Is Your Squarespace Website Accessible?
Is your Squarespace website accessible? If you aren’t sure, then you might want to keep reading. Doing so will ensure that you are up to date on the benefits that being compliant can bring such as creating an inclusive online experience and simultaneously protecting yourself from incurring any legal trouble down the road.
Case in point - A few weeks ago, a former website client of mine contacted me in a panic. She was asking me if the site I built her years ago was accessible because she had recently been threatened by a lawyer. I had to inform her that I wasn’t familiar with California law (where her business resides) and gave her some links of resources that might help her. That got me thinking though, how accessible was Squarespace?
Squarespace’s Accessibility Features
Not surprisingly, Squarespace does offer some accessibility features, like the fact that users can customize various aspects of their sites to improve navigation. However, it's important to note that the end product may not always be fully accessible to everyone.
To ensure ADA compliance for a Squarespace website, users are expected to familiarize themselves with ADA standards for accessible design, particularly if they operate within the US. Squarespace offers an article about how to make sites more accessible on their site and provides customization options, but it's ultimately the responsibility of the website owner to ensure compliance with accessibility regulations in their jurisdiction.
Determining whether a website is accessible involves assessing various factors, and while there's no universal metric for 100% accessibility, there are ways to improve overall accessibility. Squarespace recommends seeking assistance from experienced practitioners and provides resources specific to assessing and enhancing accessibility for Squarespace websites on their website.
While Squarespace provides creative freedom for users, not all websites built on the platform are inherently accessible. Squarespace acknowledges that accessibility is an ongoing effort and encourages users to prioritize accessibility in their designs. In other words, 'it's on you"!
My Verdict
While Squarespace does provide customization options and offers resources such as accessibility checklists, it's ultimately the responsibility of the website owner to ensure compliance with accessibility regulations in their jurisdiction. Keeping up with accessibility requirements in your region can put a lot of pressure on a small business owner which is why, if you can afford it, I recommend integrating a third-party compliance website such as accessiBe. Integrating accessiBe can bridge this gap, making Squarespace sites more accessible to all users and ensuring that you are compliant with the laws in your region.
The Importance of Accessibility in Web Design
Accessibility isn't merely a checkbox on a compliance list; it's a fundamental aspect of web design that impacts user experience and inclusivity. By ensuring websites are accessible, businesses can reach a broader audience and avoid potential legal issues related to discrimination.
Challenges with Squarespace Accessibility
While Squarespace offers visually appealing templates, they may not meet all accessibility standards. Basic accessibility elements are included, but they often fall short of the requirements outlined in guidelines like WCAG 2.1. This can pose challenges for users with disabilities, particularly those with visual impairments.
Introducing accessiBe
accessiBe provides a solution for Squarespace users seeking to enhance accessibility on their websites. Through its integration with Squarespace via the ADA compliance extension, accessiBe automates the process of making websites compliant with accessibility standards.
Implementation and Ease of Use
One of the key advantages of accessiBe is its ease of implementation. Even users with limited technical expertise can integrate accessiBe into their Squarespace sites seamlessly. The accessWidget, accessiBe's primary tool, simplifies the process by scanning and modifying the website to meet accessibility guidelines.
Benefits and Features
Once integrated, accessiBe continuously monitors the website for accessibility issues, providing updates and fixes as needed. This dynamic approach helps you conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) without requiring constant user intervention.
Customization Options
accessiBe offers various customization options to align accessibility features with a Squarespace site's branding. Users can customize colors, button placements, default text, language options, and button icons to maintain visual consistency and enhance user experience.
Limitations and Considerations
While accessiBe provides extensive customization options, it cannot customize fonts. This limitation may be a drawback for sites that rely heavily on specific typography for branding purposes. It’s also on the pricier side, especially for small business owners and creatives (the market I mostly serve). The expense however can be written off as a business expense and can also prevent further financial trouble should you get threatened with litigation like my former client.
Conclusion
In conclusion, accessiBe seems to simplify the process of making Squarespace websites accessible to all users. Its user-friendly interface, automated scanning, and customization options make it a valuable tool for Squarespace users looking to enhance accessibility and comply with regulations.
For further guidance on optimizing accessibility for Squarespace websites, users can refer to accessiBe's comprehensive documentation and support resources.
**This review was written in association with accessiBe
Curious about accessiBe? They are offering a seven day free trial on their site. Check it out here.
How to Avoid Heartbreak - A Poem
Fill your apartment with things that never expire or wilt, like those cheap plastic flowers from your local discount craft store. Make sure to hide the objects you treasure the most (like your great-grandmother’s porcelain tea cups) in a safe place — like that awkwardly high cabinet above your fridge.
Never say I love you first, in fact never say it at all. Instead, adopt a cool and mysterious persona that makes you appear impenetrable. Better yet, invest time and energy into actually becoming impenetrable.
Keep your coolest and most mysterious clothing tucked away in the back of your closet, however. It would be a dire shame to have a puppy excitedly jump on your most expensive pair of trousers and muck up the hem while standing in line for a coffee.
And by no means should you ever adopt a puppy or any animal for that matter. Their unconditional companionship may seem appealing at first, but their short lifespan will continuously remind you of your mortality (what a drag!) - and when your furry companion inevitably perishes they will leave behind an unbelievable emptiness you will never be able to fill again.
Children too are out of the question. Bubbling with life and joy in the beginning years, sure, but before you know it they will turn into adults and move across the country to carve out their own lives.
While you’re at it, you better only surround yourself with people who tell you what you want to hear and who never stick around after the tea and cake are finished, people who only discuss “safe” topics like the weather and pop culture, topics that will never accidentally activate deeper philosophical questions like - what is the meaning of life?
Get a monotonous job that pays you enough to cover your necessities but also affords you the privilege of hiring someone to help you move apartments when your lease is up - that way you don’t ever have to ask for help (and risk the embarrassment of being denied the request.)
Make sure to stay in your hometown and take the same route to work every day. Avert your eyes when you happen by the newsstand though, world events are infamous for breaking hearts and spirits daily. The same goes for looking a homeless person in the eye. Give him some spare change if you must but never, ever, look him in the eye.
And when you start to feel that inner niggling urging you to try something new, pivot in another direction, book a trip to a far-off land, or accept a dinner invitation from your charming neighbor (the one with an angelic smile), make sure to shut it down immediately. Turn on the TV or grab the nearest screen and open up your favorite app. Scroll until your eyes feel like they might pop out of your head and you've worked up a ravenous appetite. Order some Thai food and when it arrives, eat until the point of feeling uncomfortably full - so full that the gentle nagging you felt deep in your guts moments before can no longer be detected.
Fall asleep on the couch and then do it all over again.
What is that inner niggling telling you to do?
Key Takeaways from My Speaking Debut
Last Wednesday Squarespace paid for me to fly out from Tagazhout Morocco to Amsterdam to speak at Forward Festival and Self Made Summit about authentic community building.
Of course the night before my flight, I couldn’t sleep - classic Nicole. I didn’t feel nervous about my debut public speaking gigs but I suppose it was subconscious. My boyfriend drove me to the airport early in the morning and was gentle with me on the way but the security was not - apparently there was an issue with my passport since I’d entered the country in a van and was attempting to leave without it. I got it sorted but then I had a new challenge - a crammed flight. Word of caution if you ever fly Royal Air Maroc - you will be treated like anything but royalty. They will change the gate a million times and smirk at you when you ask what is going on and never turn on the A/C. The plane was FULL of coughing people and I was just thankful that I managed to grab a water at the kiosk before entering this mobile sauna.
My hotel thankfully included a taxi pickup and I laughed at the absurdity of it all. Just a few hours prior I was heading to the airport in an old Citroen and inhaling all the exhaust from the other old vehicles on the Moroccan freeway and here I was being whisked to my hotel in a new Mercedes that looked more like a spaceship. Just the day before I was using the bathroom in a hole in the ground and “showering” by boiling water and then strategically pouring it over myself while hovering over the same hole in the ground. When I got to my hotel, the first thing I did was take a proper shower, a rainfall shower with steaming temperatures.
