I read this whole piece if yours, and I'll 'break character' for a second here, Cory. For you.
The vast majority of people don't even know that there's this phenomena, called The Dunbar Number. The magic of it is... that we, as people, can only maintain contact with 150 other people. So, technically speaking, if you have more than 150 people that you follow (and let's not forget that this 150 people limit applies to your real-world family, friends, and so on) – there is no physical possibility for you to be able to maintain contact with all of them.
There go your notifications.
Now, about the drama.
Evaluating solely from the psychological side – I saw that coming from miles away. And I even know the underlying psychological mechanism behind it all, just that I haven't dropped a piece on that topic. Got more important things to write, haha.
Another thing on Substack which reflects the real world - cliques. They form here, too. Unfortunately.
One second you're close to a certain group of people (your clique), the next – you're banned by some, because... you didn't take sides? Because you called out the BS? Because someone had said that you should be blocked?
Fuck that, Cory. Fuck the cliques, because they're formed on our most destructive structural concept of the mind—ego.
Now, the haters... Well, it's simple really. Fuck them, too.
If someone comes up to you and states "I hate you, because your hair is blue!"
How will you react? You'll dismiss it, because your hair is not blue, that is simply not true.
Why don't you dismiss the haters then? Apply the 'blue hair' analogy to incoming hate. If it's not true - why bother with it?
If it is true, however, then it's not hate. It's critique. And should be taken as that.
That is all for now. Love you, and you know – my DMs are wide open for you. I have buried my ego a long time ago.
You're making my eyes water, Ellis. Thank you so much. I feel like you're always teaching me new things. ❤️
I think most of my problem is internal. I just let outside factors effect me too much. Life outside is hard enough so adding on bits from here, too... Maybe I'm just weak.
I feel like my number is limited to like 20 or 30. I don't interact much in real life, either. So the bit on here kind of... shocks my nerves? Then having drama thrown on top of it, I guess it just makes me shut down.
I think you're taking way too much responsibility here. I'm going to send you a DM but I won't take it personal if you decide not to read it, or feel you can't. It's just thoughts that may/may not help <3
I agree with this Cory. There’s some negative and some warmth/positively on here. What you do here is wonderful. And from what I’ve seen of your book…it looks great too. I think that how you put this is extremely important and helpful to people here. At the end of the day, your work is phenomenal. The experiences sometimes are the ones that make the whole perspective. 🩵✨
Awww thanks for the shoutout! The feeling is mutual! I chat with you more than anyone and I always enjoy the weird and wonderful topics we get into ✨
Honestly I’d be devastated if you left 😭 Selfishly, it’s partly cause you’ve been such a great support and inspiration to me!!! But even more importantly, I’d hate to see an opportunity like this taken away from you cause of a few outliers.
I think Substack is the ultimate lesson in restraint, humility, and boundaries. It tests people constantly. How you stand up for yourself. What you ignore. What you engage with. How much of yourself you give away before realizing not everyone can hold it carefully🥹
You can absolutely get close to people here, but I’ve learned to stay a little cautious too. Even genuinely good people can become reactive or self-protective when they’re overwhelmed, desperate, hurt, or emotionally tangled up in online dynamics😅
And once things drift into immature territory, my favourite tactics are usually to ignore, block, mute, or redirect the conversation somewhere more positive. Not every misunderstanding deserves emotional labour 💖
But for what it’s worth, I think your presence adds a lot of warmth here. People can feel sincerity, and yours comes through very clearly. I hope you stay, even if that means pulling back, protecting your energy more, or changing how you engage with the space 🫶💖✨
I always feel so bad confiding in you. 😭 I do want to try my best and not just end things. It's just hard, especially with medical issues.
I definitely feel the opportunities and support. Even just the bad actors aren't fully tearing me down, I think it's more internal. I've been contemplating it even before all of this drama. 😅
Maybe if I do feel the need to quit, I'll still keep my account active just to talk to certain people, like you. I feel like I've become so close to someone on here. Much more like close friends rather than just creative acquaintances.
Thank you, Innerverse. I always appreciate you. ❤️
I think it’s perfectly fine to take this platform at your own pace. Share when you’re ready and able, stay quiet when you’re busy or sick. We all put loads of pressure on ourselves but it doesn’t need to be that way 🥹
I always enjoy our chats! Happy, sad, optimistic, down, sick, healthy whatever. It’s all great 🫶💖✨
Cory i love you being here! but if there is any sort of negative pressure on you, I totally get you needing out of here. the bickering, disagreements, unprovoked attacks are unnecessary and exhausting. if you can't ignore the idiots it may be better to leave. I question it alot. it usually ends quickly but it does leave a bad taste in your mouth. take care of you... as much as i love you being here, you have such a kind soul,if you need to protect you, I understand that! ❤️❤️❤️❤️. please stay in touch no matter what!!
Thank you, Notes! You've been so exceptionally kind to me. The drama seems to just be a consistent come and go these past few months. On top of being from people I thought I was close to.
It's more of internal guilt and chains I've created for myself I think. Sometimes it seems I just need to break out to free myself. If that makes sense.
