Hola! If you are new here, this is a perfect place to start.
Substack is a unique platform for making new connections and friendships.
It has also become my favourite place to hang out online and nurture my creativity.
I wrote this Note last week, which inspired me to explore threads with the intention of cultivating new friendships and deeper connections, because creativity doesn’t have to be a lonely journey.
I am writing this from Spain, in the van, in the middle of no man’s land, on our way to the coast of Portugal.
In the spirits of being on the go, travelling through, exploring new places, and meeting people with different backgrounds. I’d love to know more about you and your world!
Here’s what to do:
In the comments, share:
🟡 1. Where are you from? Where is home, today?
🟠 2. What are some of your hobbies? Are there any new ones you'd like to try out?
🟣 3. Tell us about your Substack — what you share and write about? Add a link to your latest post or Note so we can support you!
🔴 NEXT: Come back later or in a few days and say hi to a your new friends in the comments.
Make sure to connect with someone else, and let’s keep this a safe and enjoyable space for us to connect!
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
Creative Wanderlust is a community for multi-passionate dreamers, seeking more creativity through sketchbook adventures or to make art for play, mindfulness. To receive new posts and inspiration, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
🟡1. I grew up in Oz, sydney northern beaches but I’m based there in the Netherlands — travelling down to Portugal as I write!
🟠2. As you might know, I love to paint, draw in my sketchbook, always inspired by nature, and flowers. Photography has always been another hobby. I’m working on getting back to sewing again. BUT I’m keen to exploring embroidery and collage making on this summer trip!! Any tips on free hand embroidery are welcome, please!!
I write about finding joy in creating on the go— from sketchbook adventures to breaking free from perfectionism to making art for play and mindfulness. I also share monthly creative art challenges and prompts for multi-passionate dreamers, seeking more creativity.
🟡 1. I was born on the east coast of the United States in New Jersey. I spent most of my life in Pennsylvania, but have returned to New Jersey once again. I live by the beach in Point Pleasant Beach.
🟠 2. I love gardening and raise monarch butterflies. I also love to play pickleball. I held my first ladies retreat in Greece last month, and I loved it. I can't wait to do it again.
🟡1. I’m born and raised in the tiny city island called Singapore. Might be the place I’ll grow old in but who knows what the future holds!
🟠2. My hobby has always been drawing, doodling, jotting down impulsive ideas in a notebook and forgetting all about it. I also love digital illustration, something I’ve been doing a lot lately too as I am leaning towards children’s picture book illustration work.
I write letters about navigating the journey of self by tapping on available tools and gifts around us. In these letters, I take the opportunity to include illustrations in between paragraphs to keep it interesting! Over in Notes, I post doodles, ideas around the theme of creativity, and building more of what makes you, you.
I’m fairly new! So i’m gonna keep writing long-forms and notes to find my footing in the space. Hope to be better at every post!
Hello Elinur - thanks for being the first to start the conversation! It’s so lovely to connect with another artist here. For some reason I love French children’s illustration, maybe it’s their design? I’m looking forward to checking out your art and learning more about your creative journey…
Two of my best old uni friends live in Singapore so I’m hoping to visit them and discover your home som day.
Thanks again and enjoy sharing your work on Substack ✨
I'm SO curious about Singapore! I'm not far from you in Thailand. I took a trip to Malaysia at the beginning of the year, but haven't made it to Singapore yet.
🟡1. I am from India. I am born in Kerala Cochin but brought up in Uttarakhand and currently living in Haldwani city in Uttarakhand.
🟠2. As I have love for art related things anything which so fascinate me . I do in my free time draw and play with colours as it's being so long to not do that and also writing it's like meditation and book good book .
My publication is about a soulful journey of resilience and writing for a purposeful life. I've also been published in Anthologys sharing my work mostly through storytelling.
I'm interested in swapping collaborations to connect with people and grow as a community who share the same passion and purpose for life. I've embarked on a journey of introspection and discovered that my purpose here is twofold: learning from different perspectives and expressing myself through writing. My aim is to contribute to growth and foster a purposeful life, both for myself and those who join me on this journey.
Hi Neha! It’s so lovely to hear you also love making art. I wonder if your love for colour comes from your Indian influences. I haven’t visited but anything that comes from India is so vibrant and colourful and I love that.
Thanks for sharing, I look forward to reading your post 🦋
🟡1. I grew up in the US with a few years in Poland (military brat) but Costa Brava, Spain is now home.
🟠2. I'm obsessed with football (soccer), ping pong, anything beach related as we live on the coast and have amazing hiking trails and covers outside our doorstep and pizza.
I write about growing up shy with a stutter as a lot of my work is working with people to grow their confidence and go after the things they want. Other than that, I write mainly things that make me feel something.
Where did you and your wife meet? My first time in Spain, Costa Brava was around 20 years ago. I got to experience it like a local during summer time when I visiting a very dear friend of mine. I’ve been back several times but my first time there was magical.
I was so into the European soccer (football) till Netherlands was out, and glad Spain won because England didn’t deserved it, hahaha. We just love going to the pub to enjoy the atmosphere ☺️
🟡1. I live in New Zealand and was born here. I also lived in Japan for 4 years as a kid. My dad is a kiwi and my mum is Japanese.
🟠2. I think my hobby would be writing and drawing. I do a lot of digital illustrations. My dream is to create something with is an intersection of my writing and art.
musings by mika is all about navigating uncharted terrain and discovering life beyond the comfort zone - moving past perfectionism, people-pleasing and playing safe and smallI. ✨
I also create a supportive community for Substack writers who are gingerly stepping into this new space, sharing my raw real journey and tips so they know they aren’t alone.
Hi Mika! Oh my goodness it is so much fun seeing this thread growing 🌱
Do you go back often to Japan? And curious if your kids speak Japanese? I hope to visit Japan someday, it looks beautiful and so interesting to explore.
I love the idea of combining your writing your art. That’s something I’ll like to explore too.
🟡1. I I spend my earliest years in Nottingham in the midlands of the United kingdom but moved to London as child and live here now.