Not feeling like going to a restaurant, I made my way to the grocery store and stocked up on all the items I hadn’t been able to indulge in since being in Morocco; prepackaged hummus, chocolate, and fresh lettuce. After gorging on my makeshift picnic in the hotel room, I immediately felt bloated and like a migraine was coming on. Was it a symptom of the processed food my body had just consumed in large quantities, a huge diversion from the fresh tagine I’d been eating daily in Morocco, or was it the fact that my period was about to start? Combine that with my lack of sleep, the horrible flight experience, and the stress looming from my upcoming speaking gigs and I had a recipe for disaster.
I managed to hold it all together and surprise myself, however. Not only did I deliver two speeches to two very different crowds, one to a room full of female entrepreneurs and another to a room full of cool designers and artists, but I managed not to get red or forget any bit of my presentation.
What were my key takeaways from the experience?
Women are awesome. I did ALL of that whilst bleeding.
I will try to avoid traveling during my winter phase if at all possible in the future - though I did it, and I did it well, my body was NOT happy. Now that I am back in Morocco, I am fighting a little illness that I know transpired as a result of not resting during my winter phase.
I actually LOVE public speaking, although I would prefer to talk about topics that invigorate me like overcoming self-doubt, tuning up your intuition, and taking leaps towards achieving self-actualization instead of website design and marketing. Regardless I am grateful to Squarespace for giving me this opportunity and for the surprising fire it ignited within me.
Do you factor in your moon phases when planning important events?
When it Comes to Content Marketing, Consistency is KEY🔑
Tomorrow I am flying to Amsterdam to speak at two conferences, The Self Made Summit and Forward Festival. Though I’ll be there sharing the building blocks required to build an authentic community, powered by Squarespace an all-in-one platform for creatives and entrepreneurs to showcase their talents online— I hope to also share some key insights from my 10+ experience with content marketing…like this one, Consistency is KEY 🔑.
Case in Point
I have a friend who wants to move away from having a brick-and-mortar vintage shop to selling clothes online or by appointment only. He’s got quite a following on Instagram but no real strategy when it comes to posting. He typically posts random pictures from his life, happy customers wearing their “new” clothes, and occasionally he'll post “new” items he’s got for sale. But he never posts them on his wall - only in his stories.
He also doesn’t post consistently. Some days he’ll post ten pictures and sometimes he’ll go days without posting anything.
Seeing how he was struggling to get his online sales ramped up, I offered a few tips:
Post on your wall once per day. The first image should be a close-up image of the “new” item. The second and third pictures can be lifestyle shots or pictures of the clothes on a real live human. The caption should show how much it costs, the size, and any other relevant information.
You should then share that post to your story with a note that the item is new.
The reason I told him to post on his wall was because it wasn’t clear that he was selling clothes. For those who follow him or already know him, it’s apparent, but if he wants to attract new clientele, he’s got to be more obvious about his offerings.
For the first two days, he posted on time with my advice but on the third day, I noticed he had removed both posts from his wall.
“What happened?” I asked.
“I archived the pictures. I only got a couple of likes and no one asked about the items.”
This is SO common with people when it comes to content marketing. You finally get the courage and motivation to post and expect to have instant gratification/validation. But content marketing doesn’t work that way. It’s usually a long, slow process that requires showing up consistently even when it feels like you are shouting into a void.
Here are some of the things showing up consistently on my blog and newsletter have gotten me:
A work/trade deal where I work 3 months for a plot of land in Portugal
Organic clients aligned with my values
Paid speaking gigs like the upcoming ones in Amsterdam, you can also add paid flights and hotels to that list.
Partnerships
But they didn’t come overnight. They only came after I spent hours creating content for myself consistently. The reason is that Google rewards consistency. When it comes to SEO, if you are posting regularly, you are seen as an expert by Google. It also builds credibility and trust amongst potential clients. Wow, this person has had a blog for ten years? They MUST know what they are talking about!
I explained this to my friend and the next day I noticed he’d unarchived his posts and has been posting regularly since. Let’s hope he keeps it up.
Want to learn how to use ChatGPT and other AI tools to help you stay consistent? Book a one hour session with me where we will deep dive into your business and I’ll show you exactly how to create content effortlessly. More details can be found here.
Permaculture for People with Periods
It’s been a few months since I started “van life” and up until now I’ve had pretty good luck when it comes to Aunt Flo’s monthly visit. Without really trying, I have always managed to score house sits that coincidentally line up with my moon cycle which means I have yet had to deal with menstruating whilst living in a tiny spaceship sans running water.
Until now that is…
A week ago, smack dab in the middle of my two-week permaculture design certification at Keela Yoga Farm, I realized that my period would be starting soon and I wasn’t prepared. I always have period undies handy but because I’m a heavy bleeder, I typically like pairing them with menstrual pads on the first few days. Needless to say, I didn’t have the goods and the nearest town was a 20-minute drive away (and the only “shop” they had was a cafe that carried bags of crisps and chocolate - no period products). There was also very rarely any free time to sneak away and stock up.
I decided to make do with what I had and also use it as an opportunity to bring attention to the fact that we need more period-inclusive spaces, especially in permaculture.
Especially since one of the core principles of Permaculture is People Care - a principle that makes sure to take into account the people who will be impacted by your design. The farm I happened to be taking my permaculture design course at however, was clearly designed by a man who hadn’t taken into account the fact that his female guests would sometimes be bleeding whilst also shoveling sheep shit to make compost.
Take his long drop toilet design for example. To close and open the door you have to lift a giant wooden block thus preventing you from accidentally forgetting to shut the door. He was proud of this detail but failed to think about the fact that a woman on her period might struggle with putting her pants on while holding her bloody moon cup in one hand and trying to simultaneously not get blood on the wooden block so that she could get out and wash up.
He also happened to put the shared hand-washing sink on the outside of the compost toilets, and not one on the inside which meant that if you did manage to get out of the shit machine unscathed, you’d run the risk of having one of your classmates pass you while you’re washing out clots from your moon cup or rinsing off the blood you’d smeared on your hand in the process.
I happened to enjoy the company of nearly every one of my classmates, but it’d be nice to have some privacy when I am vigorously squeezing out the blood from my period underwear.
Not to mention that the compost toilet was quite a long hike from the van parking zone which meant that any time I felt a clot of blood longing to be released I had to waddle to the bathroom hoping that I’d make it there before my period underwear flooded. Spoiler alert - I never managed to get there in time.
In the middle of the night, I opted to pee outside of my van, a detail that was encouraged by the farm. In fact, we weren’t really supposed to pee in the compost toilet because it would promote bad smells. Normally this was fine with me, but on my period, it’s nice to be able to wipe and flush regularly. Instead, I had to wipe myself with the full moon in the sky illuminating my own full moon, and then throw the tissue into a trash bag in my van. The next morning I got in the habit of watering down the clumps of blood that I’d left around.
On the final day of the course, our instructor asked us for feedback. While others used the opportunity to give tips on how to improve the food and curriculum, I spoke honestly about my period-related concerns and recommended that at the very least, he should sell sustainable period products in his shop alongside incense and natural soaps. Though I am unsure he understood the magnitude of the situation, he does seem to be someone who implements feedback regularly. For example, before our group arrived, a group of women volunteers had set up a “pee station” complete with a charcoal pile to absorb smells, a wastebasket, and a roll of toilet paper outside of the community center. The reason was that a few women had complained that there wasn’t enough private areas around the center for them to comfortably pee outside.
Even if nothing comes of my outspokenness, I am happy that I had an opportunity to share my stance as well as speak honestly about this topic. It’s not necessarily the fault of men for designing an inconvenient world. Instead, I think it’s the lack of awareness around the kinds of spaces we need. I believe it’s the responsibility of women to speak up or hell, even take it upon themselves to design spaces that are more inclusive.
The moral of the story - I got my Permaculture Design certificate and if I ever decide to bring my project to fruition, I will make sure that it is an inviting place for those who bleed on the reg.
How does this post make you feel? Do you think it’s a bleeder’s responsibility to make sure there aer more period-inclusive spaces in the world?
