, who did her first discussion thread last month. I loved the way she created an example answer in the comments and used emojis!
Find your tribe! 🔍
Here's the nitty-gritty:
👋 1. Go to the comments and briefly introduce yourself
✍️ 2. Introduce your Substack and the two or three topics you write about
💬 3. Answer this month’s question: "Morning and evening routines, let’s talk about it! Can you share a morning or evening routine tip that has made a significant difference for you? What’s a morning or evening habit you’re trying to break or establish?”
😊 4. Then, introduce yourself in the comments to someone you haven’t met
💻 5. Go to their Substack and leave them a comment
Let's create a warm and welcoming community together. ✨
👋 1. Hi! I’m Mika from New Zealand. I stepped away from my 9-5 last year and I am slowly breaking free from the "shoulding" and perfectionism while also embracing fun, creativity and tuning into my intuition.
musings by mika is all about navigating uncharted terrain and discovering life beyond the comfort zone - moving past people-pleasing and playing safe and small. ✨
I’m also passionate about creating a supportive community for Substack writers who are gingerly stepping into this new space. I share my behind the scenes journey and tips - as well as meeting places like this!!
💬 3. My tip: I’m happier and productive if I don’t do any kind of scrolling activity first thing in the morning. I find that when I scroll, time flies and I end up feeling tired.
Habit I’m trying to break or establish: Starting a relaxing evening routine early. I tend to do things right up until I go to bed and then I find it hard to fall asleep.
I told myself no social media till after 12pm so that I won't doom scroll. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that there's nothing important that can't wait for me on Twitter or IG (my main two distractions).
Curious how you feel when you do check? Are you glad you checked at least 1x during the day? I'm noticing that each time I check social media I'm questioning what it's doing for me. I'm tempted to delete the apps and see what happens.
Definitely give that a try and see what happens. Sounds like a great experiment.
You asked a great question and it made me think. There's nothing that I can think of off the top of my mind that made me glad I checked social media. No bit of information was vital to me knowing about it. I don't have a strong presence on social so I'm not posting content there or have a need to reply. If I did, then that's a different story.
So I don't have any feeling when i check. I don't feel relived that I'm able to check. It's pretty neutral actually.
Mainly I go there to see what's going viral, what's funny, what's being talked about in pop culture. That's why I want to check.
I have found some days it's way past 12pm when I do end up checking. I haven't ever looked at the clocked and couldn't wait till 12pm. That's a good sign. As I'm writing this maybe I should push it back and try 3pm or 5pm and see what happens.
If you do delete apps for X number of days, let me know what happens. Be curious to hear you're experience.
I'm loving it. I'm going to write a story on it. I am less distracted. My mind is more calm cause it's not looking for that next dopamine hit.
I'm less tempted to check because I set that rule for myself. I can break it and no one will care of course but the good feeling that I get outweighs my urges to check. I know I can always check after 12pm if I want.
We shouldn't be surprised when companies spend a lot of money to figure out how to keep us on their apps for as along as possible. That's what we are fighting against.
Hello! I am Nina, a high school English teacher who has been in education for way too long. I'm not able to retire yet, but I am really looking forward to it someday. I love sports, reading, writing, traveling, trying new things, cooking, and learning. I am thankful to have come across this substack to learn more about all of the people through the comments.
I have been enduring a long, drawn out divorce, so my posting has been sporadic. When I do post, it may be about anything under the sun. You never know what to expect, quite honestly.
3. Morning and evening routines:
Frankly, I suck at them. Routines include generic line items such as wake up (after hitting snooze at least once), use the bathroom, shower, floss and brush my teeth, get dressed, drink coffee, and begin my 100mph day by driving to school. No, really, I go full force all day.
4. I am (and always will be) working on a nightly routine to try and sleep better. Hasn't worked in 50 years. *wink, wink
1. I’m Johanna from Boulder Colorado. I was scrolling Substack and saw “my fabulous midlife crisis,” and since I’m in the middle of a fabulous midlife crisis, of course I clicked.
2. I don’t have a Substack. My brother has one, and he keeps prodding me to start a Substack. I’m a public speaking coach and a storyteller. I write a weekly newsletter, but there’s no place for people to go back and read the posts. His is called “living in a body.” ( https://open.substack.com/pub/halwalker) Mine is (will be) something about voice, speaking, saving lives (your own and others) by telling stories. That or falling in love with ADHD. (Which is my main excuse for not having a Substack, as well as for the midlife crisis) My website is www.johannawalker.com
3. Morning routine for a long time was get out of bed and get sun on my eyeballs for at least 20 minutes before looking at any screens. For the last several months, while flailing through my fabulous midlife crisis, I’m deep in the morning phone addiction and can’t get out. 😭😭😭 Heeeeeeelllllllpppppp!
Hi my name is Riyam. I am from Ramallah, Palestine. I am an educator currently working on providing children in Gaza accelerated learning opportunities, and extracurricular programming in marginalized areas in the West Bank, Palestine. I am an instrucitonal coach, and currirulum writer/designer. At heart I am a writer. It is my hope I can finally take the time to write.
2. My Substack is Riyam Writes: I explore the question of What does it mean to be human in this point in time through writings about motherhood, education, food, life and more.
3. Evening: I am trying to incorporate exercise in my evening routine. Up to about two weeks ago I workout in the morning but I am interested in going in early to work and getting home earlier in the day to be with my children, cook dinner, do homework and just spend time with them. The key is to do the workouts by no later than 8:00 p.m. because I am so tired I crash. Morning: I wake up at 5:15, pray and get the day started. I only sleep in on the weekend (Friday) but no later than 7:30 a.m. Get the day going early, it just feels so amazing to be up before everyone else.
Hi, I am Liza, from Slovenia, living in Lisbon, Portugal. A social anthropologist by training, I quit my full time job as a gender and inclusion specialist in a development organisation, to become a consultant and a CoActive coach.
I spent many years living and working in SubSaharan Africa (Burkina Faso and Ethiopia) and I enjoy being back in Europe.
I write a substack called Sharing secrets (and Other Useful Stuff) where I share my personal life musings and tips (and also link to those by writers/experts I admire).
My tip: pay attention to little things around you, be curious and don’t take anything for granted. Say hello and thank you and smile at strangers, many will smile back.
I’m Lizzie and I love food. I'm also fat, which I do not love because it makes putting socks on in the morning a major logistics operation. I started writing recipes so I could continue leading the life of foodie-Riley, whilst on a mission to see my toes again. I’ve written about life in the fat lane and the damage inflicted by the Food Giants in the Independent, Prospect, and Reaction. I divide my time between London and Italy – in the Alpe della Luna, near Sansepolcro – I love both, but am planning to move full time to Italy.
My substack – The Downsizing Diva https://thedownsizingdiva.substack.com – is full of recipes, hacks to remove calories without losing deliciousness or the will to live, and stories about life in the fat lane from a food lover’s perspective. There’s a fair bit about slaying the Food Giants and unprocessing your life, lots about Italy, and a lot of humour.
My morning tip, is to get up and start writing while the kettle’s on for a cup of tea. It cuts through all the procrastination and delays to starting, because I’m still half asleep. It’s very effective, but embarrassing if my neighbour wants help moving his cows and I am still in my dressing gown at 11.30am. My neighbour is 86 and will have been up since 5.00am…
My evening tip: well, every evening, I say, tonight I will go to bed at a civilised hour. And every evening, I don’t.
Hi Lizzie, as per advice by Mika, I am introducing myself to you! I am Liza (pronounced Leeza) and I am a foodie too. I have been to Sansepolcro (am also a Pierro della Francesca fan). I don’t write about food on my Substack, but my background is in social anthropology and I wrote both my BA and PhD thesis on anthropology of food.
I look forward to reading your Substack, just subscribed.
Hi Liza (glad to know about the Italian pronunciation!)
Great to meet you! I will subscribe back and look forward to reading it! What an interesting PhD! Where are you based? When did you visit Sansepolcro, and did you also go to Urbino?
I am based in Lisbon, but my partner and I lived in Umbria and Tuscany for 3 months last year, as we explored Italy as part of our decision to move to Southern Europe (we decided on Portugal, but also tried Spain). In Umbria we were based in Perugia and from there we did many a day trip, including to Monterchi and Sansepolcro (I had already visited these two towns in 2005 as part of a Pierro pilgrimage (I am originally from Slovenia, which means Italy was always easy to visit). I have never been to Urbino.
Since you are a foodie, have you eaten at Vecchia Trattoria la bohème in Citta di Castello?
Love your tips and that you're sharing your weight loss journey as well as helpful receipes. I hope you're able to create a lovely supportive community on Substack!
I have – but among food writers – for me food is what I am really interested in; weight-loss is just a bonus of slightly changing my food palette. I am also very interested in the obesogenic food world – although I think this could be more accurately called a disease-ogenic food world!
1. Hi I’m Michele and I don’t really live anywhere anymore but am from the U.S. In 2018 I left my job and put 90% of my life in a storage unit. I then went on to take my job remote, working for myself, and traveling/living in 8 countries in 2019. After a Covid break in late 2021 I went back out traveling and living solo in Italy, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand and France. Last year I gave away just about everything in that storage unit - the final dismantling of an old life.
2. Pied Á Terre Life piedaterrelife.substack.com is a place where I write about my travels sharing my great finds, new friends, delicious experiences. I also write about living this life and making it up as I go in my 50’s. Defining success for myself rather than by following societal norms. I’m very passionate about creating a community around these themes. I’m so inspired by what Mika is doing here!!
3. Tip: as soon as I get out of bed I do a 20-minute qi gong practice. I started doing this in January 2023 and it has made such a huge difference in my body and mind. I never miss a day!
Habit I’m trying to establish: at least an hour of writing that is just creative without expectation of an outcome. Just letting what comes to my imagination run without thinking of “who it’s for” or who might read it and just write.
Thanks so much for your thoughtful prompt! Sorry for the delayed response - I was actually traveling to Edinburgh (it was actually one of my worst travel days - cancelled flights, stranded, my flat has no water in the bathroom....). i'm delighted to be a part of your community!
Hi everyone, my name is Daniela. I have a big passion for learning about food - flavours, ingredients, developing recipes, and experimenting in the kitchen. After finishing my PhD in Biology, I decided to finally start writing about my big passion, since I spend so much time experimenting and researching about food and cooking anyway. That's how my Substack (https://bitsandbitess.substack.com/) was born.
My newsletter celebrates and explores individual ingredients - staple and seasonal foods. Since I also read a lot about nutrition and sustainability, I came to believe that is key to finding easy and enjoyable ways to incorporate more plant diversity into our plates. Thus, Bits and Bites focuses on plant ingredients - from vegetables to pulses to aromatic spices.
What about my routines (this month's questions)? Getting into the habit of waking up without an alarm clock was a great change for my mornings - not waking up startled in the middle of a sleep cycle is already a better start to the day. I would like to break the habit of not picking up the phone immediately after waking up - I guess that would be helpful to keep my morning calm going for a bit longer.
Looking forward to connecting with other members of this community!
Hi Daniela. Love the idea of your newsletter (have just subscribed) – I also have a passion for flavour and finding ways of increasing plants and pulses by making them really delicious! I also wish I didn't immediately grab my phone when I open my eyes, but it's a work in progress..
Hi, I'm Robert. I'm originally from the UK, but have been living in the US for 29 years. I escaped the corporate world two decades ago, and since then I've been learning to fully embrace a life of creative curiosity. Now semi-retired and happily living in a liberal Floridian bubble, I've finally learned to lean into my intuition, giving myself permission to stop, start, and double down on learning and sharing more about the things that intrigue me.
I've always been a geek at heart, and love to see what new tools and technologies can do, if you embrace and explore them a little differently.
I learn by doing, and looking back, I've always sought to learn about new technologies by using them to build something creative. When I got my first computer in 1980 (a kit-built Sinclair ZX-80 with 1KB of memory), my first program was a random poetry generator based on Burrough's and Bowie's cut up techniques.
When I stumbled upon ChatGPT and other AI tools, it was love at first byte, and I quickly went from (mis)using it like Google, to diving into prompt engineering, to building a library of GPT tools. In parallel, my relocation and revisiting of who I want to be when I grow up unlocked a tsunami of creativity, which threatened to overwhelm me. That's when those two worlds came together, and I started to rethink my creative processes, using AI to both increase my productivity and dramatically expand and harness my creativity. That's what I write about in Brittle Views.
Currently, I'm working on a collection of my poetry, two novels, a children's book, a non-fiction book (and associated card game) on tools that take you from surviving to thriving through life's inevitable changes. I'm also building a couple of new businesses with friends, along with developing a series of AI-based tools and apps.
What I've finally learned to do is to let go of the guilt of starting, stopping, and yes, sometimes abandoning so many projects. That is my creative process, and in learning to both acknowledge that and embrace it. It turns out that I don't really ever abandon things, unless I'm forced to keep working on them beyond the point of them being fun. I've learned that if I temporarily park them, I will come back to them when I'm ready, to build on or to cannibalize them to build something better.
This wasn't supposed to turn into 'War & Peace', so thank you for sticking with me so far. If you're intrigued in exploring the intersection of technology and storytelling, please join me at Brittle Views.
How amazing that you have been able to deep dive into AI etc. My husband has been loving it. He's a computer programmer and knows that we are only limited by our imagination!
Do you have a link about what made you leave the rat race and how you were able to do it? I would love to read more about it. I just left my job last May and love reading about people who have been able to carve their own paths.
I think that despite all of the writing I've done, I don't think that I've ever written anything about how I dug the tunnel from the corporate world, and made my way to freedom.
Here's a post from my more general blog, where I share a lot of my poetry, short stories, and general musings. This is something I wrote at one of those pivotal moments:
p.s. I totally agree with your husband's perspective. I'm finding that AI is letting me bring big ideas to life, often in under two hours to get a first workable prototype. I'm realizing that it's dramatically flatted the learning curve of HOW I do something, allowing me to focus on the WHAT and WHY.
👋 1. INTRODUCTION: Hi! I'm Kaila from Canada. I've lived on a tropical island in Thailand called Koh Phangan for 12 years. I create content around living abroad on Substack, Tiktok and in the book I'm writing.
2. 💃🌏 GIRLS' GUIDE TO LIVING ABROAD: https://girlsguidetolivingabroad.substack.com Is a community and magazine for women who live abroad or who have aspirations to live abroad. We currently write two posts a week, including a Tuesday thread where we post a topic about living abroad for discussion, and a Friday post/guide/guest blog.
3. 🌄 MY MORNING ROUTINE HACK: I wake up at 5:15 when I can, but sometimes it's just too darn early for me, so I allow myself to sleep later without feeling guilty about it. Being relaxed about it and not beating myself up if I don't manage to make up at 5 has been a game changer compared to before when I would often fall back asleep while trying to meditate on my yoga mat. 🤦♀️
4. 🛑 MORNING HABIT I'M TRYING TO BREAK: I'm a huge coffee lover, but I've recently realized that my daily coffee isn't serving me. I'm not ready to give it up all together, but I'm going to reduce to 3 cups a week and see what happens.
5. ✨ BONUS: Thanks for reading, I'm excited to have stumbled across this Substack, as I am currently looking for a tribe of people who write about living abroad to form a Substack support group. If that's you, give me a nudge and let's talk!
Love this Kaila! There are so many people living such interesting lives!! Thanks for joining in on "Find Your Tribe". I hope you've been able to go through the comments and find a few people that interest you!
👋 1. Hi, my name is Emily and I live near Manchester, UK. I am a psychotherapist and love to promote well-being and mental health awareness. I love meeting like-minded people and having fascinating conversations about how others support their well-being.
✍️ 2. For many years, I have been writing a weekly newsletter on health and well-being topics at work and have recently set up a substack https://wellbeingandwonder.substack.com/, to share them with the wider world. I would love to hear feedback and suggestions for topics going forward.
