I’m SO super excited to introduce a new monthly space for you to celebrate your Substack publication, your business, your book deals, your posts, your wins… what are you celebrating?
Do you want to share a post you’re proud of, a link to a new product or service, a happy dance for a new paid subscriber or founding member joining your community?
Drop your comment and a url in the comments and chat with others.
✨ I am celebrating over 600 downloads on my podcast conversation with Clover Stroud - it is a JOY to do this work. Listen here.
✨Sparkle on Substack MEMBER celebration - Clare over at Take time out to be Creative has a BRAND new book out in the world.
Anything is possible when you shine your unique light, develop your creative practise and take action on your BIG dreams!
Sending sparkles for your weekend ahead, see you in the comments!
Claire
PS - Sparkle Call Members meet up Monday - details here. If you want to be featured in next month’s post drop me a dm.
Here's how to buy Clare's wonderful book - it's called - The Modern Day Embroidery Handbook and it is FULL of joy - https://hellohooray.com/product/the-modern-embroidery-handbook - For any artists out there, Clare has a super interesting paid sub model here - go check out and support her work. ✨
Yay! Thanks so much for including me here today, Claire - I really appreciate you cheering me on! ✨✨✨ I've learnt so much from your brilliant Sparkle membership, and I honestly don't think I would have had the confidence to go for it without your encouragement and knowledge. If anyone is thinking about learning more about Substack, I'd highly recommend it! ✨✨✨
That's great Clare, congratulations! I've just started to cross-stitch so I may be interested in getting a copy when I've finished my current project. Good luck with it.
This weekend I'm celebrating my debut book, The Japanese Art of Living Seasonally, which comes out in three days time. My journey to publication started in 2019 so I can't believe she's finally here!
The Japanese Art of Living Seasonally: An invitation to celebrate every day https://amzn.eu/d/cV2Kss4
How wonderful - huge congratulations, Natalie! ✨ It's such a huge commitment to publish a book, and it's testament to your hard work and passion that it's out in the world next week. I hope you're able to stop and celebrate it - it's a complete whirlwind! 💖
Oh my, is there a better way to celebrate it?! Enjoy every moment! And try and take a bit of time off if you can - I need to do the same and I know it's hard 😂
Time off is a distant dream at the moment, sadly, which it sounds like you're very familiar with! However, I started the day with a pancake breakfast in the sunshine so it's not all bad! ☺️
Oh how wonderful Natalie - thanks for sharing with us! Five years in the making I bet it’s super special! Sounds right up my street - I will Pre order! CONGRATULATIONS!! ✨🌺✨
Thanks so much for your kind words, Claire, and for creating this lovely space to support fellow creatives. I hope you love the book; it's a treasure trove of the seasonal Japanese flowers, foods, festivals and folklore that have delighted and inspired me!
Thank you, Claire! It's so exciting to think of her out there in the world, meeting people, I'll never know and travelling to places I've never been. I hope she reaches everyone who needs her. 🌸
Order duly placed. I'm so excited to dive into this. I've been exploring the 72 weeks project which I think is based on the concept of Japanese micro-seasons so this popped up at just the right time for me.
Yes, it sounds like it's based on the 72 micro-season system and the Japanese ritual year, a subject that's very dear to my heart. I hope you enjoy diving into the inspiration in the book!
5 years is a long time! I listed it in my books-to-read list. I know the struggles and I am only at the beginning of the journey you almost concluded. So proud of your result! good luck xx
Thank you so much, Annalisa. It truly is; it feels like I began the process in another lifetime! The beginning is so nerve-wracking and exciting, though. I wish you all the best on your journey to becoming an author! I hope to share some insights into my experience when I'm feeling brave enough. Xx
yes, surely many people, me included, would feel more at ease knowing that we are not the only one struggling with the nitty gritty of book editing and publication xx
Just saw your kind comment; thanks so much, Susan! If you love Japan, plants and flowers, seasonal slow living and folklore, then it will be right up your street.
I think it will Natalie! My dream place to travel one day is Japan. Everything about their culture and way of looking at life is so inspiring. Good luck with your book!
I’m also coming to the end of my ‘Heal Your Past’ series of posts, a labour of love full of useful tools which I will turn into a stand-alone course. ☺️
Oh that's WONDERFUL news Kate! Very savvy to create and then make this something ever green too. I want to make my 30 day home page challenge an ebook but I'm still exhausted from creating it lol. What are your content pillars over at Letters from Therapy - do you know?
Claire you should to it <3 It's so full of info that everyone would benefit from it!
I do not have much free time, but if you need any help with the organisation side of it, something others seem to say I am good at), then please reach out to me and I will be happy to give you a hand.
Creating takes a lot of energy! I hadn’t thought of it as content pillars though I guess I have the therapy/personal growth for those looking for deeper reflection/change/paid subscribers, and then the creative life and inspiration, which tend to get the engagement/free subscribers. ✨
Haha - yup! Interesting... I do think it's worth reflecting on content pillars because it helps us understand which of them draw new folks in and then how we go deeper... on Creatively Conscious I have them as sections so it's clear to both me and the reader - Self Seed your Business, Whole Hearted Living and then Creative Projects. I have thought about whether I pop personal essays as it's own thing but it my mind they usually draw from one of the pillars so I'm just sticking with tagging it as the most relevant one for now.
Congratulations everyone! It's so heartwarming to see all the joy and positivity on a Saturday morning. I love it 🥰
I'm celebrating my 500 subscribers, my consistent writing, and most importantly, the engagement of my community. Ultimately, the number is meaningless if nobody interacts with my writing.
- This week I saw the biggest growth here, and this gave me all kinds of feelings I was not used to!
- Consequently, I started sorting my 22-years-long diaries, 5-years-long notes and all the knowledge in my head to write my first book. I know it seems a clichè that we all want to write books but it's been 5 years since I wanted to start THIS book, and a life of writing. I have little poems I used to write when I was 7. A lot is inside my head and I know, I know from the bottom of my heart that it can help other people, I have seen it with my closest friends and family (although very reluctant at first that the "baby" of the family could help them!!)
- Seeing my super-introverted mum recommending my newsletter to her friends was a clear sign of her valuing me (as she usually shows appreciation more than saying it in words). I appreciated that a lot!
- I appreciate all the amazing people I am meeting here, the people I have plans to post something together with! I have 4! That's just something I wouldn't have expected.
- I want to celebrate my idea of a monthly series when I take a 'passage' of my old diaries from when I was an adolescent and unpack what happened there and how things changed, and how I changed. I believe valuable lessons can be gathered from there, whether the reader is still an adolescent, a parent trying to understand their kids, or an adults who want to shed light on what happened to them years ago, and on how that might be influencing their life now without knowing it. This involves me sharing personal life events, how I was bullied during my swimming practices, how I gave up playing piano when I was a kid, how I suffered when my parents forbid me to see my ex-boyfriend, how my dad died when I was still little, and so on. It will be very vulnerable but ... I know, that even if only one person can benefit from it, it's going to be worth it.