Riding the Loneliness Wave
This past year has been all about me taking steps towards living my dream life, instead of just fantasizing about it. That means that I have been giving myself permission to explore and try things out that pique my curiosity. I have no expectations in mind, just to make sure that fun and lightness are never too far away.
That’s how I ended up in Costa Rica learning to surf, and then later to Morocco to attempt to put into practice what I learned in Costa Rica - this time with a constricting wetsuit on. It’s also how I ended up signing up for a permaculture design course in the north of Portugal, where I currently am.
On the surface, and maybe on Instagram, my life is seemingly falling into place.
The other day though, while driving down a long stretch of road, I felt an incredible wave of loneliness overcome me. Though I had been waking up in the most beautiful places, exploring old Moorish castles, hiking through running rivers, and loving on the cutest animals, I felt an intense longing to share this chapter of my life with at least one other wanderer. I yelped out loud in between tears to no one in particular, “I don’t want to do this alone.”
I let myself have a pity party for a while and then I reminded myself WHY I was going on this journey. That’s when I had a thought, I would rather be temporarily lonely, and get to wake up in beautiful places while also getting the opportunity to explore my interests than go back to my life in Berlin having more frequent social interactions but those that were often misaligned to my soul.
A big part of why I wanted to go on this journey was so I could meet like-minded souls, souls who had wandered off “the path” and had been curiously carving out their own.
The Feeling of Home
A few days ago, I arrived to the farm where the permaculture course would be taking place, and I felt immediately at home. There are 16 souls here, from all over the world, who are keen on disrupting the “norm” and becoming more in sync with nature. And not surprisingly many arrived in their vans.
When the teacher’s assistant was giving me a tour of the compost toilets, he proclaimed that those were only for poo and that we were to pee outside on the land. That might have terrified others, but I immediately felt my nervous system relax. I LOVE peeing outside. Not only do I have free rein to mark my territory wherever I fancy, but there is also an outdoor shower. I know I said I loved peeing outside but there is NOTHING better than showering while birds are chirping happily around you and the breeze is breezing over your most tender parts.
To top it off, every single person I’ve had a chat with since being here has been super open, warm-hearted and… curious. From one day to the next, I went from feeling completely alone in the world to feeling like I found a group of souls I could resonate deeply with, those who, like me, seek the company of animals and nature instead of highly stimulating, highly populated events - which is probably why I don’t come across groups of them very often. LOL.
For two weeks though we will be together learning about sustainable farming techniques, designing our dream permaculture projects, and giving each other knowing nods while passing each other on the way to the compost toilet.
Loneliness is a wave. It ebbs and flows. But as long as you keep following what lights you up, a like-minded soul will never be that far away.
How do you move through the feeling of loneliness?
Whom Will You Nourish Today?
Have you ever had a parent thoughtfully prepare your favorite dish so that when you get off the plane you’re travel-induced hunger pangs quickly subside?
Or a best friend invite you over for a spontaneous lunch taking special care not to include any of the ingredients you have intolerances to?
Or a thoughtful lover prepare you a wholesome breakfast along with fresh squeezed orange juice while you gently awaken?
When you nourish someone you aren’t just providing their body energy for the day, to help make sure they are prepared to navigate the hardships that life sometimes brings, you are nourishing their spirit.
You’re subconsciously saying '“Hey, you aren’t alone. I’m here with you. I know that life is heavy and that sometimes the news brings you to tears. I know that sometimes you feel an overwhelming responsibility to help others who have been dealt a less than favorable hand in life and that you feel guilty when you are brought to joy or laughter by a blooming flower or a silly animal companion. But your cells, muscles, and organs need love too. Here, my love, eat.”
To volunteer to go into an active war zone - I don’t know what kind of courage that takes. I can’t even bring myself to share the atrocities on my social media accounts without overthinking about what pain it might cause someone, or what judgments I might receive. But to enter an active war zone with the intent of nourishing the bodies of civilians who have had everything taken away from them; their safety, their autonomy, their livelihood, their loved ones, their cultural identity, and even their dignity, and then to be targeted, to be decimated, to be robbed of the ability to nourish the hearts, minds, and bodies of friends and family forever more, well it it unfathomable.
It brings me to tears. I know the tears will eventually stop but the pain, the pain of being human, of witnessing a genocide unfolding in real time will linger. And yet through the ache in my heart, I will try to remember to simultaneously appreciate all the beauty that surrounds me, like the abundance of wildflowers greeting me on my morning walk, the warm Algarve sun kissing my cheekbones, and the spiced Moroccan coffee I will soon brew for myself when I return home.
Later, I will nourish my body with vegetables from the garden and I will say a silent prayer for those who do have access to such necessities. I will gratefully toast to all the friends, family, and lovers who have lovingly nourished me when I could not nourish myself and I will vow to do the same to whomever I can, whenever I next get the chance.
Whom will you nourish today?
Crafting a Content Marketing Strategy on a Shoestring Budget
I recently started a housesit outside of Olhão, Portugal. The house backs up to acres and acres of beautiful wild land; wildflowers, creeks, and rolling hills.
While walking around the land with the homeowner recently, I was admiring the landscape. That’s when he informed me of their dilemma last year. A large solar energy company sought to transform acres of pristine land into a sprawling energy farm, jeopardizing the delicate balance of the surrounding ecosystem.
Why couldn’t they just slap some panels on top of existing buildings/eye sores like grocery stores? Short answer…money.
This determined family organized under a former NGO, and were able to thwart this imminent environmental disaster. Through advocacy and activism, they emerged victorious, but the fight is not over. Now the family wants to make sure this can’t ever happen again. For that, they’ll need to raise more funds and get a formal land conservancy status from the Portuguese government.
They asked me how to help them shift the focus of their NGO to fundraising and community building, in case another crisis pops up? Below is the advice I gave them. My purpose for sharing this information is so that if you are an NGO, and have limited funds, you can scrap together a content marketing strategy that will help you achieve your goals. Before I deliver the goods, though, I want to stress one key point. In order for a content marketing strategy to work, you’ve got to stay consistent!! Now let’s get to the good stuff…
Crafting a Content Marketing Strategy on a Shoestring Budget
For grassroots organizations with limited funds, an effective content marketing strategy is key to amplifying your message and garnering support. Here's a step-by-step guide to building a robust strategy:
Step 1: Establish four marketing pillars.
These pillars will be the themes you will use to derive ALL your content. This will help you keep focused on the stuff that matters. Examples of pillars I’d recommend for the aforementioned organization include:
Environmental Conservation Advocacy
Community Engagement and Empowerment
Fundraising Initiatives
Event Promotion and Participation
Each post, piece of content, or talking point your organization delivers to the public will have to fall under one of the above categories. If it doesn’t fit into one of the categories, it doesn’t need to be said.
Step 2: Create a content marketing strategy (or just copy the one I have for you below :))
My suggestion:
1- Write one blog every week or every other week.
2- Derive 2-3 original posts from the blog and share them on one social platform of your choice every week. You can repurpose those posts onto other social platforms but it’s not necessary. Best to focus on growing one platform.
2- At the end of the month, send out a newsletter to your subscribers with a short personal message from you, including any relevant information about the NGO, any important events, and links to the blog posts from the month prior. Newsletter sites like Mailchimp are free up until a certain amount of subscribers.
3- Engage on social media - Follow members of your community, re-share their posts, tag local businesses, and use hashtags.
Step 3: Create a content marketing calendar.
I recommend using Google Sheets for this, it’s free and can easily be shared with other members of your team. Outline what kind of posts you will be sharing monthly. You can also write the posts in the Google Sheet if you need it to get approved by other members of your organization.
Step 4: Plan Community Building Events
1- Aim to provide a community-building event once every 1 to 3 months. These can look like clothing swaps, open mic nights, artisan markets, workshops, tours, concerts, lectures, etc. Partner with other organizations and co-host events with them. At every event make sure to give a short presentation about your organization and why it’s important to the health of the community. You can make these events free or charge a small fee, all of which will go back to the organization. COLLECT EMAIL ADDRESSES!
2- Aim to provide a higher-end community event once every six months. These events are aimed to attract those who can donate a substantial amount of money. These events can look like silent auctions with prizes collected from members of the community (massage by local therapists, workshops by local artisans, products made by local artisans) or black tie events that require a higher-cost ticket to enter.