💬 3. I love getting up a little earlier on a morning and doing 5-10 minutes of yoga or movement exercise before I start the day. The short timeframe makes it so much more manageable than trying to squeeze in 20, 30 or 60 minutes of exercise and I get a small boost of feel-good hormones when I have finished. It makes me feel like I have achieved something every morning before I start my day properly.
Hi, Emily! I am passionate about mental health and well-being, too. I lost my grandfather to suicide in elementary school and have made it one of my missions to promote healthy minds! I can't wait to explore your substack!
That's amazing that you are able to transfer the skills you learned with newsletter writing and bring then to Substack, along with your other interests!
What a joy to find this community. Thank you Mika 🙏
👋 Hi, I'm Ellen from Australia (Ballarat, Vic for those who know our part of the world). I'm a social psychologist, podcaster, writer, mum (two high school boys, two Kelpies). Urban girl for 40 years. Now dedicated to regional life.
After years of writing for blogs and media and corporate, I returned last year to writing for me. The Messy Middle is a mix of sharing what psychology knows about the complexities of being human, along with me making sense of the messiness, joy and wonder of (my) mid-life.
(There's 5 years of podcast in there too but I'm in a production hiatus currently while I work through the messy middle-ness of what's next for me in the podcast space)
My fascinations right now are the systems that sit in the social impact space (#nerd)
💬 Routines: As someone who enjoys clothes, I put my outfit for the next day (even if its jeans and a jumper) out the night before. I've done this for as long as I can remember! It takes one decision out of the equation as I juggle the morning chaos of getting everyone out of the door and where they need to be 🧒🧒🐶🐶👨💼👩
As for new routines and habits - I need to stop scrolling! I am in a transitional phase, work wise and I use phone-based dopamine hits to avoid sitting with the discomfort of uncertainty. I know this is what I'm doing but knowing and changing are not the same thing 😝
Almost exclusively interview. I still love it and intend to get back to it. Just in the midst of a pivot that might see it come back in a slightly different form.
I've learned a huge amount, both about the medium itself and of course from the close to 100 guests I've interviewed!
Hi! 👋 I’m Val and I live in Vancouver, Canada. I’m a Coach for women and host of The Selfish Woman Podcast. Substack is where I write about love, divorce, reinventing yourself in midlife, and finding the wisdom (and laughter) in our heartbreaks.
I reinvented myself at 51, when I left Spain where I’d been living with my second husband. I also left the marriage and our beautiful apartment we’d just finished restoring. I spent the next year in isolation, doing deep healing work and understanding what’s truly necessary to create a life of joy, freedom and magic. My life transformed on every level and now I write about it and coach other women on how to create a life full of magic!
My morning looks a lot different now that I’m living my best Sophia Loren lifestyle. I wake with the sun and immediately walk by the sea, then come home to meditate and stretch.
In the evening I’m watching my latest reality show obsession with popcorn and red wine.
1. Hi! I'm Helene. I live in New Jersey with my fiancé and dog.
2. I'm new to Substack and will be writing about living a beautiful life in mid-life (@itsamidlifething). There are so many great things I've learned about how to do life better that I'm excited to share - and implement in my own life!
3. My tip: Your most important job is to Feel Good! Do this like your life depends on it, because it does.
Habit I'm establishing: Somatic releasing daily. After many decades of living, I have a lot of stored Trauma (and trauma) and energy to release. My new favorite things to do are rebounding, fascial rolling, and vagus nerve resetting.
Please let me know if I can answer any questions! I don't teach any of these things, just do them for myself, but can happily answer questions about them as I've learned a lot.
Hi! I’m Katherine from Walnut Creek, CA (it's in the East Bay outside San Francisco). I'm a Mom of 3 teenage boys, still in the corporate world (need to make living), and sharing everything I'm learning about happiness and positive psychology to live a happier and fulfilled life. Learning how to spend more time enjoying life, building deeper relationships, and letting go of the things that in the end don't matter.
Bold Moves & Happy Grooves is all about living a happier, joyous and more fulfilled life. If that means making a courageous move, taking a pause, or setting a boundary then we're doing it right. I am passionate about creating a supportive community where we support each other on our journey to being happier.
My tip: I've reduced the number of hours watching TV in bed at night. After a long day I would collapse into bed and zone out. Trying to do more reading at night for a better night sleep.
Habit: Wake up every morning early for time to myself before the house gets busy.
Love that you are creating a supportive community and sharing insights you've learnt on your journey with positivity, happiness and letting go - look forward to reading more.
1. I am L. Jean Davis and write about travel destination and it's history. Https://www.5grandkids1great.substack.com I also have one called Jean's Substack where I write on human interest on the 5th of every month and on Thursdays I feature other writers on Jean's Book Corner.
2. I am happy to meet everyone. I became a writer at 60 when I became disabled.
👋🏽 hello. Thank you Mika for creating this beautiful space to share & support so openly.
I’m Karen from Herts, UK. I’m currently coming to the end of a coaching course after which I truly hope to empower & support women in finding their most fulfilling & heart-led lives.
I have recently found the courage to publish my own posts here - finding little bits of wisdom & inspiration from nature & my past experiences as a therapist & coach.
Morning routine for me is having a quick gulp of a herbal tea & heading out into the fields with my black Labrador Pip - when the weather’s not great this can be a bit of a chore, but I always return home more alive & grounded than when we left out. I’m trying to make morning yoga a more regular commitment too but usually only manage it about twice a week.
Evening for me is less structured but usually involves quietly settling, journalling & a guided breath or sleep meditation. I’m usually do ready for sleep that’s all I can manage!
Like yourself I only recently found the courage to start sharing my mindful musings on Substack. I too enjoy journaling, yoga and meditation - look forward to reading more.
Hello from beautiful County Durham in the northeast UK.
I am fairly new here and I have yet to publish, or indeed write, my first post! I am currently finding my way around Substack and have recently begun ‘dabbling’ with Notes, although I seem to spend more time reading than writing them at the moment!
My publication is The Jotting Shed (https://catherinedarby.substack.com) and will be a place where I share random musings about whatever I want to write about in the moment. Last year I quit my toxic boss and decided to set up my own business, and in May this year managed to find and buy a dear little house in need of a lot of TLC.
I wake up naturally with the light – no alarms thank goodness! I journal before I do anything else and drink a glass of lemon water before I get up. The journal mostly features my (really weird, as it turns out) dreams, but it helps clear my mind ready for the day ahead. I also love looking back at what I’ve written months later!
Evenings are spent writing and/or reading, and I fall asleep listening to Audible. An evening habit I’m trying to break is watching Reels but that algorithm really knows how to keep me scrolling!
I am fairly new to sharing on Substack too and still finding my feet! Love the name of your Substack and look forward to reading more. reading and writing positive favourites here for evenings.
Congratulations in finding the courage to walk away from a toxic workspace & go out on your own - it’s not always easy to make those sorts of decision but putting your energy into creating something for yourself is so empowering. I do hope you’re enjoying it & it’s going well.
Oops! I was on the app on my phone and hit ‘send’ too soon🤦♀️
Yes, it was one of those situations where the fear for my sanity if I stayed, was greater than the fear of walking away. Such a steep learning curve, but so much less stressful!
I’m loving my new home and no doubt some of the trials and tribulations of renovating it, and the evolution of my tiny backyard into a calm, green oasis, will feature on here at some point😊
Hi, I'm Lily from Bristol, UK. I am a published author of fiction and memoir. My most recent book was Sins of My Father, about my father who was an addict and joined a religious cult when I was a child. It was The Guardian Book of the Year, 2022, which was really great. I am currently writing a book on how to write memoir called INTO BEING, and I am a little obsessed with how writing and reading it can be radical and transformative in equal turn!
My Substack publication is called And a Dog because I have a beautiful and demanding dog called Elsa who has changed my life. We initially thought she had changed our life for the worse, but then we woke up and realised what a gift she has been and continues to be. I sometimes write about her and about my teen kids, and my beloved partner and what it feels like to live in a step family. But I mostly write about memoir because I live and breathe it.
When I am writing a book, like now, I get up at 6am and work uninterrupted for two to three hours. It is the only way I can dig into the depth of my concentration, before the teens wake up, the dog needs a walk, the day starts.
I am also a teacher and a mentor and although I love both these things, I have been moving towards a life of writing; where writing trumps everything else. I am not quite there yet - it is a work in progress... but every year I inch a little bit closer.
Lily, nice to meet you. Thank you for sharing. Congratulations on Guardian Book of the Year! I love your Substack name. I too have a Dog that is very demanding. I'm so thankful he can't speak. The demands from my 3 teenage boys are enough :). Will check out your substack. Have a nice weekend!
Hi. I’m Georgia. I write about rebuilding life after divorce and healing from trauma. Mostly 😜.
I’ve always written but only started taking it seriously at the end of last year. Now it’s a tool I use to spread my message.
The morning routine that had changed things for me is journal writing. I think it actually saved me. When I separated from my husband and my world fell apart, it helped me make sense of all the craziness in my head. As Flannery O’Connor said, 'I write because I don't know what I think until I read what I say.' Which is exactly what happened. Often I would write something before I consciously thought it, it helps me understand myself better.
My evening routine is that I switch my phone off around 9.30, 10 at the latest and don’t switch is on till I’ve done my writing in the morning. It means that I’m not tempted to check anything and I spend the time reading.
Before I started doing it myself, I used to think morning journaling was something 'nice to do if you had the time'. But I can honestly say, it has made such a difference to me - the Flannery O'Connor quote sums it up exactly!
Hello everyone, I'm Kirsty and I reside near Brighton, UK.
On my Substack, I draw inspiration from mindfulness and nature to promote healing and relaxation. Additionally, I share my newfound passion for fountain pens and inks by including details of my favourites in my posts.
My go to morning routine consists of meditation followed by setting intentions for the day. In the evening, I regularly practice positivity and gratitude journaling too.
I am working on breaking the habit of excessive screen time and mindless social media scrolling in the evenings. I aim to establish a more disciplined approach by allocating specific time for social media and dedicating more time to reading – my list of books to read keeps growing.
Kirsty you sound so well disciplined already I take my hat off to you! Can totally relate to the ever growing TBR pile, although it's not that I'm not reading enough, I just can't resist buying books 😂
Hi Kirsty. My daughter lived in Weymouth for a year and loved it.
Your Substack sounds lovely. I’ve found being mindful, meditation and nature incredibly healing. I’m fortunate that I live near a beautiful forest so often go there to rejuvenate.
My wife was Irish and we toured the UK, France, Italy, we always intended to see Ireland but she got cancer and died at 70, before her time and so we never did see Ireland
Allan - I'm so sorry for your loss. I just read your post on "We create our own reality". It's 100% true. My husband and I are in the thick of raising 3 teenage boys and that is not for the faint of heart. I see my husband seeing mostly negative and it's disheartening. Hoping I can get him to read your article :).
1. Hello from Antwerp, Belgium 🍟 🧇 🍺 🍫! My name is Sofie and I’m about to publish my 2nd Substack post. I love dancing, Italy, videogames, and dressing like the extrovert I am absolutely not.
2. 💃🏻SHAKE YOUR MONEY MAKER (https://shakeyourmoneymaker.substack.com/) is where I share my financial recovery journey from a neuro-divergent, EU, and female perspective with lots of pop-references and gifs.
3. 📱Trying to not take my phone with me to the bedroom (failing as we speak 🤪). I’ve found that setting an alarm for when to go to bed is a helpful way of getting better at going to bed at a decent time.
I am actually a nomadic traveler in a camper, with my family 🗺️
i write Ma Lettre nomade (https://johannajourney.substack.com) where i share about spirituality, ancestral wisdom, and sacred cacao + my own reflexions on life and my nomadic journey.
Tip of the month is a very good subject, and in fact, i have a free ebook about it (but it is in french 😛). Morning and evening routine is all about no screens, candles, music, and reflexions. it is about taking the time and space to settle in a sacred moment, in front of your altar or sacred space, to begin the journey with the wisdom received during the night in the dreamworld, and end the journey with a prayer and intention to walk the night in peace.
Feel free to ask me the link of the ebok if interested, and welcome in this "find your tribe party", thank you Mika !
1 & 2. Hi:) I’m Nicole. My Substack blog (posts) are under the title of What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do. All are generally centered around personal growth, quantum physics, self-identification-how do you express, what is your way, what works best for you. So often, we are advised to follow ways identified by others for themselves. “Do this,” they say. “This is the way forward.” “My way will guarantee you (insert whatever you are wanting here).” Is any of this true for you, though?
3. My morning routine generally consists of a 20-60 minute Transcendental Meditation. It varies on what I feel I need in those moments. I invest some time in gratitude. I then do either a paraliminal, subliminal, or hypnotic. All this helps focus me for the day ahead.
I practice doing less overall social/news consumption.
Love the title of your Substack and what you have mentioned it offers, and I am with you on meditation and gratitude always important to me too every day.
1. Hi everyone! I'm Christi from North Carolina in the States. I did a thing that looks crazy to everyone in my life, but feels incredibly right to me (which is strange in and of itself because I have a tendency to be preoccupied with the opinions of others). I left an 18-year teaching career (middle grades and high school English/Language Arts) several years short of retirement to think, write, and read Tarot. I am not independently wealthy, so this looks and even feels risky, but I know it's aligned. I started a transcription business as well for some additional income, but this time is really for me to find the old creative me that I lost somewhere along the way.
2. My Substack is a memoir-style journey through the Tarot. I have only just started, but I love getting back into the flow of daily writing again.
3. My teaching life was so frenetic that I had little energy when I got home to do anything but doom scroll through social media and watch mindless TV. I even worked all weekend on grading and lesson planning, so I was always exhausted. My new morning and evening routines are so much more easeful. With my morning coffee, I do a daily tarot pull to set the tone and then do a bit of journaling. With my evening tea, I read a chapter or so of a soul nourishing book (right now I'm rereading The Mists of Avalon!).
I think it's great that you took that leap of faith to do something you felt you needed to do and was going to be more aligned with what you love at this time. I hope you will continue to feel more energised on this new journey!
I love this! Some years ago, I was contacted privately on Facebook about a new “Everything is Energy” group. That led me to enrolling in an intuition mentorship program. Interestingly, my intuition said, “This is done for you,” and so it was. (Smiling) I love this part of me which is really all of me. I look forward to knowing more about your experiences.
It's scary to be vulnerable and put yourself out there, but I started small with a tiny women's circle, and now I found a safe place at Substack. I am so looking forward to all the beautiful connections we are going to make.
Hello lovely beings! I'm Anna, I live in an old house in a tiny village in the north of the Black Forest in Germany, together with my dog. 🌲🐕 I've always been a writer, but a few years ago allowed myself to widen that identity and pursue any creative impulses that come along.
I write Postcards from the Forest where I publish short-ish pieces about being joyfully myself, embracing my inner wild woman now that I'm in my feral fourties, making creativity a priority in my life, appreciating the natural world and the shifting of the seasons and I love to do it all with love, intensity and as many verbal hugs as possible to anyone who wants them. ♥️🌟😊
I'm constantly failing at my resolve to not reach for my phone first thing after waking up, but at least these days I'm reading Substacks and not scrolling through Insta. 🤷♀️🙈 One lovely morning habit is to walk Gwen, my dog. We go up to the meadow along the edge of the forest to walk and watch the weather in the valley and the buzzards and crows and the clouds and try and notice all the tiny shifts and changes in the meadows and trees since the day before. It's very calming. 🌿😇
I used to have a very regular morning journaling habit, too, but lately it's more on a need-to basis.