🟠2. I partly live in a world where hobbies and work mingle and merge, as I animate and illustrate, but of course like all work it has its low points. I also like reading, listening to music and spending time with friends.
🟣3 the Jazz Cow Newsletter https://JazzCow.substack.com it's about the animated sitcom I'm working on about a Jazz-Playing Cow who reluctantly leads a resitqncemovment to algorithms.
Hey John! So great to see you here and read more about you and your creative journey! I think it’s great that you can combine animation and illustration together. I look forward to seeing your work.
🟡 1. I grew up in London, then Cambridgeshire, moved around a bit over my life and have settled for now in Brighton UK
🟠 2. I've recently learnt to play the drums, but my first love is drawing. I also rather love decluttering my house but find decluttering my studio almost impossible!
🟣 3. I write 'Creative Prescriptions' where I share how my art helps me on my own mental health journey as well as exercises to guide others who need help with ailments such as the inner critic, imposter syndrome and perfectionism. https://georgiestclair.substack.com
Hi Georgie, it’s so lovely to see your comment, thanks for sharing 🌸🌺
I love that you recently picked up drumming - I think we all secretly would like to! Keeping a decluttering studio only happens when family is coming over to stay with us, lol! The mess is part of the creative process anyways 😊
Hi Georgie, lovely to virtually meet you! I really love the sound of your writing and I love how you describe those common human conditions as 'ailments' - and so they are! They absolutely need to be treated and considered in the same way as physical conditions (although I believe mental and physical are one).
🟡1. Hello! I live in the Pacific Northwest region of the U.S.
🟠2. I enjoy reading (humor, YA, contemporary poetry), writing found poetry, postcards, and exploring color and collage, as someone new to visual art.
🟣3. I do not have my own Substack, except as a reader/enjoyer. :) But I have had some of my poetry shared through Every Day Poems' Substack and am part of the @tspoetry team.
Susan, thanks for your kind words and fun question! It's delightful to chat with kind folks about their creative journey. There are several types of found poetry, like blackout poetry or cut-up poetry. In general, you make an original poem out of words from another text (which you cite as your source material). I recently found a book in the Public Domain here. I pulled out words here and there, mixed them all around and created a new poem from that. It's great fun for me, and a sort of relief to start with a page that isn't blank! I also love to lay out the words onto some kind of colorful painted background or arrange with dried flowers, leaves, etc. Here's a little example of that.
🟡 hi 👋🏻 I am Andrea and home is Manchester in the UK. I am sat in my garden as I write this
🟠 I love to write, work with colour, I love pottering in my garden and being outdoors in wide open spaces or anywhere out in nature really. Nature is my biggest source of inspiration. I have some water colours and I've had them for some time that I would like to try out and I wouldn't mind seeing if I could sing and also become a DJ
I write about the seasons, and experiences thT seem to inspire my writing. I am starting a new substack in the Autumn called Healing Whispers.
The seasonal letters I've been doing for 2 years but about 18 months on substack. I am a yoga teacher and hold retreats through the year around the seasons
Hi Andrea! So lovely to hear that nature is your biggest source inspiration too! Watercolour is such a beautiful medium to use out in nature and it’s so therapeutic too. What do you like to paint?
So great to hear you are a yoga teacher, I’ve lost my yoga morning practice and struggling to pick it up again.
Thanks for sharing! And looking forward to reading your posts —I love the name, Healing Whispers 🦋
🟡 1. Born and raised in rural Alaska. Live off-the-grid in west Texas now.
🟠 2. Writing, aromatherapy and herbalism, crystals, Stoicism, metaphysics... currently learning more about gardening, chickens, goats, etc as we get our homestead up and running.
🟣 3. https://alliepatton.substack.com/ I write mostly about Stocism and self-growth (Reflections), plus tips and inspiration for ethical business copywriting/marketing (CopyCraft), with updates on our homesteading journey mixed in (Off the Grid).
Oh wow, Alaska to Texas sounds like an incredible contrast in experiences! I admire your off-the-grid lifestyle. I enjoy it during our summer holidays and often think about what it would be like to live that way full-time. Thanks for sharing, Allie.
Do you follow Ryan Holiday on stoicism or read any of his books?
Yes, have been following Ryan Holiday since back before The Daily Stoic! First book of his I read was "Trust Me, I'm Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator" (Fascinating if you're in marketing, made me think and my takeaway was that I'd seen a lot of similar grey area and even across the line marketing, don't care if it works, I'll hold even stronger ethical and moral boundaries in business) before all the stoicism related books.
And yeah, Alaska to Texas was a BIG change in a lot of ways (also lived in Tennessee, New York, Florida, and a few other places in between).
I think the most interesting part to me is what's similar. We've had some interesting conversations with people and I realize rural Alaska and rural Texas are both harsh environments at different extremes but with such similar challenges that my childhood prepared me well.
Like here we've got snakes, coyotes, etc and people have been shocked I'm not terrified... but back home we always had to check the yard before stepping outside in case a black bear was around. So living with the "threat" of wildlife is similar, just different animals. :)
And the "make it work with what's you've got" applies the same too - up there we were off the road system and you couldn't just run to Walmart or the hardware store. So in many ways it feels like childhood again. Plan ahead, order what you need, and the Post Office is the best stop in town. Haha
What a great thread, Susan! Just got back from our trip to Albania, so I'll drop my answers in here:
1. I spent the first 21 years of my life in Jacksonville, Florida (USA) and then moved to Nashville, Tennessee where I've lived for 25 years. I miss the beach but I love Nashville's hilly horizon line.
🟠 2. I love creating: whether it's with paints and collage or writing. I love kayaking and bike riding and reading.
🟣 3. My substack is called Good and Beautiful Things: making space for creativity, curiosity, and courage (https://aimeeguest.substack.com/). I share personal stories that illuminate the way those three different themes show up in my life with the hope that others will feel seen and little less alone. Under the same umbrella I write a section called "Creative Possibilities" where I dip into the creative process and share what's on my art desk. Come on over for a visit.
🟡 1. I am from Bournemouth, on the south coast of England (UK).
