dear kindred friends,

this is guide.notes #10 -- on the process of nourishing an embodied creative life in the digital world.

this email is about money -- as requested by your Lazy Q&A votes from last week's letter. (thank you all for voting! I will address Notion + planning my days in another letter).

first, I'll admit that I'm a total money novice at the very beginning of my studies. by that I mean: until very recently, I disliked thinking about money; let alone putting any intention into working with it as an energy force/resource -- a kind of daily cultivation that (I only recently realized) is not unlike making art, or doing wellbeing practices.

but. at some point in the last few years, I slowly decided that I wanted to be wealthy. not only that -- I believe that artists should (and can) be wealthy; that the internet age makes this uprecedentedly possible -- if only we can get ourselves organized, aligned, and of course -- get out of our own way.

so, let me start at the very beginning ~ I'd like to share my ongoing absorptions + reflections.

what I learned from 5 money books, distilled

I wrote a brief takeaways from each book, as well as a general recommendation, a few favorite quotes to give you the flavor of each book. I also listed 10 distilled pieces of wisdom about money -- that carry across the books. Read the overview here.

money is a magical creature called moonstone

I'm currently working with Juliet Barrett in creative coaching - and in our most recent session, they challenged me to "rebrand money" -- creating an entirely new identity for my relationship/story to money. under their guidance, what I came up with was a brand new story of money as a magical plant-animal creature, called moonstone; money with an ethos of care, experimentation, and tenderness.

the metaphor
moonstone eats cake (offerings), which I bake from scratch. I lead her there through leaving cake crumb trails (marketing & sales) and making sure that my home is a safe space (mindset work) for her to flourish, and grow.

this exercise of imagination transformed (is completely transforming) my relationship to money -- and I'm just getting started. Read my full explanation here.

ongoing question

How can I make sharing my work feel more sacred?

How can "marketing" feel more like play?

I think the answer lies in cultivating strong rituals and habits, and finding a sense of lightness and ease in the act of sharing. sharing starts with meaning: I'm choosing not be afraid to be seen -- and goes to "I love the spotlight / I am proud to be seen." and this too, like many hard and worthwhile things, is a muscle that takes time to strengthen.

currently binging: I Am Your Korean Mom (Podcast)

this looks like a tasty jar of kimchi - but actually, it's a podcast about marketing, created by a life coach, Simone. I really appreciate the way she approaches topics with a no-nonsense, citrusy freshness; and a funky slap in the face (which is what kimchi is). I listen to her while doing dishes, or walking Luna -- and she is like a spritz of caffeine in the face. I've been able to feel a little less (bleh) about the prospect of "marketing." some lines I remember from her podcasts:

• "marketing is medicine"
• "consistency is a product of dopamine."
• "I don't launch unless I'm feeling SUPER excited about it."
• "it needs to feel FUN for me to keep doing it."

help me bring microgardens to life!

microgardens is a tiny, experimental creative community I'd like to build with you. I wrote a piece last week (hermit grows a creative community) about finding this resonance and energy for building community. please help me narrow down focus by contributing to this google form <3

~ thank you for all of your lovely responses so far! they've been such a pleasure to read.

ideas for summer workshop topics

I've been floating-dreaming about leading topic-specific workshops (per microgardens), and would love your input on which sounds exciting to you. CLICK TO VOTE.

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thank you for reading! <3

as always, don't hesitate to write me anytime.

send these notes to a friend

if you’ve found solace/nourishment/pleasure in these guide.notes, please be my birds & bees — help me grow this little newsletter, and send it along to a friend. here’s the sign-up link.

support me in supporting you

your support feeds my ecosystem, and allows me to make creation (and sharing the gems of its process) - a more sustainable way of living. your resources help me share my resources -- energy, soul, skill, time. thank you for any amount you'd like to give ♡