Thank you! Yes, being outside (and moving) is so good to free up inspiration and make the words flow. Do you sometimes experience a whole sentence or a phrase popping into your brain as you're out and about, but you have nothing to write it down, so you end up muttering it to yourself all the way home? 😆 Definitely only asking for a friend. 🙈🤣
👋 Hi everyone, I'm Valerie. I'm one of those yoga people who also writes. I live in Santa Cruz, CA where I had a family-focused yoga center that catered to pre & postpartum moms, families with young kids, and also regular adults of all ages. We closed during the pandemic and have been trying to figure myself out ever since. A few years ago started driving racecars. I am also really good at trapping gophers and somewhat good at gardening.
✍️ My substack is a collection of thoughts and ideas about our bodies, our minds, intelligence, wellness, consciousness, all stages of personhood, and how strange, tragic and wonderful it is to navigate this thing we call life.
💬 Morning Tip: Lately in the mornings where I don't have to be somewhere I get dressed and brush my teeth first thing. Otherwise I'll lounge around in my pajamas for ever lost in substack, news or some other digital world. Habits I'm breaking: I'm not really trying to break any habits I have at the moment. However, now that you mention it...😳
I want to hear more about the race cars! Every time I get in my car I think "I should have been a race car driver". I too live in CA in the Bay Area and thankfully people do drive fast here. Over the winter my youngest son got sick and we binge watched the F1 series. Loved it! My dream is to go to a race in Europe.
Hi Katherine, I feel nothing but jealousy when I watch those young men get into those incredible cars! 'Why do those children get to drive those cool machines and I don't?' I started driving 3 years ago. My husband dragged me to the track. I didn't expect to like it. I LOVE IT!
A good way to start is with an HPDE event at Laguna Seca or Thunderhill. Hooked on Driving or Audi Club run great beginner events. You get an instructor for the weekend, and drive your own car. Any car but an SUV is fine for your first couple of track days. People drive fancy cars. But you'll also see Honda Fits. If you message me privately I'm happy to share more! I love getting women engaged! 🏎️ It's so fun!!!
Love what you are writing and sharing, and I am with you on still trying to find myself since the pandemic too. I found mindfulness, meditation and writing have very much taken centre stage in moving me forwards in a different way!
I'm so happy yo connect with other wellness folks! Are you in France? My last name has Hebrew origins. It means 'of the water'. There is also the Moselle Valley in France where lots of very nice wines are made!
She is, but having to caregive for her during the pandemic lockdown, and prevent her from taking the car for a spin, has given me quite the insight into how a 100-year-old could get into trouble if left to her own devices. 😱
👋 Hi Mika and all. I stumbled upon your 'stack on Notes. We are of similar descent. I’m Irish-Italian, but live in San Francisco.
✍️ Musings (http://gemello.substack.com) I write about wine history and longevity secrets, wrapped around two lovable people, winemaker Mario Gemello and his centenarian widow, Kay. They are my maternal grandparents. I started out writing about how Mario launched the winery during the Great Depression. Then during the pandemic lockdown, I realized Grandma Kay, at 99, had quite a story herself.
💬My Tip: My most productive writing time is in the morning during or after a cup of ☕️.
My name is Jenna B. Neece. I’m an author and podcaster. I’m from Oklahoma, USA. I’m chronically ill/ disabled.
I run (Write. Edit. Produce) Magical Manifestations Podcast.
Magical Manifestations is a fantasy fiction/guided meditation podcast which aims to help relieve anxiety and help insomnia. I will use fantasy elements to help you manifest a world where you aren’t stressed.
Each episode contains four parts. Let me open with a brief introduction, tell you what the story is about, guide you through a few short and calming breaths, and then read you into a state of calmness.
1. Hello everyone! My name is Dana, and I live in New Mexico, USA. I'm an artist, writer, photographer who has always struggled to fit these things in around a regular job so I can pay the rent. This spring, I decided to try a different approach, so I quit my job and bought a 20' travel trailer which I am now living in while I prepare to become a full-time nomad. It's my hope that by radically simplifying the way I live, I can slow down and spend more time going deeply into the things I love and also live closer to nature.
2. My Substack is called Nomadica. Its a photo-documentary & exploration of nomad life (and life in general) in the form of journal entries, musings on nature and the unseen, and tips and resources for people who are interested in becoming nomads. It's also about minimalism, alchemy, learning to listen to your inner voice, and the process of creation. https://nomadica.substack.com/
3. My tip- I try to lay under a tree every day, for at least fifteen minutes, and just allow everything to be as it is. Stop trying to solve my problems for a while. Just be with this magnificent, still, being, and listen and tune in to what my body is feeling and let the earth hold me. The busier I am, the more important it is to do this.
Habit I'm trying to break- working until I'm exhausted. I know I need to pace myself and rest more, but that's crazy hard right now because I have so much to do and a limited amount of time to do it. I have to be on the road by the end of October, so anxiety is driving my striving. Thus the importance of making tree-time every day!
A nomadic person, lets connect !! Happy to find you here !
My name is Johanna, I share about spirituality, ancestral wisdom, and sacred cacao + my own reflexions on life and my nomadic journey in a camper with my family.
Hello, All, Thank you Mika, for these writing prompts!
I'm Linda D'Elia. I am originally from CT, but have lived in TX and SC, recently having moved to the beautiful upstate from Charleston, SC. I had a career in HR, retired 4 years ago, and am currently a full time painter. I was a Sunday painter for 16 years before I retired.
I recently joined Substack after seeing other people whom I followed on Instagram initiating newsletters on this forum. I did a newsletter for a short time through a mail provider, but never got much traction; this resource looks more interactive. My writing is at https://deliafineart.substack.com/publish/posts. I write about An Artist's Life; my topics deal with my life as an artist, which is not as glamorous as people think. I'm still struggling to figure out what people are interested in reading, but I think continuing to write will exercise the muscle and hopefully things will start to flow more naturally. Writing about visual art is hard. As Edward Hopper said, "If I could say it in words, I wouldn't have to paint." I would love feedback from people about what they'd like to read from a painter.
Morning routine: wake up and look at my phone or read, and try to keep my dog quiet until my husband wakes up. Habit I need to break: looking at my phone first thing. FOMO is not a valid reason to open the screen right after I open my eyes. I usually don't paint until all the yard and household chores are done. I don't think I have my priorities right. Now that I've written it down, perhaps I should work on breaking the habit!
1. 👋🏻 I'm Janine from Venezuela. I remarried 12 yrs ago and moved to Florida 🥵🌴🐊. I used to write op/eds for an opposition newspaper. And work as a CST therapist until the Pandemic.
I post my serialized speculative fiction short stories written in English bu tinted with the Realismo Mágico DN we all are born with in my country. Speaking of which...
3. Missing 🫥 tip. I've been absent almost for four weeks from Substack, due to the election fraud/dictatorship happening in my country. 😪so been stuck scrolling trying to find out what's going on. Media is censored, Twitter was closed down.
I'm not a morning person and it's hard for me to get going early morning. Nowadays I'm caregiving my husband and have little time for myself except for my flow Qi Gong and Gyrokinesis exercises for energy and stretching. Brushing my cats relaxes me as well as them. Go to one Gyrotonic class a week. Loved my sunset walks to clear my head. Now during the Summer, I walk in the mall, charmless but effective. I'm mostly listening to audiobooks.
Before my husband's health declined, I used to write mostly scenes vs pages or hours, during the evening. Now I have a half baked draft. But by the time I'm done with everything I'm 😵😵💫
🫣 Hi! I’m Anna from southern California. My full time self-employment recently reduced itself to minimal time and I became retired. I’ve been writing for years about driving teens around, struggling with failure, the hope of God, and learning how to ask for help.
AP Creations Hub is about my struggles to write, think, and love in a suffocating world. And the cozy mysteries that are drawing me back to life. The more I write in Emily’s Cat Mysteries the brighter and lighter I feel. I’ve been able to publish 9 books 📕 and start a spin-off series. I offer 🙏🏻daily prayer guides for free or in a published series, 5 volumes so far. I’m also continuing the Planted Flowers Christian 💕Romantic Suspense in a cross over Matthews’ Matchmakers series and a SCV Realtors Mystery series.
Oops, wrong button, I discovered most of my friends and family don’t know I write and indie publish, so I’m trying to speak out more. I’m newly diagnosed with diabetes and my blood sugar plays a big role in my mood and energy.
🫶🏼 Hello all! I’m Lindsay from Connecticut in the US. I’m a caregiver to my three kids (aged 10, 12 & 13) while I run my online business, Everwell (a self-development platform and inspiration network).
✍️ BECOMING EVERWELL with Lindsay Hurty (https://lindsayhurty.substack.com). I write about parenthood, adulthood and becoming. Motherhood has been the great calling of my life, so I’m dedicated to planting lots of seeds today in an effort to tend to my Future Self, when motherhood is no longer at the forefront of my daily life. My hope is to inspire others to prioritize their midlife fulfillment too.
💡 my tip is connected to my weekly goal of publishing a Saturday morning essay on Substack: by bedtime Monday, I decide the week’s topic/story/insight—I spend the day quietly dancing with my inner creativity. Tuesday: I scaffold a rough draft. Wednesday: Complete the first draft. Thursday: Revise the draft to final draft. Friday: Close read, polish, schedule to publish Saturday morning. Saturday: relax. Sunday: Edit video of myself reading one of my Saturday essays (to be published on my YouTube channel: Becoming Everwell with Linds, for the upcoming week). Begin the weekly/daily routine again come Monday.
🌱The habit I’m working to establish is writing/offering a daily thank you note. Whether on a post-it note, a mailed letter on beautiful stationary or a voice memo to someone’s text thread, I’d like to connect every single day in an expression of gratitude. I go through phases, but I’m not yet consistent. #goals
✨Thanks, Mika, for creating this space. I’d love to find regular connections with fellow Substack writers, where we can mutually support each other with likes, subscribes, comments and simple inspiration as writers! Much respect! Xo
Hi, I’m Danielle living in California and caregiving for two children under 5. I am committed to pursuing my dreams even though I’m sleep deprived and have very little extra time. I love the feeling of growing magically on Substack and finding my tribe.
I write about creativity, inner critics, mental fitness, postpartum, dreams, accountability, and growth. I think that’s most of it 😂
I also have a dream of growing a small and mighty Substack community to help people peaceful take action towards their dreams.
3. My tip: Being patient with my personal and professional growth helps me to be patient with my children. I am happiest when I show up with presence and patience for my family and myself.
Habit I’m trying to break or establish: the downward spiral of self doubt that I know all too well.
I love that you’re pursuing your dreams while caregiving for your littles. (Same here, in CT.) Go you! And I’m with you on the magical growth of Substack. Would love to support each other in further growth! Xo
Danielle, I’m so glad we’re connected now! I’ve actually gotten very few subscribers organically through Substack. I’ve been building an email list for five years, and I brought my email list over here in May. I let them all know that I was migrating, and they were welcome to unsubscribe if they didn’t want to be on Substack. Most have stayed, but some haven’t. Previously, I was writing my weekly essays only through email. I wanted to have all my essays in one place, and I was attracted to the Substack model for all the reasons you probably are. Most of my subscribers are totally new to Substack and only follow me because I brought them here. And although I get 50-70% open rate, almost no one ‘likes’ or ‘comments’ on my posts. They hardly interact with the Substack app—the data tells me this much. They still email me their comments or appreciation. So I’m working to acclimate my audience to Substack! So far I have 11 paid subscribers (which I’m thrilled about!), and I’m hoping more will convert. But mostly, I’m trying to grow my audience within Substack. So I’m very much in your same boat. From what I’m learning from other Substack users, an effective way to grow is to connect authentically in the comments of others, like we are now. Follow and subscribe to each other where there is interest. Like and comment on each other’s writing. Growing together. And as we all pull in more readers to the platform, we recommend Substacks to our respective readers. Does that help?
Thank you for sharing your process. Congrats on your large email list that is something to celebrate and for the 11 paid subscribers 👏 I have 3 paid (mostly close friends who love me) but I am very grateful for their support. I have been working on commenting with not much engagement, but I will keep at it. Thanks again for sharing ❤️
Hi Mika, thanks for your invite to be part of this community.
I'm Bev, and I write a short form of poetry called Cinquains (5 lines long). I'm very new to Substack and learning on the go and trying to keep my joy - I love your ethos and approach and am really glad to have found you on here and will be subscribing. I'm from Northern Ireland but I live in South East England.
I share my poetry about nature and wildlife, a thought for the day, and well-being in grief will be coming. My post is weekly on a Friday and the perfect reading length for your 11am cuppa.
My tip - observe and feel the wonder of nature and wildlife.
My daily habit is stillness and silence that helps me to contain my stress levels in my 9-5.
I'm looking forward to exploring who I can connect with on here ✨✨✨
One of my great joys in the teaching career I left behind was introducing my students to poetry. Most of them believed they disliked it until they saw what it could be (something other than the textbook poetry they had only ever been exposed to). I am so excited to subscribe to your Substack and see nature through your eyes and words!
1. Hello there! I’m Miranda and I live in the only Grand Duchy in the world in the middle of a UNESCO Global Geopark (that would be Luxembourg and Mullerthal.lu).
I’m a mom two teenage boys, artist and book lover.
2. In my Substack I write about (mid)life, creativity, and tiny magic.
Hey Miranda! I just checked our your substack and I love the emphasis on joy, magic and creativity. 🌟
I write personal reflections along similar themes of being joyfully myself, of creativity a priority in my life and about appreciating all the small beauties in everyday life. 🌿
1. Hello! I'm Camille from Colorado, USA. I'm a (soon-to-be self-published) author and astrologer. I have PNES, a seizure disorder, which makes it a challenge to work full-time; so I'm primarily a freelance writer / reporter, while building my astrology business.
The Cosmic Almanac features weekly and monthly horoscopes, and grounded astrological insights to help you work with astrology in your everyday life and creative practice.
3. My tip: DO NOT open my phone / or any social media app first thing in the morning. I like to start my day with meditation / prayers before I just start writing. Sometimes the writing is journaling, sometimes it's fiction, and sometimes it's whatever I'm wanting to post for Substack :)
4. Habit I'm trying to break (connect to #3): Looking at my phone too early in the morning lol. Also, I tend to get to work as soon as I wake up, because I'm focusing on productivity as opposed to creativity, and I want to be better about honoring my Tip #3: allowing myself more time to be creative or just be in the morning, sintead of pushing myself to "get to work"
Hello everyone, Spiritual Entertainer here from Kenya. Writing about spirituality, comparative religion, comparative philosophy, nature and enlightenment.
Follow the link to check out more about "spiritual entertainer" and the publication.
1) Hi, I am Amber from Pennsylvania. I am a caregiver, blogger, and podcaster.
2) My blog is called B.E.E. Channel which stands for Blessing, Edifying, and Encouraging Others to Live Their Best Lives. I write about my faith journey with God, my caregiving journey, the nuances of relationships, and the ups and downs of content creation.
3) Morning routine: I feel more at peace when I go to an email devotion or verse of the day first thing before responding to my texts/emails. But that is not always the case. Sometimes, life gets in the way.
Bedtime routine: I try to look at my calendar and see what I have on my list for the next day, then I write it down on a small notepad and try to decide if anything is negotiable or can wait throughout the next day. Then, I have been reading a novel lately until my eye lids get heavy.
I love this! Thank you for sharing. I have been learning I to prayer and god to guide me peacefully into the next steps I need to take. Glad I found your Substack ❤️
Thanks! I try. I don't always succeed. But that is my intention. It helps me feel calm when I check in with God first before I engage with the world, and then at night, write down the things that will have me staring at the ceiling otherwise.
Hi friends! I’m LeAnna and I write Little Bits of Everything which is really and truly little bits of everything from motherhood, adult friendships, traveling, marriage and the little bits in between. I also write two short stories a month which have been very popular!