- Lastly, I am celebrating I am keeping up with my substack being bilingual, reaching people that do not speak English is my main goal as lots of info we have access to, they do not as in Italy English is STILL taught poorly. I want to solve that problem.
Bonjour from Strasbourg, here for the long weekend…but I'm celebrating my first month back on Substack after a two-month break, and it's been encouraging. I've had to make more of an effort than before, but it's also given me space to experiment, mix things up, and keep showing up with focus.
In my last post, I shared a sketchbook tour video for the first time in public, and that felt very vulnerable, like sharing your personal diary. But it was an invitation to show people how simple you can start and keep a sketchbook. Also, I usually spend more time editing my videos, so that was strange, but I'm trying to get over my perfectionism!
This is wonderful Susan! I am also a recovering perfectionist too and it's hard to break through that sometimes. Looking forward to watching this later! Have a lovely weekend 🥰
Recovering perfectionist here too! It also drove me to pause my work here after only a few months of publishing. I hope you continue to find enjoyment as you shake up what you’re doing, and enjoy your weekend!
There’s so many of us recovering perfectionism but it’s not a bad thing! I hope you are sharing your work, Jillian - don’t let perfectionism hold you back. Reach out if you need accountability or a gentle nudge ☺️ thank you for sharing.
Hi Susan, you know.. I completely resonate with you. Video editing perfectionism is basically what made me stop creating YT videos almost 10 years ago. Sometimes I publish short videos now, but I tend to do almost no editing, we value realism, and the fact that we never get things right the first time, and that's the beauty of it, I think.
Your diary is beautiful, and I too started sharing my written diary, some parts will be painful to go through, I know it already, and it's very vulnerable because we are literally putting our true selves out there in the void. We do not really know who is going to read/see it do we? but we trust the process, and if even only one person is going to benefit from it, then our efforts will be worth it, no matter what <3
Hi Annalisa. So great to hear that it resonates with you and I’m not alone in my thoughts. I think the idea of just uploading it with a deadline most definitely helped. But been detached from the outcome was really what made this ‘easier’ to share. And you are right, I’ve had more than one person say it has inspired them to share their work/video and so it was being worth it.
That sounds great Susan. Congratulations! I can imagine that was really vulnerable sharing that, even though it was in the service of encouraging others. I' m a recovering perfectionist too...though nowadays I usually say that I have a loud Inner Perfectionist rather than being a perfectionist or not. I wrote a post about it a few months ago, which may be of interest to you. https://open.substack.com/pub/perfectionistmothershq/p/please-dont-call-yourself-a-perfectionist
This is so lovely, Claire! I'm really glad to be a paid subscriber now (although life has been crazy, so I'm a bit behind on starting my Substack 🙈).
Last year, I started creating and now it’s finally here: Soothing the Stormy Brain – a collection of fluff-free tools to help any beginning or advanced overthinker to get out of their heads & take back their power in the present. 🚀
And I’m proud – not only of what I created, but of the fact that I shared it with the world, and when my inbox wasn’t exactly filling up with orders (#transparency), I remained proud. 💪
So instead of this milestone only being marked by me clicking the last ‘’publish’’ button, this is me screaming at the top of my lungs: I DID IT! I created a super powerful toolkit for overthinkers and I can't wait for more people to benefit from it! 💃🏻
Yay Shirley! 💖 In a world where we're taught not to shout too loudly about our achievements, it's so wonderful and inspiring to read your words here this morning. Well done for celebrating you and this brilliant achievement!
Oh this is very sweet Shirley and very much needed. You're never behind on SS - you're here at the right time for you! Welcome and do let me know if you need anything here lovely. ✨
The link is so full of info, and the price is affordable. Do not worry that success is not an overnight thing. keep pushing and we are all here to support you!
Hi Shirley, I'm so happy you are writing and teaching about self-compassion. Me too. I love that you have your Soothing your Stormy Brain out in the world now. Congratulations! You should be proud, and shouting it out loud. I honestly think self-compassion will change the world when more of us model it, especially mothers. So excited for you.
Thank you so so much, dear Thea! Your kind words and support really mean a lot to me. And same, I truly believe the practice of self-compassion can change the world. Love your work! Subscribed right away. Very happy to connect with you here. 💛
Thank you Claire, for bringing on Clover Stroud. That was an insightful conversation.
This week I’m celebrating the email I write for my job surpassing 24,000 subscribers. It’s hosted in LinkedIn and my name is not attributed to it, but it gives me hope that people want to read my writing!
I was on NBC talking about children's mental health and got to mention my Substack podcast (a major joy in my life), Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-1lbmNZCuI
Im sharing this post as proud people have said it is beautiful to read. That makes me happy as someone who is new to writing anything other than for business. It is emotional and personal - I debated whether to publish but glad I did 💜
It is a beautiful post - heart wrenching and so honestly written. I hope it was a therapeutic process to write it, and I'm sure that it will help so many who ready it. Sending love to you Elly 🩷
Hi Claire! 🎉 Congratulations on 600 downloads of your podcast! I'm sure the numbers will only keep rising! 😊
I just wanted to celebrate the steady growth of my Substack. I can see some new followers and subscriptions almost every day now, which is truly amazing, as this is not what I ever imagined! The community here is truly, truly amazing. 🌟
(And let's celebrate the beautiful weather we're having in the UK ☀️, which definitely helps with creativity!)
Yes to slow and steady growth - I am here for that too and it's a wonderful thing! 💖 So glad you have found your place here, Aleks. The sunshine is making such a difference isn't it?! The sandals are finally out and I am happy! 😂
Yes thank goodness summer is here Aleks - wow we really need it don't we. Here's to celebrating steady, joyful growth here too - I am cheerleading you and your mindset is perfect for sustaining a creative practise here. ✨ ✍️ What do you write about?
I write about perinatal mental health and matrescence (transition to motherhood) from a dual perspective: as a therapist specialising in this field 🧠, but also as a fellow mother of 2 young children in the "trenches" of parenting! 💪 x
Hi Aleks, congratulations on your steady Substack growth. I love that you've just introduced me to the word matrescence - I haven't heard it before. I think it's a really important missing link for mothers. Imagine how amazing it would be if we could celebrate and support all women as they go through that transition. I found it the hardest thing I'd ever done, so would have loved to feel seem, supported and offered wise guidance from other mothers.
Thank you Thea. Yes, supporting mothers in this transition is a real passion of mine. 💖 I have just checked out your publication. I am about to publish a piece about motherhood and perfectionism! 📝
What an absolute joy to read all these comments - Claire, thanks for holding such a wonderful pace for us.
I've been writing here on Substack for over a year with the Everyday Knitter publication but I've recently started Page And Ink too - based on my love of tarot and journaling. One of my recent posts is here and I'm thrilled that people have really taken to the idea. I've had some lovely comments which really soothed some of the anxiety I felt about 'coming out' as a tarot reader.
