💬 Why I cancelled a bunch of paid Substack subs...

Leaning into reflections after a strange Chapter One.

Incase you missed it, my membership masterclass is next week. Start, build and Grow a Membership on Substack is my tell all class and workshop to get you set up for success using a membership model here on Substack. I’ve been building here for three years and I have so much to share and can save you so much time and second guessing. For coaches, mentors, writers who want to offer more than posts and charge more too.

Hi folks,

Happy New Quarter!

It’s the start of our Chapter Two of the year… did you get chance to reflect on Jan-March in your Substack Planner and Journal Companion? It feels like the ‘real start’ of my year with so much flowing and everything in sharp focus.¹

I had to cancel some subscriptions, unsubscribe from a fair few things. It’s not a big deal but I know it’s something you all grapple with.

The attention economy

Substack introduced a tonne of changes and new features and whilst I know once we settle in it will all be fine, I felt like my phone was hurting my eyes.

I’m here to write, to be of service, to hold space.

I used to adore reading my paid Substack articles but somehow that shifted into ‘something else to do.’ I also had no more capacity for reading online and a fair few Substack audits backed up to do. ²

I read solely in the app because my email inbox as a business owner is busy.

And so this swell of overwhelm after three years of reading hundreds, maybe thousands of articles here was a real awakening.

Your relationship with your life matters, your relationship with any platform is neutral or it should be? We can’t humanise what a platform does or doesn’t do. Half the time, I know more than the staff when I have an issue, that’s Substack mastery! 🤓

We have strong feelings yet they keep missing the mark in terms of how we need this platform to evolve for us.

Here are things I want to do instead of reading Substack articles/ paying for subs;

• Read books. Sounds obvious doesn’t it but I have had my friend

  Emma Simpson
  book Breaking Waves for over a month now and not opened it.

• Invest time in my Female Invest Membership. When women who are younger than me speak about investment funds I remember it’s something I’ve been trying to master for us as a family for five years and our future wealth is dependent on it because my husband can’t work.

• Make things happen - I’m writing a book this year and I’m so excited about it. It’s mostly in my head, in a notebook and in notes in my phone. I’ve also set up four nurture sequences for my business.

• Write on my blog - yep my website has a blog I’ve never done anything with and I have plenty to pull from and say there…

And so it’s a choice really.

It makes me sad to type it out because I had a similar awakening about social media years ago and I didn’t think I’d EVER say that about Substack.

Looking back, it was a really nice time where I went back to reading books and book binding³ and gardening and other things.

I do love this platform but I am being true to myself and taking a pause as a ‘consumer’ probably before setting up a new system outside of the app to read.

💬 Let us know in the comments, how you are managing your reading and connections with your paid subs here?

Plus I don’t think we have to do it all….especially when the sun is shining.

I’d love your thoughts,

Claire

✨

PS - I spoke about bios, leaderboards and Substack reels in my recent solo lives and my live with

Seth Werkheiser

if you want to catch up here. In a nutshell - prioritise re-writing you bio to invite folks in, ignore leaderboards for discoverability it’s only other colleagues that are on there, if you want to watch reels go on IG, if you want to discover new writers, use the categories on Notes or see who your favourite writers recommend. 😉

1. I print mine with Mixam or Dox Direct in the UK - spiral bound, full colour. It’s around £18.

2. These are included in Diamond Membership here at

Sparkle on Substack

. Read more on the benefits here. Doors are currently OPEN for up to 8 new members.

3. I learnt book binding from

Yvette Ja

, she has a membership to teach you here and lots of brilliant courses and classes.