Unobstructed

 

Stories for navigating life with more clarity.
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WHAT IT IS & WHAT WE DO

Unobstructed is a multi-media literary publication sharing stories that help people navigate daily life with more agency and clarity.

Sometimes, a new way of seeing things is all it takes to get unstuck.


Some of what you'll find here:

  • Reflections and insights on agency, grief, and creativity.

  • Conversations about overlooked and misunderstood challenges keeping people stuck.

  • Prompts for improving critical thinking, confident decision-making, and self-efficacy.

  • Bonus resources and recommendations.


Sign up to join readers from over 37 countries who believe big ideas and small steps can create enough clarity to become unobstructed.

 

Masthead

  • Derek MacDonald — Director of Editorial Strategy, Publishing Systems & Voice

Contributors

Columns


Publishing frequency: We send daily, weekly, and monthly newsletters. Paid subscribers have access to all content.

Contact: hello@theunobstructed.com 


COMING SOON: subscriptions for print editions.

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Signing up for daily or weekly emails also gets you longer essays and podcast episodes each month.

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Monthly Creative Circle Calls.

A chance to connect and share progress with other creatives.

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Daily Snippets.

Short vignettes, reflections, and prompts for navigating agency, grief, and creativity in daily life.

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Weekly Newsletter.

Keep up with the latest snippets, essays, and podcast episodes.

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The Unobstructed Podcast.

Listen in on big thoughts and small steps for navigating daily life.

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Hey, I'm Derek—Head of Editorial.

2025 MacDonald Derek unobstructed-1

I started Unobstructed after 15+ years in marketing, software systems, outdoor education, and leadership development. It's a built-in-public, multi-media platform.

What we publish aims to reveal things, not prescribe them. Said differently—we purposefully leave room for interpretation here.

Sometimes, a different way of seeing things is all it takes to get unstuck. That's our goal. We believe big ideas and small steps can create clarity and help reframe the stories people tell themselves.

Learn more.

A JOURNEY OF BECOMING UNOBSTRUCTED

Hey, I’m Derek MacDonald — Head of Editorial.

I'm a writer and editorial leader from Massachusetts who now calls Vermont home. I started Unobstructed after 15+ years in marketing, software systems, outdoor education, and leadership development. It's a built-in-public, multi-media platform.

What we publish aims to reveal things, not prescribe them. Said differently—we purposefully leave room for interpretation here. Sometimes, a different way of seeing things is all it takes to get unstuck. That's our goal. We believe big ideas and small steps can create clarity and help reframe the stories people tell themselves.

This is a place for reflections, essays, and podcast episodes on navigating daily life with more agency and clarity.

I'm glad you're here.

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