Growth IV
Growing into my power and trusting my intuition.
If you’re new here, welcome, and thank you for joining my newsletter. I write about focus, growth, and the evolving creative mind. And sometimes, I share my slutty adventures.
The Ground Work & Time
Like gardening, growing your network takes time. When I think about growth and building an audience, I always think about my favorite pop stars. Some pop stars explode onto the scene with a debut song or album, while others take years or decades before the masses discover their music.
I hate networking, and I’m not here to sell you the idea. But if you’re reading this, I’m almost certain you received or discovered my latest release thanks to a network. Maybe Google’s or Substack’s network.
Two years ago, I pulled up to a friend’s house in a U-Haul with just a few belongings. Months of stress had worn me out, and I had nowhere to go. I was grateful he allowed me to stay with him until I found a new apartment. A day or two after settling in, I checked my work email and found an invitation. It was an invitation to talk about American imperialism at a university—a paid gig.
That email found me at my lowest point.
I couldn’t imagine being on a panel talking to anyone at the time. I felt defeated, depressed, and angry.
Part of me was also annoyed. I was annoyed that the email came 6 years after I launched the most important grassroots project of my career. It felt like the opportunity arrived at the worst possible time.
Burnt out and unmotivated, I replied and agreed to participate anyway.
Bandwidth & Motivation
In my last salaried job, my energy was split between my role in that job and managing my projects. When I told my mom I was so busy I had to pay to do my laundry, she told me it was a waste of money because I could do it myself.
I told her that while my clothes were being washed at the laundromat, it gave me time to shop for groceries or get a haircut—stuff I couldn’t do while stuck at my desk or while catching up on necessary zzzs.
Completing chores helped me keep up with my projects—even if I needed assistance. I need my living space and workspace to be organized so that I can do my best work.
That might not be your way of working and that’s totally fine. It works for me, so I prioritize it to increase my productivity and keep my mood high. I need a clean
Fruits, Labor, & Your Future Self
Back to gardening—it takes time to grow something special. A part of that journey includes offering yourself grace and giving yourself adequate time to grow.
It feels like every few months, my workload grows and go back to the drawing board to reorganize my projects. Reorganizing often helps me make room for greater things.