A part of my nightly routine that I could not do without is cleaning up in the evenings. With two littles, it feels so refreshing to go to bed with a “tidy” house and wake up to a clean slate.
I have pondered waking up earlier to incorporate a small devotional in my morning routine before the kids wake up, however I love sleep and have no will power! Maybe one day!!
Hi LeAnna! I'm Camille. Your substack sounds so interesting! I love the idea of letting yourself write about, well, everything. It's also cool to hear your short stories have been popular!
I find it really good when I don’t feel like waking up. So I start the day doing something good for my soul - only 5 mins - rather than snoozing my alarm 😆
Hi. I'm Amber. It's nice to meet you. Devotionals don't have to be in the morning. Pick a time that works for you. I try to commune with God throughout the day. I call it worship snacks. Also, it can be as simple as listening to a book/passage of the bible on audio while you clean.
Hi - having a blast this evening sat on my tiny balcony in London with a little aperitivo working my way through all the amazing Substacks and comments here! Thanks as always Mika for hosting!
I'm Lauren, grew up in Wales, UK, and I write The Navigation, sharing musings on, meanderings through and methods for navigating modern life as a millennial woman - which covers everything from grief, to productivity culture, friendship, travel, and turning the big 3-0!
I also share monthly recommendations in the form of 'Cultural Compass' and this year started a new 'Career Compass' column, interviewing other millennial woman about their careers and creative pursuits.
Dreaming that writing might one day be the day job, for now I'll settle on embracing it as a wonderful, fulfilling hobby.
On the routines tip - I'm actually trying to become slightly less obsessed with routine and playing around with the idea of a "menu" of things to choose from (see more here: https://laurenkatepowell.substack.com/p/methods-for-making-the-time) but typically first thing in the morning is 10 mins of yoga/stretching, and last thing at night is reading a book before lights out (always a 'real' one - I'm not a Kindle gal!) 📚
I just finished Madeleine Dore's "I didn't do the thing today" which I would really recommend and was a showstopper for me! All about letting go of our too tight hold on todo lists and beating ourselves up around productivity guilt etc, I found it full of helpful points and guidance.
Also reading "The Summer Book" by Tove Jansson which is a nice fiction escape to a small Finnish island.
And half way through Maggie Nelson's "Like Love" which is full of interesting and complex essays.
I'm Joyce, aka the Trauma Sleuth. After leaving a 34-year marriage to someone who checked all the boxes for Narcissistic Personality Disorder, I knew I needed to get some mental health and healing. I started a support group in 2016 but closed it this year to expand my outreach. One of the ways I chose to do this is with Substack: https://traumasleuth.substack.com/
Since healing from abuse can be messy, erratic, hopeless, and lonely, I listened to the hundreds of people who came to my weekly meetings and developed a novel approach to healing. Yeah, novel, as in story.
Hi Mika! Thank you for asking. I am still getting used to Substack. Since I had facilitated a support group of people that met every week, I place a high value on community. I hope to find it here on Substack. I think it's wonderful that it exactly what you are doing! Any opinion on how I can do that? Is using Chat a good idea?
Chat is great! I would start joining in on a few that people are doing, so it gives you an idea of how people use it on Substack. I think threads like this is really good. Not everyone participates so, depending on how engaged your readers are, it may help to wait until you have a decent amount of subscribers, so you won’t be disappointed in the engagement.
1. Hi! I'm Sarah--originally from California, currently living in Amsterdam, dreaming of Italy next.
2. ESCAPE TO THE BOOKSHOP (https://escapetothebookshop.substack.com/). I write about my journey to starting a tiny indie bookshop in an Umbrian hill town. And other topics sometimes pop up, like living abroad and what home really means.
3. During the pandemic, I started attending the London Writers' Salon every weekday morning, and I've kept the habit since. It's an hour-long Zoom where we just silently write together. Writing involves so much solitude and self-discipline, so it really helps to have that hour where we all hold ourselves accountable together.
I'd love to connect with others writing about Italy or living abroad.
I loved hearing about your bookshop in Umbria idea! I also spend a lot of time Italy, but am not yet there full time. I write about food, the Food Giants, and life in Italy.
I have a house near Sansepolcro in Tuscany. And seeing her on our mutual subscribers – and the fact that she’s from California, am wondering if you know Nancy Raff?
Hi Sarah! Good luck with your bookshop in Umbria! It seems like such an amazing project! I just discovered London Writers' Salon about 2 weeks ago, and I am so glad I did - it really helps with motivation and focus, so really with the solitude and self-discipline you mentioned!
I’m a native Californian (SF, to be specific), and am envious of your life in Europe, particularly Italy. I write about wine history and longevity tips. The wine part has roots in Piedmont, Italy. My great grandfather was an Italian winemaker, before immigrating to the SF bay area. My grandmother, to our surprise, has the longevity gene. She breaks some of the healthy aging rules, which I unravel for my readers.
My husband’s family also hails from Piedmont! We spent a year there when our kids were tiny, getting him Italian citizenship through his great-great grandfather. Have you checked your eligibility for citizenship? Perhaps moving to Europe would be easier than you think…
It is lovely to meet you here Sarah. I am originally from Australia, currently in England, dreaming of France (but also not ready to stop exploring the world just yet). I'm very new to Substack, but also looking to find my voice here, and make some new friends!
I feel like I’m still finding my voice, but I love it as a kind of break from more formal writing. And it’s nice to be able to connect with other writers here too.
Hi, I'm Rosie from Ireland but moved to Italy 6 years ago where I am having a fabulous midlife crisis. I bought a derelict 22-room villa by accident and renovated it. The process was comical and stressful so I wrote a book about it during lockdown. It is now a 5 book ongoing humorous memoir series and has fulfilled my dream of becoming a full-time author (10 books published).
My Substack is 'A Fabulous Midlife Crisis' and I write mostly humour about living in Italy, how to have a fabulous midlife crisis and writing.
My morning routine is waking by 7am, grabbing a cup of tea and writing in bed until noon. I aim for 1000 words per day if I am not editing.
Keen to build a community of fabulous women! Nice to meet you!
Really nice to meet you. Wish I'd been writing when I restored my farmhouse, thirty + years ago!
I write about food and life in Italy – with a lot of humour and in my dressing gown, but not in bed as I don't find it comfortable to write there. And I share your pain about thankless gardening..
I wish you had been writing about it too! I love hearing other people’s stories about renovating in Italy. I’m following you now ofcourse, so we can compare notes of life here! x
I have no idea why your comment popped up today on my feed, considering you wrote this 17 days ago, but I am enamored already! I can't wait to deep dive the archives and learn more about your world.
Wow Rosie a 22 room villa and you renovated, AMAZING!! And impressive. Italy is my dream trip I hope to take one day. I am Mahogany. Just getting started with Substack. Reading mostly and trying to muster up the courage to share and start building my Substack. Love your posts.
What a great reminder, Rosie. I realised I began writing things people would like to read rather than what purely excites me, as I get to see how well I performed each post. You reminded me not to adapt my content to the responses🫶
Hi Rosie, Nice to meet you too! Wow - that’s impressive. I imagine a lot of humour was required, and still is. Being Scottish has served me well in the humour department, having moved too many times. You can either laugh or cry. 😂
How have you found publishing? I write children’s books and am on the hunt for an agent for my latest one.
Hey Jenny! Ah yes us Celts have to laugh - it's to do with the wind and rain, it makes us light-headed! Regards publishing: I had tried the trad route in my 20s and got so demoralised by it I stopped doing creative writing for 25 years. In 2020 I joined an online meetup group of Indie authors on an app called Clubhouse and my eyes were opened to a whole new way of publishing. There were women on there making 6 figures a year from self publishing. So I started self publishing in 2020 exclusively on Amazon exclusively and it's gone really well for me. I'm not at six-figure years but I'm earning better than I ever have in my life from my series of five books. So I would recommend the self pub route if you can't get an agent - in other words, don't give up like I did!
I agree, it’s the weather! Thank you for the tips and encouragement. I appreciate it! Self-publishing is an avenue I am looking at more seriously. As well as my current submission, I have a finished middle-grade adventure novel that I might consider publishing. Is it Amazon KDP that you use?
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, I didn't see your comment until now. Yes KDP is what I use. And don't be afraid of trying Kindle Unlimited - it was 50% of my income for the first three years.
This is really helpful advice. Thank you, Rosie. It's the encouragement I need to push forward with self-publishing my middle-grade children's adventure novel. It's worth a shot. I have Kindle Unlimited, and have discovered lots of interesting books, including yours. I've started reading 'A Rosie Life in Italy' - it's hilarious from the get-go.
👋 1. Hi everyone, I'm Indie from Canada. I've always been creative and over the past two years i've began to take my writing more seriously by sharing it more. My crowning accomplishment thus far is being 100K words into a second draft of an untitled Fantasy novel i've been working on for some time now.
2. Love/Hate~Create ( https://jouujoux.substack.com ) this is just the beginning but I hope to bring creative inspiration and an inside look into my writing/creative processes. I'd love to create a community of people who are also working towards creative endeavours but often feel a little stuck and frustrated.
💬 3. My tip: Something thats been a part of my night routine lately is to fill an insulated cup up with ice and water before bed so I can wake up to cold water in the morning. I make sure to drink at least 16oz of water before eating or drinking anything in the AM.
Thanks for reading, I look forward to finding some new publications to follow. If you follow mine leave me a comment and lmk what you think. 😊
Hello everyone, I'm Sharon from Manchester, UK. I started blogging on this platform about 2 years ago and recently committed to writing an article a day. The main subjects I write about are yoga, nutrition, aromatherapy, and nature adventures.
I've published 6 yoga books, three of them focus on morning and evening routines so I love this months topic. I'm new here and really enjoying reading through everyone's comments 😊
My morning routine consists of yoga, meditation, reading and writing (not necessarily in that order). I also like to get out for a walk too but that's not always in the morning. My evening practice is mantra chanting, journaling and angel readings. This keeps me aligned with my purpose and focused on what's important.
Thanks for reading. I look forward to connecting with you 🙏😇💖
I am THE GRANNY WHO STANDS ON HER HEAD (you can see me do so, age 80, in a two minute video on my Substack). I am in the UK and write about anything that takes my fancy, but it is usually some thought or other, rather than what is going on in my immediate life. I always write short pieces (c 800 words) and only once a fortnight (Indeed, I subtitle it Thought for the Fortnight). I don't think my morning or evening routines are tremendously interesting, but as a bad sleeper, I always do a Sudoku or two to clear my brain before bedtime.
💕 EXAMPLE:
👋 1. Hi! I’m Mika from New Zealand. I stepped away from my 9-5 last year and I am slowly breaking free from the "shoulding" and perfectionism while also embracing fun, creativity and tuning into my intuition.
✍️ 2. MUSINGS BY MIKA (https://musingsbymika.substack.com)
musings by mika is all about navigating uncharted terrain and discovering life beyond the comfort zone - moving past people-pleasing and playing safe and small. ✨
I’m also passionate about creating a supportive community for Substack writers who are gingerly stepping into this new space. I share my behind the scenes journey and tips - as well as meeting places like this!!
💬 3. My tip: I’m happier and productive if I don’t do any kind of scrolling activity first thing in the morning. I find that when I scroll, time flies and I end up feeling tired.
Habit I’m trying to break or establish: Starting a relaxing evening routine early. I tend to do things right up until I go to bed and then I find it hard to fall asleep.
Hey! Nice to meet you! I’m working in similar goals. I try to support my fellow Substakers, and I’m working on being kinder to myself.
Hi Jenna! Kindness to yourself is magical. I work on that every day. Nice to meet you.
I love how you encourage community. It's inspiring me on things I can do now that I've fully jumped into the deep end of Substack.
Yes, I agree its a great place to gain inspiration and joy from others and learn new interesting things too!!
Love your recent farmer’s market post so much. Starting with Nice, then so many great tips. ❤️
I'm so glad that you decided to jump on into Substack! The water is great! 💦😊
I get so inspired by all the wonderful newsletters I read on Substack! It's really unlike anything I've come across before.
I love this too! What a wonderful opportunity for us all to connect 😊🙏
I really have the most wonderful subscribers, so I'm so happy when you all connect with each other! Love what you talk about Sharon!
Thank you Mika 🙏💖
I told myself no social media till after 12pm so that I won't doom scroll. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that there's nothing important that can't wait for me on Twitter or IG (my main two distractions).
Curious how you feel when you do check? Are you glad you checked at least 1x during the day? I'm noticing that each time I check social media I'm questioning what it's doing for me. I'm tempted to delete the apps and see what happens.
Definitely give that a try and see what happens. Sounds like a great experiment.
You asked a great question and it made me think. There's nothing that I can think of off the top of my mind that made me glad I checked social media. No bit of information was vital to me knowing about it. I don't have a strong presence on social so I'm not posting content there or have a need to reply. If I did, then that's a different story.
So I don't have any feeling when i check. I don't feel relived that I'm able to check. It's pretty neutral actually.
Mainly I go there to see what's going viral, what's funny, what's being talked about in pop culture. That's why I want to check.
I have found some days it's way past 12pm when I do end up checking. I haven't ever looked at the clocked and couldn't wait till 12pm. That's a good sign. As I'm writing this maybe I should push it back and try 3pm or 5pm and see what happens.
If you do delete apps for X number of days, let me know what happens. Be curious to hear you're experience.
It's hard not to spend too much time on social media, but I am with you and trying to be more disciplined and mindful not mindless with my time.
One of my distractions is YouTube (including YouTube shorts - which is a lot of rubbish 😆)
How are you finding "no social media after 12pm"?
I'm loving it. I'm going to write a story on it. I am less distracted. My mind is more calm cause it's not looking for that next dopamine hit.
I'm less tempted to check because I set that rule for myself. I can break it and no one will care of course but the good feeling that I get outweighs my urges to check. I know I can always check after 12pm if I want.
Can’t wait to read it!
Thank you for making these Mika! Got to follow some interesting people last time.
Yay! I'm so glad! Thanks for getting involved. Everyone is so lovely, I'm happy that you made connections Aun.😊
Hi Mika! I'm with you. I don't access the internet until after I've at least walked the dogs, but ideally not until I've finished my workouts.
I'm surprised (or I should be unsurprised) at how it drains my energy and can derail my whole day.
I can relate and agree scrolling in the morning eats away the time and energy.
We shouldn't be surprised when companies spend a lot of money to figure out how to keep us on their apps for as along as possible. That's what we are fighting against.
Hello! I am Nina, a high school English teacher who has been in education for way too long. I'm not able to retire yet, but I am really looking forward to it someday. I love sports, reading, writing, traveling, trying new things, cooking, and learning. I am thankful to have come across this substack to learn more about all of the people through the comments.
2. My substack is as follows: https://ninagraue.substack.com/
I have been enduring a long, drawn out divorce, so my posting has been sporadic. When I do post, it may be about anything under the sun. You never know what to expect, quite honestly.
3. Morning and evening routines:
Frankly, I suck at them. Routines include generic line items such as wake up (after hitting snooze at least once), use the bathroom, shower, floss and brush my teeth, get dressed, drink coffee, and begin my 100mph day by driving to school. No, really, I go full force all day.
4. I am (and always will be) working on a nightly routine to try and sleep better. Hasn't worked in 50 years. *wink, wink
1. I’m Johanna from Boulder Colorado. I was scrolling Substack and saw “my fabulous midlife crisis,” and since I’m in the middle of a fabulous midlife crisis, of course I clicked.