🟠 2. My hobbies are usually anything that creates space for mindfulness, creativity and allows me to keep my mind, body and soul healthy. These include: yoga, reading, writing, sea swimming, crochet and mixed media art journalling. New ones I'd like to try: baking, floristry and foraging.
1. I am from Hopewell, NJ. Now I live on the seacoast of NH.
2. My hobbies are beach walks with my dogs and wife. Using the sauna we have. Cold plunging in the ocean. And probably, my #1 hobby is pickleball. I'd love to pickup surfing.
Hi Michael! Cold plunging seems to have become a popular thing, but it is amazing! Learning to surf is about the best thing the world, fortunately I learned at a very young age growing up in a surfing community. I appreciate the fact that it’s a bit tough to learn and it takes dedication to get better at it. I guess that’s what makes it so unique and magical to be out in the surf. I hope you get to experience it very soon.
Thanks for sharing, I’ll look forward to reading your post🔅
🟡 1. I was born in the Western district of Victoria, for 12 years lived on Phillip Island and now live in Melbourne, Australia. Happily retired for 26 years.
🟠 2. My main love is cooking, and ten years ago I decided I would like to paint, I am still learning, I have also found a love of writing, poetry is for our 9 grandchildren, each of them receiving a poem with their birthday cards until they were or will be 18, and the last for their 21st. But then I decided I wanted to write about our travels and have been doing so for nearly two years. This year I decided to write about my journey through art which will continue through until September, then I will go back to my travel writing beginning with Italy.
🟣 3. My Substack page is called Come Away with Me .. I hope the link works.
Hi Sally! I yet to visit Phillip Island. Thanks for sharing your about your creative journey. I’m not sure if I have asked before but medium or subject matter are you focusing on around your art?
What a beautiful gift to give to your grandchildren, I hope they appreciate it or will later in life ✨
Hello Susan, primarily my art is Watercolour although I have painted with acrylics. The subject matter has changed several times, but I think what I love doing most is leaves and stones. Although I am about to paint some tomatoes and capsicums due to the fact they looked so lovely in the bowl. We loved living on Phillip Island but getting older it was decided that medical facilities were a priority, no stairs, and a lot smaller garden, but I do miss those views across the water. I have to say the children did love their poems, and when they turned 18 I organised a book with photos and the poems for their birthdays, all eagerly awaited their own copy. We have two more grandchildren in the UK, but they are only 14 and 12, so hope I’m still around to do one for them also.
I was born and bred in Warrnambool, where the world began so my husband says. One of my oldest friends lives in Ocean Grove as do her three daughters and their families. They are all a bit older than you, that is the girls, well, I’m guessing by your photo, so the probability of you knowing them would be remote I think. Have you always lived in Ocean Grove.
🟡1. I grew up in Washington State in the US but now live in Michigan. I miss the ocean and mountains but am grateful to have so many lakes nearby!
🟠2. I love reading, traveling, anything involving water, and all things food-related. One of my favorite things to do is look through recipes, try them out, and put my own spin on them. I am slowly growing my garden, so I’d love to hear from people who are good at this!
I write about creating the life you want by letting go of unhelpful patterns of behavior and thoughts and choosing things that are actually helpful for you. Mostly, my community is full of busy people looking for ways to pivot out of the hustle and into alignment with what truly matters to them.
Hi Jillian, lovely to meet you. I’m curious to know if you can go swimming at the lake near you? Hopefully the water is not too cold. I love that you have some many fun and creative hobbies, and that you are growing a garden. 🪴
I’m looking forward to reading about your substack, so I have saved a few reads. Thank you for sharing 🌻
Lovely to meet you! Thanks in advance for reading.
You can swim in most of the lakes near me, so that’s wonderful. We are also not far from Lake Michigan which can have very large waves, so I mostly walk in it. But it’s much warmer than the Pacific Ocean around where I grew up!
🟡 1. I'm originally from Belgium but now live in the UK.
🟠 2. Gosh, hobbies😅. I'm in an interesting spot with those.
🟣 3. I'm a pastry chef just started out here on Substack. Writing about making Belgian patisserie at home. I have written a book that came out last year so I'm currently in-between that book and maybe a second one. sarahfrison.substack.com .
Hi Sarah, lovely to learn about you and your creative journey. I’m so in awe with pastry chefs and hoping to do a workshop someday soon. Or I’ll probably just keep visiting French patisserie 😋
Your photos are gorgeous and looking forward to reading more of your post.
Thank you Susan! I share a bunch of tips in my book if that's something you're interested in. I was browsing your archive posts and came across the one about Cornwall. I just had my first piece for an actual other-than-me company published about visiting Cornwall!
Thank you Susan! You can find it at https://homemadechefs.nl/blog/foodie-trip-naar-engeland but it's in Dutch only. You can of course use the browser translate option, or maybe you can just read Dutch living in the Netherlands🙂. I also saw that they've just posted my recipe for almond madeline cakes as well.
🟡 1. I grew up in Prince Edward Island, Canada (the home of Anne of Green Gables), but now I'm based in the mountains of Northern Thailand.
🟠 2. My hobbies are drawing, painting, dancing (mostly in my living room), travelling, and Muay Thai. Lately I've been wanting to get back into playing music. I played piano, flute, and guitar as a child, but currently trying to decide which to choose to bring back into my life!
I write about real life through the lens of astrology. Most of my writing is about my own life experiences including sobriety, living abroad, and relationships!
I'm looking forward to scrolling through to see who's here!
Hi lovely Kaitlyn. It’s so fun to learn you’re original from Canada where Anne Greene Gables is from, and now you’re in Thailand! What inspired you to move there?
Honestly, I had no intention of moving here! I had left my hometown right after high school—I always knew I would be leaving. I moved to northern Canada for a while, and after a breakup I booked a one way ticket to Australia. My plan was to do a working holiday for one year and return to Canada, but I made my way to Asia. After staying in a hostel dorm for almost one year in Thailand, I realised I live here now 🤣 that's when I decided to rent a house and put down deeper roots.
Wow, I love this and your courage to explore the world! It’s always those big break ups that can inspire you to do something brave on your own. Good for you 💛
A friend of mine, whom we visited in Cornwall last year, had also moved with his wife and family from Manchester to the south coast of England. The south is very pretty.
