Change on the way

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Something new is afoot.

I'll keep this brief.

Laughter is heard from an unknown source.

You might remember I mentioned balance as this year's goal. I had a few additional goals I didn't publicly declare, each contributing to balance in its own way.

Photo from left to right, my Aunt Lura and my mother Helen

These two beauties are my mom, Helen (on the right), and her sister, Lura (on the left). They lived to be 99 and 98, respectively. I've often written about each, but this post is not about them. Instead, it's about the possibility of my longevity and planning accordingly. 

In two words, I didn't— plan to live to 100 years old. 

And maybe I won’t live that long. My father had heart disease, which, if my cholesterol levels are indicative, I've inherited a fair share of my father's genes. But then there's the fact that I didn't go through menopause until I was 60, and I don't color my hair at 69. 

God has a great sense of humor.

To be on the safe side of living to 100 in a time I could never have imagined, creating an additional income stream is a prudent idea, no?

I've spent the last five years working toward that goal with my writing and yoga. This week, I accepted a new position teaching yin yoga at the loveliest of yoga studios in Loomis, California, Santosha, adding to my beloved Cool yoga classes. 

And no doubt, I've worked hard to develop my writing skills. BUT I've put very little energy into growing my paid subscriptions here on the Substack platform. If I was the CEO of my newsletter, I'd have fired my ass quite some time ago, or at least put me on notice.

To that end, I've begun working with

Erin Shetron

, a marketing consultant who’s recently been dubbed as the “Substack Whisper”¹ to help increase my Substack subscriptions and grow my paid audience. After only one meeting with her, I must say… yes! She's unique, sincere, and opinionated, full of ideas and wisdom. I'm inspired and confident that with her help, I will create a more significant income stream (one worthy of living way too long) while still concentrating on what I love, writing. Erin also produces the

FREQUENT CRIERS CLUB

here on Substack. Someone who is a crier, we might all be able to attest, is a good fit for me. I kid you not, we both got a tad bit weepy in our first two conversations.

I’m also writing a new book, which I’m extremely excited about. Many have asked if I will publish a Lessons of a Wayward Yogini II, and while I intend to do so, this book is entirely different. I will definitely be bringing my readers along on that journey throughout this year. More on that later.

Erin and I will be working on a few changes in the months ahead to encourage a larger paid subscription membership and thank my paid members. I won't announce what I'm changing to any significant degree. Like any creative chef, I plan to throw the pasta against the wall and see what sticks. I'll rely on all of you, paid or free, to help steer this ship.

With that said, though, I do want to announce the upcoming changes in terms of when to expect Tales in your inbox.

Beginning in February, The Friday post will arrive every other Friday, and the final Friday of the month will be a paid subscriber-only post. I’m thinking of calling it The Final Friday Post.

Wow, she’s quite creative.

In months with five Fridays, which won't occur until May, I'll leave that additional Friday open to see what might pop up. The 'Monday morning cup of thoughts' will remain a constant, arriving in your inbox every Monday morning. 

These changes will allow me to devote extra hours to my longer posts and play with new ideas, ensuring that the quality of the content remains high and engaging for my readers. 

Okay, that’s it for now, my Sweets. Wishing you all a blessed weekend.

1. Substack’s

Alex Dobrenko`

recently nicknamed Erin the “Substack Whisperer.”