More Myself is getting a glow up
Introducing A Call to Eudaimonia and I’m writing a book (!)
Last week, I shared that I had updates on what’s ahead over the coming weeks.
Today, I’m excited to share three updates 🥁
I’m doubling down on More Myself and adding a paid supporter plan ($99/year or $9/month)
I’m introducing a new series to the newsletter called A Call to Eudaimonia
I’m writing my first book (!)
Starting in the new year, this newsletter will house all my work charting paths towards modern day human flourishing. By becoming a paid supporter, you’ll help me more sustainably invest my energy into this newsletter, this community, and the visions I share below.
For paid supporters: my intention is to 1) share more intimate behind the scenes context on how I approach my inner work journey and 2) support you in navigating your own course towards flourishing.
You’ll receive weekly essays, chapters of my first book, and an invitation to ask me questions for Ask Me Anything (AMA) issues.
For free subscribers: you’ll continue to have access to ~two essays a month.
As a thank you for being an early supporter, I’m gifting 24% off ($75/year or <$7/month) for the first year if you subscribe by Christmas Eve on Sunday, 12/24 🎁
the vision for More Myself in 2024
When I first started this project, my intention was to reconnect with writing, a form of self-expression that fueled younger me, in hopes of finding my way back to myself. I was finally making meaningful strides in my journey inwards which set off a cascade of revelations about the shadows I’d long suppressed.
One year in, I feel more grounded and rooted in myself than ever — in large part due to being seen by you. Your support has allowed me to see myself more clearly and given me the courage to continually publish what’s on my heart. I’m deeply grateful.
As I enter this next season of life, I have grand ambitions of where we’ll go together. One of those dreams is to expand the newsletter to imagine a more beautiful and psychologically resilient world and begin to pave our way there.
1️⃣ Paving paths towards modern day human flourishing
As humanity finds its way to a post-scarcity world, I dream of rewriting societal narratives around what it means to live a meaningful life. When we think about human progress, we think of economic growth and technological advancements, often at the expense of our collective psychological well-being.
While we’ve raised the baseline for our material worlds, our inner worlds are more dysregulated than ever. For so long, our society has focused on reducing mental illness, moving us from -1 to 0, but what happens when we get to 0? Reducing suffering is just the first step on the path towards human flourishing. I don’t strive to build a world where our goal is just to arrive at baseline.
I want to build a world where psychological and emotional well-being are just as important as our physical well-being.
I want to catalyze cultures of introspection and agency, normalizing turning towards our suffering with loving kindness as the answer to setting ourselves free.
I want to empower ambitious people to fuel their greatest aspirations from a foundation of wholeness and security.
I want to shift our relationship with work from an exercise in wealth and status accumulation to acts of self-expression.
I want to reimagine what human progress looks like.
Building this world starts from within. I do “the work” so that I can find my way back to myself. I share it to create reference points for others so that doing the work can become an ordinary course of life. Turning inward — taking our triggers, shadows, insecurities, and relationship dynamics into our own hands — and resolving our inner conflict day in and day out is the first step in walking the path towards collective flourishing.
As part of this vision, I’m excited to introduce a new series to the newsletter, A Call to Eudaimonia, starting in the new year. The notion of eudaimonia was first coined by Aristotle in his Nicomachean Ethics. Eudaimonia transcends the fleeting sense of happiness and is rooted in embodying the highest human good. We’ve been contemplating the pursuit of a life well lived since the dawn of time. It is my belief that every single human on this earth deserves to experience a life well lived, whatever that means for them. It’s time to redefine modern day human flourishing.
My intention is to reimagine the ways we live, work, and play. Practically, I’ll continue investigating themes centered around human flourishing including love and partnership, friendships and community, introspection and inner work, and work and self-expression. I’ll also continue to spearhead larger projects like emotional embracement with an orientation towards experimentation and aliveness.
My intention is to draw wisdom from existing perspectives of what it means to flourish, starting with the western interpretation of positive psychology, the field of psychology dedicated to the science of human flourishing, founded by Dr. Martin Seligman, the former President of the American Psychological Association.