I forget to add ocean swimming and siesta to my list! I just had a beautiful swim in Portugal and the water was so fresh! It's fascinating how the water temperature varies depending on where you swim. Have you always been an ocean swimmer?
I just checked it out and I might need to add it to my bucket list too! I’ve never done an open swim comp outside Oz. I guess you don’t have to worry about the sharks but looks like it might be a cold swim.
🟡 I grew up in Lucknow, India. A small town also called City of Nawabs. I am now based out of Goa, India and love my slow, intentional, tropical life.
🟠 Plenty hobbies: Linocut, doodling, oil pastels, farming, foraging mushrooms, singing, dancing, diving, trekking, hugging trees and most recently I have fallen in love with writing.
I would love to try out freediving and rock climbing. Also big canvas linocut/printmaking.
🟣 My substack is called Masters of Fate. It’s about deeply personal reflections on flourishing, performance and the duality of being human. I’m trying to reimagine work, life and purpose with it to see if I can conquer my own fate.
As you can see, I want to try out many things and therefore I get caught up in shiny object syndrome easily. My latest post was on mastering life’s 4 burners to strike balance in life and achieve true potential in one of life’s 4 burners.
1. Hello! Arriving late to introduce myself. I am a Carolina girl, USA.
2. My hobby is raising 2 Nigerian Dwarf goats in the past year - they make me laugh every day. I love to play with colors (paint, pencils, markers, paper), drums (djembe, cahon) and words.
3. My Substack is about stress-relief. Here is my latest post:
🎨 I’m an artist living and working in Wisconsin. I’m inspired by color, imagination, memory, and nature 💛
🎨 I love to paint with mixed media, whether it’s in loads of layers on canvas or keeping it simple in my sketchbook. Every painting I create on canvas begins with color. From there, I bring out whimsical faces and figures that evoke stories, connections, beauty, and magic 💫
Oh I’m a bit late to the party, but I love this Susan. It’s always so nice to hear about the humans behind the publications.
🟡 I’m from the Surf Coast of Victoria, Australia. Grew up on the Mornington Peninsula—absolutely spoilt to have lived in such stunning places.
🟠 2. I’m an outdoorsy type and trail running is one of my happy places—less for the running part and more the adventure part. I’m always in awe of where running takes me. Also fanatical about a perfectly poured espresso and summer fruits here in Aus… beach days with the fam and copious amounts of mango would be my ultimate happy place.
It actually started as an email newsletter for my coaching business but over time I’ve loosened that connection and now it’s really just an exploration of life. The intention I’ve been working from lately is just to contribute to a kind world—that’s all it really is. If I can throw my pebble in that pond, I’m a happy dude!
Looking forward to connecting with some new people!
Example 🌻
🟡1. I grew up in Oz, sydney northern beaches but I’m based there in the Netherlands — travelling down to Portugal as I write!
🟠2. As you might know, I love to paint, draw in my sketchbook, always inspired by nature, and flowers. Photography has always been another hobby. I’m working on getting back to sewing again. BUT I’m keen to exploring embroidery and collage making on this summer trip!! Any tips on free hand embroidery are welcome, please!!
🟣3. CREATIVE WANDERLUST (https://susanjimenez.substack.com.)
I write about finding joy in creating on the go— from sketchbook adventures to breaking free from perfectionism to making art for play and mindfulness. I also share monthly creative art challenges and prompts for multi-passionate dreamers, seeking more creativity.
🟡 1. I was born on the east coast of the United States in New Jersey. I spent most of my life in Pennsylvania, but have returned to New Jersey once again. I live by the beach in Point Pleasant Beach.
🟠 2. I love gardening and raise monarch butterflies. I also love to play pickleball. I held my first ladies retreat in Greece last month, and I loved it. I can't wait to do it again.
🟣 3. THE PEBBLE IN YOUR SHOE
https://www.thepebbleinyourshoe.com/p/why-being-a-meme-queen-is-lame-and
I write about the difficulties of being a human, especially one in the third chapter of life.
Hi Ilona! I am in awe that you raise a monarch butterflies? I’m not sure what that really means but I’m in love with the idea!
A retreat in Greece sounds amazing and nourishing, have you shared a post about it? I’d love to hear more about it. Sounds magical.
Thank you for sharing 🦋
I love the title of your Substack! My publication ‘Humans Leading’ also focuses on the messy bits of being human, too. ✨
Thank you and love your name too! So good to meet you.
🟡1. I’m born and raised in the tiny city island called Singapore. Might be the place I’ll grow old in but who knows what the future holds!
🟠2. My hobby has always been drawing, doodling, jotting down impulsive ideas in a notebook and forgetting all about it. I also love digital illustration, something I’ve been doing a lot lately too as I am leaning towards children’s picture book illustration work.
🟣3. Letters from Elinur (https://lettersfromelinur.substack.com)
I write letters about navigating the journey of self by tapping on available tools and gifts around us. In these letters, I take the opportunity to include illustrations in between paragraphs to keep it interesting! Over in Notes, I post doodles, ideas around the theme of creativity, and building more of what makes you, you.
I’m fairly new! So i’m gonna keep writing long-forms and notes to find my footing in the space. Hope to be better at every post!
Hello Elinur - thanks for being the first to start the conversation! It’s so lovely to connect with another artist here. For some reason I love French children’s illustration, maybe it’s their design? I’m looking forward to checking out your art and learning more about your creative journey…
Two of my best old uni friends live in Singapore so I’m hoping to visit them and discover your home som day.
Thanks again and enjoy sharing your work on Substack ✨
There are so many lovely illustrators here!
Have you come across https://open.substack.com/pub/anooshasyed?r=iv86x&utm_medium=ios
I love digital illustraions. I use procreate to do mine.
Lovely to meet you!
Ahh I love Anoosha’s illustration work! She’s incredible 😍😍😍
This sounds wonderful
I'm SO curious about Singapore! I'm not far from you in Thailand. I took a trip to Malaysia at the beginning of the year, but haven't made it to Singapore yet.
Hello everyone!
