Hey folks — I hope this message finds you all well, and hopefully looking forward to some rest, relaxation, and reflection over the holiday season. I had hoped to sneak in one more post before my annual “best-of” list, but it’s not in the cards: I’m heading to NYC this weekend and am prioritizing that trip.
So I wanted to offer something else: Substack recently enabled a “community chat” feature for subscribers. This is a conversation space in the Substack app for those of who you subscribe to this newsletter (1,657 of you, as of this writing :-) And a warm welcome to new subscribers, for whom this is your first newsletter post… a deviation from the norm.
Obviously the first goal of this chat space is to practice building belonging with each other. I’m also thinking of it as a space for co-curation: for us to share ideas and inspiration about what is supporting us in our efforts toward transformation. But honestly, I’m very open to what might feel alive and useful for you… so I hope you’ll chime in with your own ideas (in the comments below, or in the chat itself).
The inaugural thread prompt is this:
“Something that is changing my mind and behavior right now is…”
To join our chat, you’ll need to download the Substack app, now available for both iOS and Android. Chats are sent via the app, not email, so turn on push notifications if you want to track the conversation in real time.
How to get started
Download the app by clicking this link or the button below. Substack Chat is now available on both iOS and Android.
Open the app and tap the Chat icon. It looks like two bubbles in the bottom bar, and you’ll see a row for my chat inside.
That’s it! Jump into my thread to say hi, and if you have any issues, check out Substack’s FAQ.
Join the inaugural thread! (I think this link will only work from the mobile app…)
This is an experiment: if people think it sucks or don’t find it generative, no worries. I know I always appreciate hearing from you and am always interested in building community among kindred spirits, but I know everyone has their own motivations for being here… so no judgment if this isn’t for you.
In community,
Brian
Brian,
Just letting you know that I highly value your thinking, and look forward to the time (perhaps in 2023) when I can contribute financially! As I am already overwhelmed with electronic communications from everywhere, I have decided to resist the temptation to interact via Substack. Thanks in advance for understanding! -- Jim Schulman
Hi Brian and this community, ‘Something that is changing my mind and behaviour right now is .. that I had my last day of paid work last week as I move into what I have decided to call my ‘second spring’. An opportunity to let go of learned patterns and to be truly open to new possibilities to say yes to even more that comes towards me and to move towards what moves me, exciting times!