A few days ago, I
asked:
Do you have something you'd like to "Show & Tell"?
Maybe an article, book, video, podcast, song, painting, product, activism project, workshop, or... something else you've created? Something you love?
Something you're proud of? Something you wish more people knew about?
I got about 200 responses—and they're still rolling in. Responses from Poland, Canada, and Colorado. Messages from teenagers, from college students, and from people in their 60s and 70s. Submissions from seasoned entrepreneurs and from people who are quietly putting their very first website together.
So much love. So much courage. So many different ways of saying, "This is me. This is my work. This is my way of leaving our world in slightly better condition than I found it."
You'll find a big list down below.
I hope these projects inspire you, lift your spirits, and leave you feeling curious about your own goals and ambitions. Perhaps you'll think to yourself...
"What about me?" "What do I want to create?" "What do I want to contribute?" "What's a tiny, beautiful project that I could
realistically finish this year?" "If all of those people completed a project, well... why not me, too?"
Without further ado, I present to you...
— COMMUNITY SHOW & TELL —
{in no particular order}
Sinclair is very excited to share his weekly newsletter which is called Sinclair.ity. One piece of writing that he's especially proud of is this
one, which is about his mental health journey.
Nikki self-published her first collection of poetry. It's called ROOTS. She's really excited because she never considered herself to be a "real writer"... until
now.
Katy started The Imagination Project. Her goal is to give kids in developing countries free access to art education, and support them in pursuing their creative
dreams.
Liz is the host of Wild Poplars Radio, a show that celebrates the art of spoken-word poetry.
Jessica is very excited about her latest
music collaboration, which you'll find here.
Curtis has a new painting series, which he describes as "explorations and expressions of freedom through a free-form and spontaneous dance of color and form." Here are some of his
creations...
Kristi created Breakup Freedom, a website dedicated to helping people get over their breakups with grace.
Bernard wrote his first book, Rainbow Revolution. It's a book about the healing power of color, and how we can use colors to transform our mood and our lives. (To celebrate his book release on July 11th, he's taking himself to an Idina Menzel
concert. YAY!)
Lorelai is thrilled to be leading a theater summer camp for kids. It's called Forest Stories. Games, crafts, stories, and performances inspired by forest myths and legends.
Daniel and Thavary are creating a short film called Bitter Melons. It's a story about a woman who reconnects with her estranged father, and also with her tribe, family, and Cambodian roots.
Alexandria
wrote a blog post to honor her strong, resilient grandma, who passed away last year at age 93.
Maggie decided to do 1,000 yoga sun salutations during the month of June... and she actually did it! She told me, "My heart is just so full. I didn't always have the kind of confidence it takes to chase such a big goal, and now I do." Next up: she's writing an article about her experience.
Ruth has been making beautiful paintings like these...
Alison is the voice behind The Good Therapists, a blog about therapy, mental health, and taking charge of your life.
Courtney has a project called Househacking 101, where she teaches young people how to find creative, resourceful ways to live for free.
Mary Beth is very excited about her new service, Writes of Passage. She helps people craft meaningful vows and ceremonies (weddings, birth blessings, adoption ceremonies, funerals, divorces... any meaningful transition or moment.)
Christy is thrilled about her collection of videos on topics like: self-care, building resilience, and creating more compassion for yourself.
Isabelle has a class where she teaches people how to sense energies and auras.
Anne is a singer-songwriter and she's got some new music, which you can find here. (Anne, I especially loved the song called "Let You Down." It gave me chills.)
Danielle created, in her own words, "a sweet little online class" that's all about infusing more beauty and creativity into everyday life... even when life feels insanely busy. Danielle is also a very talented photographer. Here's a big gallery of photos that she captured during a Women's March earlier this year. These are a few of my favorites...
Elizabeth created an adorable 1-minute movie where parents share the story of their baby's birth in just 6 words.
Rachel runs Camp Souldust, a 3-night summer camp for grown-ups that's happening near Seattle.
Justin is a personal trainer and yoga instructor. He recently revamped his website, and he is very excited to offer
a new service—you can hire him to come and teach fitness classes at your workshop, conference, or retreat. He's happy to travel pretty much anywhere.
Kasia is a Polish girl living in Iceland and she's
writing a blog about her experiences.
Ashley and Jenna have created a website called Eff Perfect, which is a place for people who want to release perfectionism and feel more confident about messing up and taking risks.