2. I don’t have a Substack. My brother has one, and he keeps prodding me to start a Substack. I’m a public speaking coach and a storyteller. I write a weekly newsletter, but there’s no place for people to go back and read the posts. His is called “living in a body.” ( https://open.substack.com/pub/halwalker) Mine is (will be) something about voice, speaking, saving lives (your own and others) by telling stories. That or falling in love with ADHD. (Which is my main excuse for not having a Substack, as well as for the midlife crisis) My website is www.johannawalker.com
3. Morning routine for a long time was get out of bed and get sun on my eyeballs for at least 20 minutes before looking at any screens. For the last several months, while flailing through my fabulous midlife crisis, I’m deep in the morning phone addiction and can’t get out. 😭😭😭 Heeeeeeelllllllpppppp!
Hi my name is Riyam. I am from Ramallah, Palestine. I am an educator currently working on providing children in Gaza accelerated learning opportunities, and extracurricular programming in marginalized areas in the West Bank, Palestine. I am an instrucitonal coach, and currirulum writer/designer. At heart I am a writer. It is my hope I can finally take the time to write.
2. My Substack is Riyam Writes: I explore the question of What does it mean to be human in this point in time through writings about motherhood, education, food, life and more.
3. Evening: I am trying to incorporate exercise in my evening routine. Up to about two weeks ago I workout in the morning but I am interested in going in early to work and getting home earlier in the day to be with my children, cook dinner, do homework and just spend time with them. The key is to do the workouts by no later than 8:00 p.m. because I am so tired I crash. Morning: I wake up at 5:15, pray and get the day started. I only sleep in on the weekend (Friday) but no later than 7:30 a.m. Get the day going early, it just feels so amazing to be up before everyone else.
Hi, I am Liza, from Slovenia, living in Lisbon, Portugal. A social anthropologist by training, I quit my full time job as a gender and inclusion specialist in a development organisation, to become a consultant and a CoActive coach.
I spent many years living and working in SubSaharan Africa (Burkina Faso and Ethiopia) and I enjoy being back in Europe.
I write a substack called Sharing secrets (and Other Useful Stuff) where I share my personal life musings and tips (and also link to those by writers/experts I admire).
My tip: pay attention to little things around you, be curious and don’t take anything for granted. Say hello and thank you and smile at strangers, many will smile back.
Hello!
I’m Lizzie and I love food. I'm also fat, which I do not love because it makes putting socks on in the morning a major logistics operation. I started writing recipes so I could continue leading the life of foodie-Riley, whilst on a mission to see my toes again. I’ve written about life in the fat lane and the damage inflicted by the Food Giants in the Independent, Prospect, and Reaction. I divide my time between London and Italy – in the Alpe della Luna, near Sansepolcro – I love both, but am planning to move full time to Italy.
My substack – The Downsizing Diva https://thedownsizingdiva.substack.com – is full of recipes, hacks to remove calories without losing deliciousness or the will to live, and stories about life in the fat lane from a food lover’s perspective. There’s a fair bit about slaying the Food Giants and unprocessing your life, lots about Italy, and a lot of humour.
My morning tip, is to get up and start writing while the kettle’s on for a cup of tea. It cuts through all the procrastination and delays to starting, because I’m still half asleep. It’s very effective, but embarrassing if my neighbour wants help moving his cows and I am still in my dressing gown at 11.30am. My neighbour is 86 and will have been up since 5.00am…
My evening tip: well, every evening, I say, tonight I will go to bed at a civilised hour. And every evening, I don’t.
Hi Lizzie, as per advice by Mika, I am introducing myself to you! I am Liza (pronounced Leeza) and I am a foodie too. I have been to Sansepolcro (am also a Pierro della Francesca fan). I don’t write about food on my Substack, but my background is in social anthropology and I wrote both my BA and PhD thesis on anthropology of food.
I look forward to reading your Substack, just subscribed.
Hi Liza (glad to know about the Italian pronunciation!)
Great to meet you! I will subscribe back and look forward to reading it! What an interesting PhD! Where are you based? When did you visit Sansepolcro, and did you also go to Urbino?
I am based in Lisbon, but my partner and I lived in Umbria and Tuscany for 3 months last year, as we explored Italy as part of our decision to move to Southern Europe (we decided on Portugal, but also tried Spain). In Umbria we were based in Perugia and from there we did many a day trip, including to Monterchi and Sansepolcro (I had already visited these two towns in 2005 as part of a Pierro pilgrimage (I am originally from Slovenia, which means Italy was always easy to visit). I have never been to Urbino.
Since you are a foodie, have you eaten at Vecchia Trattoria la bohème in Citta di Castello?
Love your tips and that you're sharing your weight loss journey as well as helpful receipes. I hope you're able to create a lovely supportive community on Substack!
I have – but among food writers – for me food is what I am really interested in; weight-loss is just a bonus of slightly changing my food palette. I am also very interested in the obesogenic food world – although I think this could be more accurately called a disease-ogenic food world!
1. Hi I’m Michele and I don’t really live anywhere anymore but am from the U.S. In 2018 I left my job and put 90% of my life in a storage unit. I then went on to take my job remote, working for myself, and traveling/living in 8 countries in 2019. After a Covid break in late 2021 I went back out traveling and living solo in Italy, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand and France. Last year I gave away just about everything in that storage unit - the final dismantling of an old life.
2. Pied Á Terre Life piedaterrelife.substack.com is a place where I write about my travels sharing my great finds, new friends, delicious experiences. I also write about living this life and making it up as I go in my 50’s. Defining success for myself rather than by following societal norms. I’m very passionate about creating a community around these themes. I’m so inspired by what Mika is doing here!!
3. Tip: as soon as I get out of bed I do a 20-minute qi gong practice. I started doing this in January 2023 and it has made such a huge difference in my body and mind. I never miss a day!
Habit I’m trying to establish: at least an hour of writing that is just creative without expectation of an outcome. Just letting what comes to my imagination run without thinking of “who it’s for” or who might read it and just write.
This sounds amazing! I can't wait to go visit your substack!
I really think there should be a category for people who are sharing their travels and new experiences. Also living a life outside of societal norms!
Thank you for your kind comment and welcome! Thanks for participating!
Thanks so much for your thoughtful prompt! Sorry for the delayed response - I was actually traveling to Edinburgh (it was actually one of my worst travel days - cancelled flights, stranded, my flat has no water in the bathroom....). i'm delighted to be a part of your community!
Thanks, Mika for the nice initiative!
Hi everyone, my name is Daniela. I have a big passion for learning about food - flavours, ingredients, developing recipes, and experimenting in the kitchen. After finishing my PhD in Biology, I decided to finally start writing about my big passion, since I spend so much time experimenting and researching about food and cooking anyway. That's how my Substack (https://bitsandbitess.substack.com/) was born.
My newsletter celebrates and explores individual ingredients - staple and seasonal foods. Since I also read a lot about nutrition and sustainability, I came to believe that is key to finding easy and enjoyable ways to incorporate more plant diversity into our plates. Thus, Bits and Bites focuses on plant ingredients - from vegetables to pulses to aromatic spices.
What about my routines (this month's questions)? Getting into the habit of waking up without an alarm clock was a great change for my mornings - not waking up startled in the middle of a sleep cycle is already a better start to the day. I would like to break the habit of not picking up the phone immediately after waking up - I guess that would be helpful to keep my morning calm going for a bit longer.
Looking forward to connecting with other members of this community!
Hi Daniela. Love the idea of your newsletter (have just subscribed) – I also have a passion for flavour and finding ways of increasing plants and pulses by making them really delicious! I also wish I didn't immediately grab my phone when I open my eyes, but it's a work in progress..
Hi Lizzie, thank you for your comment! It’s good to be together in this food exploration!
What a great Substack topic! I can tell your passionate about it. Thanks for joining in and I look forward to you being part of the community!
Thank you Mika!
Hi, I'm Robert. I'm originally from the UK, but have been living in the US for 29 years. I escaped the corporate world two decades ago, and since then I've been learning to fully embrace a life of creative curiosity. Now semi-retired and happily living in a liberal Floridian bubble, I've finally learned to lean into my intuition, giving myself permission to stop, start, and double down on learning and sharing more about the things that intrigue me.
2.BRITTLE VIEWS
https://robertmichaelford.substack.com
I've always been a geek at heart, and love to see what new tools and technologies can do, if you embrace and explore them a little differently.
I learn by doing, and looking back, I've always sought to learn about new technologies by using them to build something creative. When I got my first computer in 1980 (a kit-built Sinclair ZX-80 with 1KB of memory), my first program was a random poetry generator based on Burrough's and Bowie's cut up techniques.
When I stumbled upon ChatGPT and other AI tools, it was love at first byte, and I quickly went from (mis)using it like Google, to diving into prompt engineering, to building a library of GPT tools. In parallel, my relocation and revisiting of who I want to be when I grow up unlocked a tsunami of creativity, which threatened to overwhelm me. That's when those two worlds came together, and I started to rethink my creative processes, using AI to both increase my productivity and dramatically expand and harness my creativity. That's what I write about in Brittle Views.
Currently, I'm working on a collection of my poetry, two novels, a children's book, a non-fiction book (and associated card game) on tools that take you from surviving to thriving through life's inevitable changes. I'm also building a couple of new businesses with friends, along with developing a series of AI-based tools and apps.
What I've finally learned to do is to let go of the guilt of starting, stopping, and yes, sometimes abandoning so many projects. That is my creative process, and in learning to both acknowledge that and embrace it. It turns out that I don't really ever abandon things, unless I'm forced to keep working on them beyond the point of them being fun. I've learned that if I temporarily park them, I will come back to them when I'm ready, to build on or to cannibalize them to build something better.
This wasn't supposed to turn into 'War & Peace', so thank you for sticking with me so far. If you're intrigued in exploring the intersection of technology and storytelling, please join me at Brittle Views.
How amazing that you have been able to deep dive into AI etc. My husband has been loving it. He's a computer programmer and knows that we are only limited by our imagination!
Do you have a link about what made you leave the rat race and how you were able to do it? I would love to read more about it. I just left my job last May and love reading about people who have been able to carve their own paths.
Hi Mika,
I think that despite all of the writing I've done, I don't think that I've ever written anything about how I dug the tunnel from the corporate world, and made my way to freedom.
Here's a post from my more general blog, where I share a lot of my poetry, short stories, and general musings. This is something I wrote at one of those pivotal moments:
https://robertford.us/complacency-displaced/
p.s. I totally agree with your husband's perspective. I'm finding that AI is letting me bring big ideas to life, often in under two hours to get a first workable prototype. I'm realizing that it's dramatically flatted the learning curve of HOW I do something, allowing me to focus on the WHAT and WHY.
Love that!
Thanks for the link. Off to check it out 😊
👋 1. INTRODUCTION: Hi! I'm Kaila from Canada. I've lived on a tropical island in Thailand called Koh Phangan for 12 years. I create content around living abroad on Substack, Tiktok and in the book I'm writing.
2. 💃🌏 GIRLS' GUIDE TO LIVING ABROAD: https://girlsguidetolivingabroad.substack.com Is a community and magazine for women who live abroad or who have aspirations to live abroad. We currently write two posts a week, including a Tuesday thread where we post a topic about living abroad for discussion, and a Friday post/guide/guest blog.
3. 🌄 MY MORNING ROUTINE HACK: I wake up at 5:15 when I can, but sometimes it's just too darn early for me, so I allow myself to sleep later without feeling guilty about it. Being relaxed about it and not beating myself up if I don't manage to make up at 5 has been a game changer compared to before when I would often fall back asleep while trying to meditate on my yoga mat. 🤦♀️
4. 🛑 MORNING HABIT I'M TRYING TO BREAK: I'm a huge coffee lover, but I've recently realized that my daily coffee isn't serving me. I'm not ready to give it up all together, but I'm going to reduce to 3 cups a week and see what happens.
5. ✨ BONUS: Thanks for reading, I'm excited to have stumbled across this Substack, as I am currently looking for a tribe of people who write about living abroad to form a Substack support group. If that's you, give me a nudge and let's talk!
Love this Kaila! There are so many people living such interesting lives!! Thanks for joining in on "Find Your Tribe". I hope you've been able to go through the comments and find a few people that interest you!
👋 1. Hi, my name is Emily and I live near Manchester, UK. I am a psychotherapist and love to promote well-being and mental health awareness. I love meeting like-minded people and having fascinating conversations about how others support their well-being.
✍️ 2. For many years, I have been writing a weekly newsletter on health and well-being topics at work and have recently set up a substack https://wellbeingandwonder.substack.com/, to share them with the wider world. I would love to hear feedback and suggestions for topics going forward.
💬 3. I love getting up a little earlier on a morning and doing 5-10 minutes of yoga or movement exercise before I start the day. The short timeframe makes it so much more manageable than trying to squeeze in 20, 30 or 60 minutes of exercise and I get a small boost of feel-good hormones when I have finished. It makes me feel like I have achieved something every morning before I start my day properly.
Hi, Emily! I am passionate about mental health and well-being, too. I lost my grandfather to suicide in elementary school and have made it one of my missions to promote healthy minds! I can't wait to explore your substack!
That's amazing that you are able to transfer the skills you learned with newsletter writing and bring then to Substack, along with your other interests!
What a joy to find this community. Thank you Mika 🙏
👋 Hi, I'm Ellen from Australia (Ballarat, Vic for those who know our part of the world). I'm a social psychologist, podcaster, writer, mum (two high school boys, two Kelpies). Urban girl for 40 years. Now dedicated to regional life.
✍️ THE MESSY MIDDLE
https://potentialpsychology.substack.com
After years of writing for blogs and media and corporate, I returned last year to writing for me. The Messy Middle is a mix of sharing what psychology knows about the complexities of being human, along with me making sense of the messiness, joy and wonder of (my) mid-life.
(There's 5 years of podcast in there too but I'm in a production hiatus currently while I work through the messy middle-ness of what's next for me in the podcast space)
My fascinations right now are the systems that sit in the social impact space (#nerd)
💬 Routines: As someone who enjoys clothes, I put my outfit for the next day (even if its jeans and a jumper) out the night before. I've done this for as long as I can remember! It takes one decision out of the equation as I juggle the morning chaos of getting everyone out of the door and where they need to be 🧒🧒🐶🐶👨💼👩
As for new routines and habits - I need to stop scrolling! I am in a transitional phase, work wise and I use phone-based dopamine hits to avoid sitting with the discomfort of uncertainty. I know this is what I'm doing but knowing and changing are not the same thing 😝
So great to meet you all!
Hey neighbour! 🥝🦘
Wow, that's amazing that you did 5 years of podcasting. I'm sure you learned a lot. Did you do it solo or interview style?
Almost exclusively interview. I still love it and intend to get back to it. Just in the midst of a pivot that might see it come back in a slightly different form.
I've learned a huge amount, both about the medium itself and of course from the close to 100 guests I've interviewed!
Hi! 👋 I’m Val and I live in Vancouver, Canada. I’m a Coach for women and host of The Selfish Woman Podcast. Substack is where I write about love, divorce, reinventing yourself in midlife, and finding the wisdom (and laughter) in our heartbreaks.
I reinvented myself at 51, when I left Spain where I’d been living with my second husband. I also left the marriage and our beautiful apartment we’d just finished restoring. I spent the next year in isolation, doing deep healing work and understanding what’s truly necessary to create a life of joy, freedom and magic. My life transformed on every level and now I write about it and coach other women on how to create a life full of magic!
My morning looks a lot different now that I’m living my best Sophia Loren lifestyle. I wake with the sun and immediately walk by the sea, then come home to meditate and stretch.
In the evening I’m watching my latest reality show obsession with popcorn and red wine.
Looking forward to connecting!! 💖
The reinvention journey with positive awareness of the self with kindness and compassion leading to deep wisdom and healing is magical.
Your new life sounds glorious Val! 😍
it truly is! :)
1. Hi! I'm Helene. I live in New Jersey with my fiancé and dog.
2. I'm new to Substack and will be writing about living a beautiful life in mid-life (@itsamidlifething). There are so many great things I've learned about how to do life better that I'm excited to share - and implement in my own life!