I love that you've grown into a second space - do you still have EveryDay Knitter as your primary Substack? I noticed which ever is listed first grows quicker so I have mine as sparkle
I've been kind of alternating them. I switched to Page and Ink as my primary one last week as I'm trying to grow that one a bit more. But I'm not sure how much difference it's made to be honest 🤣
This week I'm celebrating my first paid subscriber. I was super surprised to receive the email late one night. My substack is only a month old. I wasn't expecting any paid subscribers for months. I am very grateful to her for her annual subscription and the conversation we had afterwards. May she be the first of many.
Ahh what a feeling - this is so lovely. I was chatting about this further up and said I comped a few colleagues to get the space feeling friendly behind the paywall. Top tip if you want to do that.
Yes just tell them the boundary around it? You can make a coupon and tell them it will expire in 3 months for example? Subs on a coupon count towards best seller if you're trying to make it there. Comps don't. xx
I don't actually have a paywall. Both free and paid get the same content. When I started my Substack, I turned on paid as I didn't want to have any funny feelings or indecesions later on. I figured maybe someday I'd add extra content for paid subscribers if I decided to stay with it.
I've been writing brief daily entries on Substack for over 100 days now, which feels like something to celebrate even as I'm still trying to figure things out around here. I love reading everyone's successes here! What an amazing community!
I also just wrote this morning into the idea that we don't do a very good job of celebrating or integrating failure into our stories and our work or words. I've failed at a lot to get here. I'll add that as a somewhat paradoxical thing to celebrate.
My happy dance this week is about going paid. I can't go paid on Substack because it doesn't support paid subscriptions in my country but I set up a Buy Me a Coffee page and finally -- finally after agonizing about it for weeks -- sent an email about it to my subscribers. I already have a couple of people who became monthly paid subscribers which makes me happy. But what makes me even happier is that it's finally done and I don't have to think about it anymore. I feel like this email, asking people to give me money if they like my work, was one of the hardest steps I took on my Substack journey so far. Maybe THE hardest.
I saw your email Tanya and my eyes nearly fell out when I read that your country is not supported. That’s ridiculous. Do you know whether that’s because of recent events or always been that way. I’m also thinking of reviving my buy me a coffee page from years ago. I like the more casual support option
But yeah, it was frustrating to find out that they don't work with us, to say the least. Especially since in all my years of freelancing for US clients I never had a problem with getting paid. Not even once.
It’s so strange honestly I can’t believe stripe doesn’t support your country. They’re a tech company after all and there are endless tech companies in I.
I don't think it's because of recent events (at least I hope not). Stripe said that they have to follow very stringent procedures and have to go through a lot of bureaucracy specific to each country to be able to work with them. (And I wouldn't be surprised if we have more bureaucracy than any other country.) Buy Me a Coffee is pretty alright. I especially like that that there is both a monthly option and a one-time donation option for people who don't want the commitment.
Heh. I think we can argue about that one. You should have seen how much paperwork I had to go through when I came back here as a working adult 5 years ago and was trying to open a bank account so I could give them MY MONEY. It's like I was asking for a mortgage. And yeah I just Googled it and it seems like Stripe's difficulties here are of the same kind. Our banking system is just ridiculously complex and outdated.
I did. It's Stripe, so Substack can't do much about it. Stripe says they're planning to expand to more countries but nothing more concrete than that. Oh well, at least I've overcome the major obstacle, namely my own mindset :)
Hi! Thank you for this! Starting to build connections on here has been one of the coolest things in this space. I'm celebrating gaining my first 100 subscribers and finding a place to show up as myself!
Hi everyone! I’m celebrating the fact that I’ll be teaching a new workshop soon: Prep & Teach Your Unique Online Workshop (Without the Stress). This might be useful to you if you want to start offering workshops with your Substack as a component to paid subscriptions. The early bird sale is ending today; it’ll be $197 instead of $147 starting tomorrow, and you can learn more here: https://esmewang.com/workshop-on-workshops
I’m offering a free Permission to Play workshop TODAY. We’ll meet at 1pm ET for 90 minutes, and you'll walk away with tools and tips so you can start making play a part of your everyday life—which will help you feel more alive, to boot! Sign up here: http://fyc.quest/P2PMay11
I hope you can make it a reality soon, Oceane. It was my dream for the first 30 years of my life, and no matter how many times I return, it never fails to inspire, delight and enchant me all over again.
I’m getting a new series off the ground on growing your own cut flowers in a tiny space - the growing season is hectic just now, but I want to have my writing building in the background, and I’m looking forward to inspiring some folk to get their summer flower patches underway! Happy weekend folks 💐
Hello all, so happy to be here and to witness these beautiful celebrations! I am celebrating my first year here on Substack and everything I have loved and learned (I wrote something about it here, https://open.substack.com/pub/storyandthread/p/the-love-and-learnings-of-a-writing). Also one of the ideas I sowed when I was thinking about moving my writing to Substack was creating seasonal events and I am so happy that this dream became a reality as Lauren Barber and I held our first creative gathering in London 3 weeks ago, it was beautiful and felt like a culmination of everything! Hope it is the first of many xx
Hi lovely people 💛 I'm celebrating consistency of posting- showing up regularly on Substack has really helped me refine my writing, my voice and clarify what it is I want to say. And the amazing community I'm meeting here, an unexpected bonus that is wonderful!
Today is Mother's Day in the Southern Hemisphere, so my latest post is about mothering, in all it's different forms ✨
It has been my most opened and the largest driver of subscribers since I started last year. I am especially proud about this because I previously had a lot of shame about my own experience with depression. But I’ve seen how sharing helps others feel less alone. And I’m proud to get to do that.
Oh another note I loved your episode with Clover this week Claire!
Hello to all you brave talents! And thank you to Claire for these wonderful community inspiration moments.
I'm celebrating getting back into writing -- after having my two boys - staying home and helping my husband start his writing business from the ground up.
I write The Briar Rose: https://valerieashley.substack.com/ and enjoy the consistency of posting articles/essays on culture, spirituality, and inspiring women. I look forward to delving into growth and more engagement on Substack once my youngest is in school full-time next September. :)
I got my first paid stranger subscriber, as in someone with whom I don't have a previous relationship last week and that feels really big! And they joined me from a post where I was more vulnerable than I usually am, which is the kind of writing I'm most interested in doing more of, so that also feels very validating!
I'm celebrating my descision to (automatically) translate my posts on Substack, which I write in Dutch by choise, to English for my English subscribers.
This weekend I'm celebrating my first paid Founding Member!! Just overwhelming to have someone think that highly of my writing/art etc that they are happy to pay to be a Founding member!! Woohoo!!
Love this thread! 🥰 so many wonderful writers and writing to explore.
I’m close to 500 subs and only crossed the 400 mark a few weeks ago (after 3.5 years of inconsistency but holding on to my dreams)
Also only recently have I crossed over 50 likes per post and almost 1k views for them.
It’s new and exciting territory to connect with more people chatting about rest, rituals and holistic wellbeing, slow travel, solo travel, and creativity.
