WC 024: Being in the garden
I don’t know what happened.
Last year I found such flow in writing The Wizard’s Chest each week, and was enjoying connecting with readers through this creative outlet.
A few fine folks were even touting it as one of their favorite newsletters to hit their inbox each week, and it definitely inspired more than a handful of new creators to launch their own.
And then one day it all just stopped.
It was as if my well ran dry.
I'd like to say it was an intentional pause, but looking back, I realize there was a lot brewing under the surface, giving way to a shift of energy and direction.
So where have I been, you might be wondering?
A surgery late last year left me in a state of uncertainty and questioning what was of the highest importance in my life.
A big move to Costa Rica subsequently took hold of my life, and brought it down to the studs - giving me the opportunity to reflect on what I really desire in the next chapter of life.
Theres something about being in Costa Rica that demands authenticity, that holds you accountable to it, and breathes you in giving birth to that which has remained unspoken.
Keeps bringing you full-circle.
These last 9 months have been a deeply gratifying time, spent immersed in nature, while enjoying the support of a community of beautiful souls and emerging friendships.
It's also been a trying season, one in which I've found myself asking this question:
What do I really want?
When I imagined myself moving to Costa Rica, I had this vision of radical healing.
Of just being here, and all the sickness and fatigue fading into the rear-view mirror.
Being in the Garden of Eden, instantly held in perfect health.
It hasn't been exactly this.
A beautiful time yes, but an image of paradise that I've had to expand to include the realization that I'm still in process.
A life with so much to be thankful for, yet a life that still includes heightened sensations of pain.
Lately I'm finding a willingness to embrace imperfection and the process unfolding.
To instead transmute the pain.
To channel it from a position of strength, and fierce determination.
In truth: For many months I've been hiding here in Costa Rica.
Trying to create an illusory world where all the puzzle pieces magically fit and nothing would hit my "stuff".
But here's another absolute truth:
Reality is beautiful.
There's so much richness here, even amidst the struggle.
And I'm seeing it with eyes wide open.
I'm seeing the gifts that are being given every day.
Moving beyond all stories, it feels good to be back staring at a blank page.
From this blank page I can choose to begin again. One keystroke at a time. One fragmented idea taking shape and dancing with playfulness across the screen.
And I'm feeling ready to stand up in all my imperfection.
Ever felt the same?
Maybe its time to cast aside the distortions in being that collectively keep us in our brokenness.
To rebalance our bodies, minds, hearts, and spirits.
To achieve freedom from the traps we create through our own false sense of smallness.
If you find yourself stuck in a cycle of suffering, and know there's a bigger story waiting to be written, ask yourself this ...
Are you ready for the walls of your own making to come down?
I'm here standing for you and your fullest expression.
I can hear you.
We've got this.
Here's What I Want to Share This Week:
1. We hosted audience growth list strategist Jacob Ratliff for our monthly guest workshop on Wednesday inside CTC Circle: CTC Members were guided through a workshop where they explored how to:
Turn underperforming lead magnets into no-brainer offers that don't immediately trigger an email unsubscribe.
A list-building strategy that’s perfect for coaches, consultants, and copywriters — whether you’re gearing up for a launch or simply want to have an engaged audience when it comes time to unveil a new offer.
A new approach to profitably running Facebook ads that routinely bring in new leads for as little as $0.14, and almost always less than $2.00 (read: the end of overpaying Zucks for leads).
A simple (and quick) process for choosing your ad targeting, and designing your ad creative + writing your copy in less than an hour.
If you'd like to access the recording + all the other goodness that waits inside for as little as $83/month, you can check out CTC Circle here.
2. I'm in the early stages of creating a workshop on Lead Scoring supported by the principles of Automated Intimacy. If there's anything you have ever wanted to know about lead scoring within your coaching, consulting, or course creation business, I'd love it if you would drop me a message by replying to this email!
⚡️ Skip the Waitlist and Join CTC Circle Today ⚡️
Explore CTC Circle, our monthly membership for copywriters, coaches, course creators, and entrepreneurs in the daily trenches of building high-performing launches.
Who We Are Celebrating This Week: Carolina Wilke
Carolina Wilke is a bioenergetics practitioner who helps her clients to understand the raw energy behind the stories they tell themselves, and to use that energy in their favor.
To build a healthier life.
This often takes shape as helping people to embody their best version, while increasing their capacity to sense and feel.
I've been working with Carolina 1:1 for a few months now and her support has been integral in helping me unlock new levels of courage, wisdom, power, and ease in myself.
In fact, her support has helped me find my way back to this newsletter!
I have so much gratitude for my time working with her.
Carolina also led several practices at the Zen Habits "Art of Becoming" Intensive that I helped organize here in Costa Rica with Leo Babauta earlier this month.
Several of our guests shared with me how impactful the session were to their experience.
If you would like to experience Carolina's work, I'm part of a small practice group called Radiant Flow that meets on Tuesdays at 6:20am Costa Rica / 5:20am pacific / 8:20am eastern.
It's a movement practice for energy management (think yoga and breathwork), but this isn't quite like anything else I've experienced.
Learn more: https://www.carolinawilke.com/
This Week's Curiosities
Co-Working Cove (Link)
The Coworking Cove™ offers a digital space for entrepreneurs to focus on their work in a supportive environment alongside like-minded individuals. With access to a private community calendar, members can choose from 90-minute "Focused Flow" or 3-hour "Deep Dive" sessions, providing dedicated time to work on their business without distractions.
AIPRM is an extension for ChatGPT that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve writing efficiency and quality.
It offers features such as sentence completion, synonym suggestions, and grammar correction. By using AIPRM, users can enhance their creativity and language learning. Overall, it is a powerful tool for those who want to produce high-quality content quickly and effectively.
Filechat.io (Link)
Filechat is the perfect tool to explore documents using artificial intelligence. Simply upload your PDF and start asking questions to your personalized chatbot.
Softr.io (Link)
Softr is a no-code platform that enables users to build software, web apps, and portals without the need for developers. By connecting to data sources like Airtable and Google Sheets, users can create custom-branded client portals, internal tools, and community hubs with pre-built functional blocks, drag-and-drop functionality, and seamless integrations with popular tools like Zapier, Google Analytics, Stripe, and Mailchimp.
Memorable Quote:
“yes, everything happens for a reason — and the reason is everything else that has ever happened" - source unknown
With appreciation,
Phil