Taking a pause & looking forward...

Southern Tasmania courtesy of Jackie Feather

Dear friends,

When I joined Substack on a whim just a few months ago, I had exactly one piece I wanted to write – exploring how I decided to have children despite knowing the world was in crisis. That post struck a nerve, bringing an unexpected surge of early followers. Then lightning struck twice when a casual note resonated widely, and suddenly I found myself with over 2,700 subscribers in just 12 weeks.

What began as a single essay has evolved into something much larger and more meaningful than I ever anticipated. And now, with 60 incredible paid subscribers (thank you!), this space has become not just a creative outlet but a genuine source of support during a financially challenging year.

To my paid subscribers especially, I want to share where I'm at: I need to take a breath to reassess and restore my health and creative energy.

This unexpected growth has been both wonderful and overwhelming. And with each piece taking approximately eight hours a week of research, writing, editing, and engaging, this has become a significant commitment that we didn’t prepare for. And while I'm genuinely grateful to be compensated for something that has always been a passion, I need to find a more sustainable rhythm.

This year has been financially challenging for our family in ways I'm still figuring out. Perhaps it was the addition of the fees associated with our eldest starting at a Steiner kindergarten, or the accumulated weight of inflation on our household budget. Whatever the cause, we've found ourselves living week-to-week for the first time in a while. The income from this Substack has helped with essential bills this past month – a blessing I truly appreciate.

But my creative well, which seemed bottomless just weeks ago, is asking for some care and replenishment. My husband has also shouldered extra parenting to give me time to nurture this space, and we both need to recalibrate. This timing has coincided with some persistent health issues I'm working to address. While I'm pursuing answers through medical testing, I recognise the impact of stress on the body and the importance of creating space for healing.

Interestingly, we've also been home sick all week with gastro and a cold. I usually dread these times because my kids are so active and hard to contain, but we've managed to sink into rest and nourishment and slowness with each other (and with the generous support of my visiting parents!) which has been wonderful. It's reminded me how beautiful a different pace can be – how much connection emerges when we allow ourselves to step out of the rush and just be together.

For additional context: I'm still breastfeeding my youngest, bed-sharing with my eldest most nights, bookkeeping for my husband's business, nurturing friendships and handling family logistics. I'm also entering an intensive phase of my PhD this month, running interviews and conducting data analysis that will require significant focus. Something needs to shift, at least temporarily, to make space for these essential commitments.

Mother’s Day on a remote Tasmanian beach. Courtesy of Jackie Feather

Staying Connected During This Pause

While I'm not planning on writing essays for a few weeks (unless the urge arises), I'd still love to stay connected in a way that feels sustainable alongside my other commitments. So here is what I am offering:

Open Zoom Gatherings for Paid Subscribers: I'll be hosting a short series of open Zoom sessions (an hour or so) where we can explore together all things collapse, parenting in a polycrisis, post-growth psychology, deciding to have (more) kids, and whatever else is on your mind. Think of it as a communal thinking space or online campfire where we can process these complex topics together.

I'll send the Zoom link and some dates and times in a separate email to paid subscribers – a small way to thank you for your support during this time.

Looking forward…

This Substack has reawakened a long-held dream of mine – of writing, sharing, and holding space for thoughtful, grounded conversations from home, while staying closely connected to my family and generating financial freedom. Years ago, I ran coaching sessions and workshops that felt deeply aligned. I returned to academia for structure and security, which it has provided. But this space has brought me back to the deeper why beneath it all.

I dream of eventually retiring my husband from trading physical labour for money so that he can focus on his genius of growing food and building our home. We hope to freeschool our children, guiding them outside conventional education and preparing them to navigate whatever future awaits.

Your engagement – your reading, commenting, sharing, and especially subscribing – has reminded me of something important: there's value in creating spaces for meaningful conversation about our complex world. This isn't just about writing; it's about exploring together how we might live with intention during challenging times.

So rest assured I will be back to keep nurturing this dream, hopefully with renewed health and creative capacity.

I'll see you soon – perhaps in our Zoom gatherings,

Gabrielle

P.S. I realise some readers might be here primarily for my written content, and that's absolutely okay. If you choose to unsubscribe during this pause, I completely understand. But if you're willing to stay connected or join me in these different formats, I'd love to continue our conversation. And to my paid subscribers especially – thank you for your support. Your subscription will help sustain these offerings during this rest period, and I'm deeply grateful.