Sommer is doing a 100-day photo project. She's 2-ish weeks into the project so far. (Don't stop, Sommer! Go go go! All the way to the finish line!)
Jacqueline is jazzed to be involved with Dine On The Land, a dinner party that brings together 100 strangers to share a home-cooked meal on a farm.
Cassie has written a book called You Are Enough.
It's being released this October.
Mallory started a podcast called Badass Creatives. It just got added to the iTunes directory a few days ago, and she's uploading the first 3 episodes this
week.
Malini published a piece called "How Coffee Saved Me," which she wrote on the 3rd anniversary of her husband's passing. In addition to writing, she also loves to express herself through painting and
photographs, like these...
Amy has a new short film called Internal Dialogue which showcases her clothing designs. Each garment is inspired by a part of the human anatomy, like the lungs, ligaments, and nervous system.
Sarah is the founding
editor of Storychord, and she's so proud of this project. (Side note: she's always looking for more fiction, art, and music submissions, so if you've got something, get in
touch with her.)
Lorie is very proud of her website, where she shares advice on storytelling, personal growth, and self-discovery.
Christina and her daughter co-wrote and illustrated a children's book, which teaches little kids how to do Pilates. Christina told me, "I never thought I would be a writer... but when I feel I have something to say, I work extra hard to share it."
Ben (my
older brother!) released a new jazz album called What We Bring. And he's going on tour!
Lucy (my aunt!) is a virtual assistant who loves doing research, proofreading, bookkeeping, event planning, project management, and lots of other tasks. She spent many years living in Japan—and recently, she launched a new blog that's all about Japanese cuisine. So cool!
Steve and his wife Nina recorded
the Gayatri Mantra. You can listen to it here. They made this gorgeous recording to honor the traditions and knowledge of India. He says, "It is our humble way to spread more love and healing in the
world."
Tiffany has written a book called 30 Day Stay, which is about her experiences inside a 30-day domestic violence shelter.
(Tiffany, I'm so grateful you're safe and OK now.) Victoria wants to spread the word about an event called Convention Days. It's a 3-day event that
commemorates the first US women's rights convention, which was held back in 1848. This year's event includes live music, film screenings, art exhibits, and more.
Kortney is stoked to be working on a new novel called Spellbound Station. It's about witches, specifically featuring black women—and other characters of color—as the main cast. She doesn't have a website/link for it
yet, but she's gushing with excitement about this project. She told me: "I feel it's the story I've been trying to write for years, the one I won't let get away this time." (Kortney, please keep me posted as things develop!)
Nicola works as a funeral celebrant. She recently launched a project called I Was Here. In her own words, "it's a website about the beauty of being mortal—and leaving positive legacies after we've gone."
Maria is running a class called MOMENTUM. It's all about marketing, attracting clients, and "promoting your brilliance with clarity, style and grace."
Lisa wrote a book called How Pole Dancing
Changed My Life, in which she tells the true story of "an overworked and overweight academic who takes up pole dancing to unleash her erotic inner-self." Yowza. You can download a free chapter here.
Mindy is writing a book on how to honor, memorialize, and remember a beloved pet after they’ve passed away. To stay in-the-loop about the project, you can hang with Mindy over on Facebook.
A different Mindy is creating a new program where she'll help people upgrade their eating habits and manage health issues like diabetes and high blood pressure.
Susan is producing a film festival that's all about female athletes and their stories.
A different Susan is doing fine art photography. She says, "my images are applied to metallics and textiles because I like the juxtaposition of shiny and squishy." Here's what she's been working on lately...
That's the end of Community Show & Tell.
But not forever. Just for today. I'll send
out another Show & Tell list in a month or so, because I still have about 150 more submissions sitting in my inbox that need to be shared. More to come.
. . . A few closing thoughts.
Our world is a terrifying place, sometimes. OK, a lot of the
time.
Almost every time I turn on the radio and hear a snippet of the news, I feel a sick, wrenching sensation in my stomach. My adrenaline spikes. My anxiety soars. But then I remember...
"Not everything is awful. There are hundreds, thousands, even millions of people who are kind, generous, caring, and thoughtful. People who are
working to make our world a safer, gentler, more beautiful place."
People like you. People like everyone on the list that you just read. And so many more.
To the artists. To the healers. To the helpers. To the people who care.
It might not always feel like it, but...
They're everywhere.
-Alex
|
|
|
