I definitely would appreciate a personal letter or email sent to me privately - preferably a letter! And if you felt good about sending a drawing, I would LOVE that. I'd frame it and probably send you a photo of me with it and encourage you to use that in your next article.
Howrver, I am writing from the perspective of someone who is not a paid subscriber and now that I circle back around to this, I remember some shame came up for me when I read you celebrating your new subscriber so joyously. I didn't want you to be so 'shouty', lol. I wanted you to put it as an afterthought at the end of your article, so I didn't have to feel my uncomfortable feelings all the way through reading your story and enjoying your fabulous cartoons. In truth, your articles are probably the best thing coming into my inbox right now...but being reminded that others are paying for your awesomeness and I am not touched some shame lurking inside me and I didn't want to feel that.
I was in the shower when I realised I didn't tell you that this bit >> "your articles are probably the best thing coming into my inbox right now" - made my day! x
Oh wow! Another unintended and unexpected reaction. Thank you so much for sharing your experience so honestly and authentically. I've had guilt and shamed used in attempts to motivate (or should I say 'manipulate'?) me in the past, and it is oh-so-gross. Definitely not my intention here. But I wouldn't have known it as a potential reaction without you sharing it. I did ponder a personalised email (rather than the automated one), which is feasible at this stage, but I don't think would be sustainable long-term. Thank you again for your candid share. You rock x
I think you need to do what YOU feel is right. So cliché. You are going to have some subscribers that say hell yah shout out pls, feels good to be recognized, and others that want to turtle. You did it following what felt right for you, therefore UR vibe was behind your decision and action. I think Awesome Friend was able to show you the flip side (everything has one) and open ur eyes to subscribers that will feel the same. People can decide if being recognized is something that would hold them back from subscribing, and maybe this can now help them look at feelings like you just did, and ask why they wouldn’t want to be recognized for showing they love something and want to support another.
And as I reread this I am like maybe I shouldn’t send this it might sound like I am offending Awesome Friend. And that’s not my intention. My message I hope is, we simply can’t please everyone and when you decided to recognize ppl it opened ur heart, cause that’s how you felt ...follow that. ❤️
Thanks for the thoughtful response! I doon't think I was super clear in the post, so I'll clarify it, just in case. I'm not outsourcing the decision about how I'll handle it in the future to the results of the poll. I'm just super interested in how individual people feel about it, because our inner experience can vary so wildly.
I fully agree with you that you can't please everyone. And quite honestly, I don't think I'd want to, even if I could! But a sense of safety within the spaces I host is massively important to me. And while I understand that I'm not responsible for people's feelings and responses to me, I do want my actions to be an extension of my values.
I love the way you shared your process here. We are all such divine individuals and each of us has our own nervous system responses based on our individual experiences.
Trauma pocket drawing is the best, love love love it!
Poll is closed but maybe I’d have ticked first names as a safe bet if you don’t have capacity to email every paid sub to check.
I think I feel similar to one or two others above that gratitude for the paid subscribers would feel most lovely in quick email to the subscriber themselves if it’s feasible, but in the public newsletter it feels more like an encouragement that I should become a paid sub too (I know that’s not your intention, just how I felt reading it). Though it did also made me think “so cool lots of people are subscribing, what legends”, so overall it seems like a good thing to me if you can preserve the privacy of paid subs if they want it!
They already get an automated email, but that doesn't fulfil my desire to thank them in a more personal way. I hadn't really considered a personal email as an option, until it was bought up in this discussion, which is great! It's definitely feasible right now, and as it grows, I can always reassess. So thanks for the feedback.
And hehe. I fell a bit in love with trauma pocket too.
I'm a bit late so I don't know if mulling over this is over, but maybe you could add that to your paid subscriber email! Asking if they are comfortable with a shoutout on your next article or not. Then you could do it that way. (And/or personal emails for the time being.)
Oh it's so interesting that you commented on this today! I finally had some clarity on what I want to start offering paid subs, so I'm glad this was bought back into my consciousness too!
I am a bit conflicted about the naming thing too. I saw my first name in someone's blog just for subscribing (not paid) and I was startled. And felt a little shy and 'seen', and I wasn't even sure how I felt about that. So, I think there is a lot more to this 'naming thing' than seems obvious on first glance. Who woulda thought? It was clever of you (and your friend) to pick up on that. I loved the pocket drawing, but also the whole journey.
Yeah, I totally agree. I hadn't really thought too deeply about it until Awesome Friend brought it to my attention. I haven't made a formal decision about it yet, but right now I'm considering emailing them personally, possibly with a little drawing. Do you do anything on your stack in terms of thanks/welcome/etc?
My first thought when I read the name of this post was my favorite quote by Confucius, (loosely translated) "To know that you know what you know, and that you do not know what you do not know, is true knowledge."