Congratulations Claire on the success of your podcast! And on the success of building such a wonderful community space here for us all on Sparkle. We're so lucky to be able to join in here 🙏
I've faltered. On here and in my art making. Perhaps I should celebrate that I took a break because I needed it . And that I've started drawing again (I normally paint abstract art) and that has felt really lovely. Therapeutic. I intend to publish tomorrow for the first time in several weeks 🤞
I took an unexpected 2 month break after pushing myself too hard on publishing here. I learned I needed to be a lot more flexible about how often I posted and not try as hard in order to have fun here. Wishing you luck as you navigate your own return back to publishing!
It's important that we listen to what our bodies are tellimg us. Much better to take a break than to break ourselves. Flexibility is key, thank you for the reminder. Thank you Jillian, I hope your new approach is joyful!
Thanks for sharing here Lady Jane! I’ll keep sharing this post to bring people back round but these are going to be once a month if you want to join in live next time. ✨✨
Welcome to the community! Your paid subscribers will come, so just keep connecting with them. They are here for the year because they believe in you and your writing and that's a wonderful thing. Focus on the connections and the rest will follow ✨
Keep adding value and it does not matter if they are alone, the value they are getting from you is what they signed up for. And when more people will join, there will, be an amazing community!
Here's how to buy Clare's wonderful book - it's called - The Modern Day Embroidery Handbook and it is FULL of joy - https://hellohooray.com/product/the-modern-embroidery-handbook - For any artists out there, Clare has a super interesting paid sub model here - go check out and support her work. ✨
Yay! Thanks so much for including me here today, Claire - I really appreciate you cheering me on! ✨✨✨ I've learnt so much from your brilliant Sparkle membership, and I honestly don't think I would have had the confidence to go for it without your encouragement and knowledge. If anyone is thinking about learning more about Substack, I'd highly recommend it! ✨✨✨
Thank you lovie that means the world! ✨❤️✨
That's great Clare, congratulations! I've just started to cross-stitch so I may be interested in getting a copy when I've finished my current project. Good luck with it.
This weekend I'm celebrating my debut book, The Japanese Art of Living Seasonally, which comes out in three days time. My journey to publication started in 2019 so I can't believe she's finally here!
The Japanese Art of Living Seasonally: An invitation to celebrate every day https://amzn.eu/d/cV2Kss4
How wonderful - huge congratulations, Natalie! ✨ It's such a huge commitment to publish a book, and it's testament to your hard work and passion that it's out in the world next week. I hope you're able to stop and celebrate it - it's a complete whirlwind! 💖
Thank you so much, Clare, it truly is! It's been non stop for so long but
I'm going to try and stop briefly and celebrate this weekend with an armful of peonies and a slice of strawberry shortcake!
Oh my, is there a better way to celebrate it?! Enjoy every moment! And try and take a bit of time off if you can - I need to do the same and I know it's hard 😂
Time off is a distant dream at the moment, sadly, which it sounds like you're very familiar with! However, I started the day with a pancake breakfast in the sunshine so it's not all bad! ☺️
Oh how wonderful Natalie - thanks for sharing with us! Five years in the making I bet it’s super special! Sounds right up my street - I will Pre order! CONGRATULATIONS!! ✨🌺✨
Thanks so much for your kind words, Claire, and for creating this lovely space to support fellow creatives. I hope you love the book; it's a treasure trove of the seasonal Japanese flowers, foods, festivals and folklore that have delighted and inspired me!
Order placed! ✨
Thank you, Claire! It's so exciting to think of her out there in the world, meeting people, I'll never know and travelling to places I've never been. I hope she reaches everyone who needs her. 🌸
Oh it sounds utterly lovely. ✨
Congratulations Natalie!
Thank you so much Kate!
Oooo. This sounds so good. Just followed you here.
Thanks so much, Kara! I've been so focused on the book launch that I haven't been able to launch my substack as planned, but please do bear with me!
Order duly placed. I'm so excited to dive into this. I've been exploring the 72 weeks project which I think is based on the concept of Japanese micro-seasons so this popped up at just the right time for me.
Ooo off for a google or that! ✨🌱✨
We can read together!
Gosh, how serendipitous Louise!
Yes, it sounds like it's based on the 72 micro-season system and the Japanese ritual year, a subject that's very dear to my heart. I hope you enjoy diving into the inspiration in the book!
5 years is a long time! I listed it in my books-to-read list. I know the struggles and I am only at the beginning of the journey you almost concluded. So proud of your result! good luck xx
Thank you so much, Annalisa. It truly is; it feels like I began the process in another lifetime! The beginning is so nerve-wracking and exciting, though. I wish you all the best on your journey to becoming an author! I hope to share some insights into my experience when I'm feeling brave enough. Xx
yes, surely many people, me included, would feel more at ease knowing that we are not the only one struggling with the nitty gritty of book editing and publication xx
Oh, wow! Congratulations! It sound like a book I love to read!
Congratulations Natalie, what and interesting sounding book. Perfectly aligned with this thread too!
Thank you so much, Thea! People have been so kind and supportive; it feels like Substack really is the wonderful home for writers I hoped it would be.
Congratulations! 🎉
Thank you so much, Mackenzie!
This sounds wonderful! I will check it out Big congratulations!!
Just saw your kind comment; thanks so much, Susan! If you love Japan, plants and flowers, seasonal slow living and folklore, then it will be right up your street.
I think it will Natalie! My dream place to travel one day is Japan. Everything about their culture and way of looking at life is so inspiring. Good luck with your book!
Hi Claire!
I’m celebrating 750 subscribers 🥳
https://lettersfromtherapy.substack.com
I’m also coming to the end of my ‘Heal Your Past’ series of posts, a labour of love full of useful tools which I will turn into a stand-alone course. ☺️
Oh that's WONDERFUL news Kate! Very savvy to create and then make this something ever green too. I want to make my 30 day home page challenge an ebook but I'm still exhausted from creating it lol. What are your content pillars over at Letters from Therapy - do you know?
Claire you should to it <3 It's so full of info that everyone would benefit from it!
I do not have much free time, but if you need any help with the organisation side of it, something others seem to say I am good at), then please reach out to me and I will be happy to give you a hand.
Yes, chiming in to add my agreement. This would make a fabulous ebook
Creating takes a lot of energy! I hadn’t thought of it as content pillars though I guess I have the therapy/personal growth for those looking for deeper reflection/change/paid subscribers, and then the creative life and inspiration, which tend to get the engagement/free subscribers. ✨
Haha - yup! Interesting... I do think it's worth reflecting on content pillars because it helps us understand which of them draw new folks in and then how we go deeper... on Creatively Conscious I have them as sections so it's clear to both me and the reader - Self Seed your Business, Whole Hearted Living and then Creative Projects. I have thought about whether I pop personal essays as it's own thing but it my mind they usually draw from one of the pillars so I'm just sticking with tagging it as the most relevant one for now.
Congratulations, Kate! 💖 That's a fantastic achievement - and amazing that you can turn your series into a course too. Such a fab idea!
Thanks so much Clare! 💛
That’s fantastic.