Step 5: Implementing the content marketing strategy
1- To help you write things like blog posts, newsletters, social media posts, and fundraising proposals, fire up ChatGPT. Now use this step with caution. Chat GPT is a robot, not a human. That means it’s not funny, it lacks empathy and is just not as good of a writer as a human. But it can help you structure your content and eliminate any writer’s block. You can use the platform to get ideas and spark inspiration.
For example, you can enter a prompt such as:
can you write a fundraising proposal geared towards wealthy funders for a nonprofit that is trying to get protection status?
—> Tips: You can get very specific by adding an exact word count, adding the tone you are aiming for by expanding upon the ideal demographic, or by requesting a tone to sound like a certain public figure (ex. please rewrite this in the tone of Oprah Winfrey).
By adhering to these strategic steps and maintaining consistency, grassroots organizations can amplify their impact, rally community support, and safeguard precious natural resources like the wild lands of Olhão, Portugal. Together, we can make a difference.
Want to learn how to craft a killer content marketing strategy with the help of ChatGPT and other AI tools? Book a one hour session with me where we will deep dive into your business and I’ll show you exactly how to create content effortlessly. More details can be found here.
Give More Grace
A few months ago I bought a minivan complete with a built-in bed and set off on the adventure of my life. Most people go on adventures like this with a partner or a friend, but for some reason, I felt the urge to do this solo.
I’m rarely scared. I get to wake up to beautiful views or fall asleep to the crashing of waves. But there are still a lot of things I don’t know or understand about life on the road.
Since I am always driving through a new city, I am never in my comfort zone. Which means sometimes I drive too slow or I miss important turns. I try to pull to the side of the road when someone is tailing me so that they can pass. Sometimes, though, I get honked at.
I’m not going to lie, it does sting. I’m doing my best, here, doesn’t anyone realize how difficult it is to navigate through unfamiliar territory?
Yesterday though, I am guilty of exerting the same holier-than-thou behavior. I was feeling pretty confident with my roundabout maneuvers, had to pee very badly, and was only 15 minutes away from where I was going to sleep for the night. I was antsy and ready to walk around after having been in the car for several hours. And I got stuck behind a very slow car.
My first thought was…COME ON, VAMOSSSSS.
But then I saw the sign on the back of a car mentioning that the driver was just learning.
Tears immediately welled up in my eyes. This person was learning a new skill and needed some grace.
Learning a new skill, venturing off on a trip solo, driving through foreign countries, and stepping out of your comfort zone is NEVER easy. But it is the foundation of a happy, fulfilling life. How boring would it be if you just did things you always did, hung out with people you always hung out with, and ate the same things you always ate? Variety is the spice of life and contrast is what makes life beautiful.
It takes courage to live a contrasting life though because it means sometimes you are going to have to pee in a jar, get honked at by impatient drivers, or risk failing, falling, or having to ask for help. Let’s try to give the newbs a little grace (ourselves included). If you are a pro at something, use it as an opportunity to mentor or help someone who is just starting. If you don’t have the time or patience, might I suggest you just leave them alone as they stumble through this thing called life?
We are all living these lives in these bodies for the first time. Let’s give each other and ourselves grace as we maneuver through the world. Or maybe we should all just wear stickers that say “First time living this life, please be kind” as a gentle reminder. Anyone wanna print some up? :)
Are you good at giving others grace? Are you good at giving yourself grace? Why or why not?
Signs You're On the Right Path
Since I bought a van and began traveling through Morocco, Spain, and Portugal, I have been receiving more and more affirmations from the universe that I am on the right path. What does it look like?
1// Right Place, Right Time - A few hours ago I parked my van on the beach of a tiny Spanish village and went in search of a cafe that had wifi. Because it’s off-season there aren’t a lot of places open. I followed a hunch and wandered into an RV park that looked more like an oasis, a row of peacocks perched on the stairs above greeted me, birds chirped in the background, and big shady trees shaded me from the sun. I walked up to the receptionist’s office and asked if they might have had a restaurant with Wifi that I could work at. She said the restaurant was closed but that if I got a signal I could work there. I wandered a bit more until I found the restaurant which looked more like paradise.
Turns out there is a Wifi signal. And below is my current view. I kicked off my sandals and now have my feet in the sand and I don’t have to spend any money :)
2// Perfectly Aligned Opportunities - I just signed a contract with a new client. In exchange for three months of marketing help, I will be given a deed to a 1000m2 piece of land in Portugal. The land is not just any land, it belongs to Orange Eco Land, an eco-village that seeks to be a haven for those who want to live outside the system but still take advantage of the contributions of modern society (like solid Wifi). If you read my blog often you know that I’m currently writing a book about this exact topic.
3 // Divine Connections - A few months ago Squarespace invited me to speak to an audience of a few hundred free humans on a Zoom call about using the platform to help launch their side hustle or generate passive income. After the talk, a woman reached out to me because she was thinking about embarking on her journey outside the matrix and had some questions. We stayed in touch on and off but today she called me. I’m a millennial so any time my phone rings my heart shutters a bit. Turns out she HAD embarked on her journey, left her home in Canada, and was in Toulouse, France…except she was in a pickle, the host she had been staying with went cuckoo and she needed some advice about what to do next. I told her to join the Host a Sister Facebook group and try to find immediate shelter and then sign up for Workaway to secure a longer gig until she figured out what her next move would be.
A lot of times I feel like this is purely a solo journey of self-discovery, one that only benefits me, but after the call, I realized that it’s much bigger than that. The road I travel will help pave the way for others and the lessons I share will hopefully make it a smoother ride.
The more I align my actions with my values, the more the universe rewards me. And the more it will reward you, too. How cool is that?
Are your actions aligned with your values? What small step can you take today towards feeling more aligned?
How's Your He(art) today? ❤️
I've been stuck in a rut.
Not physically. Physically I am in a village outside of Barcelona and absolutely loving my wandering life. After my Morocco venture ended, I picked up Jean Genie, my 2006 Citroen minivan and be-bopped my way to a converted barn in the French Pyrenees to hang out with Moka, an adorable dog, for a few weeks.
And a few days ago, I began moving south to Spain. Follow the sun is my new life motto, and has so far been working out beautifully…
Except for that rut I mentioned…
The Writing Rut
You see, I have all these things I want to say about living an alternative lifestyle and exiting the matrix — the challenges you’ll face, the mindset shifts that will have to happen first, and the endless rewards that come once you start making steps towards your reality — but every time I write I feel like I’m turning a blinds eye to the atrocities going on around the world. I feel myself comparing my journey with those who are literally starving or no longer have a home due to conflict and suddenly what I have to say doesn’t seem that important.
As an attempt to dull my racing thoughts the other day, I was mindlessly scrolling through Instagram and came across a profile I had recently started following called @motherwortandrose - and like a beacon of hope there was a post with the following quotes in succession:
““Part of being a revolutionary is creating a vision that is more humane. That is more fun, too. That is more loving. It’s really working to create something beautiful. “”
““You have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time.””
““In the midst of death, art requires a distinct and mystical courage. An audacity that says not only do I have a right to exist, but I believe my existence will add to the fabric of the universe. I will make.””
Upon reading the quotes I started to cry.
If you, too, feel overwhelmed with sadness when you watch the news. If you feel hopeless and like nothing really matters, I want you to re-read those quotes again. And then I want you to create. I want you to transmute your sadness, your confusion, and your pain into art. And then I want you to share it with someone you love.
Your art may look like a creamy ass casserole, and sharing it might mean showing up on your neighbor’s doorstep with a steamy plate of goodness. Your art may be a messy collage with newspaper clippings, old photographs of you as a kid, and stick glue and sharing it might look like sending a screenshot to your bestie (see the collage I sent to my bestie above, LOL). Wherever your heart is, whatever your art is, I want you to create.
We are complex creatures that are capable of holding many feelings at the same time; terror and joy, wonder and disgust, compassion and disdain. In these trying times, be careful not to numb out too long on Instagram or Netflix, but be more careful not to deny yourself the pleasures of being in a human body. That includes creating art and thus creating a more beautiful world in the process.