3. My tip: Your most important job is to Feel Good! Do this like your life depends on it, because it does.
Habit I'm establishing: Somatic releasing daily. After many decades of living, I have a lot of stored Trauma (and trauma) and energy to release. My new favorite things to do are rebounding, fascial rolling, and vagus nerve resetting.
Hi Helene, your new favourite things have inspired me to look them up and maybe try them for myself!
I love that! If you do, let me know what you think.
Please let me know if I can answer any questions! I don't teach any of these things, just do them for myself, but can happily answer questions about them as I've learned a lot.
Hi! I’m Katherine from Walnut Creek, CA (it's in the East Bay outside San Francisco). I'm a Mom of 3 teenage boys, still in the corporate world (need to make living), and sharing everything I'm learning about happiness and positive psychology to live a happier and fulfilled life. Learning how to spend more time enjoying life, building deeper relationships, and letting go of the things that in the end don't matter.
BOLD MOVES & HAPPY GROOVES (https://katherinelibonate.substack.com)
Bold Moves & Happy Grooves is all about living a happier, joyous and more fulfilled life. If that means making a courageous move, taking a pause, or setting a boundary then we're doing it right. I am passionate about creating a supportive community where we support each other on our journey to being happier.
My tip: I've reduced the number of hours watching TV in bed at night. After a long day I would collapse into bed and zone out. Trying to do more reading at night for a better night sleep.
Habit: Wake up every morning early for time to myself before the house gets busy.
Love that you are creating a supportive community and sharing insights you've learnt on your journey with positivity, happiness and letting go - look forward to reading more.
Hi Katherine. Fellow Pos Psych fan here! Great to meet you.
Great to meet you as well!
1. I am L. Jean Davis and write about travel destination and it's history. Https://www.5grandkids1great.substack.com I also have one called Jean's Substack where I write on human interest on the 5th of every month and on Thursdays I feature other writers on Jean's Book Corner.
2. I am happy to meet everyone. I became a writer at 60 when I became disabled.
Hi Jean,
Love your substacks and your generosity!
👋🏽 hello. Thank you Mika for creating this beautiful space to share & support so openly.
I’m Karen from Herts, UK. I’m currently coming to the end of a coaching course after which I truly hope to empower & support women in finding their most fulfilling & heart-led lives.
✍️ Heart Led Coach https://heartledcoach.substack.com
I have recently found the courage to publish my own posts here - finding little bits of wisdom & inspiration from nature & my past experiences as a therapist & coach.
Morning routine for me is having a quick gulp of a herbal tea & heading out into the fields with my black Labrador Pip - when the weather’s not great this can be a bit of a chore, but I always return home more alive & grounded than when we left out. I’m trying to make morning yoga a more regular commitment too but usually only manage it about twice a week.
Evening for me is less structured but usually involves quietly settling, journalling & a guided breath or sleep meditation. I’m usually do ready for sleep that’s all I can manage!
Like yourself I only recently found the courage to start sharing my mindful musings on Substack. I too enjoy journaling, yoga and meditation - look forward to reading more.
Hello from beautiful County Durham in the northeast UK.
I am fairly new here and I have yet to publish, or indeed write, my first post! I am currently finding my way around Substack and have recently begun ‘dabbling’ with Notes, although I seem to spend more time reading than writing them at the moment!
My publication is The Jotting Shed (https://catherinedarby.substack.com) and will be a place where I share random musings about whatever I want to write about in the moment. Last year I quit my toxic boss and decided to set up my own business, and in May this year managed to find and buy a dear little house in need of a lot of TLC.
I wake up naturally with the light – no alarms thank goodness! I journal before I do anything else and drink a glass of lemon water before I get up. The journal mostly features my (really weird, as it turns out) dreams, but it helps clear my mind ready for the day ahead. I also love looking back at what I’ve written months later!
Evenings are spent writing and/or reading, and I fall asleep listening to Audible. An evening habit I’m trying to break is watching Reels but that algorithm really knows how to keep me scrolling!
I am fairly new to sharing on Substack too and still finding my feet! Love the name of your Substack and look forward to reading more. reading and writing positive favourites here for evenings.
Hello & thank you! The evenings are getting longer here as Autumn is already setting in, so lots more reading & writing time 😊
I look forward to reading your musings Catherine.
Congratulations in finding the courage to walk away from a toxic workspace & go out on your own - it’s not always easy to make those sorts of decision but putting your energy into creating something for yourself is so empowering. I do hope you’re enjoying it & it’s going well.
Oh & good luck with your new home 🏠
Oops! I was on the app on my phone and hit ‘send’ too soon🤦♀️
Yes, it was one of those situations where the fear for my sanity if I stayed, was greater than the fear of walking away. Such a steep learning curve, but so much less stressful!
I’m loving my new home and no doubt some of the trials and tribulations of renovating it, and the evolution of my tiny backyard into a calm, green oasis, will feature on here at some point😊
Thank you Karen 💖
Love this and looking forward to discovering some wonderful fellow travellers out there …
Hi, I'm Lily from Bristol, UK. I am a published author of fiction and memoir. My most recent book was Sins of My Father, about my father who was an addict and joined a religious cult when I was a child. It was The Guardian Book of the Year, 2022, which was really great. I am currently writing a book on how to write memoir called INTO BEING, and I am a little obsessed with how writing and reading it can be radical and transformative in equal turn!
My Substack publication is called And a Dog because I have a beautiful and demanding dog called Elsa who has changed my life. We initially thought she had changed our life for the worse, but then we woke up and realised what a gift she has been and continues to be. I sometimes write about her and about my teen kids, and my beloved partner and what it feels like to live in a step family. But I mostly write about memoir because I live and breathe it.
When I am writing a book, like now, I get up at 6am and work uninterrupted for two to three hours. It is the only way I can dig into the depth of my concentration, before the teens wake up, the dog needs a walk, the day starts.
I am also a teacher and a mentor and although I love both these things, I have been moving towards a life of writing; where writing trumps everything else. I am not quite there yet - it is a work in progress... but every year I inch a little bit closer.
Lily, nice to meet you. Thank you for sharing. Congratulations on Guardian Book of the Year! I love your Substack name. I too have a Dog that is very demanding. I'm so thankful he can't speak. The demands from my 3 teenage boys are enough :). Will check out your substack. Have a nice weekend!
I always find it interesting to read when people do their writing!
Hi. I’m Georgia. I write about rebuilding life after divorce and healing from trauma. Mostly 😜.
I’ve always written but only started taking it seriously at the end of last year. Now it’s a tool I use to spread my message.
The morning routine that had changed things for me is journal writing. I think it actually saved me. When I separated from my husband and my world fell apart, it helped me make sense of all the craziness in my head. As Flannery O’Connor said, 'I write because I don't know what I think until I read what I say.' Which is exactly what happened. Often I would write something before I consciously thought it, it helps me understand myself better.
My evening routine is that I switch my phone off around 9.30, 10 at the latest and don’t switch is on till I’ve done my writing in the morning. It means that I’m not tempted to check anything and I spend the time reading.
Before I started doing it myself, I used to think morning journaling was something 'nice to do if you had the time'. But I can honestly say, it has made such a difference to me - the Flannery O'Connor quote sums it up exactly!
I’m glad you discovered it too 😊
Hello everyone, I'm Kirsty and I reside near Brighton, UK.
On my Substack, I draw inspiration from mindfulness and nature to promote healing and relaxation. Additionally, I share my newfound passion for fountain pens and inks by including details of my favourites in my posts.
My go to morning routine consists of meditation followed by setting intentions for the day. In the evening, I regularly practice positivity and gratitude journaling too.
I am working on breaking the habit of excessive screen time and mindless social media scrolling in the evenings. I aim to establish a more disciplined approach by allocating specific time for social media and dedicating more time to reading – my list of books to read keeps growing.
Kirsty you sound so well disciplined already I take my hat off to you! Can totally relate to the ever growing TBR pile, although it's not that I'm not reading enough, I just can't resist buying books 😂
Hi Kirsty. My daughter lived in Weymouth for a year and loved it.
Your Substack sounds lovely. I’ve found being mindful, meditation and nature incredibly healing. I’m fortunate that I live near a beautiful forest so often go there to rejuvenate.
My wife was Irish and we toured the UK, France, Italy, we always intended to see Ireland but she got cancer and died at 70, before her time and so we never did see Ireland
Allan - I'm so sorry for your loss. I just read your post on "We create our own reality". It's 100% true. My husband and I are in the thick of raising 3 teenage boys and that is not for the faint of heart. I see my husband seeing mostly negative and it's disheartening. Hoping I can get him to read your article :).
I can’t put a ❤️ this because it could send the wrong message. So I’ll just say I’m so sorry Allan 😞 Good luck and God bless you 🙏
1. Hello from Antwerp, Belgium 🍟 🧇 🍺 🍫! My name is Sofie and I’m about to publish my 2nd Substack post. I love dancing, Italy, videogames, and dressing like the extrovert I am absolutely not.
2. 💃🏻SHAKE YOUR MONEY MAKER (https://shakeyourmoneymaker.substack.com/) is where I share my financial recovery journey from a neuro-divergent, EU, and female perspective with lots of pop-references and gifs.
3. 📱Trying to not take my phone with me to the bedroom (failing as we speak 🤪). I’ve found that setting an alarm for when to go to bed is a helpful way of getting better at going to bed at a decent time.
Hello 👋 my name is Johanna, but call me Jo' 💛
I am actually a nomadic traveler in a camper, with my family 🗺️
i write Ma Lettre nomade (https://johannajourney.substack.com) where i share about spirituality, ancestral wisdom, and sacred cacao + my own reflexions on life and my nomadic journey.
Tip of the month is a very good subject, and in fact, i have a free ebook about it (but it is in french 😛). Morning and evening routine is all about no screens, candles, music, and reflexions. it is about taking the time and space to settle in a sacred moment, in front of your altar or sacred space, to begin the journey with the wisdom received during the night in the dreamworld, and end the journey with a prayer and intention to walk the night in peace.
Feel free to ask me the link of the ebok if interested, and welcome in this "find your tribe party", thank you Mika !
1 & 2. Hi:) I’m Nicole. My Substack blog (posts) are under the title of What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do. All are generally centered around personal growth, quantum physics, self-identification-how do you express, what is your way, what works best for you. So often, we are advised to follow ways identified by others for themselves. “Do this,” they say. “This is the way forward.” “My way will guarantee you (insert whatever you are wanting here).” Is any of this true for you, though?
3. My morning routine generally consists of a 20-60 minute Transcendental Meditation. It varies on what I feel I need in those moments. I invest some time in gratitude. I then do either a paraliminal, subliminal, or hypnotic. All this helps focus me for the day ahead.
I practice doing less overall social/news consumption.
Love the title of your Substack and what you have mentioned it offers, and I am with you on meditation and gratitude always important to me too every day.
1. Hi everyone! I'm Christi from North Carolina in the States. I did a thing that looks crazy to everyone in my life, but feels incredibly right to me (which is strange in and of itself because I have a tendency to be preoccupied with the opinions of others). I left an 18-year teaching career (middle grades and high school English/Language Arts) several years short of retirement to think, write, and read Tarot. I am not independently wealthy, so this looks and even feels risky, but I know it's aligned. I started a transcription business as well for some additional income, but this time is really for me to find the old creative me that I lost somewhere along the way.
2. My Substack is a memoir-style journey through the Tarot. I have only just started, but I love getting back into the flow of daily writing again.
3. My teaching life was so frenetic that I had little energy when I got home to do anything but doom scroll through social media and watch mindless TV. I even worked all weekend on grading and lesson planning, so I was always exhausted. My new morning and evening routines are so much more easeful. With my morning coffee, I do a daily tarot pull to set the tone and then do a bit of journaling. With my evening tea, I read a chapter or so of a soul nourishing book (right now I'm rereading The Mists of Avalon!).
Hi Christi - so nice to meet you here and a huge congratulations on your new endeavors. I cannot wait to follow your journey!
I think it's great that you took that leap of faith to do something you felt you needed to do and was going to be more aligned with what you love at this time. I hope you will continue to feel more energised on this new journey!
Hello Christi, if you feel it right, then it is the right way, and everything will unfold !
I read Tarot too, so i am happy to connect 😃
My name is Johanna, I share about spirituality, ancestral wisdom, and sacred cacao + my own reflexions on life and my nomadic journey.
🫶🏼
Hi, Chrisi🔆
I love this! Some years ago, I was contacted privately on Facebook about a new “Everything is Energy” group. That led me to enrolling in an intuition mentorship program. Interestingly, my intuition said, “This is done for you,” and so it was. (Smiling) I love this part of me which is really all of me. I look forward to knowing more about your experiences.
It's scary to be vulnerable and put yourself out there, but I started small with a tiny women's circle, and now I found a safe place at Substack. I am so looking forward to all the beautiful connections we are going to make.
Hello lovely beings! I'm Anna, I live in an old house in a tiny village in the north of the Black Forest in Germany, together with my dog. 🌲🐕 I've always been a writer, but a few years ago allowed myself to widen that identity and pursue any creative impulses that come along.
I write Postcards from the Forest where I publish short-ish pieces about being joyfully myself, embracing my inner wild woman now that I'm in my feral fourties, making creativity a priority in my life, appreciating the natural world and the shifting of the seasons and I love to do it all with love, intensity and as many verbal hugs as possible to anyone who wants them. ♥️🌟😊
I'm constantly failing at my resolve to not reach for my phone first thing after waking up, but at least these days I'm reading Substacks and not scrolling through Insta. 🤷♀️🙈 One lovely morning habit is to walk Gwen, my dog. We go up to the meadow along the edge of the forest to walk and watch the weather in the valley and the buzzards and crows and the clouds and try and notice all the tiny shifts and changes in the meadows and trees since the day before. It's very calming. 🌿😇
I used to have a very regular morning journaling habit, too, but lately it's more on a need-to basis.
I have enjoyed reading your posts and am too inspired by nature and the seasons in my mindful writing, and often write notes whilst walking my dogs.
Thank you! Yes, being outside (and moving) is so good to free up inspiration and make the words flow. Do you sometimes experience a whole sentence or a phrase popping into your brain as you're out and about, but you have nothing to write it down, so you end up muttering it to yourself all the way home? 😆 Definitely only asking for a friend. 🙈🤣
Hi Anna, I love the natural world, seasons, wildlife too. I’ve loved reading your Substack posts and look forward to more ✨
Oh, you're so kind! Your poems are lovely, so light and light-filled. I look forward to reading more of them.
👋 Hi everyone, I'm Valerie. I'm one of those yoga people who also writes. I live in Santa Cruz, CA where I had a family-focused yoga center that catered to pre & postpartum moms, families with young kids, and also regular adults of all ages. We closed during the pandemic and have been trying to figure myself out ever since. A few years ago started driving racecars. I am also really good at trapping gophers and somewhat good at gardening.
✍️ My substack is a collection of thoughts and ideas about our bodies, our minds, intelligence, wellness, consciousness, all stages of personhood, and how strange, tragic and wonderful it is to navigate this thing we call life.
💬 Morning Tip: Lately in the mornings where I don't have to be somewhere I get dressed and brush my teeth first thing. Otherwise I'll lounge around in my pajamas for ever lost in substack, news or some other digital world. Habits I'm breaking: I'm not really trying to break any habits I have at the moment. However, now that you mention it...😳
I want to hear more about the race cars! Every time I get in my car I think "I should have been a race car driver". I too live in CA in the Bay Area and thankfully people do drive fast here. Over the winter my youngest son got sick and we binge watched the F1 series. Loved it! My dream is to go to a race in Europe.
