I Hurt My Back and I’m leaving Substack

Both are True

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After a surprise back injury that has pulled me out of the movingtoofasttoofast during this energetic shift, I’ve had some time to reflect. And.. web browse.

I’ve been doing a lot of research lately. Business research, to be exact — As a Lemurian-coded starseed healer, I’m not exactly great at…. sales.

I’m an excellent healer. I feel confident to say that now — after the changes I’ve seen happen in people’s lives since 2017. From the feedback I get from new-clients post-readings and the random emails I get from souls who are resonating with my work. Every drop has been a reminder that I am here, doing the right thing, in the right setting. I’m meant to help people. I’m meant to work with souls. And truthfully, it doesn’t really feel like I could do anything else at this point. Even if I quit my job and went back to selling books in the little tourist town I live in for pieces of the year, I would still be connecting with people’s souls and giving advice from over the counter. It brings me joy to channel for others. I was made for this.

I was not, however, made for sales. As an extremely shy, introverted child with an unusual visual appearance (skin that didn’t match my parents’, jet black hair, light green eyes), I spent most of my childhood hiding behind my mother’s pantleg whenever someone would poke their head down to my level and exclaim something directed towards me. I didn’t exactly give off “shining star” energy. I liked to read. I liked to play near the lilac tree in the backyard, talking to faeries. Doing something absolutely perfectly was the only was I considered something “adequate”. At the age of eleven, I spent half my summer vacation locked in my bedroom — missing out on sunshine because I had completely and utterly convinced myself I was going to write an entire book on my father’s outdated (but then-modern) battery-operated typewriter (yes, those existed). I got about 60 pages in before I realized that man, writing a book was hard work.

All to say — we’re now five years into the professional game offering my readings and healings to others and I’m still working to get myself to a place where I’m sustainable. Don’t you worry — I’m so close I can taste it. I’ve been teetering along the surface of the debt-ocean for a while now, and I can feel the traction gaining. I have a wonderful readership here on Medium.com (Hi guys)!

I got in on a fluke entry to offer readings at Shambhala. (A music festival in Canada that hosts over 20,000 people).

Starseeds are messaging me left-right-and-center wondering how they can connect to each other more (I’m working on it, I promise!!). There is traction. And breath. And movement.

Of course, as the dutiful student I am, I’ve been doing lots of research on how to generate more stability for my business. Lots of folks on Instagram and Facebook love asking for free advice, which have become areas I’ve pulled my energy back from majorly. As we’re in this deep split, I simply can’t afford to be spreading energy out in ways that aren’t reciprocal. In ways that don’t feel connected. Or nurturing. This means no longer spending time on platforms that don’t feel resonant with me. Even if it means I’m “cutting my audience.”

I don’t care.

I’m here to nurture the ones who have been with me for a while — or are brand new — but you highlight my stories. You leave comments. There is something in my words, to you, that provides value. And you reciprocate by letting me know you’re out there. Honestly, it makes me feel quite gushy inside.

At the same time, there seems to be an exodus of pop-writers making the great pilgrimage from Medium to Substack. They say that Substack can simply “do more” for them (as a more complex platform that offers podcasting and paid subscriptions). And as creators, I’m sure they’re right. I’m sure that for their audience of 10,000 as they drop 500 word articles about “Things Your Twin Flame Won’t Tell You” or “Five Ways to be the Most Spiritual Person at the Table,” Substack can probably do more for them.

As a creative trying to get my own temple of business built and off the ground, I’ve been posting to Substack, too. I write my article, upload it to Medium, and then copy-paste the piece and put it in Substack.

I get some responses.

Mostly from my one friend — who is also a writer on Substack… and my mom.

And increasingly, I’ve noticed the collective shift of writers who want to really sell something move over to Substack. It’s the place that’s got the streamers. and the Bells. and the Whistles. The up-and-coming-cool-kids. And there’s something… that doesn’t quite sit with me about it.

I wish I could tell you what it is. Honestly, in effort to try and find the words for it, I even pulled a card. I pulled a spider, weaving its web connected to the universe. The spider doesn’t care if she’s seen as ugly, or hairy, or creepy-crawly. She does the work of the mystic — connecting unseen worlds (and ridding the nearby areas of pesky mosquitoes and flies that drive all us humans slowly insane).

The spider isn’t the Lion. She isn’t shiny. She isn’t boisterous. Her energy isn’t beautiful in the way it makes you want to stop and stare.

But do you know what she is?

Wise. And for me, wisdom speaks volumes.

And so, maybe the louder, brighter, shinier voices who are leaving Medium to pursue the bright city-like lights of Substack are simply following their calling and their truest path. I firmly believe in and support that. Go where you grow, babies. But for me, it’s time to stop dividing my energy.

Moving forward, the only platforms I will be present on will be YouTube (where I’ve been since early 2020), and here, on Medium.com. I’m keeping instagram as a catch-all. A mini-website. A landing page. (my actual website is here, in case you were interested).

…I guess I didn’t really get into the whole back thing. But I will, I will, next time. (Hint: It has to do with the rebalancing of Yang. Cue: Slooooow down. Receive. Stop pushing so hard).

❤ ❤ ❤

If you’re reading this and feel like it’s time to book a session with me, best hop to it! I’ll be out of service from July 17 — August 6 in the throws of reading at Shambhala. If you feel like you’ve been curious about booking a reading, here’s a recent (very recent, actually) review:

From a first-time client:
My session with Kate was amazing. She created such a beautiful and safe container for us to dive deep, and what we were able to do in our time together was beyond words. She was able to help me in so many ways, and she was also so generous with the resources she shared with me. I am forever changed by my experience with Kate, and I will continue to work with her again and again!
- Sarah, Virginia

If that sounds good to you, you can do so here.

All my love for the moment, starseeds.

Until next time.

Xo,

❤ K8

P.S.! For the love of Gaia, get the starseed book! It’s a 100-page handbook that details with all my most-used energy practices to take you from ‘can’t leave the house’ to ‘I actually enjoy going out.’ I’ve built these practices over the past nine years and lovingly put them into this book for you. If you don’t have an e-reader, please email me @ kate.lightstone@gmail.com with the word “Book” in the subject line and I can set you up with the pdf. The book is massively underpriced at $9.99 usd — but until I have the extra hands to take the book down and resubmit it — you’re kind of getting the deal of a lifetime.