science Communicator. I suppose others would describe me as ‘up-and-coming’ (if they were being nice) or ‘poor but trying’ (if they were being more accurate).
2023 was to be the year that I finally put myself out there - and I finally started my Substack (SPOILER: It didn’t last very long). But alas, it didn’t go to plan and here we are in 2025 (hello from editing Rebecca!) and I’ve crashed out of the ‘real world’ and am now just looking to experience joy wherever I can.
I’m nearing my mid-30s and I’ve taken what some might call the winding road into adulthood, but I think I am finally finding my footing. I struggled through my 20s with poor mental health, fighting battles against anxiety and depression that left me battered and bruised but still here a decade on. Just before my 33rd birthday, in 2024, I was finally given some answers when received a late-diagnosis of autism - my world then both simultaneously lit up with answers and broke down as I processed everything I had endured over the years.
I resurrected my Substack as a way to document whatever this chapter is and to embrace my love of writing - that I never gave much time to before - and to find people who are just looking for a bit of joy in life too. Life is far to short to be miserable, or to spend your time fitting into boxes not meant for you, so I’m all in for joy - the little, the big, the freaking absurd, the stunned silences, the laugh until you cry moments - all of it.
I am currently taking some time to focus on my art (which also incorporates my love for SciComm) and see what I want to do next. So, why not join me on the journey?
After all, as humans, we are all always growing. Why not grow together? Cheers.