That's fabulous! I've just added another 1 to your subscriber total. I'm looking forward to reading your articles later!
Oh thank you Susan!! 🙏🏻
Congrats Kate, next stop 1,000! 😃👏🥳🥂
We’ll be there by Christmas kate! 🥳
I have no doubt! 👏👏
Well done, Kate! The idea to turn it into a course to help more people outside SS is amazing. I wish you the best of luck with it!
Also will look forward to the next series of post x
Thanks annalisa! 💛
That's brilliant! Well done.
I've just subscribed - you've got so many interesting articles that align with my work too. Looking forward to exploring them over the coming weeks.
That’s amazing Kate! Well done! 🥳
Congratulations Kate, that's an amazing milestone
Congratulations everyone! It's so heartwarming to see all the joy and positivity on a Saturday morning. I love it 🥰
I'm celebrating my 500 subscribers, my consistent writing, and most importantly, the engagement of my community. Ultimately, the number is meaningless if nobody interacts with my writing.
Happy Weekend 🖤
YES - love this and this is exactly what tomorrow's call is about. ✨
Love your outlook on this - yes! Congratulations on the subscribers and the connections 🥳
Oh the deep connection and a lovely round number just for fun!! Congrats 🎉 thanks for sharing with us!!
Congratulations Tugba, such a milestone. xx
Congratulations!
It's a beautiful, heart warming thread to read through isn't it. Just joyful.
Hi all, I have a lot to celebrate this month!
- This week I saw the biggest growth here, and this gave me all kinds of feelings I was not used to!
- Consequently, I started sorting my 22-years-long diaries, 5-years-long notes and all the knowledge in my head to write my first book. I know it seems a clichè that we all want to write books but it's been 5 years since I wanted to start THIS book, and a life of writing. I have little poems I used to write when I was 7. A lot is inside my head and I know, I know from the bottom of my heart that it can help other people, I have seen it with my closest friends and family (although very reluctant at first that the "baby" of the family could help them!!)
- Seeing my super-introverted mum recommending my newsletter to her friends was a clear sign of her valuing me (as she usually shows appreciation more than saying it in words). I appreciated that a lot!
- I appreciate all the amazing people I am meeting here, the people I have plans to post something together with! I have 4! That's just something I wouldn't have expected.
- I want to celebrate my idea of a monthly series when I take a 'passage' of my old diaries from when I was an adolescent and unpack what happened there and how things changed, and how I changed. I believe valuable lessons can be gathered from there, whether the reader is still an adolescent, a parent trying to understand their kids, or an adults who want to shed light on what happened to them years ago, and on how that might be influencing their life now without knowing it. This involves me sharing personal life events, how I was bullied during my swimming practices, how I gave up playing piano when I was a kid, how I suffered when my parents forbid me to see my ex-boyfriend, how my dad died when I was still little, and so on. It will be very vulnerable but ... I know, that even if only one person can benefit from it, it's going to be worth it.
- Lastly, I am celebrating I am keeping up with my substack being bilingual, reaching people that do not speak English is my main goal as lots of info we have access to, they do not as in Italy English is STILL taught poorly. I want to solve that problem.
Long post, sorry but here's the link to my first post of the new series: https://annalisacaminarecci.substack.com/p/new-series-reminiscences-of-an-adolescent
Love to all 💛
You are doing so brilliantly - a true example of leaning into your creative practise. ✨
Thank you🥰🥰 doing my best and enjoying the journey
So much to celebrate - congratulations! ✨✨✨
Thank you!! <3
Amazing things happening here Annalisa! Excited for you 🥰
Thank you for the support 🤍🤍
You've been so busy - and you have so much to celebrate here. Congratulations
Thank you Louise, I appreciate it a lot 🥰
This sounds so valuable. Sharing your experiences is so generous and will be so helpful to many.
Congratulations on your growth and preparing to write your book!
Thnk you so much <3
Wow! So much to celebrate, how wonderful.
Bonjour from Strasbourg, here for the long weekend…but I'm celebrating my first month back on Substack after a two-month break, and it's been encouraging. I've had to make more of an effort than before, but it's also given me space to experiment, mix things up, and keep showing up with focus.
In my last post, I shared a sketchbook tour video for the first time in public, and that felt very vulnerable, like sharing your personal diary. But it was an invitation to show people how simple you can start and keep a sketchbook. Also, I usually spend more time editing my videos, so that was strange, but I'm trying to get over my perfectionism!
https://susanjimenez.substack.com/p/sketchbook-tour-2019-2021?initial_medium=video
Thanks Claire, and looking forward to Mondays call 🌷
This is wonderful Susan! I am also a recovering perfectionist too and it's hard to break through that sometimes. Looking forward to watching this later! Have a lovely weekend 🥰
Hi Clare! Thanks for letting me know I’m not alone with perfectionism, but hopefully it gets easier to just let it go ☺️
Love this so so much! WELCOME back and happy weekend too - see you Monday Susan - looking forward to it.
Thanks, enjoy your weekend with the family!
Recovering perfectionist here too! It also drove me to pause my work here after only a few months of publishing. I hope you continue to find enjoyment as you shake up what you’re doing, and enjoy your weekend!
There’s so many of us recovering perfectionism but it’s not a bad thing! I hope you are sharing your work, Jillian - don’t let perfectionism hold you back. Reach out if you need accountability or a gentle nudge ☺️ thank you for sharing.
Enjoy your weekend 🌷
Hi Susan, you know.. I completely resonate with you. Video editing perfectionism is basically what made me stop creating YT videos almost 10 years ago. Sometimes I publish short videos now, but I tend to do almost no editing, we value realism, and the fact that we never get things right the first time, and that's the beauty of it, I think.
Your diary is beautiful, and I too started sharing my written diary, some parts will be painful to go through, I know it already, and it's very vulnerable because we are literally putting our true selves out there in the void. We do not really know who is going to read/see it do we? but we trust the process, and if even only one person is going to benefit from it, then our efforts will be worth it, no matter what <3
Hi Annalisa. So great to hear that it resonates with you and I’m not alone in my thoughts. I think the idea of just uploading it with a deadline most definitely helped. But been detached from the outcome was really what made this ‘easier’ to share. And you are right, I’ve had more than one person say it has inspired them to share their work/video and so it was being worth it.
Thank your for your know words 💕
You are very welcome. I had no doubt that it would be worth it 🥰💪🏻
Thanks 🌷 have a lovely restful Sunday.
And you too 💐🤍
That sounds great Susan. Congratulations! I can imagine that was really vulnerable sharing that, even though it was in the service of encouraging others. I' m a recovering perfectionist too...though nowadays I usually say that I have a loud Inner Perfectionist rather than being a perfectionist or not. I wrote a post about it a few months ago, which may be of interest to you. https://open.substack.com/pub/perfectionistmothershq/p/please-dont-call-yourself-a-perfectionist
Great to hear it, thanks Thea 🌸
Your video of sharing your sketchbooks is so gentle and generous. I love your post Susan and you have inspired me, thank you.
