Mixed Nuts

I felt at home, like I belonged, like one nut in a can of Mixed Nuts.

This time about a year ago, I was bumbling around, writing about this and that, trying to find my place in the writers’ world of Substack. My new passion wasn’t progressing in any particular direction that I was happy with — or that brought about growth for me as a writer seeking financial payoffs.

I saw a post by someone I followed on Substack. They mentioned a workshop coming up that piqued my interest — but the reason it piqued my interest was different from what you’d think.

As one who has been in the media and content business for over 40 years, I remember the early days of social media (around 2010), when there were experts everywhere offering courses and workshops on how to grow your business with social media. They said things like, “You need to post 7 times a day on LinkedIn to be successful.” They spouted out all kinds of “must-dos” that turned out to be nonsense.

They didn’t have a clue. They had 5 minutes of operating in a new dynamic world, just like the rest of us.

Through that experience, I knew that so many of the experts on Substack didn’t really know what they were talking about. Not all, but many of them. You can’t have experts in the first 5 minutes of anything, right? It was new to all of us.

What got my attention on this new course might surprise you. The course was not about increasing my subscriber count. It was not about making millions of dollars in 6 months. You know the drill: Get rich in 60 seconds type thing. It wasn’t about that.

It was about going “within” to become a better writer, a better content producer. As someone who believes that any success begins by going “within,” this approach had my attention.

The facilitator, Teri Leigh, talked about a course with Sensitive Souls, people who were a little different. She called em’ “weird.” And as a bit of a misfit all my life, it felt like a fit for me.

During the course, which was 10 months, we gathered once a week on Zoom. And, almost immediately, I felt at home, I felt like I belonged, like one nut in a can of Mixed Nuts. :) We all had been sensitive souls who walked to a different drummer all of our lives — and for once, we had this container that was safe enough to be our authentic selves. To be vulnerable. To share things we normally wouldn’t.

This container, this safe space, allowed us to blossom in ways we never dreamed. I think every single one of us had some sort of “breakthrough.” Mine came near the end of the course. And… I’m still processing and going within to water those germinating seeds.

At one point, I remember saying, “I’ve not had a breakthrough yet, but I also don’t want to give up before the miracle.” I stayed. Eventually, something happened. Something unexpected. I went in a direction that had never entered my mind.

I began a hyperlocal news publication for my town. The subscriber growth matched in 2 months what it took 2 years for my other publication to achieve. Even more paid subscribers. It felt magical.

If you’re a writer or someone who wants to start a Substack newsletter, I encourage you to explore what the Creator Retreat is all about. A new retreat is beginning soon.

Do yourself a favor, check it out. Here is a link to learn more.

A bunch of sensitive souls coming together.