2️⃣ Writing my first book (!)
I’m writing a creative nonfiction book next year, potentially the first of a series called Joy in Mourning a Life that Could’ve Been. I plan to serialize it by releasing one chapter at a time via this newsletter and provide early access to paid subscribers. ~Once a month, I’ll publish a chapter with an invitation to share your stories and feedback.
As a result of doing “the work” and learning to connect with my inner wisdom, particularly in this last year, I’ve seen profound changes in how I show up in the world and my overall psychological well-being. In recent months, I’ve seen glimpses of who I would’ve become had I not embarked on this journey. I’ve observed meaningful shifts in my vision for what’s possible in this lifetime, the dynamics in my partnership with my husband, and my general disposition for moving through the world. My first book will be a collection of essays reflecting on a life that could have been had I ignored the calls of my existential dread whispering, this isn’t the path for you.
Your support would mean the world to me as I breathe life into these two visions.
what’s changing? why might you subscribe?
free subscribers
Bi-monthly essays: continued access to my writing (~2 essays a month)
paid supporters — $99/year or $9/month
Weekly essays: I’ll continue to publish essays weekly with the intention to share more intimate behind the scenes context on my journey inward as well as tactical thoughts in the form of guides (think: How to Sabbatical) and templates (think: Annual Recalibration)
Upcoming essay: Reflections from our annual partnership retreat (plus itinerary & agenda template)
Early access to chapters of my first book: every month, I’ll publish a chapter of my book with an invitation to share your stories and feedback
Sneak preview of chapters: Persimmon season, The quiet things that no one ever knows, The loudest voice
Ask Me Anything (AMAs): an ongoing segment where I’ll welcome paid supporters to ask me questions on anything and everything
patron supporters — $365/year or $1/day
All the perks of a paid subscription plus:
A signed and dedicated copy of my first book
I have a number of other ideas for this newsletter that I’ll experiment with in the new year and share with paid supporters.
ways to support
If my writing has resonated with you, I’d love to ask for your support in helping me continue to spend my time and energy writing and breathing life into the visions above. It would mean a lot to have you along for the adventure.
1. Upgrade as a paid subscriber: If you have the means, I’d be honored to have you join me in this next season of More Myself as a paid supporter.
Subscribe by Christmas Eve (Sunday, 12/24) and get 24% off ($75/year or <$7/month) for the first year 🎁
2. Gift a subscription to a friend or sponsor a fellow reader: If there’s someone in your life that would benefit from seeing themselves more clearly, consider gifting them a subscription.
Alternatively, if you’re interested in supporting someone who doesn’t have the financial means at the moment, you’re welcome to sponsor a subscription.
3. Provide non-monetary hype: If you’re interested in supporting, but can’t swing it financially right now, I’d love your support in whatever way feels most meaningful to you.
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If you’re interested in becoming a paid supporter, but don’t have the financial means at the moment, hit reply and let me know.
As we move into 2024, I’m incredibly excited to commit my life force to charting paths towards modern day human flourishing, one essay and one project at a time. I hope my commitment serves as a reference point for you in reimagining what’s possible in your own life and freeing yourself from a lifetime of shoulds.
More to come soon on other projects underway and ways to get involved!
Thank you for seeing me and allowing me to see myself. I hope my words have helped and continue to help you see yourself more clearly.
With immense gratitude,
Cissy
If you’re new to More Myself, here are three essays you may enjoy:
Let me know in the comments what elements of modern day human flourishing most resonate with you or say hi on Twitter.
Thanks to Ryan, Stevie Wright, Matt Yao, Kiran, Vinamrata Singal, Kasra, Dennis Xiao, and Paul Millerd for your meaningful feedback as I shaped the future of this newsletter and my work and to everyone who has rooted for me on this journey.
"While we’ve raised the baseline for our material worlds, our inner worlds are more dysregulated than ever." yes, yes, yes!
Super excited for you Cissy!