Say Yes! and back to Substack
Back to writing (although I wrote throughout the summer) + some updates + goodies
👋 Hello, dear creative. How are you doing today?
Long time no see! It’s been two months, and I’m finally back to my newsletters. I missed it, but the break was necessary for the right reasons. It’s funny how stepping back and shifting focus can bring clarity and renewed belief in your projects. I had a wonderful conversation with a fellow Substack writer, and during our talk, I realized that what matters most to me is seeing the vision unfold and surprise me. So, I am back with refreshed energy and a renewed joy to share ideas, artists, and projects with you. I hope they inspire and motivate you daily to tap into your creative power.
You are a creator of experiences! Have fun and take the lead
Positive thinking changes everything
Before the holidays, I wasn’t feeling great. I was overwhelmed with worry and negative thoughts. It didn’t feel like me. One morning, a revealing meditation song came to me, and I realized I needed to feed my mind with what I wanted, rather than focusing on what wasn’t here yet. That marked the beginning of my three-month journey into an intense positive-thinking routine. Music, meditation, walking, laughing, approaching life with immense gratitude, and watching movies became my focus. From Catherine Tate to Jim Carrey, I have my laughter rituals. One of the movies that reignited the word ‘‘Yes’’ in my life was Yes, Man. I had never watched it before, and I was pleasantly surprised by how its benevolent ideas and the lesson to say ‘‘Yes’’ mindfully can shift your whole perspective.
It’s not wishful thinking it is ‘‘intentional I want this thinking’’
📚 Writing and expanding an idea: I got into this vibe, and it’s a blessing to keep rolling with it. Not every day feels effortless, but I notice myself shifting gears quickly, and for me, that’s a green light. So, all summer, fueled by that energy, I returned to writing my book and even started a new, unexpected one designed for female founders. Yes, it’s a story for another issue. I will be sharing more about it in the coming weeks!
🎤 Speaking in public is fun: I had my first public speaking experience a few days ago. Before the holidays, I was invited to be part of a panel in Paris to speak about branding and storytelling. I said yes, joyfully encouraged by the positive mindset I was cultivating. Long story short, it was a blast—so much fun, natural, and engaging. Despite it being a challenging step, I never thought it would be done with so much ease. You can read about it here, I shared a quick thank-you note.
What if saying ''Yes'' could change everything?
Saying ''Yes'' to that new project, even if you have never done something like that before. Saying ''Yes'' to creating a Substack, even if you are unsure how to stand out. In a nutshell, say ''Yes'' to new opportunities that align and bring you joy. As creatives, especially today, it’s easy to view the glass as half empty. You look around and see the economy, world crisis, AI, blurred lines in the creative role, and so much more. While saying ''Yes'' may not bring you an immediate result, it shifts your focus towards possibility. As a result, we need to say ''Yes'' to those opportunities that truly call us. That creative fire has a sound, song, and soundtrack.
All I know is that despite what might be going wrong, some things are going right! If I can infuse that focus into my work and vision, it will guide and fuel me to keep growing and creating. I have always been optimistic, but I realized I lacked deep, deep, deep belief. It is that unwavering belief in what I can do and want to achieve. So, choosing ''Yes'' daily has been helpful to believe more and creating better.
Feel good, create good!
As we enter a new season and prepare for the remaining months of the year, let’s infuse our creative machinery with positive thoughts, believing that, against all odds, we can thrive and become better at what we do.
🐎 Opportunity knocks
In every letter, I share opportunities I stumbled upon. There are so many cool grants, funding, competitions, and more to enter to experience progress. I hope the list of the week will be useful.
🖼️ Beyond Future Art Prize 2024 (Theme of 2024: Women: Empowerment and Expressions. Open to all artists and creatives around the world⟶ Free entry).
🇨🇭 Grant residency in Switzerland (For a wide range of art fields. The financial support includes a grant of 4,000 CHF, travel, transportation, and meal expenses and material costs⟶ Deadline: October 13th).
🎬 The Black List amplifies voices (Their Unpublished Novel Award celebrates rising unpublished manuscripts in seven genres: Children's & Young Adult, Crime & Mystery, Horror, Literary Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction & Fantasy, and Thriller & Suspense ⟶ Deadline: June 27, 2025).
🤩 Creative awe
🥕 I am obsessed with Juicing (A whole new world is opening up for me. I am familiar with fasting, but juicing is on another level. To support my creative genius, I juice daily. What about you? Are you a member of the juicing club?).
🎯 5 ways to improve your energy (Ashley reached out to me after purchasing one of my digital products and introduced me to a niche I had never considered. She shared her resource for mompreneurs).
✅ You should research Art licensing (I stumbled on this topic a few weeks ago and it did ring a bell. The potential for passive income is interesting, but I need to research and test it out. I also found this conversation motivating).
👩🏽🎨 Submitting work to an illustration agency (This article provides great tips and strategies to effectively share your work. With a comprehensive list to get you started, you can elevate your email skills. Now, the Art of standing out is another topic. May your body of work speak for itself!).
Creativity is in every little curious experimentation.
I hope you enjoyed this back-to-school issue. Feel free to share it with peers, friends and family! It helps more people discover this space. I leave you with my favorite song these days, a magical blend if you ask me!
Bon Vendredi (Friday)!
Keva.
