‘No one will back you unless you back yourself’. This is something I am always saying to our students, that they need to back themselves deeply, truly, and then the universe, and other people will follow that cue. It doesn’t work as powerfully if you try it the other way around.
So when I had a trusted friend and two students I deeply admire reach out and ask within the same week why don’t I consider moving the Letters to a subscription model, and had a subsequent panic about that idea, I had to question why? What was I worried about?
Backing oneself is a big deal when it comes to something aligned to our heart. Which is ironic because it shouldn’t be, should it? When we really love something, getting it out there, or doing it in a new way should be seamless as it is heart centred – but in fact, it’s often not. And when our hearts are in it, getting others to value it, and getting our own ego’s to shush up can take a bit of processing. I got to the bottom of why it panicked me and it was a combination of terror at charging for my writing, and then officially being a ‘writer’ as in it’s a paid job. Fear of judgement came into it, what if you and all our readers thought I was joking trying to move to a different model, my ego said people wouldn’t really value and we would look foolish so why bother. And that we had gifted them so far and what if we seemed ungenerous in doing so.
Also admitting that it took a huge amount of work to keep the Daily Letters going, and that I really also wanted to create new things, write more and work on new projects and juggling so much free content and paid work is really challenging, so why not see if we could make my creativity, the investment in our time and my education worth something. And this is where I always jump right into to tell people when they’re blagging on about why they charge less or shouldn’t get paid for something – and tell them to get into alignment and start valuing themselves or others won’t. Good advice, right?! That I obviously needed to take for myself!
So this week and next, I would love you to share your thoughts with me. We are investigating whether a $5 a month subscription model would be something you are interested in. This would include lots of bonus material, a monthly Class, City Guides and more for our subscribers, as well as the Daily Letter. And then we would continue a single Letter from me, a Letter from Jo, and the Sunday Intention for our readers as a whole as a gift.
We have put a little survey at the top of our Letters and the response has been overwhelmingly positive, for those that have taken the time to write. But I have a nagging feeling many of you sit not wanting to say something that might be perceived as negative. I take a huge amount of time to write to you each day, and I would really love you to take a moment and be honest with me in return. I know people get really uncomfortable and would prefer to stay anonymous, but it doesn’t help me work out our best path forward!! So thank you in advance for helping me work out how best to serve you, inspire you, and help you on your path of creativity, consciousness, and clarity. I can’t tell you how much the interaction means to me, and to The Broad Place as a whole as we try to build a better school.
With so much love, and some nerves to be honest, which always says we are growing and that it’s okay to be fearful of that!
Jac xx
L E T T E R from Jac – Back Yourself
