One of my commitments in this lifetime is not doing business as usual. I am committed to finding new ways to use the space that I have to outline my offerings, my books, and my ways of teaching in a way that provides more resources and power to those who need it most.
This morning when I sat down to write all I could think of was how much grief wildfires bring, not only in the loss of homes and lives, but in the way the smoke filled air affects the lungs, the center for processing grief. I have housed people who have evacuated wildfires, evacuated one myself, and was once the partner to a wild land firefighter. I have seen how the destruction of Earth and home ripple through into everything.
I am so grateful my dearest friends are safe and that community members who have lost their homes are surrounded by love and support. When I was working on a new offering to share this week I had that feeling I get sometimes being a self employed artist like - I can’t believe I have to promote this silly little thing and ask people to buy it when the world is on fire.
Yet, we must carry on. And we must believe that our offerings to this world and each other are not silly little things. In times of great grief we need art and gathering more than ever, I truly believe that. But I also believe we can do so in new ways. We don’t have to have our offers front and center all the time, we don’t have to push as hard as we think we do. We can pause before sharing something and ask ourselves what is most helpful in the moment.
Two resources I’ll share today are :
This go fund me from a friend of Monday Monday who lost their home in the Eaton Fire
And this document that is a list of displaced Black families and their GoFund Me’s in Altadena
If you can - consider redistributing or sharing on your own channels.
One of the biggest values of having a newsletter is having a place to share to many people what may be of service or helpful. While it is the central component of how I run and support my business, it is also the central part of my research practice and my practice of being of service.
I know many of my readers are in the LA area, and I just want you to know I have been thinking about you all week as you evacuate, find safety, and rebuild with each other.
To me having a newsletter gives me an entry point to talking about current events with the people, just as much as it is a place to share what it is I am working on.
I have two invitations / offers
If you know someone affected by the fires in LA who would benefit from a copy of Look About You respond to this email and I’ll send them one. I have a few copies set aside for this. I know that resources and money are what is needed most, but if someone in your life could use a little prayer I’d love to send one their way.
This weekend Saturday and Sunday I am teaching Mapping Your Creative Business which is all about planning the next four quarters of the year and dreaming up all your offerings and marketing systems. If you are a reader of Monday Monday and have lost your home or are displaced or have a friend who lost their home in the fires who you think would like to take my class, you/they have a free spot. I’d love to offer it to you or them so they can dream up and vision what is next even amongst the grief.
I would also love to see you there dear reader, it is a place where we can dream together how to structure our art and businesses in a way that gives us enough room to serve communities in need, to support ourselves, and support each other.
May you hold each other with great care today and all days. May you let the grief wash over you as it will.
♢ A beautiful book about place and taking care of each other, specifically in rural settings is now available from Springboard for the Arts : Heartland, Heartwork: A Field Guide to Place and Possibility.
♢ So excited to share the latest episode of Common Shapes where I talk to Brandi Cheyenne Harper about writing, self publishing, Landscapes, building trust in community, and so much more
CLASSIFIEDS : Sobriety, wellness, and spirit—without the BS. It’s your new favorite newsletter, from a writer & Traditional Chinese Medicine Dr. living in Thailand. Portrait and lifestyle photography for artists & creatives seeking fresh imagery to elevate their work and branding | TESSELIZABETH.COM CLASS OUTSIDE: TRUST YOUR CREATIVE SPARK AGAIN & learn to lead with your art first! 3 months of coaching + retreat to the Catskills. Doors close 1/20.
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