Hello you beautiful humans,
How are you all doing? I get such kind responses to newsletters these days that now I’m nervous hoping to deliver a newsletter as good each week.
Also, my ebook got over 500 downloads and it hasn’t even been a month since its release!
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but if a person like me with 50 errors in their ebook and zero marketing can have 523 people download their ebook without reaching out to family and friends, you can do whatever you have in mind. Don’t even think, so what if it fails? Things don’t work out in the first go anyway.
Before we go any further, I want you to hit reply and let me know what was the lowest point in your life and how did you deal with it.
Moving on, I walked 40 metres without a walker! I’m also allowed to walk a little around my room so just a few steps, but hey, something is better than nothing, right?
Here are some *new* things I’m up to
I am REALLY enjoying Twitter! I post snippets around health, writing, and side hustles there.
I became regular in June and crossed 1000 followers this week. I find it to be a great way to connect with my Medium audience and connect with budding and established writers and side hustlers.
The biggest advice we tell people who want to be a creator is to be vulnerable. Be yourself and show the world your true side, you’re told. So far, I’ve been able to do this on Medium and somewhat on Twitter.
But on LinkedIn, I feel too scared to do anything like that. I feel talking about how amazing my self-employed lifestyle is (or even the bad parts) will bring about a backlash, and I really don’t want to induce any kind of negativity from others. What is your view on this? I don’t want it to be like Instagram which is a competition of ‘my life is better than yours’ - I resent that deeply!
I made a small attempt and being a little vulnerable, and I’ll add the post at the bottom of this mail. Also, I think comfort matters. Be vulnerable to an extent that makes you comfortable!
I started working on my next ebook. I won’t lie, I’m being lazy about it. But I’m trying my best to get it out in a month. I think this can add value to writers who want to make it in the online world. What do you think?
I posted some cool stuff lately
On Medium and Twitter. I don’t know what’s happening, but my brain is kind of going all over the place and creating.
Don’t worry, I won’t spam you!
Medium
If My Dad Quit His 9–5 To “Pursue His Passion”, We’d Be Broke.
3 Unglamorous Truths About Self-Employment Very Few Talk About
Insidious Internet Behaviours That Are Subtly Draining Your Energy
Did you know?
Random motivation:
Two threads:
This thread about how I bagged an affiliate
And this ⬇️ thread is the first one of the many threads that will get published every Thursday to add value to creators.
Stay tuned for next week
I wrote something today that can help each one of us.
My surgery has undoubtedly been the lowest point of my life. The darkest days led me to think a lot and spend more time with myself. I ended up reflecting on three questions at different times and had a moment of epiphany on how they can be used to handle obstacles throughout life.
I’m yet to edit it, but thats what next week will be about! I’m super excited for you to read it, it’s something straight from my heart. I typed 45 minutes non-stop today to let it out.
My slightly vulnerable post
This was my attempt at being a little vulnerable on LinkedIn.
I was so excited to quit my job and get on the bandwagon to be self-employed. But on the day of my resignation, it took me four hours to type an email.
I was planning this move and setting up things for over 6 months, but my mind tried everything to keep be in a certain and safe environment.
- What if you end up broke?
- What if the side hustle income stops?
- Will you get a good job if nothing works out?
- Can you continue on the side, you're in great company!
- Who the hell does something stupid like this?
You see, humans are wired to crave certaininty.
Psychologists say that the perception of certainity makes us feel comfortable. Like an addiction to anything, when the craving for certainty is met, there is a sensation of reward - and that's what we want. We want to be right, we want to know we did the 'right thing' beforehand.
Since then, none of the 'worst case' scenarios have happened.
- Mondays are no longer anxious
- I work under 20 hours a week
- My ebook got over 500 downloads in 27 days with ZERO marketing
- I'm not just a writer working with amazing clients across the globe, but a creative entrepreneur building products to solve problems for the creator economy
- Last month I took 20 days off and I earned 1/3rd of the previous month, but still more than my corporate job
So if you have an important decision to make that you're hesitant towards, try to recognise if its actually as bad as your mind tells you it is. The mind isn't always in your team.
See you next week!
Meanwhile, check out my friend Kit Campoy from America who writes a newsletter to help you become more mindful. Click here to read and subscribe. She’s also a lot of fun and incredibly kind and her insights on LinkedIn often make me go 😮😍