✨ the SPARK 189 ~ When Things Feel Wobbly

Welcome to the 189th issue of SPARK, a weekly newsletter that helps you transform daily experiences into compelling content that
captivates and sells.

Have you ever noticed how a song can instantly take you back to a moment in time as though it were yesterday?

A few days ago, I saw this TikTok video where a young British gal, maybe in her mid-20s, asked Americans to tell her about the song “Wobble” (cue, Wobble Baby, Wobble Baby… 🎶).

And sorry for the earworm or - if you feel like dancing now, it’s a catchy tune. 😉

That video came out 14 years ago!

And while that song doesn’t necessarily take me back to something specific, it made me think about where I was when it came out.

My life looked very different in 2010 than it does today.

I had only been in business for two years, had two kids at home, and lived in suburbia.

Facebook and Twitter were fun, TikTok didn’t exist, and I was in my early days as “The WordPress Chick.”

If anyone had told me what the next fourteen years would be like, personally, in my business, and the world, I would have thought they had a screw loose.

The loss, heartache, and challenges would have felt like too much.

But that’s life, isn’t it?

A few pivots, lots of wobbles, and, of course, plenty of joy too.

Which is kind of where I’m at right now.

Feeling a bit wobbly in what feels like a new chapter in my life.

The crazy thing is I can’t quite define the wobbly feeling. I know it’s not about moving back to Costa Rica (thrilled about that)… or leaving family (it’s been really lovely getting to spend so much time with everyone & will see them all soon. And amen for Facetime & WhatsApp!).

The precipice I’m on for this new chapter that feels a bit wobbly is with my business.

There is so much changing in the online space right now:

• AI: AI is impacting everything (which I love).

• Pay-to-play: Organic works, and I still recommend it, but it works best when paired with a paid traffic strategy.

• Search: No one really knows what SEO will look like with generative search. How many people use AI for search instead of Google? 🤔

• So.Much.Content: How do you stand out? How do you differentiate yourself? That will look different for everyone - but you have to put the effort in.

  • And a side note: Focus on the people you want to help. You do not need hundreds of thousands of followers or a massive email list to earn a living that supports the life you want to live. You get to decide what your “enough” is.

• Burnout: This may just be the people I’m talking to (all mid-life) or the content I’m consuming, but man…there seems to be a lot of this going around. *And it’s not just in this industry.

This brings me to the million-dollar question:

What do you do when things feel wobbly?

✔ First, as contrary as it might sound, do nothing.

Just because you feel like something needs to change, you don’t have to burn it all to the ground and take action immediately 🔥 (even if the idea of that feels good. And I get it, somehow, taking any action feels better than no action).

✔ Next… breathe and create space for yourself to find some clarity.

Think of it this way… if you needed to clean out your garage because it had become a dumping ground from being busy the last six months, you wouldn’t just rent a dumpster and throw it all away without looking at it (and hat tip to you if you could, haha).

You’d take the time to work through it all and decide what needs to stay, what needs to go, and how you need to organize everything.

✔ Then, do a little talking and writing.

Don’t talk to everyone… be selective in who you choose to share this with. Choose people who care about you and can hold this in a supportive but direct way.

This is one of the reasons I still talk to my therapist. It’s all about self-responsibility while being supported and not judged.

Do a little free writing/journaling. Putting something down on paper (and I do recommend actual pen and paper, but if typing is your jam, you do you) is incredibly powerful.

In fact, when you write things down, you externalize your thoughts, which can help you prioritize and make better decisions.

Lastly, know that the wobble eventually stops, and we regain our balance. 😉

SPARK Spotlight 🔥

I am SO freaking excited about STORYSlides. I know I said this week, but I’ve added something else and have to adjust the templates and the lessons (you’ll also get the custom GPT for the story frameworks AND this new element! But I can’t tell you what it is. Yet… mwahaha).

A Little Brainpower 🧠

Just when I thought beehiiv couldn’t get any better… they’ve acquired Typedream. This will be interesting. Read the announcement here.

Regardless of the medium, you can't get someone's attention if you can’t write a good headline. “The Best Headlines: Short & Simple.”

With all the AI content out there, read “How Google is Cracking Down on Sh*t Content.”

Tool Time 🛠

• Notion: Well, how about that! Notion just launched Notion Sites. A fast & easy way to get a website up and running. Get it free here.

• Video: Streamline video editing with cloud, AI, and collaboration. Try Ozone free here.

• More Video: Create new shorts based on an idea, link, or text. With AI, create viral videos in minutes. Try Revid.ai free here.

• Podcast: I don’t know if I could do an AI podcast (I enjoy doing them too much), but if you can clone your voice, that puts a whole new spin on things. Try MakePodcast free here.

Yes, please 🤣

It’s hard to believe next week is July already (And I know, I probably say that every month).

But this year feels extra fast for some reason.

Even with the holiday in the States next week (July 4th), I’ll be working the first part of the week, focusing on getting STORYSlides out.

Then I plan a long weekend with family (Happy Birthday to ME! July 6th 😉).

I know this wrap-up is short and sweet (well, to me, it is, haha), but the rest was a little longer, so on that note…

Have a wonderful day,
Kim