Hi Katherine, I feel nothing but jealousy when I watch those young men get into those incredible cars! 'Why do those children get to drive those cool machines and I don't?' I started driving 3 years ago. My husband dragged me to the track. I didn't expect to like it. I LOVE IT!
A good way to start is with an HPDE event at Laguna Seca or Thunderhill. Hooked on Driving or Audi Club run great beginner events. You get an instructor for the weekend, and drive your own car. Any car but an SUV is fine for your first couple of track days. People drive fancy cars. But you'll also see Honda Fits. If you message me privately I'm happy to share more! I love getting women engaged! 🏎️ It's so fun!!!
Love what you are writing and sharing, and I am with you on still trying to find myself since the pandemic too. I found mindfulness, meditation and writing have very much taken centre stage in moving me forwards in a different way!
Happy to find you here Valerie, is there a french roots in this name ?! 😇
My name is Johanna, I share about spirituality, ancestral wisdom, and sacred cacao + my own reflexions on life and my nomadic journey.
🫶🏼
I'm so happy yo connect with other wellness folks! Are you in France? My last name has Hebrew origins. It means 'of the water'. There is also the Moselle Valley in France where lots of very nice wines are made!
Hello 👋🏼 no i am Not in France but I am French 😌
Actually I travel through Europe, in a camper, heading to Portugal.
Nice to meet you Valerie. I'm in the bay area as well and write about wellness, among other things.
Hi Kevin, Nice to meet you too! Thanks for replying. Grandma Kay is inspiring. What an interesting family you get to be a part of and write about!
She is, but having to caregive for her during the pandemic lockdown, and prevent her from taking the car for a spin, has given me quite the insight into how a 100-year-old could get into trouble if left to her own devices. 😱
👋 Hi Mika and all. I stumbled upon your 'stack on Notes. We are of similar descent. I’m Irish-Italian, but live in San Francisco.
✍️ Musings (http://gemello.substack.com) I write about wine history and longevity secrets, wrapped around two lovable people, winemaker Mario Gemello and his centenarian widow, Kay. They are my maternal grandparents. I started out writing about how Mario launched the winery during the Great Depression. Then during the pandemic lockdown, I realized Grandma Kay, at 99, had quite a story herself.
💬My Tip: My most productive writing time is in the morning during or after a cup of ☕️.
Where is this winery? I’m so fascinated with longevity. I can’t wait to read!
The winery was in Mountain View, Calif, from 1934 - 1990, the heart of Silicon Valley. But the stories live on. 😊
My name is Jenna B. Neece. I’m an author and podcaster. I’m from Oklahoma, USA. I’m chronically ill/ disabled.
I run (Write. Edit. Produce) Magical Manifestations Podcast.
Magical Manifestations is a fantasy fiction/guided meditation podcast which aims to help relieve anxiety and help insomnia. I will use fantasy elements to help you manifest a world where you aren’t stressed.
Each episode contains four parts. Let me open with a brief introduction, tell you what the story is about, guide you through a few short and calming breaths, and then read you into a state of calmness.
Magicalmanifestationspodcast.substack.com
I like to write early, before the magical state of sleep dissipates.
I’m trying to get better making time for free writing to give me more inspiration.
What a great idea! Thanks for hosting this!
1. Hello everyone! My name is Dana, and I live in New Mexico, USA. I'm an artist, writer, photographer who has always struggled to fit these things in around a regular job so I can pay the rent. This spring, I decided to try a different approach, so I quit my job and bought a 20' travel trailer which I am now living in while I prepare to become a full-time nomad. It's my hope that by radically simplifying the way I live, I can slow down and spend more time going deeply into the things I love and also live closer to nature.
2. My Substack is called Nomadica. Its a photo-documentary & exploration of nomad life (and life in general) in the form of journal entries, musings on nature and the unseen, and tips and resources for people who are interested in becoming nomads. It's also about minimalism, alchemy, learning to listen to your inner voice, and the process of creation. https://nomadica.substack.com/
3. My tip- I try to lay under a tree every day, for at least fifteen minutes, and just allow everything to be as it is. Stop trying to solve my problems for a while. Just be with this magnificent, still, being, and listen and tune in to what my body is feeling and let the earth hold me. The busier I am, the more important it is to do this.
Habit I'm trying to break- working until I'm exhausted. I know I need to pace myself and rest more, but that's crazy hard right now because I have so much to do and a limited amount of time to do it. I have to be on the road by the end of October, so anxiety is driving my striving. Thus the importance of making tree-time every day!
A nomadic person, lets connect !! Happy to find you here !
My name is Johanna, I share about spirituality, ancestral wisdom, and sacred cacao + my own reflexions on life and my nomadic journey in a camper with my family.
🫶🏼
So awesome, hello! I’m a cacao fan too! Very new at Substack so still not sure how everything works or how we connect, lol. Are you in the US?
Nooo, i am in Greece right now, returning to Portugal :) lets talk about cacao, i can teach you the basis of this sacred medicine.
Yes, I wrote that before I read your post, sorry. I would love to talk about cacao!
🌳 time…I like that idea. Preferably a 🌴
Hello, All, Thank you Mika, for these writing prompts!
I'm Linda D'Elia. I am originally from CT, but have lived in TX and SC, recently having moved to the beautiful upstate from Charleston, SC. I had a career in HR, retired 4 years ago, and am currently a full time painter. I was a Sunday painter for 16 years before I retired.
I recently joined Substack after seeing other people whom I followed on Instagram initiating newsletters on this forum. I did a newsletter for a short time through a mail provider, but never got much traction; this resource looks more interactive. My writing is at https://deliafineart.substack.com/publish/posts. I write about An Artist's Life; my topics deal with my life as an artist, which is not as glamorous as people think. I'm still struggling to figure out what people are interested in reading, but I think continuing to write will exercise the muscle and hopefully things will start to flow more naturally. Writing about visual art is hard. As Edward Hopper said, "If I could say it in words, I wouldn't have to paint." I would love feedback from people about what they'd like to read from a painter.
Morning routine: wake up and look at my phone or read, and try to keep my dog quiet until my husband wakes up. Habit I need to break: looking at my phone first thing. FOMO is not a valid reason to open the screen right after I open my eyes. I usually don't paint until all the yard and household chores are done. I don't think I have my priorities right. Now that I've written it down, perhaps I should work on breaking the habit!
1. 👋🏻 I'm Janine from Venezuela. I remarried 12 yrs ago and moved to Florida 🥵🌴🐊. I used to write op/eds for an opposition newspaper. And work as a CST therapist until the Pandemic.
2. ✍🏻my stack is called •the point of singularity• (https://janinevicicampbell.substack.com)
I post my serialized speculative fiction short stories written in English bu tinted with the Realismo Mágico DN we all are born with in my country. Speaking of which...
3. Missing 🫥 tip. I've been absent almost for four weeks from Substack, due to the election fraud/dictatorship happening in my country. 😪so been stuck scrolling trying to find out what's going on. Media is censored, Twitter was closed down.
I'm not a morning person and it's hard for me to get going early morning. Nowadays I'm caregiving my husband and have little time for myself except for my flow Qi Gong and Gyrokinesis exercises for energy and stretching. Brushing my cats relaxes me as well as them. Go to one Gyrotonic class a week. Loved my sunset walks to clear my head. Now during the Summer, I walk in the mall, charmless but effective. I'm mostly listening to audiobooks.
Before my husband's health declined, I used to write mostly scenes vs pages or hours, during the evening. Now I have a half baked draft. But by the time I'm done with everything I'm 😵😵💫
🫣 Hi! I’m Anna from southern California. My full time self-employment recently reduced itself to minimal time and I became retired. I’ve been writing for years about driving teens around, struggling with failure, the hope of God, and learning how to ask for help.
🫶🏼AP Creations Hub Anna K Payne, Author (https://apcreationshub.substack.com)
AP Creations Hub is about my struggles to write, think, and love in a suffocating world. And the cozy mysteries that are drawing me back to life. The more I write in Emily’s Cat Mysteries the brighter and lighter I feel. I’ve been able to publish 9 books 📕 and start a spin-off series. I offer 🙏🏻daily prayer guides for free or in a published series, 5 volumes so far. I’m also continuing the Planted Flowers Christian 💕Romantic Suspense in a cross over Matthews’ Matchmakers series and a SCV Realtors Mystery series.
Oops, wrong button, I discovered most of my friends and family don’t know I write and indie publish, so I’m trying to speak out more. I’m newly diagnosed with diabetes and my blood sugar plays a big role in my mood and energy.
🫶🏼 Hello all! I’m Lindsay from Connecticut in the US. I’m a caregiver to my three kids (aged 10, 12 & 13) while I run my online business, Everwell (a self-development platform and inspiration network).
✍️ BECOMING EVERWELL with Lindsay Hurty (https://lindsayhurty.substack.com). I write about parenthood, adulthood and becoming. Motherhood has been the great calling of my life, so I’m dedicated to planting lots of seeds today in an effort to tend to my Future Self, when motherhood is no longer at the forefront of my daily life. My hope is to inspire others to prioritize their midlife fulfillment too.
💡 my tip is connected to my weekly goal of publishing a Saturday morning essay on Substack: by bedtime Monday, I decide the week’s topic/story/insight—I spend the day quietly dancing with my inner creativity. Tuesday: I scaffold a rough draft. Wednesday: Complete the first draft. Thursday: Revise the draft to final draft. Friday: Close read, polish, schedule to publish Saturday morning. Saturday: relax. Sunday: Edit video of myself reading one of my Saturday essays (to be published on my YouTube channel: Becoming Everwell with Linds, for the upcoming week). Begin the weekly/daily routine again come Monday.
🌱The habit I’m working to establish is writing/offering a daily thank you note. Whether on a post-it note, a mailed letter on beautiful stationary or a voice memo to someone’s text thread, I’d like to connect every single day in an expression of gratitude. I go through phases, but I’m not yet consistent. #goals
✨Thanks, Mika, for creating this space. I’d love to find regular connections with fellow Substack writers, where we can mutually support each other with likes, subscribes, comments and simple inspiration as writers! Much respect! Xo
Hi, I’m Danielle living in California and caregiving for two children under 5. I am committed to pursuing my dreams even though I’m sleep deprived and have very little extra time. I love the feeling of growing magically on Substack and finding my tribe.
2. Get Well with Danielle by Danielle Mallett https://substack.com/@getwellwithdanielle?r=1wcy1e&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=profile
I write about creativity, inner critics, mental fitness, postpartum, dreams, accountability, and growth. I think that’s most of it 😂
I also have a dream of growing a small and mighty Substack community to help people peaceful take action towards their dreams.
3. My tip: Being patient with my personal and professional growth helps me to be patient with my children. I am happiest when I show up with presence and patience for my family and myself.
Habit I’m trying to break or establish: the downward spiral of self doubt that I know all too well.
I love that you’re pursuing your dreams while caregiving for your littles. (Same here, in CT.) Go you! And I’m with you on the magical growth of Substack. Would love to support each other in further growth! Xo
I just subscribed to you. How did you get so many subscribers? That’s very exciting 🥰
Danielle, I’m so glad we’re connected now! I’ve actually gotten very few subscribers organically through Substack. I’ve been building an email list for five years, and I brought my email list over here in May. I let them all know that I was migrating, and they were welcome to unsubscribe if they didn’t want to be on Substack. Most have stayed, but some haven’t. Previously, I was writing my weekly essays only through email. I wanted to have all my essays in one place, and I was attracted to the Substack model for all the reasons you probably are. Most of my subscribers are totally new to Substack and only follow me because I brought them here. And although I get 50-70% open rate, almost no one ‘likes’ or ‘comments’ on my posts. They hardly interact with the Substack app—the data tells me this much. They still email me their comments or appreciation. So I’m working to acclimate my audience to Substack! So far I have 11 paid subscribers (which I’m thrilled about!), and I’m hoping more will convert. But mostly, I’m trying to grow my audience within Substack. So I’m very much in your same boat. From what I’m learning from other Substack users, an effective way to grow is to connect authentically in the comments of others, like we are now. Follow and subscribe to each other where there is interest. Like and comment on each other’s writing. Growing together. And as we all pull in more readers to the platform, we recommend Substacks to our respective readers. Does that help?
Thank you for sharing your process. Congrats on your large email list that is something to celebrate and for the 11 paid subscribers 👏 I have 3 paid (mostly close friends who love me) but I am very grateful for their support. I have been working on commenting with not much engagement, but I will keep at it. Thanks again for sharing ❤️
So sweet. Happy to be a part of your growth and to know I’m not alone in braving another platform while chasing little around 😂
Hi Mika, thanks for your invite to be part of this community.
I'm Bev, and I write a short form of poetry called Cinquains (5 lines long). I'm very new to Substack and learning on the go and trying to keep my joy - I love your ethos and approach and am really glad to have found you on here and will be subscribing. I'm from Northern Ireland but I live in South East England.
My Substack is https://beverleydickson.substack.com/
I share my poetry about nature and wildlife, a thought for the day, and well-being in grief will be coming. My post is weekly on a Friday and the perfect reading length for your 11am cuppa.
My tip - observe and feel the wonder of nature and wildlife.
My daily habit is stillness and silence that helps me to contain my stress levels in my 9-5.
I'm looking forward to exploring who I can connect with on here ✨✨✨
Hi Beverley,
One of my great joys in the teaching career I left behind was introducing my students to poetry. Most of them believed they disliked it until they saw what it could be (something other than the textbook poetry they had only ever been exposed to). I am so excited to subscribe to your Substack and see nature through your eyes and words!
Thank you Christi and I look forward to reading your posts too
Hi! I have two degrees in poetry writing. Nice to meet you!
Hi Jenna, so nice to meet you too!
Hey Beverley! I look forward to reading your poetry. Xo
1. Hello there! I’m Miranda and I live in the only Grand Duchy in the world in the middle of a UNESCO Global Geopark (that would be Luxembourg and Mullerthal.lu).
I’m a mom two teenage boys, artist and book lover.
2. In my Substack I write about (mid)life, creativity, and tiny magic.
https://mirandavandenheuvel.substack.com
3. I have morning and evening routines and I have a few posts on them that will be published later this month.
In the meantime here is an easy ritual I always recommend any time, but especially during difficult times.
https://mirandavandenheuvel.substack.com/p/a-daily-ritual-during-difficult-times
Hey Miranda! I just checked our your substack and I love the emphasis on joy, magic and creativity. 🌟
I write personal reflections along similar themes of being joyfully myself, of creativity a priority in my life and about appreciating all the small beauties in everyday life. 🌿
Looking forward to reading your posts!
Thanks for checking me out Anna! 😘
Love that we have similar themes! Be checking your posts too!
Hey Miranda! I love your Substack’s focus. I imagine that we haven’t overlapping themes. Will start following along.
1. Hello! I'm Camille from Colorado, USA. I'm a (soon-to-be self-published) author and astrologer. I have PNES, a seizure disorder, which makes it a challenge to work full-time; so I'm primarily a freelance writer / reporter, while building my astrology business.
2. THE COSMIC ALMANC (https://cosmiccannibal.substack.com/)
The Cosmic Almanac features weekly and monthly horoscopes, and grounded astrological insights to help you work with astrology in your everyday life and creative practice.
3. My tip: DO NOT open my phone / or any social media app first thing in the morning. I like to start my day with meditation / prayers before I just start writing. Sometimes the writing is journaling, sometimes it's fiction, and sometimes it's whatever I'm wanting to post for Substack :)
4. Habit I'm trying to break (connect to #3): Looking at my phone too early in the morning lol. Also, I tend to get to work as soon as I wake up, because I'm focusing on productivity as opposed to creativity, and I want to be better about honoring my Tip #3: allowing myself more time to be creative or just be in the morning, sintead of pushing myself to "get to work"
I’ve always been fascinated by astrology, but admittedly, I’m quite clueless. I look forward to digging into what you’re putting out! Xo
Awesome! My aim is to make astrology accessible for everyone, but especially for creatives. Thanks for your reply!