The world needs a reason to smile right now and your art just might be a reason to do so.
Are you creating as much as you wished you were? Why or why not?
Want to Feel Financially Free? Here's a Cheatsheet.
I recently polled my friends on social media. I wanted to understand why those who were interested in exiting the matrix/living a life outside the status quo weren’t taking steps to do so, or if they were taking steps, I wanted to know which ones they had.
I also wanted to understand their biggest fears about embarking on such a journey.
I had already made my assumptions based on my fears but it was interesting to hear it repeated again and again.
People’s Biggest Fear
People’s biggest fear of exiting the matrix was not having enough money to pay for basic things.
I get it. Capitalism thrives off of our fear of not having enough. The entire industry of Marketing was built on making everyone feel insecure, that they never have enough, and that they will always need more. The products we buy are not built to last because, well, what good is a consumer if they are only going to buy your product once?
Once you understand that Capitalism is a parasite, one that feeds off of the participation of its host (aka YOU), you can start to make different choices, choices that don’t continue to nourish this beast.
All of these tips may not work for everyone, especially those who are not able-bodied or have to be in a physical location for one reason or another (kids, family, sick parents, etc.) but I hope the list will help you to start reprogramming your mind, to stop falling into the fallacy that you have a finite number of possibilities to live a more fulfilling life. Because it’s not true. Where there is a will, there is a way.
Tips to True Financial Freedom
Move somewhere cheaper, somewhere with a lower cost of living
Move somewhere with higher wages/earning potential, or increase your wages through passive income/remote job
You can decrease the quality of your lifestyle (such as downsizing your home), cook more than eat out
Consider work/trade - exchange your skills for services/goods/rent instead of currency
Volunteer in exchange for food/accommodation using sites like Workaway or Trustedhousesitters
Move in with friends and family for a while while you save money to buy land or an off-grid home
Pool your money with friends or family to buy land and start creating a tiny home village
If your ideal lifestyle is to be in nature or to create more than grind, I want you to know that it’s possible. The path may not be what you think it is but if you stretch your mind beyond its limitations you can have everything you want and more. You can wake up every day feeling refreshed and energized instead of overwhelmed and stressed.
But first, you have to ask yourself the following questions….
Is this something you REALLY want? And if so, WHY do you want it?
Answering these questions will help you stay connected to the purpose when you go through a period of uncertainty.
One person who I polled answered that they had a fear that they would be homeless. At first, I thought, “Well that’s a valid fear.” But then I remembered that I was “technically” homeless. I travel and live in my van and break it up with house sits, visiting friends, and occasionally splurging on a hotel like when I am on my period and need extra comfort. And guess what - I am living my dream! I get to see the world, connect with people from different cultures, hike in unfamiliar mountains, and gain inspiration for my writing.
We have been trained (by Capitalism) to believe that certain things are bad or shameful - like being “homeless” or living with a friend for a while to save money. But you don’t have to uphold this shame. You can be the main character of your own story and write it any damn way you want.
Now, let me be clear, I am not here to convince you that van life is amazing and you should go out and buy one. Peeing in a jar is not for everyone. But if you are serious about wanting to spend more time with family and friends, creating art, enjoying your hobbies, and nourishing your mind and body - then you’ll first have to decide what you value and how you want to feel — and then, here comes the hard part, you’ll have to take steps, real steps towards achieving those goals (like some of the tips listed above.)
I hope this helps. Let me know, if so.
Do you have an interest in living an alternative lifestyle? What is your biggest fear surrounding this topic?
Does Sharing Your Values and Beliefs Feel Scary? Read this.
I follow someone on social media who is slightly younger than me but on a similar life journey as me. Sometimes she posts stuff, usually quotes or passages from a book, and my first response is to cringe (even when I’ve read most of the same books and love the quotes she shares.)
How could she make herself look so….vulnerable? Why doesn’t she just keep it to herself?
When this happened recently though I stopped myself. Since everyone you don’t like is supposedly mirroring something you don’t like about yourself, I decided to investigate deeper. Upon doing so I realized that I was jealous that she dared to share her values and beliefs with her followers. Once I realized what I had been doing, I asked the universe to give me the courage to start sharing my values more openly.
A week prior, I had received inspiration to create a survey and ask my social media followers to answer a survey about a topic I am very passionate about, exciting the matrix/status quo, but I hadn’t done anything with it yet. This was my time to tell the universe I was ready.
Once created, I easily shared the survey on LinkedIn (I don’t know why but I am so detached from that platform. I don’t care at all who reads my posts there and therefore it is super easy to share whatever.) I waited a few minutes and then decided to post on Facebook. Also fairly easy.
I then closed my MacBook and went for a hike, I didn’t want to see who did or didn’t respond. I wanted to enjoy the French Pyrenees while I had them outside of my door. A little while later my BFF texted me and said, “Share your survey on Instagram, tag me and I’ll share it.” I immediately wrote back, but I’m shyyyyyyy. ok, I’ll do it!
I didn’t linger in worry too long though because folks started submitting their answers to my survey and I felt an instant rejuvenation to keep sharing my beliefs more openly. I am so grateful to have BFFs who regularly light a fire under me and encourage me to step consistently out of my comfort zone.
I learned a very valuable lesson through this experience, one that I am about to share now…
As soon as you start living your values (not just talking about them), you are telling the universe that you are ready for the abundance you are about to receive.
Case in point - I recently had a call with a project in Portugal, an eco-village outside of Faro that’s been on my radar for a while. The call was to discuss a potential work/trade. In exchange for helping them with their marketing outreach for a few months, I would receive a deed to a parcel of land….in freaking Portugal…in a freaking Eco Village.
It’s not a done deal yet, but I am convinced it will go through, and also that I’m worth receiving it.
I am not telling you this as an adult version of one-upping you. Nor am I typing this whilst sticking my tongue out and mumbling “nanny, nanny, nanny.” I am merely suggesting that when you take a bold leap and start LIVING your values (not just talking about them), when you start taking actual tangible steps towards realizing your dreams, and when you take risks, BIG risks, the universe delivers an opportunity seemingly overnight that will prove just how magical and creative of a being you truly are. You see I am a BIG fan of work/trade and it’s one of the principles I want to discuss in the book because it’s the easiest way I know to start building a freelance portfolio when you don’t have a lot of experience and also the most fun way to say F-U to the man. But I never in my wildest dreams thought it would be possible to trade my marketing services for land. Until now.
That’s the Universe’s way of one-upping me, I guess. Well played, universe, well played.
Are you afraid of sharing your beliefs? Do you cringe when others do it? Have you ever thought about WHY?
Top Tips for Tagazhout and Tamraght, Morocco
Jean Genie (my blue 2006 Citroen C6 minivan) and I officially began our new life together over a month ago when we drove from Berlin to Toulouse. Why Toulouse? Because there was a super cheap flight to Morocco from there, that's why!!
I sadly left Jean Genie in a car park outside the Toulouse airport for three weeks while I soaked up some Vitamin D, practiced my surf skills, drank all the mint tea, ate all the tagine, watched all the sunsets, and pet all the stray dogs and cats. The truth is it’s still too cold in Europe for my desert bones.
That’s the reason I decided to spend the last three weeks exploring two cute surfer villages including Tagazhout and Tamraght. I highly recommend doing the same if you are hoping to escape the depressive European winter or want to try your luck at learning to surf in calm waters. Temperatures were around 20 degrees Celsius every day, and there was lots of sunshine and plenty of happy smiling faces. Since I had such a great time and met a lot of really friendly people, I am considering returning very soon, this time with my van Jean Genie. It seems to be a very popular location for camper vans.
Below are some of the places I most frequented and loved while I was there.
Tagazhout
A no-frills streetside eatery where you can get fish tagine which includes two big pieces of fish, veggies, and bread for only 30 Dhm (about 3 euros). Don’t forget to add a mint tea to your order (~15 Dhm). Cash only.
