i’ve been feeling quite sad.

for the past five months, i’ve been doing an exchange program in la. and somehow, these last three weeks after classes ended have been the most memorable of all.

i’ve made new memories, met amazing people, and grew even closer to my friends.

but this week, this chapter in my life has closed, and now, i’m back home.

honestly, it didn’t really hit me until i walked through my front door. part of me still felt like i had another month in la.

going from hanging out with your closest friends almost every day to suddenly nothing felt like a punch to the gut.

the pain that comes after saying goodbye hurts a lot.

i sometimes wonder if it’s even worth getting close in the first place.

but every time i go through this, i always land on the same answer: i’d rather have made the connection and felt the loss, than never have experienced it at all.

and that’s a price i’m willing to pay – every single time.

creator insights 🎥

today i want to talk about the wave analogy.

i’ve heard this used to describe artists, but i think it resonates just the same with content creators.

now imagine yourself as a surfer.

every time you post content, you’re heading out into the ocean, looking for a wave to catch.

and when you finally catch one, you ride that shi out for as long as you can.

that feeling of riding a wave is exhilarating. it can feel like you’re on top of the world.

but eventually, things slow down, and you find yourself back on shore, looking for the next wave to catch.

as creators, we go through countless waves. and after each one, the same question always creeps in:

“what’s next?”

it’s a question that can be both exciting and terrifying.

it affects all of us, no matter how big of a creator you are.

to keep showing up, you either have to really love creating, or have some kind of fire inside you that keeps pushing you forward.

and i’m not saying this to glaze myself LMAO. 

i just wanted to try and put words to a feeling.

if you’ve been feeling in between waves, just know: you’re not alone out there in the water.

from the garden 🌷

here’s what a few of you said about something small that made your day recently:

thank yall for sharing. it’s so nice to slow down and appreciate the small things in life.

here’s a question for next week:

what’s a moment from this past week you wish you could relive?

if you want your response featured on this newsletter’s next issue fill out this form!

community spotlight 💬

hey ash,

this one’s tough, and i get how hard it can be to shift your mindset and frame things in a more positive light.

personally, i have a history of being really hard on myself, especially during high school.

i’d beat myself up over not getting the best grade, or shame myself for making a mistake.

one idea that’s helped me is this:

love yourself like you’d love someone you care deeply about.

in the beginning, it’s inevitable that negative thoughts will show up. but when they do, and you’re able to recognize them, ask yourself:

“is this something i’d say to a loved one?”

if the answer is no, then you probably don’t deserve to hear it either.

it sounds simple, but it takes time to notice those moments and practice being kind to yourself.

even just a small moment of compassion can start to shift the way you see yourself over time.

hope this helps.

p.s. if you want your question featured in next week’s newsletter, fill out this form!!

YOOOOOOO

apologies for the delay in getting this issue out, and thank you once again for reading this far. this week has been a lot for me, so i just wanted to express my gratitude to you, who have been accompanying me throughout it all.

wishing you all the best,

tulio sasaya