This fills my heart, so happy to hear it, and thank you sharing 💕
Thank you Susan <3
Welcome back!
Thanks, Rahma 🌼 it’s been lovely to be enjoying Sunstack again. I hope you are too.
This is so lovely, Claire! I'm really glad to be a paid subscriber now (although life has been crazy, so I'm a bit behind on starting my Substack 🙈).
Last year, I started creating and now it’s finally here: Soothing the Stormy Brain – a collection of fluff-free tools to help any beginning or advanced overthinker to get out of their heads & take back their power in the present. 🚀
https://www.moreselfcompassion.com/en/soothing-the-stormy-brain/
And I’m proud – not only of what I created, but of the fact that I shared it with the world, and when my inbox wasn’t exactly filling up with orders (#transparency), I remained proud. 💪
So instead of this milestone only being marked by me clicking the last ‘’publish’’ button, this is me screaming at the top of my lungs: I DID IT! I created a super powerful toolkit for overthinkers and I can't wait for more people to benefit from it! 💃🏻
Yay Shirley! 💖 In a world where we're taught not to shout too loudly about our achievements, it's so wonderful and inspiring to read your words here this morning. Well done for celebrating you and this brilliant achievement!
Oh thank you for your warm words, Clare! 🥰 I appreciate you celebrating with me very much. Big virtual hug! 💖
Oh this is very sweet Shirley and very much needed. You're never behind on SS - you're here at the right time for you! Welcome and do let me know if you need anything here lovely. ✨
Thank you so much, Claire. You have created a beautiful community. It's really great to feel so welcome! 💛
The link is so full of info, and the price is affordable. Do not worry that success is not an overnight thing. keep pushing and we are all here to support you!
Wow, this truly means a lot, Annalisa, thank you! It's a marathon, and we're all in this together. 🤗
You are very welcome! Yeah it is, I am here for anything you might need ☺️
Hi Shirley, I'm so happy you are writing and teaching about self-compassion. Me too. I love that you have your Soothing your Stormy Brain out in the world now. Congratulations! You should be proud, and shouting it out loud. I honestly think self-compassion will change the world when more of us model it, especially mothers. So excited for you.
Thank you so so much, dear Thea! Your kind words and support really mean a lot to me. And same, I truly believe the practice of self-compassion can change the world. Love your work! Subscribed right away. Very happy to connect with you here. 💛
Oh wow, this sounds amazing Shirley - heading off to find out more. And huge congratulations!
Thank you Claire, for bringing on Clover Stroud. That was an insightful conversation.
This week I’m celebrating the email I write for my job surpassing 24,000 subscribers. It’s hosted in LinkedIn and my name is not attributed to it, but it gives me hope that people want to read my writing!
The Inspiration Station is chugging along in its little way and I decided to number my posts because I’m doing a series. I also went in and added alt text to all the images to potentially benefit from organic search. Here’s my latest post. https://open.substack.com/pub/leeannprescott/p/following-the-souls-path?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Wow, that's an incredible audience! Definitely something to be encouraged by - keep going Lee Ann 🥰
Oh how wonderful Lee Ann - isn’t it just wonderful to connect to so many people - magic! ✨Love the numbering idea I did that with guest posts here - https://creativelyconscious.substack.com/s/big-dreams-begin-with-me
I haven’t got around to doing alt text so thanks for the reminder! Wow that’s an amazing amount of people to write for!
I need to do better with this!
Congratulations Lee Ann, both for your amazing audience for your work newsletter and for keeping chugging along here on Substack. xx
I was on NBC talking about children's mental health and got to mention my Substack podcast (a major joy in my life), Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-1lbmNZCuI
WHOOOOOOOOOOOOP! this is awesome - did you pitch for it Eileen? How brilliant. Heading over now...
No, it just fell out of the sky!
Huge congratulations! ✨✨✨
Wow! That's brilliant! Well done. xxx
Congratulations! It's so needed!
That’s a brilliant achievement! 🥳
It was fun! Sadly, it didn't lead to a huge leap in podcast downloads!
🤷♀️
Im sharing this post as proud people have said it is beautiful to read. That makes me happy as someone who is new to writing anything other than for business. It is emotional and personal - I debated whether to publish but glad I did 💜
https://ellymarie.substack.com/p/an-apology-to-my-body
A friend is having this surgery this week - will send. Sending sparkles Elly. xx
It is a beautiful post - heart wrenching and so honestly written. I hope it was a therapeutic process to write it, and I'm sure that it will help so many who ready it. Sending love to you Elly 🩷
Thankyou - yes I find writing incredibly therapeutic. It helps me turn my jumbled emotions into a structured framework I can then work with.
So beautifully written. The contradiction in feelings can be so difficult to work through and you described it .... beautifully.
Yes , emotions are not straightforward and linear and wanted to convey that.
Hi Claire! 🎉 Congratulations on 600 downloads of your podcast! I'm sure the numbers will only keep rising! 😊
I just wanted to celebrate the steady growth of my Substack. I can see some new followers and subscriptions almost every day now, which is truly amazing, as this is not what I ever imagined! The community here is truly, truly amazing. 🌟
(And let's celebrate the beautiful weather we're having in the UK ☀️, which definitely helps with creativity!)
Happy Saturday everyone! 🎈
Yes to slow and steady growth - I am here for that too and it's a wonderful thing! 💖 So glad you have found your place here, Aleks. The sunshine is making such a difference isn't it?! The sandals are finally out and I am happy! 😂
Yes thank goodness summer is here Aleks - wow we really need it don't we. Here's to celebrating steady, joyful growth here too - I am cheerleading you and your mindset is perfect for sustaining a creative practise here. ✨ ✍️ What do you write about?
I write about perinatal mental health and matrescence (transition to motherhood) from a dual perspective: as a therapist specialising in this field 🧠, but also as a fellow mother of 2 young children in the "trenches" of parenting! 💪 x
Hi Aleks, congratulations on your steady Substack growth. I love that you've just introduced me to the word matrescence - I haven't heard it before. I think it's a really important missing link for mothers. Imagine how amazing it would be if we could celebrate and support all women as they go through that transition. I found it the hardest thing I'd ever done, so would have loved to feel seem, supported and offered wise guidance from other mothers.
Thank you Thea. Yes, supporting mothers in this transition is a real passion of mine. 💖 I have just checked out your publication. I am about to publish a piece about motherhood and perfectionism! 📝
Oh the weather is amazing atm. I am looking forward to a sunny dog walk!
Yess! So happy that the right people are finding their way to you. Keep going and I love this community here too. So full of love <3
What an absolute joy to read all these comments - Claire, thanks for holding such a wonderful pace for us.
