I sent my first email newsletter in 2020, in the thick of the first COVID lockdown (although the weather was significantly sunnier and warmer I seem to remember). I had a fledgling business and everything was new and strange but throw in a pandemic and it was a new level of unknown.
Sending that first email newsletter felt so vulnerable. Writing it hadn’t come easily but I knew there was a small group of people who had kindly responded to the prompt on my website to sign up for monthly musings and it was only good manners to send them something! Having agonised over what to write about, getting the tone right, and making it look nice, I eventually decided it was ready to send.
And then the hard part…
I remember pressing send, then quickly closing down my laptop and trying not to think about it. Yes, it was the classic ‘don’t think of a pink elephant.’ And yet the replies I received were thoughtful, personal and so very appreciated. Four years on and I still find it takes effort to write my monthly letters but with practice, I now have more flow, rhythm and consistency.
My approach has evolved from personal reflections and learning to sharing insights on particular topics and themes. I admit to finding the latter much easier to follow but I also know that sharing a story from my own perspective and experience is what connects most. Aren’t we all just story seekers at heart?
Shifting to Substack
In recent months, I’ve been making some changes behind the scenes and shifting my newsletter over to Substack, where I now find myself in another phase of evolution.
I’ll be honest though. As I started making the move over I felt stuck. I started to question the purpose of my letters and began to feel overwhelmed by the talented writers who have built a community here. I got caught up in the idea that I needed to have everything sorted, planned and clear to start.
*if you’ve been receiving my monthly letters, don’t worry, nothing will change for you, they will just look a bit different in your inbox, though you’re welcome to join Substack if you’d prefer to read my monthly letters in the app or on the website.
I then paused writing my monthly letters while I tried to figure my content and the features out and so, of course, I got out of the habit of writing. And it became an even bigger task in my mind. Add taking a holiday into the mix and coming back feeling like I’d forgotten how to do anything at all and I was ready to stick with my email software.
Then a few things happened, or perhaps it was more a case of me noticing a few things, that helped me get here today.
Finding my way
As a member of the
community created by , we’ve been reading or listening to the trilogy (I highly recommend all three books). In the second book, Show Your Work, he says ‘you find your voice by using your voice’. While not new information it was a timely reminder, which helped me to reflect on the pickle I’d got myself into with this space and my thinking around it.While I could simply use Substack to send my monthly emails, I realised I wanted to create something more. And so in a new space with new people, and new ways of doing things, my focus is on ‘using my voice to find my voice’. And to begin is enough, using a familiar structure and the routine of my original monthly letters to get started.
You find your voice by using your voice.
- Austin Kleon
As well as Austin’s timely reminder I was also lucky enough to record a conversation with
of for my new podcast. I asked her a question about ’s work around improvisation and his book Do/Improvise, which I had originally avoided reading because the title made me think of school drama, not something I wish to revisit. But having read Do/Pause and Do/Conversation and noticing how improvisation was threaded through them, I was swayed.Suzy reflected on improvisation as the invitation to ‘step into the flow of life’. This felt like a warm and gentle opportunity, one that recognises the messiness, the ever-changing (or perhaps increasing) pace of life. And while the flow may be rapid or gentle (or both at the same time) it’s all here as an offer, an invitation.
Robert describes improvisation in three steps;
notice more
let go
use everything
These three hang on the keystone practice of ‘everything’s an offer’.
There’s never been a script for the work I do nor for the work I’ve done over the last 20 years. But if there was a practice I could hang it all on, it turns out it would be improvisation! But I’ve never been able to name it, at least not until now.
These practices of improvisation are very obvious. There is nothing unique or special about them. They are not, as the saying goes, rocket science. It is more like making a paper aeroplane - with a little instruction everyone can do it. You can then have endless fun experimenting with your own variations.
- Robert Poynton
So in this latest iteration of my monthly letters and as I quietly coorie (nestle) into this wee corner of Substack, I am giving myself permission and space to improvise.
I will endeavour to notice more as I explore this platform and the work of the many brilliant writers on here. I’ll pay attention to how I feel as I explore, engage and express my thoughts as I use my voice and find my place.
I will let go of the limits I place on myself, or at least make an effort to! And gradually let go of the writer I think I’m not and hold space for the writer I am.
I will use everything. Everything in life is an offer as
reminds us.Welcoming you here
If you’re new here, a warm welcome and I hope you’ll find a sense of belonging. If you're curious to learn more about me and what drives my creative journey, you’ll find some insights in my ‘Unfolding’ post.
Additionally, I've shared the reasons behind my passion for swimming, particularly in the chilly waters of Scotland. Feel free to dive in and explore if this resonates with you!
And if you’re a fan of podcasts, Space to Think ~ Where Ideas Grow Wild will soon be launching. Having co-hosted the successful Changing Conversations podcast for the last four years I’m excited to have more conversations and enable others to share their ideas and insights, learnings and unlearnings.
Episode 1, with my first guest
will land on 2nd May. Upcoming guests include , Professor Amy Edmundson, and Michael Bungay-Stanier.Guiding you through the wood, the trees and the spaces in between. Join me each month as I dive into a theme inspired by my work and the conversations I have.
Show Your Work!: 10 Ways To Share Your Creativity And Get Discovered (2014) by Austin Kleon
Do Conversation: There is no such thing as small talk (2024) by Robert Poynton
Do Improvise: Less Push. More Pause. Better Results. A New Approach to Work (and Life). (2022) by Robert Poynton
Do Pause: You are not a To Do List (2019) by Robert Poynton
So pleased you’ve taken the plunge and moved over to Substack, Sarah. Your words will be a welcome balm 🌼