🟡1. I am from India. I am born in Kerala Cochin but brought up in Uttarakhand and currently living in Haldwani city in Uttarakhand.
🟠2. As I have love for art related things anything which so fascinate me . I do in my free time draw and play with colours as it's being so long to not do that and also writing it's like meditation and book good book .
🟣3.Healing Echoes
https://www.substack.com/@tamannnaa
My publication is about a soulful journey of resilience and writing for a purposeful life. I've also been published in Anthologys sharing my work mostly through storytelling.
I'm interested in swapping collaborations to connect with people and grow as a community who share the same passion and purpose for life. I've embarked on a journey of introspection and discovered that my purpose here is twofold: learning from different perspectives and expressing myself through writing. My aim is to contribute to growth and foster a purposeful life, both for myself and those who join me on this journey.
Hi Neha! It’s so lovely to hear you also love making art. I wonder if your love for colour comes from your Indian influences. I haven’t visited but anything that comes from India is so vibrant and colourful and I love that.
Thanks for sharing, I look forward to reading your post 🦋
Thank you, Yes colours make our life more beautiful 🤍💚
🟡1. I grew up in the US with a few years in Poland (military brat) but Costa Brava, Spain is now home.
🟠2. I'm obsessed with football (soccer), ping pong, anything beach related as we live on the coast and have amazing hiking trails and covers outside our doorstep and pizza.
🟣3. Shy by Design - https://shybydesign.substack.com/ -
I write about growing up shy with a stutter as a lot of my work is working with people to grow their confidence and go after the things they want. Other than that, I write mainly things that make me feel something.
Michael I am so down with the pizza, beach and football vibes. Which football team do you follow?
My favorite pizza restaurant had the European football on and tables outside. I hardly ever do this, but it is a perfect combination!
Can’t be beaten. Though wait… ice cream… was there ice cream?
Where did you and your wife meet? My first time in Spain, Costa Brava was around 20 years ago. I got to experience it like a local during summer time when I visiting a very dear friend of mine. I’ve been back several times but my first time there was magical.
I was so into the European soccer (football) till Netherlands was out, and glad Spain won because England didn’t deserved it, hahaha. We just love going to the pub to enjoy the atmosphere ☺️
Hi!! How fun to have your first chat thread!!
🟡1. I live in New Zealand and was born here. I also lived in Japan for 4 years as a kid. My dad is a kiwi and my mum is Japanese.
🟠2. I think my hobby would be writing and drawing. I do a lot of digital illustrations. My dream is to create something with is an intersection of my writing and art.
🟣3. MUSINGS BY MIKA (https://musingsbymika.substack.com)
musings by mika is all about navigating uncharted terrain and discovering life beyond the comfort zone - moving past perfectionism, people-pleasing and playing safe and smallI. ✨
I also create a supportive community for Substack writers who are gingerly stepping into this new space, sharing my raw real journey and tips so they know they aren’t alone.
Looking forwards to following Mika
Hi Mika! Oh my goodness it is so much fun seeing this thread growing 🌱
Do you go back often to Japan? And curious if your kids speak Japanese? I hope to visit Japan someday, it looks beautiful and so interesting to explore.
I love the idea of combining your writing your art. That’s something I’ll like to explore too.
Thanks for sharing 💛
🟡1. I I spend my earliest years in Nottingham in the midlands of the United kingdom but moved to London as child and live here now.
🟠2. I partly live in a world where hobbies and work mingle and merge, as I animate and illustrate, but of course like all work it has its low points. I also like reading, listening to music and spending time with friends.
🟣3 the Jazz Cow Newsletter https://JazzCow.substack.com it's about the animated sitcom I'm working on about a Jazz-Playing Cow who reluctantly leads a resitqncemovment to algorithms.
Hi John, lovely to meet you - your animated sitcom sounds so interesting! What was the inspiration behind it?
Hey John! So great to see you here and read more about you and your creative journey! I think it’s great that you can combine animation and illustration together. I look forward to seeing your work.
Thanks for sharing 🔅
You are so wonderful opening this up!
🟡 1. I grew up in London, then Cambridgeshire, moved around a bit over my life and have settled for now in Brighton UK
🟠 2. I've recently learnt to play the drums, but my first love is drawing. I also rather love decluttering my house but find decluttering my studio almost impossible!
🟣 3. I write 'Creative Prescriptions' where I share how my art helps me on my own mental health journey as well as exercises to guide others who need help with ailments such as the inner critic, imposter syndrome and perfectionism. https://georgiestclair.substack.com
Hi Georgie, it’s so lovely to see your comment, thanks for sharing 🌸🌺
I love that you recently picked up drumming - I think we all secretly would like to! Keeping a decluttering studio only happens when family is coming over to stay with us, lol! The mess is part of the creative process anyways 😊
Hi Georgie, lovely to virtually meet you! I really love the sound of your writing and I love how you describe those common human conditions as 'ailments' - and so they are! They absolutely need to be treated and considered in the same way as physical conditions (although I believe mental and physical are one).
Well said, Jess and u couldn’t agree more ✨🔅
🟡1. Hello! I live in the Pacific Northwest region of the U.S.
🟠2. I enjoy reading (humor, YA, contemporary poetry), writing found poetry, postcards, and exploring color and collage, as someone new to visual art.
🟣3. I do not have my own Substack, except as a reader/enjoyer. :) But I have had some of my poetry shared through Every Day Poems' Substack and am part of the @tspoetry team.
https://everydaypoems.substack.com/
Here's one such poem of mine.
doubt the winter machinery of worry
play on paper
discover a different story
snip and unwrap underlying stars
—Bethany Rohde
[Found poem from a page in the novel Emily of New Moon, by L.M. Montgomery.]
Hi Bethany! I love that you shared your beautiful poem with us ✨🌻
I also love collage making, but I’m curious to know what is writing found poetry?