I've been writing here on Substack for over a year with the Everyday Knitter publication but I've recently started Page And Ink too - based on my love of tarot and journaling. One of my recent posts is here and I'm thrilled that people have really taken to the idea. I've had some lovely comments which really soothed some of the anxiety I felt about 'coming out' as a tarot reader.
https://open.substack.com/pub/pageandink/p/keep-on-keeping-on?r=3li7j&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
I love that you've grown into a second space - do you still have EveryDay Knitter as your primary Substack? I noticed which ever is listed first grows quicker so I have mine as sparkle
I've been kind of alternating them. I switched to Page and Ink as my primary one last week as I'm trying to grow that one a bit more. But I'm not sure how much difference it's made to be honest 🤣
This week I’m celebrating six months on SubStack… here’s the progress:
🥳
https://open.substack.com/pub/katedarracott/p/substack-growth-first-six-months?r=1nkhs2&utm_medium=ios
Whooop - and what a 6 month journey!!!
Congrats on your podcast success, I really enjoy it! 😃👏
Yay! It’s an achievement to keep going each week for this long. I loved reading your post about it! 👏
I agree, well done us! 🥂
That's fantastic Kate, thanks for sharing. It's inspiring for someone like me who has recently started on Substack.
Good luck with your SubStack! 😘
Yes yes yesssss 🥰
This week I am celebrating my post that I wrote this week which was very personal but I felt called to share ✨ https://open.substack.com/pub/mackenziecarose/p/why-are-you-always-singing-she-said?r=4hbdb&utm_medium=ios I am happy that it has resonated with so many people 💚
Aww love it when that happens.
This week I'm celebrating my first paid subscriber. I was super surprised to receive the email late one night. My substack is only a month old. I wasn't expecting any paid subscribers for months. I am very grateful to her for her annual subscription and the conversation we had afterwards. May she be the first of many.
Ahh what a feeling - this is so lovely. I was chatting about this further up and said I comped a few colleagues to get the space feeling friendly behind the paywall. Top tip if you want to do that.
I was thinking of giving complimentary membership to a few clients, since they pay me anyway. It would be an added bonus for them.
Yes just tell them the boundary around it? You can make a coupon and tell them it will expire in 3 months for example? Subs on a coupon count towards best seller if you're trying to make it there. Comps don't. xx
Ah, good to know. Thanks Claire.
✨
I don't actually have a paywall. Both free and paid get the same content. When I started my Substack, I turned on paid as I didn't want to have any funny feelings or indecesions later on. I figured maybe someday I'd add extra content for paid subscribers if I decided to stay with it.
I've been writing brief daily entries on Substack for over 100 days now, which feels like something to celebrate even as I'm still trying to figure things out around here. I love reading everyone's successes here! What an amazing community!
I also just wrote this morning into the idea that we don't do a very good job of celebrating or integrating failure into our stories and our work or words. I've failed at a lot to get here. I'll add that as a somewhat paradoxical thing to celebrate.
https://aninvitingspace.substack.com/deeper-into-failure
Such a beautiful piece Sarah! ✨
Thank you! Thank you for creating such a beautiful space for us to share with each other <3
That’s a great milestone, well done!
Thank you! I still feel a bit lost in Substack but I do love the thoughtful communities I'm finding at every turn. <3
Dropping by to share some mindfulness ❤️https://www.amazon.com/Its-All-Your-Head-Friend/dp/B0CW1CH4N7?dplnkId=b88c66a2-0723-419c-9fe5-538fad041822&nodl=1
Oh thank you — a lovely gift for our weekend ahead. ✨🌱🎁
My happy dance this week is about going paid. I can't go paid on Substack because it doesn't support paid subscriptions in my country but I set up a Buy Me a Coffee page and finally -- finally after agonizing about it for weeks -- sent an email about it to my subscribers. I already have a couple of people who became monthly paid subscribers which makes me happy. But what makes me even happier is that it's finally done and I don't have to think about it anymore. I feel like this email, asking people to give me money if they like my work, was one of the hardest steps I took on my Substack journey so far. Maybe THE hardest.
I saw your email Tanya and my eyes nearly fell out when I read that your country is not supported. That’s ridiculous. Do you know whether that’s because of recent events or always been that way. I’m also thinking of reviving my buy me a coffee page from years ago. I like the more casual support option
But yeah, it was frustrating to find out that they don't work with us, to say the least. Especially since in all my years of freelancing for US clients I never had a problem with getting paid. Not even once.
It’s so strange honestly I can’t believe stripe doesn’t support your country. They’re a tech company after all and there are endless tech companies in I.
I don't think it's because of recent events (at least I hope not). Stripe said that they have to follow very stringent procedures and have to go through a lot of bureaucracy specific to each country to be able to work with them. (And I wouldn't be surprised if we have more bureaucracy than any other country.) Buy Me a Coffee is pretty alright. I especially like that that there is both a monthly option and a one-time donation option for people who don't want the commitment.
Back when I used Buy me a coffee they didn’t have so many options for payments. Excited to explore monthly payments thanks for sharing!
I hipe there’s no other country with more bureaucracy than Germany, it’s painful here especially as so much is not yet fully digital 🤣
Heh. I think we can argue about that one. You should have seen how much paperwork I had to go through when I came back here as a working adult 5 years ago and was trying to open a bank account so I could give them MY MONEY. It's like I was asking for a mortgage. And yeah I just Googled it and it seems like Stripe's difficulties here are of the same kind. Our banking system is just ridiculously complex and outdated.
Ahh that’s frustrating but it gives me some sort of relief that it’s “just” that and not another reason…
Yay 💃🏽 🪩 🎫✨ maybe it is coming to your country? Have you asked support Tanya?
I did. It's Stripe, so Substack can't do much about it. Stripe says they're planning to expand to more countries but nothing more concrete than that. Oh well, at least I've overcome the major obstacle, namely my own mindset :)
Ahh ok. ♥️
Congratulations Tanya! xx
I just read the name of your publications and immediately felt SEEN (I don't know whether to add a laughing or a crying enoji here)
Wow, just looked at your bio - 12 languages in 12 months! That sounds incredible. xxx
Ah, thanks Tanya. From my experience, being a perfectionist mother probably warrants all the emojis!!
Hi! Thank you for this! Starting to build connections on here has been one of the coolest things in this space. I'm celebrating gaining my first 100 subscribers and finding a place to show up as myself!
One of my favorite posts I've written so far is this one! https://open.substack.com/pub/yourtruthlookbook/p/time-to-get-sticky?r=37u2wm&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Congratulations Carla! That's a great milestone. xx
Thank you so much!
Hi everyone! I’m celebrating the fact that I’ll be teaching a new workshop soon: Prep & Teach Your Unique Online Workshop (Without the Stress). This might be useful to you if you want to start offering workshops with your Substack as a component to paid subscriptions. The early bird sale is ending today; it’ll be $197 instead of $147 starting tomorrow, and you can learn more here: https://esmewang.com/workshop-on-workshops
This sounds fun thank you for sharing!
I’m offering a free Permission to Play workshop TODAY. We’ll meet at 1pm ET for 90 minutes, and you'll walk away with tools and tips so you can start making play a part of your everyday life—which will help you feel more alive, to boot! Sign up here: http://fyc.quest/P2PMay11
And I wrote about what happens when we let our creativity lapse here: https://fycuriosity.substack.com/p/what-happens-when-we-let-creativity?r=bw7p
So kind of you.