A seaside restaurant where you can work on your laptop with the gentle sound of the waves as your background. They offer fresh juices, Moroccan cuisine, and, of course, mint tea. Prices are a bit more, but still VERY affordable (50 Dhm for Veggie Tagine) and the view is priceless. Traditional Berber musicians will wander from table to table to perform a song for you. I have a soft spot for musicians and always try to tip them. Plus I love Berber music!! There is also a huge terrace where you can chill on when you need a break from wandering around. Credit cards are accepted but only above 100 Dhm.
MOVED - Simo’s Vintage Shop
**It’s been brought to my attention that Simo has relocated his shop and in addition, now offers a camper van parking area on his land in Essaouira, outside of Sidi Kaouki. His Tagazhout location is no longer in operation, but he’s more than happy to accept visitors at his new location! More info here.
A friend and I were wandering around Tagazhout and found Simo's magical little shop tucked away on a side street. It's quite small but once you're in there and see all the treasures he has the place seems to triple in size. Simo is also a very special human, welcoming us in and preparing us tea while we tried on clothes. He's got some amazing pieces and fair prices. If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind souvenir or just a great experience overall, definitely stop by and say hi :) His merchandise changes often. Though be warned, the opening of his shop is dependent on surf conditions so if he isn’t there when you drop by, come back later when the waves have died down. Cash only.
Tamraght
Ok this is definitely a place catered to tourists but their food is top-notch so I must mention it. I recommend ordering the mushroom tacos, potato wedges, and exotic smoothie but anything you order there is going to blow you away. It’s also a great place to work on your laptop (they have Wifi) and also accept credit cards. I love the outside seating area especially when a stray cat or dog wanders by and takes a nap by your feet. Prices are a bit more than the other restaurants in the area, but worth it! Expect to pay between 100-150 Dhm a person for food and drinks.
This place is very affordably priced and serves up decent Moroccan food. Try the Veggie Tagine (I found the chicken one pretty dry) or if it’s breakfast time, take the sampler platter (I forgot the name, but it includes all the various spreads, bread, omelet, and coffee). The Date Avocado Orange Juice smoothie is to die for, so make sure to try one! The place is super cozy and they also offer free Wifi so you can work there. Cash only.
You can rent a surfboard and wetsuit for only 100 Dhm for the day here. You can also chill on the terrace on their bean bag chairs. They also offer yoga but I didn’t attend any sessions. Cash only.
Honorable Mentions
Paradies Quad - I stayed here the last week of my trip but I wish I had found it sooner. The vibe of the place was very chill. They have an in-house cleaner so the common areas are always super tidy. I rented a room and shared a bathroom with one other person on my floor. There is a kitchen where you can prepare meals and two terraces where you can chill and watch the sunset. I paid through Airbnb.
Mint tea on the beach - 20 Dh, there was nothing better than getting out of the sea after getting thrashed around by the waves and then getting served a delicious warm mint tea. There will be many people wandering around asking if you want tea, don’t turn them down! You won’t be disappointed :) Cash only.
Souk El Had in Agadir - About a 30-minute drive from Tamraght, the big marketplace in Agadir is a must-see. I had a delicious breakfast at one of the cafes featuring pea soup, bread with amlou (almond butter) and various spreads, and a large avocado smoothie for just 35 Dhs. Not only is it just fun to walk around and soak up all the sites but it’s a great place to buy souvenirs. I picked up some spices and spiced coffee. Cash only.
Hamam - If you are feeling adventurous you can hop over to the local hamam after you do your shopping which is about a 7-minute walk away from the Souk. There you will get the opportunity to have all your most intimate parts scrubbed smooth by a topless Moroccan grandma, 50 Dh for the scrub and 30 Dh for the soap and loofah. Cash only.
Morocco Animal Aid - I spent two days volunteering at this establishment which is about 10 minutes outside of Tamraght (I took a taxi there for 50 Dhs and walked back). They help street animals recover from injuries as well as get them adopted. I had the pleasure of walking a few dogs and just spending some time giving some of them love. FREE.
Have you been to this area of Morocco? Did I leave any of your favorite joints off the list?
Note to Self: Group Tours Suck But Be Gentle With Your Fellow Sheep Anyway
I’ve been in Morocco for the last 2.5 weeks and I’ve loved almost every second of it; the sea, the surf, the beach camels, the fruit smoothies, the ridiculously cheap prices, and the smiles of the warm people.
Today, though I was annoyed.
You see I booked a group tour to hike through Paradise Valley, an oasis in the middle of the desert. I don’t typically like group tours because I like to go with my rhythm and absolutely abhor being shuffled around in a herd of sheep. But Paradise Valley was an hour away and to get there by public transport was pretty much out of the question. I could take an illegal taxi there and hope that there was a normal taxi coming back that I could jump in. Otherwise, it would be a five-hour walk. Yikes!
Needless to say, I opted for the tour. So this morning I met outside of the pharmacy and waited for the shuffle shuttle bus to pick me up. By the time we arrived at the trailhead though, I was already hungry. I brought my usual snacks; nuts, hardboiled egg, and banana but it wasn’t enough. I felt hanger rising. I tried to distract myself with a quick pace and ended up taking the lead.
At one point the tour guide ran up to me and said “Slow down sister, we have old people with us.” I boiled inside. I wanted to MOVE. Not to mention I’d had a Moroccan coffee before hopping on the shuttle so I was more than amped up.
We finally arrived at the 7-meter plunge where several brave souls stripped down to their swimsuits and jumped in. I’d also worn mine underneath but the water was frigid, the sky was cloudy, and I didn’t feel like being cold afterward, so I just watched the others splash in and struggle to get out quick enough.
On the way back, I started to salivate thinking about the chicken couscous I would order when I got dropped off. Much to my dismay, however, the group was shuffled once again to a small restaurant where they treated us to some Moroccan tea. By this point, I was STARVING.
One guy from my group had arrived a few minutes before everyone else and had ordered himself some lunch. I was jealous. Why didn’t I think of that? Now it was too late.
We finished our tea and began our ascent back to the van. When we arrived I noticed the gentleman who’d ordered himself some lunch wasn’t there. As time passed, I grew more agitated. I overheard a couple next to me say that he had wanted to go for a swim after lunch.
As you can imagine, some dark thoughts started to dance in my head: Are you SERIOUS? First, he orders himself lunch while the rest of us sustain on thyme tea and hard cookies and then he makes everyone wait on him while he takes a dip in the pool. How rude!!
I tried to keep myself from spiraling even further and just busied myself with my Tetris app and just hoped that this misery would end soon. Never again I told myself as I cleared another row.
And then he finally appeared. He had water dripping from his head and he looked frantic. He gets on the bus and makes an announcement before sitting down:
“First of all, I want to say thank you for waiting for me. I wanted to explain why I was late. A few years ago I lost a friend of mine while jumping off that cliff and for my psyche I have come to do two things, 1: watch others jump off the cliff and 2. jump off myself. When I saw a few of you jumping earlier, I was triggered and I had to leave. I knew I couldn’t leave without jumping myself so when you all walked back to the car, I jumped.”
“Oh my god! “I said from the back of the bus. A few others on the bus piped up in unison: “I am so sorry for your loss.”
He sat down and we all drove back. But I couldn’t get what he said out of my head.
Tears filled my eyes. I couldn’t help but think about how brave he was to have come here and make that leap. I also couldn’t help but put myself in his shoes. A good friend of mine had just visited me. If that had happened to her I would have been destroyed forever.
There are many morals to my story but here are my key takeaways:
You never really know what someone is going through. Be gentle with each other. Even if you never get clarity around someone’s behavior, we all deserve grace.
Live life to the fullest always even if you have fear. I wrote a poem about that recently. Read it here.
Love your loved ones hard. Tell them you love them all the time.
Bring more snacks than you think you’ll need, or just bring a whole damn lunch. I read a quote recently that pretty much said; “if you hate everyone around you, eat. If you think everyone around you hates you, take a nap.” I love it and think about it often.
What was YOUR key takeaway from my story? I’d love to hear about it.
So You Wanna Be a Published Author? Here are 5 Key Things You Should Know
Skill Swapping
If you know me you know I love work trade and skill swapping.