I vote for publishing names of subscribers but asking them first if they want to opt out. I would go so far as to add that I write 'Legends of My Own Mind" if you want to post my name, as I shamelessly promote my newsletter. :-)
Oh interesting! I appreciate your vote and might start doing it in the way that you suggest. And noted! You'd like your name and newsletter posted. Got it!
The ‘pocket’ drawing omg. All of it Medha!! 🙌🙌🙌😍😍😍❤️🙏🙏🙏 Love this. I can see both sides, maybe once a week do a thank you and only post the initials? Or not at all. You’re going to get so big anyway you won’t be able to do that after a bit. Go you and your beautiful vulnerable soul and beautiful self expression. 💗💗💗
I definitely want a way to honour the people who choose to support me and my work in this way and I'll play with it and land on something that works for me and is manageable.
And I like how you think!! From your words to God's ears!
Ps. If I could add images to comments on posts, I would've given drawing God's ears a red hot go!!
Great newsletter as always Medha. It got me thinking. When you mentioned paid subscribers it didn't bother me at the time perhaps because this newsletter is new and growing and feels not so public. I've seen YouTubers do it when they have millions of views and I wouldn't become paid for this reason. It's even worse on Facebook when someone runs a course and then publically tags everyone who joined. Reason for my triggers is that I spent years in the closet hiding my interests and valuing my privacy in case someone in my family found out and questioned/judged/persecuted me. I still have pockets of fear around that. 😊 I voted don't name in your poll for this reason - as it's honestly how I personally feel now. Maybe when I've shifted it completely I'll feel otherwise. First name does feel like a happy balance of honouring people like me and people who love to be publically acknowledged (and for you to be able to show appreciation to them also). 😊
I hate seeing coaches do that too. It creeps me out. And I honestly hadn't noticed the similarity between what I did and what those coaches do until Awesome Friend pointed it out to me! I'll sit with it and decide about it soon. But right now I'm feeling the first name thing too. Thanks for the feedback about your present feeling on it!
The Poll results so far are FASCINATING! Can you all see the results when you look at the post? Or is it just me who can see it because I created it?
We can see it too.
Oh good! Thanks for telling me! x
Why should you never fall in love with a tennis player...?
To them “love” means nothing.
Hahaha. I literally laughed out loud at that!
I had a similar reaction to your awesome friend.
My ideas/thoughts.
I definitely would appreciate a personal letter or email sent to me privately - preferably a letter! And if you felt good about sending a drawing, I would LOVE that. I'd frame it and probably send you a photo of me with it and encourage you to use that in your next article.
Howrver, I am writing from the perspective of someone who is not a paid subscriber and now that I circle back around to this, I remember some shame came up for me when I read you celebrating your new subscriber so joyously. I didn't want you to be so 'shouty', lol. I wanted you to put it as an afterthought at the end of your article, so I didn't have to feel my uncomfortable feelings all the way through reading your story and enjoying your fabulous cartoons. In truth, your articles are probably the best thing coming into my inbox right now...but being reminded that others are paying for your awesomeness and I am not touched some shame lurking inside me and I didn't want to feel that.
I was in the shower when I realised I didn't tell you that this bit >> "your articles are probably the best thing coming into my inbox right now" - made my day! x
It's totally true <3
It's totally true <3
Oh wow! Another unintended and unexpected reaction. Thank you so much for sharing your experience so honestly and authentically. I've had guilt and shamed used in attempts to motivate (or should I say 'manipulate'?) me in the past, and it is oh-so-gross. Definitely not my intention here. But I wouldn't have known it as a potential reaction without you sharing it. I did ponder a personalised email (rather than the automated one), which is feasible at this stage, but I don't think would be sustainable long-term. Thank you again for your candid share. You rock x
I think you need to do what YOU feel is right. So cliché. You are going to have some subscribers that say hell yah shout out pls, feels good to be recognized, and others that want to turtle. You did it following what felt right for you, therefore UR vibe was behind your decision and action. I think Awesome Friend was able to show you the flip side (everything has one) and open ur eyes to subscribers that will feel the same. People can decide if being recognized is something that would hold them back from subscribing, and maybe this can now help them look at feelings like you just did, and ask why they wouldn’t want to be recognized for showing they love something and want to support another.
And as I reread this I am like maybe I shouldn’t send this it might sound like I am offending Awesome Friend. And that’s not my intention. My message I hope is, we simply can’t please everyone and when you decided to recognize ppl it opened ur heart, cause that’s how you felt ...follow that. ❤️
Thanks for the thoughtful response! I doon't think I was super clear in the post, so I'll clarify it, just in case. I'm not outsourcing the decision about how I'll handle it in the future to the results of the poll. I'm just super interested in how individual people feel about it, because our inner experience can vary so wildly.
I fully agree with you that you can't please everyone. And quite honestly, I don't think I'd want to, even if I could! But a sense of safety within the spaces I host is massively important to me. And while I understand that I'm not responsible for people's feelings and responses to me, I do want my actions to be an extension of my values.