Susan, thanks for your kind words and fun question! It's delightful to chat with kind folks about their creative journey. There are several types of found poetry, like blackout poetry or cut-up poetry. In general, you make an original poem out of words from another text (which you cite as your source material). I recently found a book in the Public Domain here. I pulled out words here and there, mixed them all around and created a new poem from that. It's great fun for me, and a sort of relief to start with a page that isn't blank! I also love to lay out the words onto some kind of colorful painted background or arrange with dried flowers, leaves, etc. Here's a little example of that.
https://substack.com/profile/40441376-bethany-rohde/note/c-62497015
Thanks for sharing ✨
🟡 hi 👋🏻 I am Andrea and home is Manchester in the UK. I am sat in my garden as I write this
🟠 I love to write, work with colour, I love pottering in my garden and being outdoors in wide open spaces or anywhere out in nature really. Nature is my biggest source of inspiration. I have some water colours and I've had them for some time that I would like to try out and I wouldn't mind seeing if I could sing and also become a DJ
🟣 My substack is https://andrealouiseevans.substack.com/
I write about the seasons, and experiences thT seem to inspire my writing. I am starting a new substack in the Autumn called Healing Whispers.
The seasonal letters I've been doing for 2 years but about 18 months on substack. I am a yoga teacher and hold retreats through the year around the seasons
Hi Andrea! So lovely to hear that nature is your biggest source inspiration too! Watercolour is such a beautiful medium to use out in nature and it’s so therapeutic too. What do you like to paint?
So great to hear you are a yoga teacher, I’ve lost my yoga morning practice and struggling to pick it up again.
Thanks for sharing! And looking forward to reading your posts —I love the name, Healing Whispers 🦋
Hi Susan thank you for the reply. Sorry for the delay. It's been a busy few days. I would say I love to paint and draw flowers for sure
No worries!!! I also love to paint flowers they’re so fun and intriguing 🌺🌸
I love that you have been writing your seasonal letters for such a long time. 💕
I bet the retreats are incredibly nourishing.
Oh totally, they are curated using 7 elements Soothe,Relaxation, Nourishment, Energising, Movement , Creativity and Connection
That sounds magical and makes me want to join in 🦋
You would be more than welcome
🟡 1. Born and raised in rural Alaska. Live off-the-grid in west Texas now.
🟠 2. Writing, aromatherapy and herbalism, crystals, Stoicism, metaphysics... currently learning more about gardening, chickens, goats, etc as we get our homestead up and running.
🟣 3. https://alliepatton.substack.com/ I write mostly about Stocism and self-growth (Reflections), plus tips and inspiration for ethical business copywriting/marketing (CopyCraft), with updates on our homesteading journey mixed in (Off the Grid).
Oh wow, Alaska to Texas sounds like an incredible contrast in experiences! I admire your off-the-grid lifestyle. I enjoy it during our summer holidays and often think about what it would be like to live that way full-time. Thanks for sharing, Allie.
Do you follow Ryan Holiday on stoicism or read any of his books?
Yes, have been following Ryan Holiday since back before The Daily Stoic! First book of his I read was "Trust Me, I'm Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator" (Fascinating if you're in marketing, made me think and my takeaway was that I'd seen a lot of similar grey area and even across the line marketing, don't care if it works, I'll hold even stronger ethical and moral boundaries in business) before all the stoicism related books.
And yeah, Alaska to Texas was a BIG change in a lot of ways (also lived in Tennessee, New York, Florida, and a few other places in between).
I think the most interesting part to me is what's similar. We've had some interesting conversations with people and I realize rural Alaska and rural Texas are both harsh environments at different extremes but with such similar challenges that my childhood prepared me well.
Like here we've got snakes, coyotes, etc and people have been shocked I'm not terrified... but back home we always had to check the yard before stepping outside in case a black bear was around. So living with the "threat" of wildlife is similar, just different animals. :)
And the "make it work with what's you've got" applies the same too - up there we were off the road system and you couldn't just run to Walmart or the hardware store. So in many ways it feels like childhood again. Plan ahead, order what you need, and the Post Office is the best stop in town. Haha
What a great thread, Susan! Just got back from our trip to Albania, so I'll drop my answers in here:
1. I spent the first 21 years of my life in Jacksonville, Florida (USA) and then moved to Nashville, Tennessee where I've lived for 25 years. I miss the beach but I love Nashville's hilly horizon line.
🟠 2. I love creating: whether it's with paints and collage or writing. I love kayaking and bike riding and reading.
🟣 3. My substack is called Good and Beautiful Things: making space for creativity, curiosity, and courage (https://aimeeguest.substack.com/). I share personal stories that illuminate the way those three different themes show up in my life with the hope that others will feel seen and little less alone. Under the same umbrella I write a section called "Creative Possibilities" where I dip into the creative process and share what's on my art desk. Come on over for a visit.
Welcome back, Aimee! How was your trip? I can’t wait to see photos and hear more about it. Hopefully in one of your future posts 😊
I forget that bike riding is a hobby since it has become a form of transportation since living in the Netherlands.
I love the description of your Subtack and what you share with us. It’s really lovely to see your trips out in nature mixed with your creativity.
Thanks for sharing, Aimee 🔅
🟡 1. I am from Bournemouth, on the south coast of England (UK).
🟠 2. My hobbies are usually anything that creates space for mindfulness, creativity and allows me to keep my mind, body and soul healthy. These include: yoga, reading, writing, sea swimming, crochet and mixed media art journalling. New ones I'd like to try: baking, floristry and foraging.
🟣 3. I write about mindfulness, faith and living well. My latest post is my most personal one yet - I'd love to see you over there! https://jessthompson.substack.com/p/my-most-personal-one-yet?r=1hh86g
Hi Jess! I visited around that area last year and it was so lovely for summer swims!
I would also like to try out floristry and foraging so I can combine it with my sketchbook.
Did you see Sarah Frison’s post about bring a pastry chef? Might be interesting since you mentioned about being interested in baking.
Thanks so much for sharing, and lovely to connect with you 🔅
Hi Susan, thank you so much for your thoughtful response. I haven't seen Sarah's post - this sounds fabulous! Are you able to link it down below?
I'm intrigued about your sketchbook - tell me more! :)
Love this thread idea Susan.
1. I am from Hopewell, NJ. Now I live on the seacoast of NH.
2. My hobbies are beach walks with my dogs and wife. Using the sauna we have. Cold plunging in the ocean. And probably, my #1 hobby is pickleball. I'd love to pickup surfing.