That’s why when I saw a post pop up on a Skill Swap group on Facebook from a woman who was looking for someone to audit her website and give helpful feedback from a design perspective - I got excited! In exchange, she would dole advice about becoming a published author because she had gone through the process herself.
I’d been wanting someone I could talk to about the publishing world for some time because the path towards being published can be a daunting one. Because I’m a web designer who audits sites for a living, I reached out. She agreed to a meeting and the next day we scheduled an initial Zoom introduction.
At least that’s what I thought.
What ended up occurring was much more valuable than a meet and greet. During our 20 minutes together, she gave me a LOT of practical advice about not only getting published but also writing in general.
Here Were My Key Takeaways From My Brief Meeting With a Published Author
1/ If you find yourself waffling, or your brain is moving in lots of directions during your writing time, change up the medium.
Instead of click-clacking away at a laptop, pull out your trusty notepad and pen and write by hand instead. Your thoughts and ideas will become more clear when you are forced to slow down.
2/ If you are a nonfiction writer, don’t spend time writing a full manuscript.
Instead, focus on writing a great proposal and then reaching out to potential agents or publishers. Nonfiction agents will likely want to guide you during the writing process. If you submit a full manuscript there’s a good chance they will want to make lots of edits or tell you to rewrite completely. Save yourself the trouble!
3/ Allocate ample time to get samples of your writing published in various journals and media outlets.
Once your work is published on several sites you can submit these links along with your proposal when reaching out to agents. Or, in the case of the published author I spoke with, they might even reach out to you about writing and publishing a book.
4/ Network with the right people.
Getting published is highly dependent upon being in the right place at the right time…and on the connections you have. Increase your luck of being seen by making sure to follow publishers on social media platforms, interact with their content, and share links to your published articles on your platforms.
5/ Don’t expect to get rich.
Even if you do get signed, your publisher might ask for things such as additional pictures that you might have to pay out of pocket to obtain, for example. This can cut into your bottom line.
I have to be honest. Sometimes I wonder if my skin is tough enough to go through this process. I wonder if I have what it takes to stick it out until the end and not take all the rejection personally. And then sometimes the universe throws me a bone and says, keep going you got this. The meeting with a published author was my latest bone and I hope this blog post is YOUR bone.
As you go forth and navigate the publishing world, I recommend connecting with your why as often as possible. Ask yourself: Why do I want these ideas to spread? How do I want people’s lives to change after engaging with this content? Then print your answers on a big sheet of paper and hang it on your wall. That way when you do face rejection, you’ll be able to swiftly get back on that horse and try, try again.
Are you on the path of getting published? What do you find is your biggest challenge?
Here's How to Redirect Multiple Blog Posts, Events, or Products on Squarespace
I recently updated the slug on my blog. For those who aren’t web nerds, the slug is the URL, or that thing you type into your search bar to land on the web page you desire.
Instead of the old slug (/blog-content), I wanted it to be (/blog.)
So I updated in Squarespace in 2 seconds and boom, I thought I was good to go.
A few days later however I posted a blog post to my Linkedin. After a while, I realized it only had 3 impressions (much less than the 150 it usually pulls in). I decided to do a little investigating and that’s when I realized that when you clicked the link to the blog post it went to my 404 error page on my site, not the post!
Grrr.
Even website nerds screw up from time to time.
Not wanting to go back and create individual 301 redirects on ALL my blog posts from day 1, I found this simple solution which I will share now:
To redirect ALL items in a collection of blog posts, events or products on Squarespace, insert the [name] variable when creating the redirect.
Here’s an example: My old blog page's URL was /blog-content and I changed it to /blog. To make sure that visitors can still view my blog-content posts when they click an old link, I had to set up my 301 like this:
/blog/[name] -> /posts/[name] 301Please note that I am still using version 7.0 of Squarespace (if it ain’t broke don’t fix it). If you want to do this on 7.1, please note that the store page URL slugs include /p/ before the product URL slug, so the redirect would look like this: /store/p/[name] -> /buy/p/[name] 301
I am super grateful this was fairly easy to do within Squarespace otherwise I’d be in a big pickle. And ain’t nobody got time for that!
Hope that helped! If not, please get in touch and I’ll try to redirect you out of trouble.
Freedom, This Way ➡️
What Does it Mean to Be a Free Human?
For a long time, I thought being a free human meant choice; the ability to choose whatever your heart desires, but now I am realizing that’s not such an accurate description. Just because you have a choice doesn’t mean you are going to feel fulfilled by either path. There are plenty of people with unlimited choices in the world and yet seem to still be miserable AF. Many are so free that they choose bondage and misery.
My New Definition of Freedom
My new expanded understanding of freedom is this: the ability to choose to become your fullest version of self, otherwise known as self-actualization, despite any external factors that you perceive to be working against you.
I realize that not everyone has the privilege to be born into a body, country, or culture that allows them such an opportunity to self-actualize. This is why it’s even more imperative that the ones who DO have the option to self-actualize, do so as soon as possible for they are the ones who are making choices that impact the rest of the world. That means that when you feel upset by all the injustices happening around you, it’s time to get to self-work.
Isn’t self-work just spiritual bypassing?
Contrary to some naysayers - I don’t believe that self-work is spiritual bypassing at all. Self-work is the catalyst for inspired action and serving others. Self-actualized humans are the ones you’ll find canvassing for signatures on petitions that seek to secure bodily autonomy for women, for example, not the ones sitting on the couch doom-scrolling because they are dopamine-dependent on flashing images, or over-consuming because their desk job is devoid of meaning or fulfillment. Self-actualized humans or free humans aren’t just sitting on a lounge chair sipping daiquiris all day. Free humans feel compelled toward positive action because it feels good, not because they feel like they are supposed to. That’s much different than spreading fear or righteousness on social media or serving others simply because you fear judgment.
If you are reading this you likely fall into the privileged category, which means your choices impact not only yourself and those around you but also those in neighboring countries and far-off lands. When you choose to walk the path of self-actualization, the path toward freedom, you are inevitably doing it for the greater good.
Do Those Who Serve Others Have to Sacrifice Joy?
Self-actualized humans don’t shy away from joy so that they can serve others. Self-actualized humans derive joy from acts of service and then spread that joy to others.
So if you have ever felt guilty for not doing enough, know this, you are not yet self-actualized and therefore not a free human…yet. Free humans don’t ruminate over the latest headlines nor do they make themselves feel bad for not saving the world 24/7. They know that steady conscious action is what makes a lasting impact and that impact can only be made if the human is willing to feel compassion for others and excitement for their own lives - at the same time. If that sounds like something you want to activate, keep reading.
The Path to Self-Actualization: Kindling Your Spark
You must not let your spark go out at any cost. That is the work, the ongoing work, forever and ever. Make sure to continue kindling your inner fire so that you can light the path for those around you.
If all you ever do is read the news and come unglued, you aren’t helping the cause, you are helping the cause to perpetuate. If you focus on the things you can control like how you feel from moment to moment, however, and prioritize feeling good in your body and mind, you might still read the news but instead of getting angry or depressed, you might suddenly get an urge to donate some money to a particular cause or feel inspired to rally your friends together and organize a fundraising event. Self-actualization promotes inspired acts of service.
You cannot help anyone when you are feeling stuck. If your physical energy is depleted, if your blood is not circulating properly, or if your digestive system is blocked, you first need to focus on unblocking the physical stickiness you feel in your body before you focus on self-actualizing and certainly before you commit to a cause you care deeply about. Why? Because what you focus on multiplies. If you are a community leader but you cannot get a good night’s rest because you are anxious about the laundry list of things you have to do the next day, you will likely spread toxicity to your community the next day. Don’t burn yourself out for the sake of doing good.
You will always need to maintain a healthy equilibrium before you can self-actualize. It will be a constant work in progress. Some days your body will need more care and devotion, other days your mind. What matters is that you make it a priority and learn to listen to the signals that your body and mind are telling you when you have been running on fumes for too long. If you start to get the warning signs, pump the brakes, and focus on self-work- click the link to learn how to do self-work. Once you’re feeling better, you’ll naturally begin turning outward toward your community and being a pillar of light to those who need your talents. Only then, will you truly be free. Free to serve others and feel joy simultaneously.
