Quarterly Review | Q3 2024
With five Sundays in September, here I reflect on my first six months on Substack, revisit some of my most popular posts, and share some news of exciting things to come this autumn.
Perhaps it’s the greatest endorsement of a platform such as this, that only six months on from joining, I feel very much at home. In fact, it feels like this has been my home for years. In a turbulent fast-paced world, this is a very welcome, and beautiful feeling to encounter. I have been so touched by people’s generosity on Substack, and with that, comes a warm and glowing sense of mutual encouragement and community, not found online elsewhere. Six months into my Substack journey, I want to give a special mention to
, , , , , , , , , and for all their support and encouragement here. There are lots more of you, of course, far too numerous to name, but thank you to everyone, especially , who have been part of this journey.As you may have realised, some months have five weeks in them, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to re-share some of the most popular posts from the past quarter, some you may have missed, and some perhaps you’d like to read again. Perhaps the biggest change this quarter, is that you can now become a paid subscriber, and it was, with some trepidation, I shared my first paid post earlier this week:
Reflections on Summer | 2024
I have always had a difficult relationship with summer. It stems from childhood, and 40 years on, the arrival of the season evokes similar feelings.
There are other exciting things to come…
A Seasonal Notebook
If you find the fleeting changes of modern life wearisome, maybe even overwhelming, join me in looking beyond the superficiality of the present. Coming soon, A Seasonal Notebook is a new series of Substack posts starting this autumn. Each season, I invite you to open the pages of my Seasonal Notebook, a place to reflect, to set intentions, and above all, to connect with the rhythms of nature. Together, we will journey through the seasons, learning from the past, and embracing each one in a way which can inspire us to find a firmer foundation for the present. You can expect to find:
Prompts for reflection
Seasonal autumn foods and suggested recipes to enjoy
Reflections on simple autumn seasons in the past
Suggestions for savouring the simple moments of autumn
An autumnal playlist with listening guide
This will be pretty jam-packed post with downloads and external links, so something to savour for the whole season, and to return to in the years to come. If you’d like to turn the pages of my Seasonal Notebook with me, this will be a post for paid subscribers.
Whether you’ve been part of this journey for a while, or if you’re new here, you’re very welcome. If you’d like to read about why I started Rediscover · Reconnect · Re-Emerge on Substack, then here is my very first post, recently updated:
You can read more about me here, and also, don’t forget to visit the A Life More Creative website.
This Rediscover · Reconnect · Re-Emerge post is free to read; however, to dig deeper and access the full range of posts and resources, you can become a paid subscriber for just £4 a month, or £40 a year. Paid subscriptions help me to continue creating new content, affording me time and space to explore new ideas, and allow me to continue supporting others to do the same. Every paid subscription has a big impact 🙏
Space prevents me sharing too many posts, but my most popular post in the last quarter was August’s edition of Slow & Simple Moments in which I shared some reflections on my need to seek calm and stillness in the busyness of late-summer. This seemed to really resonate with you in the days when summer hasn’t quite left, but autumn hasn’t yet fully arrived:
Slow & Simple Moments | 08.24
Amidst the busyness of late-summer, moments of rest and renewal seem even more important, as we seek solace in the world around us, craving a sense of stillness and calm.
The post I enjoyed writing most was September’s edition of Inspirations & Connections, in which I explored my deeply-felt connection with the wild places whose inspiration is etched in my memory. Many of you felt similar, that in the vast wilderness of these spaces, we somehow find ourselves:
Inspirations & Connections | VI. Wild
Community, and creating a sense of community, is so important to me, and to the world. In this series, taking a particular theme, I want to share with you some of the inspirations, connections and other communities which have enriched my life, in the hope that they may do the same for you too.
Thank you so much for sharing this journey with me, for all your likes, comments, shares and recommendations, and I look forward to bringing you more thoughts and reflections in the months and seasons to come.
If you’re not already doing so, I’d love you to follow me over on Instagram. You can also visit the A Life More Creative website, where you can find out more about My Story, and read articles from my online Journal. Subscribe on Substack to receive new posts and to support my work:
I am very glad you are here. Your gentle approach to seasonal living is a lovely way to begin each Sunday and here's to many more!
Ahhh I'm so honored to be a part of that wonderful list, David! Thank you so much 🥰 I love reading your words and I'm awaiting the day that a roast with mint jelly appears, hehe. Wait. Was it a mint jelly? I'm suddenly doubting my mind as I'm known to mix words up 😅😂