3. My Substack is about how to design a process as thought leader that brings you joy, aliveness, and personal growth at the same time, it helps you build a business, gain followers, and make an impact. My most recent post is https://blockbuster.thoughtleader.school/p/rare-conversation-with-my-30-year.
Hi Michael! Cold plunging seems to have become a popular thing, but it is amazing! Learning to surf is about the best thing the world, fortunately I learned at a very young age growing up in a surfing community. I appreciate the fact that it’s a bit tough to learn and it takes dedication to get better at it. I guess that’s what makes it so unique and magical to be out in the surf. I hope you get to experience it very soon.
Thanks for sharing, I’ll look forward to reading your post🔅
🟡 1. I was born in the Western district of Victoria, for 12 years lived on Phillip Island and now live in Melbourne, Australia. Happily retired for 26 years.
🟠 2. My main love is cooking, and ten years ago I decided I would like to paint, I am still learning, I have also found a love of writing, poetry is for our 9 grandchildren, each of them receiving a poem with their birthday cards until they were or will be 18, and the last for their 21st. But then I decided I wanted to write about our travels and have been doing so for nearly two years. This year I decided to write about my journey through art which will continue through until September, then I will go back to my travel writing beginning with Italy.
🟣 3. My Substack page is called Come Away with Me .. I hope the link works.
https://comeawaywithme.substack.com/
Hi Sally! I yet to visit Phillip Island. Thanks for sharing your about your creative journey. I’m not sure if I have asked before but medium or subject matter are you focusing on around your art?
What a beautiful gift to give to your grandchildren, I hope they appreciate it or will later in life ✨
Hello Susan, primarily my art is Watercolour although I have painted with acrylics. The subject matter has changed several times, but I think what I love doing most is leaves and stones. Although I am about to paint some tomatoes and capsicums due to the fact they looked so lovely in the bowl. We loved living on Phillip Island but getting older it was decided that medical facilities were a priority, no stairs, and a lot smaller garden, but I do miss those views across the water. I have to say the children did love their poems, and when they turned 18 I organised a book with photos and the poems for their birthdays, all eagerly awaited their own copy. We have two more grandchildren in the UK, but they are only 14 and 12, so hope I’m still around to do one for them also.
Beautiful, thanks for sharing ✨
Sally! We’re down in Ocean Grove (VIC) and loved our time down at the island as kids. Where in the western districts were you born?
I too love the poetry for your grandkids—such a beautiful, timeless gift.
I was born and bred in Warrnambool, where the world began so my husband says. One of my oldest friends lives in Ocean Grove as do her three daughters and their families. They are all a bit older than you, that is the girls, well, I’m guessing by your photo, so the probability of you knowing them would be remote I think. Have you always lived in Ocean Grove.
🟡1. I grew up in Washington State in the US but now live in Michigan. I miss the ocean and mountains but am grateful to have so many lakes nearby!
🟠2. I love reading, traveling, anything involving water, and all things food-related. One of my favorite things to do is look through recipes, try them out, and put my own spin on them. I am slowly growing my garden, so I’d love to hear from people who are good at this!
🟣3. Humans Leading (https://humansleading.substack.com)
I write about creating the life you want by letting go of unhelpful patterns of behavior and thoughts and choosing things that are actually helpful for you. Mostly, my community is full of busy people looking for ways to pivot out of the hustle and into alignment with what truly matters to them.
Hi Jillian, lovely to meet you. I’m curious to know if you can go swimming at the lake near you? Hopefully the water is not too cold. I love that you have some many fun and creative hobbies, and that you are growing a garden. 🪴
I’m looking forward to reading about your substack, so I have saved a few reads. Thank you for sharing 🌻
Hi Susan,
Lovely to meet you! Thanks in advance for reading.
You can swim in most of the lakes near me, so that’s wonderful. We are also not far from Lake Michigan which can have very large waves, so I mostly walk in it. But it’s much warmer than the Pacific Ocean around where I grew up!
🟡 1. I'm originally from Belgium but now live in the UK.
🟠 2. Gosh, hobbies😅. I'm in an interesting spot with those.
🟣 3. I'm a pastry chef just started out here on Substack. Writing about making Belgian patisserie at home. I have written a book that came out last year so I'm currently in-between that book and maybe a second one. sarahfrison.substack.com .
Hi Sarah, lovely to learn about you and your creative journey. I’m so in awe with pastry chefs and hoping to do a workshop someday soon. Or I’ll probably just keep visiting French patisserie 😋
Your photos are gorgeous and looking forward to reading more of your post.
Thank you Susan! I share a bunch of tips in my book if that's something you're interested in. I was browsing your archive posts and came across the one about Cornwall. I just had my first piece for an actual other-than-me company published about visiting Cornwall!
That’s fantastic, Sarah! How we can we read your article, is it online? I really love Cornwall, it’s so beautiful.
Thank you Susan! You can find it at https://homemadechefs.nl/blog/foodie-trip-naar-engeland but it's in Dutch only. You can of course use the browser translate option, or maybe you can just read Dutch living in the Netherlands🙂. I also saw that they've just posted my recipe for almond madeline cakes as well.
I can read Dutch and when I get stuck I can get help 😊 will check it out ✨
Yay! Enjoy!
Yay!! Thank you, Susan.
🟡 1. I grew up in Prince Edward Island, Canada (the home of Anne of Green Gables), but now I'm based in the mountains of Northern Thailand.
🟠 2. My hobbies are drawing, painting, dancing (mostly in my living room), travelling, and Muay Thai. Lately I've been wanting to get back into playing music. I played piano, flute, and guitar as a child, but currently trying to decide which to choose to bring back into my life!
🟣 3. Loving the Dark Parts (https://kaitlynramsay.substack.com)
I write about real life through the lens of astrology. Most of my writing is about my own life experiences including sobriety, living abroad, and relationships!
I'm looking forward to scrolling through to see who's here!
Hi lovely Kaitlyn. It’s so fun to learn you’re original from Canada where Anne Greene Gables is from, and now you’re in Thailand! What inspired you to move there?