It will not be a straightforward path, however. There will likely be many obstacles along the way; distractions, noise, unsolicited advice, opinions, societal conditioning, parental expectations, deprecating advertisements, constructs, and matrices. It’s no wonder that people cling to the comforts of their bubble. It’s safe. But when you begin to self-actualize and seek the path of freedom outside your comfort zone, your world becomes much more interesting. Suddenly you find yourself at the right place at the right time. It doesn’t mean you will never have hardships or be put in stressful situations, it just means that you will have a steady balance as you navigate around or through them. And here’s the best part…the self-trust you cultivate during the self-actualization process will afford you the clarity to untangle any mess and the ability to be fully present in all the joy. Sounds nice, eh?
Do you consider yourself a free human? Why or why not? Let me know in the comments below.
Sing Even When Your Voice Shakes
“A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.”
This quote came up on my meditation app the other night and I immediately opened my to-do list app to jot it down. It reminded me of an Instagram story I posted recently, a clip of me singing The Cure’s, Friday I’m In Love song, and I wanted to make sure I remembered to write a blog post about it later.
This is that post.
On that fateful night, my roommates were out of town and I was looking forward to getting cozy and enjoying the empty house. Not wanting to fill my brain with frivolous noise, I opted to strum on my ukulele instead of scrolling through YouTube or bingeing Netflix. We’d recently learned Friday I’m In Love in my weekly ukulele class so I decided to practice that one.
After a few times singing it through, I noticed my voice began to align snugly to the notes and I was shocked at what I was hearing. Not only did the voice sound good, but I couldn’t help but feel like something deep inside of me, something that had been longing to get out for years, had suddenly been given the space to come through. It was magical. I quickly put my ukulele to the side and ran to get my phone.
“I need to record this,” I said out loud to an empty living room.
I recorded a few takes and smiled wider as I replayed them back.
When I was about 11 or so, my dad bought me a karaoke machine for my birthday. It was the early 2000s so the setup was minimal. There was no fancy screen with scrolling lyrics, just a janky microphone attached to a small boom box. I had to read the lyrics off of the pamphlet as the lyricless song played in the background. One evening after all the lights in the house had been turned off, I felt an impulse to sing to my heart’s desire. Knowing it was too late to fire up my karaoke machine, I grabbed my miniature tape recorder instead and began recording myself belting out a tune I had made up moments before. After a few minutes or so I began to get into my solo jam session. I replayed my song and felt proud of the progress.
The joy didn’t last long, however. A few seconds later I heard my sister yell “Shut up, you can’t sing” from her adjacent room. Though our doors were both closed, we did share a thin wall. Had I known the wall was so thin, I definitely wouldn’t have been singing as fiercely as I had been, nor would I have been replaying that song over and over.
Shame filled my prepubescent heart and tears welled in my eyes. I would never have another solo jam session again - at least when my sister was around.
I don’t blame my sister. To be fair, I probably did suck, it was late, and we likely both had school the next day. But her words chipped away at my confidence especially when it came to expressing myself musically.
She’s not the only one to chip away at my confidence over the years. In third grade, I auditioned with my two best friends to sing a song at a school assembly. They both got chosen and I did not. This seemingly small action contributed to the burying of my voice and the expression of my soul’s song.
I am just now beginning to discover the impact that this self-burial has had on how I take up space in the world. Take my profession for example. For a living, I ghostwrite social media posts for authors when behind the curtain I struggle to share my writing and step fully into my role as writer.
Who really cares?
No one reads anymore.
There are hundreds of other people who have already said what you are saying - save your energy.
These are just a few things that run through my head when I think about sharing a piece of writing. But like the aforementioned quote gently reminded me, a bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.
This quote is a great reminder that you don’t need a reason to express yourself. You don’t even need to be that good at it. But if there is a song in your heart or a story itching to get told, it needs to be sung sooner rather than later.
And so sing I did. And I didn’t just sing the song, I also made the very brave decision to share it with my Instagram followers. And I’m not going to lie, I was NERVOUS. I was terrified that people would think I was crazy or that I had misjudged my talents much like I had done two decades before. But the exact opposite thing happened. I got so much love from people which helped reinforce the confidence I have been slowly building over the years, the confidence to express myself and step out from behind the curtain.
As we move into 2024 I want to express myself more and I want to encourage anyone who reads this to do the very same. Sing what’s in your soul even if you don’t have all the answers. Even if it doesn’t make sense, it’s not on brand, or you are afraid people will think you are nuts. Sure some might, but you’ll likely also be giving someone the courage to step outside their comfort zone.
And think about how much more joyful the world would be if all did that regularly!!
Do you feel comfortable sharing your creations with the world? Why or why not?
It’s a Wander-full Life
On my long flight from Berlin to the US this past week, I binged several movies including the latest documentary about Anthony Bourdain which I resonated deeply with. Not because I too love traveling and experiencing new places and cultures as a local instead of a tourist, much like Bourdain proselytized his entire career, but because I resonated with the existential loneliness he seemed to have, an unfortunate side effect of being a wanderer.
Anthony was a wanderer. He loved experiencing the world firsthand, eating street food, drinking with locals, and witnessing both the beauty and the horrors of foreign lands. But when he was wandering he missed the familiarity of home, the intimacy that can only be cultivated when you stay planted somewhere for any given time. He missed his wife and his kid. When he was finally home, however, he enjoyed grilling hot dogs and splashing around in the pool for a while, but it wasn’t long before he began to miss being immersed in another culture.
Because society didn’t support such a lifestyle, Bourdain likely felt existential loneliness, a feeling of never really belonging anywhere — a feeling I’ve had often. I can’t help but think if society was not only more accepting of wanderers (souls who saunter from here to there, who inadvertently act as bridges, ambassadors, bearers of peace offerings, and connectors to other worlds) — but also offered them an honorable space at the table (when they’re home), Bourdain would still be alive.
““Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life - and travel - leaves marks on you. Most of the time, those marks - on your body or on your heart - are beautiful. Often, though, they hurt.””
Wandering is an exiting of the matrix, but it is not necessarily the “better path.” It’s just a path, one that I believe many of us chose before we entered these bodies. The existential loneliness we feel doesn’t have anything to do with the choice we’ve made but with the lack of acceptance - from those we love, the communities we wander into and away from, and most importantly, ourselves.
I recently met with my ex to catch up before I left Berlin. We’d been together for six years and now apart for a year and a half. He’s moved on, has a new girlfriend, and will soon move to Japan and start a family with her. He seems happy which makes me happy.
At dinner though, he subtly started encouraging me to start dating. “Sometimes you have to force it. You might have to go on Tinder or put yourself out there.”
“Maybe I’ll just have lovers in every city,” I smiled coyly.
His face fell, “That’s not what you want. You deserve a partner you can build something with.”
I appreciate his perspective. For him, that’s all he ever wanted. Someone who spoke in “we” instead of “I,” someone who gladly shared a bed with him instead of slinking off to the couch in the middle of the night. But if I am being TRULY honest with myself, I’ve never felt 100% satisfied in a relationship. No matter how much I love the intimacy and closeness of a long-term partnership, part of me always longs to be wild and free, going with my whims, not tied to a place or person. Perhaps that’s a result of the partners I’ve chosen or perhaps this wandering way of being is something I have to accept about myself.
Maybe I’ll never “settle down.” Maybe I’ll never have a family or a partner that lasts more than a few years. Maybe I’ll lean into a community, help cultivate the land for a while, and then drift away before I ever reap the fruits of my labor. And how absolutely beautiful is that?
+ How many places will I get to leave better than I found?
+ How many pairs of eyes will I get to gaze deeply into?
+ How many members of my soul family will I be reunited with?
Because I am not connected to one place, I’ve had to learn how to cultivate a feeling of home and safety from within. And what I’ve found in the process is that the more cozy I make this inner place, the less lonely I feel overall because anywhere I end up becomes my living room, and whoever I’m around, my family. The more time I spend untethering myself from society’s conditioning, the more inviting the world becomes.
And so in 2024, I am making it a goal to fully accept this wandering side of myself and lean into all the beauty this particular life path holds. Because it is truly wonderful.