I find our differences fascinating!!
Interesting! I am sure you were clear. Interesting I chose to read it how I did!!
🤔 that’s a reflection of me!! Neat. Thx for that ❤️
BTW the cell phone drawing 😆😆😆👏🏼👍🏼
Hehe. Why thank you!
I love the way you shared your process here. We are all such divine individuals and each of us has our own nervous system responses based on our individual experiences.
Oh absolutely! And thank you!
Thank you so much!
My pleasure! Thanks to you for reading it!
Trauma pocket drawing is the best, love love love it!
Poll is closed but maybe I’d have ticked first names as a safe bet if you don’t have capacity to email every paid sub to check.
I think I feel similar to one or two others above that gratitude for the paid subscribers would feel most lovely in quick email to the subscriber themselves if it’s feasible, but in the public newsletter it feels more like an encouragement that I should become a paid sub too (I know that’s not your intention, just how I felt reading it). Though it did also made me think “so cool lots of people are subscribing, what legends”, so overall it seems like a good thing to me if you can preserve the privacy of paid subs if they want it!
They already get an automated email, but that doesn't fulfil my desire to thank them in a more personal way. I hadn't really considered a personal email as an option, until it was bought up in this discussion, which is great! It's definitely feasible right now, and as it grows, I can always reassess. So thanks for the feedback.
And hehe. I fell a bit in love with trauma pocket too.
I'm a bit late so I don't know if mulling over this is over, but maybe you could add that to your paid subscriber email! Asking if they are comfortable with a shoutout on your next article or not. Then you could do it that way. (And/or personal emails for the time being.)
Oh it's so interesting that you commented on this today! I finally had some clarity on what I want to start offering paid subs, so I'm glad this was bought back into my consciousness too!
Beautiful write the story. I like cartoons. I enjoyed reading.
So happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing it with me.
I loved this post. Thanks.
I am a bit conflicted about the naming thing too. I saw my first name in someone's blog just for subscribing (not paid) and I was startled. And felt a little shy and 'seen', and I wasn't even sure how I felt about that. So, I think there is a lot more to this 'naming thing' than seems obvious on first glance. Who woulda thought? It was clever of you (and your friend) to pick up on that. I loved the pocket drawing, but also the whole journey.
Cheers!
Yeah, I totally agree. I hadn't really thought too deeply about it until Awesome Friend brought it to my attention. I haven't made a formal decision about it yet, but right now I'm considering emailing them personally, possibly with a little drawing. Do you do anything on your stack in terms of thanks/welcome/etc?
My first thought when I read the name of this post was my favorite quote by Confucius, (loosely translated) "To know that you know what you know, and that you do not know what you do not know, is true knowledge."
I vote for publishing names of subscribers but asking them first if they want to opt out. I would go so far as to add that I write 'Legends of My Own Mind" if you want to post my name, as I shamelessly promote my newsletter. :-)
Oh interesting! I appreciate your vote and might start doing it in the way that you suggest. And noted! You'd like your name and newsletter posted. Got it!
The ‘pocket’ drawing omg. All of it Medha!! 🙌🙌🙌😍😍😍❤️🙏🙏🙏 Love this. I can see both sides, maybe once a week do a thank you and only post the initials? Or not at all. You’re going to get so big anyway you won’t be able to do that after a bit. Go you and your beautiful vulnerable soul and beautiful self expression. 💗💗💗
Hehe. I loved the little pocket trauma guy too!
I definitely want a way to honour the people who choose to support me and my work in this way and I'll play with it and land on something that works for me and is manageable.
And I like how you think!! From your words to God's ears!
Ps. If I could add images to comments on posts, I would've given drawing God's ears a red hot go!!
Great newsletter as always Medha. It got me thinking. When you mentioned paid subscribers it didn't bother me at the time perhaps because this newsletter is new and growing and feels not so public. I've seen YouTubers do it when they have millions of views and I wouldn't become paid for this reason. It's even worse on Facebook when someone runs a course and then publically tags everyone who joined. Reason for my triggers is that I spent years in the closet hiding my interests and valuing my privacy in case someone in my family found out and questioned/judged/persecuted me. I still have pockets of fear around that. 😊 I voted don't name in your poll for this reason - as it's honestly how I personally feel now. Maybe when I've shifted it completely I'll feel otherwise. First name does feel like a happy balance of honouring people like me and people who love to be publically acknowledged (and for you to be able to show appreciation to them also). 😊
I hate seeing coaches do that too. It creeps me out. And I honestly hadn't noticed the similarity between what I did and what those coaches do until Awesome Friend pointed it out to me! I'll sit with it and decide about it soon. But right now I'm feeling the first name thing too. Thanks for the feedback about your present feeling on it!
You are most welcome!