Thanks so much for sharing 💛🌸
Honestly, I had no intention of moving here! I had left my hometown right after high school—I always knew I would be leaving. I moved to northern Canada for a while, and after a breakup I booked a one way ticket to Australia. My plan was to do a working holiday for one year and return to Canada, but I made my way to Asia. After staying in a hostel dorm for almost one year in Thailand, I realised I live here now 🤣 that's when I decided to rent a house and put down deeper roots.
Wow, I love this and your courage to explore the world! It’s always those big break ups that can inspire you to do something brave on your own. Good for you 💛
Born in Northern England near Manchester, now live on the south coast of England. Hobbies are sea swimming, running, weight training. reading, writing and sleeping. My Substack is about enjoying the happiest and healthiest life you can. A good starter post is https://open.substack.com/pub/yourhappierandhealthierlife/p/50-things-ive-learned-aged-50?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=3mduji Thanks for this thread Sue
A friend of mine, whom we visited in Cornwall last year, had also moved with his wife and family from Manchester to the south coast of England. The south is very pretty.
I forget to add ocean swimming and siesta to my list! I just had a beautiful swim in Portugal and the water was so fresh! It's fascinating how the water temperature varies depending on where you swim. Have you always been an ocean swimmer?
Last 5 years. I started when I got into the whole Wim Hof thing and carried on ever since.
That’s right, I remember you mentioning him.
Hello fellow south coast of England-er. I too enjoy sea swimming! Where are your favourite sea swimming spots?
Favourite is probably Knoll Beach Swanage - you?
I fairly 'sheltered' in my sea swimming locations - I have yet to venture very far! Southbourne and Boscombe beach are my stomping grounds :).
My friends did the pier to pier swim in Bournemouth last year from Boscombe I think
Ah yes, the pier to pier swim is a very popular event! It's on my bucket list, for sure!
I just checked it out and I might need to add it to my bucket list too! I’ve never done an open swim comp outside Oz. I guess you don’t have to worry about the sharks but looks like it might be a cold swim.
🟡 I grew up in Lucknow, India. A small town also called City of Nawabs. I am now based out of Goa, India and love my slow, intentional, tropical life.
🟠 Plenty hobbies: Linocut, doodling, oil pastels, farming, foraging mushrooms, singing, dancing, diving, trekking, hugging trees and most recently I have fallen in love with writing.
I would love to try out freediving and rock climbing. Also big canvas linocut/printmaking.
🟣 My substack is called Masters of Fate. It’s about deeply personal reflections on flourishing, performance and the duality of being human. I’m trying to reimagine work, life and purpose with it to see if I can conquer my own fate.
As you can see, I want to try out many things and therefore I get caught up in shiny object syndrome easily. My latest post was on mastering life’s 4 burners to strike balance in life and achieve true potential in one of life’s 4 burners.
🌱 You can read it here: https://mastersoffate.substack.com/p/the-balancing-act-can-you-really
Lovely to be here, Susan!
1. Hello! Arriving late to introduce myself. I am a Carolina girl, USA.
2. My hobby is raising 2 Nigerian Dwarf goats in the past year - they make me laugh every day. I love to play with colors (paint, pencils, markers, paper), drums (djembe, cahon) and words.
3. My Substack is about stress-relief. Here is my latest post:
https://open.substack.com/pub/triciaodham/p/4-am-hey-lord-its-me-again?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=uje8f
I'm glad to be here with y'all! ✨️✨️✨️💖💖💖
I misspelled cajon. 🤪
So wonderful to connect here!
🎨 I’m an artist living and working in Wisconsin. I’m inspired by color, imagination, memory, and nature 💛
🎨 I love to paint with mixed media, whether it’s in loads of layers on canvas or keeping it simple in my sketchbook. Every painting I create on canvas begins with color. From there, I bring out whimsical faces and figures that evoke stories, connections, beauty, and magic 💫
🎨 Living the Way Of The Happy Painter: https://juliettecrane.substack.com/
Hi Juliette! I've been an online student of yours - some of my happiest times playing with color! Glad you're here! 💖
Hi Tricia! So wonderful to connect with you here! That makes my heart melt to hear… like running into an old friend! Glad you’re here 💗💗💗
Haaa, you are coming to Portugal? let's connect, i am also a writer in a van 😃 (actually in greece, but we are returning home current october).
My name is Johanna, i a mom of 2 boys, 40 years old, and we travel in family since a year.
here is my latest travel journal : https://johannajourney.substack.com/p/compilation-estivale-desinstagram
I share about spirituality, ancestral wisdom, and sacred cacao + my own reflexions on life and my nomadic journey.
in my hobbies there is create and explore sacred spaces and practices, write about it. Read, contemplate, wonder...
Happy to meet everyone here
🫶🏼
1. Hi! Janet here! I was born in Ghana West Africa currently living in the Washington DC area for the last 40 years. I am 47.
2. Hobbies are - painting, reading, Pilates, yoga, kayaking, drinking tea, vintage shopping.
3. I write about life, nature, art, slow living, philosophy and whatever is on my mind. My latest post
https://open.substack.com/pub/janetasantesullivan/p/a-season-of-collective-reconsiderations?r=msrxy&utm_medium=ios
Oh I’m a bit late to the party, but I love this Susan. It’s always so nice to hear about the humans behind the publications.
🟡 I’m from the Surf Coast of Victoria, Australia. Grew up on the Mornington Peninsula—absolutely spoilt to have lived in such stunning places.
🟠 2. I’m an outdoorsy type and trail running is one of my happy places—less for the running part and more the adventure part. I’m always in awe of where running takes me. Also fanatical about a perfectly poured espresso and summer fruits here in Aus… beach days with the fam and copious amounts of mango would be my ultimate happy place.
🟣 3. My Substack is From the Inside—https://insidelane.substack.com/
It actually started as an email newsletter for my coaching business but over time I’ve loosened that connection and now it’s really just an exploration of life. The intention I’ve been working from lately is just to contribute to a kind world—that’s all it really is. If I can throw my pebble in that pond, I’m a happy dude!
Looking forward to connecting with some new people!