Dear Friends,

I'm not very well-versed in the Taylor Swift universe, but I definitely understand her appeal. Especially when she says something that cuts right to the heart of what it means to make things.

In this short clip, she nails the whole job of being an artist — and honestly, maybe the whole job of being anyone doing anything:

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Create something you love (or, to be more precise, get out of the way while creation happens through you), put it out to the world as an offering, and then let go of what happens next. People may hate it now, but love it later. People may hate it forever. That part isn't our job. Our job is to keep producing things that feel honest and true, and to tolerate the risk of putting it out into the world.

It reminds me of this line from the Dar Williams song What Do You Love More Than Love:​

"I love the way the world is your garden, you plant your seeds and you let them grow. And you dig things out of the ground just like you'll take what comes, but you never know."

I'm exquisitely attuned to this concept right now, as I slowly work on writing my next book. The biggest stumbling block in my progress is when I start wondering whether other people will like or hate my book, whether it is destined to failure or success. When I get lost in these thoughts, all my ideas dry up. Every line sounds idiotic. It is a total creativity killer. And yet just yelling at myself to stop worrying about what other people think doesn't really help either.

How do I find my way back to something approximating Swiftian confidence? I slow down. I remember that my project is not really mine – it's life expressing itself through me. Sometimes I have to ask the book itself, in a whisper:

what do you want to say?

and then really listen for the answer. Sometimes I imagine the person reading it as a really good friend who already loves me and really wants to hear the next line of writing.

What about you? What helps you get through the inner critics and the fears of rejection in order to produce the art or writing or projects that are ready to be born? I'd love to hear about it.

Also, I need your help, friends.

I still need a title for my book — a guide to turning midlife anxiety into aliveness by helping people access their deepest longings as a roadmap back to themselves. Which of these would make you pull it from the shelf, or select it on Audible? And if none of them, do you have other ideas?

Thanks so much for weighing in. Of course, I can't promise the publisher will bite on our suggestions, but it is worth a try!

With so much love,

Yael

P.S. In an attempt to build our beautiful community, I'm going to move us over to Substack! You don't need to do anything (except just check your spam if we lose you) — I'll migrate you over and future newsletters will come from there. If you'd prefer not to make the move, just let me know.

P.P.S: Know someone who needs to hear this message? Send them to my substack! ​

Retreats!

There is nothing quite like a retreat to jump-start (or deepen) your practice, re-set your life, and reconnect you to what really matters. I am co-teaching on a bunch this summer - hope to see you there!

Yael Shy is the CEO and Founder of Sefira Wellness with over two decades of supporting others in uncovering their inherent worth and capacity for deep joy through mindfulness. She is the author of the award-winning book What Now? Meditation for Your Twenties and Beyond (Parallax, 2017) and teaches at NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service. You can find her on Instagram at @yaelshy1. 2299 Summer St. #1249, Stamford, CT 06905 ​Unsubscribe · Preferences​