Hello everyone, Spiritual Entertainer here from Kenya. Writing about spirituality, comparative religion, comparative philosophy, nature and enlightenment.
Follow the link to check out more about "spiritual entertainer" and the publication.
https://beyondtimeandspace.substack.com/p/who-is-spiritual-entertainer?r=27vu72
Thank you Mika for this wonderful "find my tribe" space😊
I love your exploration of “who am I?” Powerful stuff!
I'm glad to hear that and thank you, Lindsay. You're welcome to join the newsletter where we explore our inner self more.
1) Hi, I am Amber from Pennsylvania. I am a caregiver, blogger, and podcaster.
2) My blog is called B.E.E. Channel which stands for Blessing, Edifying, and Encouraging Others to Live Their Best Lives. I write about my faith journey with God, my caregiving journey, the nuances of relationships, and the ups and downs of content creation.
3) Morning routine: I feel more at peace when I go to an email devotion or verse of the day first thing before responding to my texts/emails. But that is not always the case. Sometimes, life gets in the way.
Bedtime routine: I try to look at my calendar and see what I have on my list for the next day, then I write it down on a small notepad and try to decide if anything is negotiable or can wait throughout the next day. Then, I have been reading a novel lately until my eye lids get heavy.
Great routines! Inspiring. Xo
Aww thank you so much !
I love this! Thank you for sharing. I have been learning I to prayer and god to guide me peacefully into the next steps I need to take. Glad I found your Substack ❤️
Aww you're welcome! Glad I could help!
I love your morning and bedtime routine tips. It feels like you are starting and ending your day with intentionality. I love that Amber!
Thanks! I try. I don't always succeed. But that is my intention. It helps me feel calm when I check in with God first before I engage with the world, and then at night, write down the things that will have me staring at the ceiling otherwise.
What re you currently reading before bed?
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. It is so good. I am halfway through it.
Hi friends! I’m LeAnna and I write Little Bits of Everything which is really and truly little bits of everything from motherhood, adult friendships, traveling, marriage and the little bits in between. I also write two short stories a month which have been very popular!
A part of my nightly routine that I could not do without is cleaning up in the evenings. With two littles, it feels so refreshing to go to bed with a “tidy” house and wake up to a clean slate.
I have pondered waking up earlier to incorporate a small devotional in my morning routine before the kids wake up, however I love sleep and have no will power! Maybe one day!!
Hey LeAnne! I’m Lindsay. I look forward to digging into your writing—I suspect we have a lot in common. Xo
Hi LeAnna! I'm Camille. Your substack sounds so interesting! I love the idea of letting yourself write about, well, everything. It's also cool to hear your short stories have been popular!
I love my sleep too. I listen to the some lovely verses before I open my lids in the morning. Then I plan my day. It's a nice way to wake up.😊
Oh listening would be a great (read: easy) want to have a little devotional in the morning!
I find it really good when I don’t feel like waking up. So I start the day doing something good for my soul - only 5 mins - rather than snoozing my alarm 😆
Hi. I'm Amber. It's nice to meet you. Devotionals don't have to be in the morning. Pick a time that works for you. I try to commune with God throughout the day. I call it worship snacks. Also, it can be as simple as listening to a book/passage of the bible on audio while you clean.
“Worship snacks”!!! I love that!! Thank you for this encouragement! You are absolutely right!
Aww. I'm glad I can help! You're welcome!
Hi - having a blast this evening sat on my tiny balcony in London with a little aperitivo working my way through all the amazing Substacks and comments here! Thanks as always Mika for hosting!
I'm Lauren, grew up in Wales, UK, and I write The Navigation, sharing musings on, meanderings through and methods for navigating modern life as a millennial woman - which covers everything from grief, to productivity culture, friendship, travel, and turning the big 3-0!
I also share monthly recommendations in the form of 'Cultural Compass' and this year started a new 'Career Compass' column, interviewing other millennial woman about their careers and creative pursuits.
Dreaming that writing might one day be the day job, for now I'll settle on embracing it as a wonderful, fulfilling hobby.
On the routines tip - I'm actually trying to become slightly less obsessed with routine and playing around with the idea of a "menu" of things to choose from (see more here: https://laurenkatepowell.substack.com/p/methods-for-making-the-time) but typically first thing in the morning is 10 mins of yoga/stretching, and last thing at night is reading a book before lights out (always a 'real' one - I'm not a Kindle gal!) 📚
What book are you currently reading Lauren? And have you read any show stoppers lately?
I just finished Madeleine Dore's "I didn't do the thing today" which I would really recommend and was a showstopper for me! All about letting go of our too tight hold on todo lists and beating ourselves up around productivity guilt etc, I found it full of helpful points and guidance.
Also reading "The Summer Book" by Tove Jansson which is a nice fiction escape to a small Finnish island.
And half way through Maggie Nelson's "Like Love" which is full of interesting and complex essays.
What have you been reading, Mika? ☺️
I'm Joyce, aka the Trauma Sleuth. After leaving a 34-year marriage to someone who checked all the boxes for Narcissistic Personality Disorder, I knew I needed to get some mental health and healing. I started a support group in 2016 but closed it this year to expand my outreach. One of the ways I chose to do this is with Substack: https://traumasleuth.substack.com/
Since healing from abuse can be messy, erratic, hopeless, and lonely, I listened to the hundreds of people who came to my weekly meetings and developed a novel approach to healing. Yeah, novel, as in story.
I am in the United States.
Welcome! Since you've been doing this work for a while, how are you finding the transition to Substack?
Hi Mika! Thank you for asking. I am still getting used to Substack. Since I had facilitated a support group of people that met every week, I place a high value on community. I hope to find it here on Substack. I think it's wonderful that it exactly what you are doing! Any opinion on how I can do that? Is using Chat a good idea?
Chat is great! I would start joining in on a few that people are doing, so it gives you an idea of how people use it on Substack. I think threads like this is really good. Not everyone participates so, depending on how engaged your readers are, it may help to wait until you have a decent amount of subscribers, so you won’t be disappointed in the engagement.
Susan Jimenez did a successful one recently and she has 250+ subscribers. https://open.substack.com/pub/susanjimenez/p/here-for-the-friendship-come-and?r=iv86x&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
1. Hi! I'm Sarah--originally from California, currently living in Amsterdam, dreaming of Italy next.
2. ESCAPE TO THE BOOKSHOP (https://escapetothebookshop.substack.com/). I write about my journey to starting a tiny indie bookshop in an Umbrian hill town. And other topics sometimes pop up, like living abroad and what home really means.
3. During the pandemic, I started attending the London Writers' Salon every weekday morning, and I've kept the habit since. It's an hour-long Zoom where we just silently write together. Writing involves so much solitude and self-discipline, so it really helps to have that hour where we all hold ourselves accountable together.
I'd love to connect with others writing about Italy or living abroad.
Hi Sarah,
I loved hearing about your bookshop in Umbria idea! I also spend a lot of time Italy, but am not yet there full time. I write about food, the Food Giants, and life in Italy.
Hi Lizzie! Where in Italy do you visit?
Hi Sarah
I have a house near Sansepolcro in Tuscany. And seeing her on our mutual subscribers – and the fact that she’s from California, am wondering if you know Nancy Raff?
I only know her from Substack. I’ve only been on the platform a few months, and I love how many wonderful people I’m meeting here.
Yes – me too! And how many great writers are here!
Hi Sarah! Good luck with your bookshop in Umbria! It seems like such an amazing project! I just discovered London Writers' Salon about 2 weeks ago, and I am so glad I did - it really helps with motivation and focus, so really with the solitude and self-discipline you mentioned!
Isn’t it a great discovery? They just joined Substack this week too.
Yes, I already subscribed! :)
Hi Sarah,
I’m a native Californian (SF, to be specific), and am envious of your life in Europe, particularly Italy. I write about wine history and longevity tips. The wine part has roots in Piedmont, Italy. My great grandfather was an Italian winemaker, before immigrating to the SF bay area. My grandmother, to our surprise, has the longevity gene. She breaks some of the healthy aging rules, which I unravel for my readers.
My husband’s family also hails from Piedmont! We spent a year there when our kids were tiny, getting him Italian citizenship through his great-great grandfather. Have you checked your eligibility for citizenship? Perhaps moving to Europe would be easier than you think…
No. I’m not planning to move, but certainly visit!
It is lovely to meet you here Sarah. I am originally from Australia, currently in England, dreaming of France (but also not ready to stop exploring the world just yet). I'm very new to Substack, but also looking to find my voice here, and make some new friends!
Hello, Joy! Welcome to the warm world of Substack.
That is amazing dedication to do that every morning! Was it easy for you to start your Substack since you had the habit of writing already?
I feel like I’m still finding my voice, but I love it as a kind of break from more formal writing. And it’s nice to be able to connect with other writers here too.
Hi, I'm Rosie from Ireland but moved to Italy 6 years ago where I am having a fabulous midlife crisis. I bought a derelict 22-room villa by accident and renovated it. The process was comical and stressful so I wrote a book about it during lockdown. It is now a 5 book ongoing humorous memoir series and has fulfilled my dream of becoming a full-time author (10 books published).
My Substack is 'A Fabulous Midlife Crisis' and I write mostly humour about living in Italy, how to have a fabulous midlife crisis and writing.
My morning routine is waking by 7am, grabbing a cup of tea and writing in bed until noon. I aim for 1000 words per day if I am not editing.
Keen to build a community of fabulous women! Nice to meet you!
Hi Rosie,
Really nice to meet you. Wish I'd been writing when I restored my farmhouse, thirty + years ago!
I write about food and life in Italy – with a lot of humour and in my dressing gown, but not in bed as I don't find it comfortable to write there. And I share your pain about thankless gardening..
I wish you had been writing about it too! I love hearing other people’s stories about renovating in Italy. I’m following you now ofcourse, so we can compare notes of life here! x
That’s great – I will look forward to it! And I am thinking that there may be aspects of it that I could still write about!
I have no idea why your comment popped up today on my feed, considering you wrote this 17 days ago, but I am enamored already! I can't wait to deep dive the archives and learn more about your world.
Just subscribed. Midlife is sooo interesting isn’t it?
Yes! I'm enjoying the journey (now that I have the hormones back in line!)
The real question is how close does your journey resemble the movie "Under the tuscan sun" 😊
I love your writing habit, that's amazing!
Ha ! Frances May lives closeby, I might get to compare notes with her someday!
Wow Rosie a 22 room villa and you renovated, AMAZING!! And impressive. Italy is my dream trip I hope to take one day. I am Mahogany. Just getting started with Substack. Reading mostly and trying to muster up the courage to share and start building my Substack. Love your posts.
Just start by writing for yourself as if no one else will read it. Enjoy the words and don't think about anyone else's opinion of them. :)
What a great reminder, Rosie. I realised I began writing things people would like to read rather than what purely excites me, as I get to see how well I performed each post. You reminded me not to adapt my content to the responses🫶
Yes do it! When you love what you write you'll find your tribe that love it too.
What a lovely midlife crisis project! I can't wait for mine ;)
Yeaaa! That's the spirit!
Hi Rosie! I just subscribed. Love your writing and your sense of humor!
Thanks Joyce! Looking forward to getting to know people on here!
Hi Rosie, Nice to meet you too! Wow - that’s impressive. I imagine a lot of humour was required, and still is. Being Scottish has served me well in the humour department, having moved too many times. You can either laugh or cry. 😂
How have you found publishing? I write children’s books and am on the hunt for an agent for my latest one.
Hey Jenny! Ah yes us Celts have to laugh - it's to do with the wind and rain, it makes us light-headed! Regards publishing: I had tried the trad route in my 20s and got so demoralised by it I stopped doing creative writing for 25 years. In 2020 I joined an online meetup group of Indie authors on an app called Clubhouse and my eyes were opened to a whole new way of publishing. There were women on there making 6 figures a year from self publishing. So I started self publishing in 2020 exclusively on Amazon exclusively and it's gone really well for me. I'm not at six-figure years but I'm earning better than I ever have in my life from my series of five books. So I would recommend the self pub route if you can't get an agent - in other words, don't give up like I did!
That's great to hear! I do have an agent, but she hasn't found a publisher yet so I may have to rethink!
I agree, it’s the weather! Thank you for the tips and encouragement. I appreciate it! Self-publishing is an avenue I am looking at more seriously. As well as my current submission, I have a finished middle-grade adventure novel that I might consider publishing. Is it Amazon KDP that you use?
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, I didn't see your comment until now. Yes KDP is what I use. And don't be afraid of trying Kindle Unlimited - it was 50% of my income for the first three years.
This is really helpful advice. Thank you, Rosie. It's the encouragement I need to push forward with self-publishing my middle-grade children's adventure novel. It's worth a shot. I have Kindle Unlimited, and have discovered lots of interesting books, including yours. I've started reading 'A Rosie Life in Italy' - it's hilarious from the get-go.
👋 1. Hi everyone, I'm Indie from Canada. I've always been creative and over the past two years i've began to take my writing more seriously by sharing it more. My crowning accomplishment thus far is being 100K words into a second draft of an untitled Fantasy novel i've been working on for some time now.
2. Love/Hate~Create ( https://jouujoux.substack.com ) this is just the beginning but I hope to bring creative inspiration and an inside look into my writing/creative processes. I'd love to create a community of people who are also working towards creative endeavours but often feel a little stuck and frustrated.
💬 3. My tip: Something thats been a part of my night routine lately is to fill an insulated cup up with ice and water before bed so I can wake up to cold water in the morning. I make sure to drink at least 16oz of water before eating or drinking anything in the AM.
Thanks for reading, I look forward to finding some new publications to follow. If you follow mine leave me a comment and lmk what you think. 😊
I love putting water by my bed at night as well. It helps when I end up writing in my bed in the morning and I get so thirsty!
I like that cup of cold water in the morning idea. I'm going to try it.
It’s so refreshing! you only realize how much so when you reach over and its not there.
Hello everyone, I'm Sharon from Manchester, UK. I started blogging on this platform about 2 years ago and recently committed to writing an article a day. The main subjects I write about are yoga, nutrition, aromatherapy, and nature adventures.
My substack is: https://rainbowwarrioradventures.substack.com
I've published 6 yoga books, three of them focus on morning and evening routines so I love this months topic. I'm new here and really enjoying reading through everyone's comments 😊
My morning routine consists of yoga, meditation, reading and writing (not necessarily in that order). I also like to get out for a walk too but that's not always in the morning. My evening practice is mantra chanting, journaling and angel readings. This keeps me aligned with my purpose and focused on what's important.
Thanks for reading. I look forward to connecting with you 🙏😇💖
How fantastic that you start and end your day with so much intentionality.
Thanks for joining in and sharing what's working for you Sharon!
It makes all the difference! Thank you for creating this Mika, it's a lovely way to meet other writers 😁🙏
This made me realize I have not done any meditation in a while, thank you 😊
You're welcome Jezz. Do you have a particular kind of meditation you like? 🧘♀️💖🙏
I’m using the Calm app. So I mostly do their daily ones.
Fantastic! Keep it up! 😁🧘♀️
I am THE GRANNY WHO STANDS ON HER HEAD (you can see me do so, age 80, in a two minute video on my Substack). I am in the UK and write about anything that takes my fancy, but it is usually some thought or other, rather than what is going on in my immediate life. I always write short pieces (c 800 words) and only once a fortnight (Indeed, I subtitle it Thought for the Fortnight). I don't think my morning or evening routines are tremendously interesting, but as a bad sleeper, I always do a Sudoku or two to clear my brain before bedtime.
The video was amazing! Such an inspiration Ann!
Suduko is fun! But I never been able to complete one. Last window always get me 🤣