I hope you can make it a reality soon, Oceane. It was my dream for the first 30 years of my life, and no matter how many times I return, it never fails to inspire, delight and enchant me all over again.
I’m getting a new series off the ground on growing your own cut flowers in a tiny space - the growing season is hectic just now, but I want to have my writing building in the background, and I’m looking forward to inspiring some folk to get their summer flower patches underway! Happy weekend folks 💐
https://open.substack.com/pub/hellolarkrose?r=1lpmqp&utm_medium=ios
That sounds lovely.
Hi Sparklers! My name is Ami and I am celebrating my three month anniversary on Substack. I write Finding Inner Pizza which is all about finding your piece of peace. One of the posts I’m proud of is Can I really? When getting dirty is the lesson. https://open.substack.com/pub/amilynnthompson/p/can-i-really?r=227io0&utm_medium=ios
I would love to hear from you. Sparkle on!
Intriguing - love this Ami - thanks for sharing with us.
Hello all, so happy to be here and to witness these beautiful celebrations! I am celebrating my first year here on Substack and everything I have loved and learned (I wrote something about it here, https://open.substack.com/pub/storyandthread/p/the-love-and-learnings-of-a-writing). Also one of the ideas I sowed when I was thinking about moving my writing to Substack was creating seasonal events and I am so happy that this dream became a reality as Lauren Barber and I held our first creative gathering in London 3 weeks ago, it was beautiful and felt like a culmination of everything! Hope it is the first of many xx
Aww I'm so so glad you held a beautiful space at your event too. How lovely. Thanks for all your help this week too - hopefully see you tomorrow. ✨
Congratulations writing here for a year Lyndsay!
Thank you so much Thea xx
Hi lovely people 💛 I'm celebrating consistency of posting- showing up regularly on Substack has really helped me refine my writing, my voice and clarify what it is I want to say. And the amazing community I'm meeting here, an unexpected bonus that is wonderful!
Today is Mother's Day in the Southern Hemisphere, so my latest post is about mothering, in all it's different forms ✨
https://janepike.substack.com/p/all-the-ways-to-bottle-birdsong
Looking forward to catching up on the thread here xx
Thank you for offering this space, Claire! I published a deeply personal essay today - one that felt important for me to write regardless of “how it does” according to metrics: https://danaleighlyons.substack.com/p/moving-to-cambodia-with-cats
This week I’m celebrating this reminder post for Mental Health Awareness Month: https://humansleading.substack.com/p/a-may-reminder?r=msmog
It has been my most opened and the largest driver of subscribers since I started last year. I am especially proud about this because I previously had a lot of shame about my own experience with depression. But I’ve seen how sharing helps others feel less alone. And I’m proud to get to do that.
Oh another note I loved your episode with Clover this week Claire!
Hello to all you brave talents! And thank you to Claire for these wonderful community inspiration moments.
I'm celebrating getting back into writing -- after having my two boys - staying home and helping my husband start his writing business from the ground up.
I write The Briar Rose: https://valerieashley.substack.com/ and enjoy the consistency of posting articles/essays on culture, spirituality, and inspiring women. I look forward to delving into growth and more engagement on Substack once my youngest is in school full-time next September. :)
Beautiful! Thanks for being here Valerie!! Sounds like gorgeous topics to be exploring and sharing here! Let us know if you need anything? ✨✨🌱✨✨
I got my first paid stranger subscriber, as in someone with whom I don't have a previous relationship last week and that feels really big! And they joined me from a post where I was more vulnerable than I usually am, which is the kind of writing I'm most interested in doing more of, so that also feels very validating!
Aww Ellen! I remember that feeling less than two years ago - just magic! Congrats!
Thank you, Claire!
I'm celebrating my descision to (automatically) translate my posts on Substack, which I write in Dutch by choise, to English for my English subscribers.
Ahh brilliant work - what tool are you using Hilda?
Thank you Claire! 😊 For my first translated post I used ChatGPT, but maybe the next time I will try deepl (and compare with ChatGPT)
Fun! Tech is really amazing isn’t it. I love my transcription services.
Yes, it is!
This weekend I'm celebrating my first paid Founding Member!! Just overwhelming to have someone think that highly of my writing/art etc that they are happy to pay to be a Founding member!! Woohoo!!
Love this thread! 🥰 so many wonderful writers and writing to explore.
I’m close to 500 subs and only crossed the 400 mark a few weeks ago (after 3.5 years of inconsistency but holding on to my dreams)
Also only recently have I crossed over 50 likes per post and almost 1k views for them.
It’s new and exciting territory to connect with more people chatting about rest, rituals and holistic wellbeing, slow travel, solo travel, and creativity.
One of my faves:
https://open.substack.com/pub/carmens/p/the-longer-we-wait-the-more-difficult?r=98fbu&utm_medium=ios
Congratulations on 600 downloads for just one episode! That's amazing.
Thanks - I know - it's nearly 700 now. Audio gets alot of listens here.
Congratulations Claire on the success of your podcast! And on the success of building such a wonderful community space here for us all on Sparkle. We're so lucky to be able to join in here 🙏
I've faltered. On here and in my art making. Perhaps I should celebrate that I took a break because I needed it . And that I've started drawing again (I normally paint abstract art) and that has felt really lovely. Therapeutic. I intend to publish tomorrow for the first time in several weeks 🤞
Listening to your body when you need a break is not as easy as it might sound. So definitely something to celebrate! 🥳
I took an unexpected 2 month break after pushing myself too hard on publishing here. I learned I needed to be a lot more flexible about how often I posted and not try as hard in order to have fun here. Wishing you luck as you navigate your own return back to publishing!
It's important that we listen to what our bodies are tellimg us. Much better to take a break than to break ourselves. Flexibility is key, thank you for the reminder. Thank you Jillian, I hope your new approach is joyful!
Celebrating time off is a great idea, rather than feeling guilty! I hope you publish your post today and keep sharing your art 🌸
Susan thank you for the encouragement. I have published today. Later than I wanted but pleased to have started back again 😊
Also celebrating the wonderful Nelly Bryce and her mention in Substack Reads https://open.substack.com/pub/read/p/substack-reads-94?r=506nf&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web with a heart felt piece. ✨
Thanks for sharing here Lady Jane! I’ll keep sharing this post to bring people back round but these are going to be once a month if you want to join in live next time. ✨✨
Yay!! I comped a handful of folks to start with - some for 6 months, some for a year… these were like minded friends/ colleagues…
It creates a real vibe. ✨🌱
Welcome to the community! Your paid subscribers will come, so just keep connecting with them. They are here for the year because they believe in you and your writing and that's a wonderful thing. Focus on the connections and the rest will follow ✨
I'm already in love with your publication and can't wait to read more. I'm glad we connected 🥰
Keep adding value and it does not matter if they are alone, the value they are getting from you is what they signed up for. And when more people will join, there will, be an amazing community!
Anytime lovely 🥰
Congratulations - your new publication sounds fascinating and I look forward to reading more.
What a great start! 🥳