A few years ago, we had our family room area renovated. For two months, we couldn’t use our TV, and that broke a daily habit. We rarely watch TV at all anymore; in fact, I think the last time we watched something was Love Actually at Christmas. We have reclaimed our evenings, reading, writing, and listening to music. A side benefit to this has been not watching the news and instead turning to independent journalism, such as Substack.
Substack describes itself as “the app for independent voices.” It is basically a subscriber supported platform for newsletters — think blogs, and you’ll get the picture. The newsletters are free, but some also have the option to pay a membership fee for extra posts or to be able to participate in the comment chats. You can opt for email notices of new posts by the writers you follow.
Substack offers a topic-driven search option to find newsletters of interest to you. You can even search their list of top newsletters. Essentially, you can personally curate your reading. Such a great concept!
What I love, though, is finding those newsletters that bring me joy. Yes, I read a few political writers, but with the intent of lowering my stress level and doomsday factor, focusing on joy each day has become, honestly, addictive.
Gurdeep Pandher, the Bhangra dancer and educator, satisfies my desire to look at life philosophically and with the purpose of finding joy. His writing is beautiful, accessible, uplifting, and, of course, always accompanied by a short video of him dancing somewhere in Canada. Each of his newsletters are like an exercise in mindfulness.
Then, there’s Tilly Moses, past musician and folk writer, now disabled and chronically ill, who brings great joy through her “whimsical, second-hand fashion.” Tilly posts 14-second videos of her outfit for the day, always full of colour! She is an advocate for repurposing, and she is a gentle teacher about navigating the world as a young, disabled person. She is always smiling and makes the world seem like a better place.
Finally, there’s always the possibility you know someone who writes on Substack. I follow someone in town who keeps a daily journal, and though it isn’t always a joyful journal, reading it each day grounds me as it reminds me we are all human and in the same boat.
Substack brings me joy each day. If you are looking for a way to stay connected to the world but to disconnect from the daily barrage of corporate media news and mindless TV shows, it’s a delightful alternative.