I am trying to break my thoughts away from here a bit more. I just get too caught up in my own expectations and fear of not acknowledging others.
My goal was to just show my book... Now it has been to try and uplift even just one person's day. Even when my day, I feel like breaking down.
I'm hopeful that distancing my emotions from this space can make it a little more bearable.
I guess it's no single thing, but a build up of everything.
I love what everyone has said on your post let me just add one more thing if I may.....besides what a great friend I would lose if you left however, keep this in mind my friend....the world is substack...substack is the world....you will find cliques....good and bad people that's just how it is....from grade school to high school to working to families....so before you leave remember you can't run from it...no matter where you go....a break yes that is doable even from families and friends even from work....just things to ponder
I am sorry to hear you have had hate mail here, Cory. You will make the right decision for your needs, but if you leave...you will be missed for your honesty and bravery in writing your own story. If you only give one person a bit of validation, or encouragement by example...that is huge! And the thing is...you may never even know you had done that. Just think of a little trail of breadcrumbs behind your footsteps, and that those crumbs may feed someone's heart because you walked on that path. Focus on walking with your head held high and your heart fully open knowing that the community on Substack is your tribe. You found your way here for a reason and we are glad you came.
Thank you, Catherine. That is exceptionally kind and I'm glad your words have reached my heart. I really try to think this way, too, but I do get emotionally crushed by my own demons.
I definitely want to try my best for as long as possible, but I also don't want the weight to inevitably cause indirect harm towards others. I think if I hit that limit it would be better for me to try breaking away or exiting completely. Especially since this has been such a beautiful community.
I'm so glad to have met the creative influence and souls of so many on here. You all have left handprints on my heart that will last my entire lifetime. ❤️
Oh, Cory, thank you! I so hope you stay and if you need to vent…message me! I am here for you, and for what it is worth, many of us feel as you do. Me, too…and when I her others say similar stories, it keeps me strong. count on me to offer support in that way, any time.
Cory, I hear its been hard, I was aware of the drama a bit but kept out of it. I did t know you were impacted. I am afraid I chose to let it pass me by. I dont let people get close. But you are special and I would miss you. Here for you
Thank you, Nat. I wish to always be here for you, too. ❤️
I've kind of been stuck in this loop for awhile now. Even before the drama. I think everything that happened through it just kind of squeezed out the rest of my capacity. It's not so much from others, but more of internal chains I keep wrapping around myself, I think.
Thank you so much for being a part of my journey, I've really cherished our bond here.
I do too. I think I have noticed that it is important to be careful around those who are still acting out of their trauma. There is incredible energy but it has a tendency to self distruct
I'm so sorry you've experienced so much nastiness here too. If/when you need a break, I hope you'll take it, but I hope you'll still be writing either way. If writing helps you, don't stop, and if putting it on Substack (whether you answer notifications, post Notes, etc. or not) helps, don't stop that either.
This platform should be for writers, readers, and people who want to interact using Substack, not for bullying and harassment, and I hope you'll still get to use it in a way that works for you rather than have to avoid it because of people here.
That was a piece that resonates and I completely get where you're coming from.
I think it was around Easter, I started to get some DMs and hate and dragged into something that I very much wasn't a part of (even with someone showing up on my Facebook page referencing it, which is pretty much a place I just keep for friends and family. I thought I'd deleted/blocked before anyone saw it, though typically the one person that did was my wife.
She supports my writing but wasn't/isn't overly keen on my still doing much here, as the only time she's directly really experienced that type of hate online has come from someone referencing what was going on here and she thought I was involved in something which I actually knew very little of.
I found that having a couple of little breaks actually helped. The DMs and directly contacts eased off and I started to see a little less of it, though even when muting people,I still saw another flare-up all over my feed, so took another week.
Since I've been back I've pretty much just been writing to prompts. It's given me a focus to concentrate on writing things, though there are people I love interacting with too and so have started sharing/commenting a bit more these past 10 days or so and it seems to be going ok at the moment.
Alongside that, like yourself, I have found, not only some amazing writers on here, but also people that have been encouraging, supportive and free with advice and honest critique when needed and I love those interactions.
In short, if you still think that you get something good and valuable from staying here, then I would definitely remain, but maybe build a few breaks into your time and take some time away.
The block/mute buttons help but if you are getting shit from unknown accounts/burners too, then you have to continually be vigilant in blocking them and often can't until seeing the first (sometimes hate-filled) message.
I'd certainly miss seeing you around and reading your work if you were to go.
I'm sorry to hear so much negativity has been impacting you, Gray. You're an awesome dude. It's strange how people like to pull others in. Hopefully your relationship didn't get harmed in any way from it.
I haven't been getting too many negative DM's it's more a bunch of confusion or calling me a backstabber for not agreeing with a particular 'side.' I didn't even know what was going on if I'm to be honest. Just people sharing screenshots with me out of context. 😓
I'm glad things are going alright for the moment! Hopefully it all calms down and it can stay a supportive and pleasant place again!
I'll definitely have to seriously think about breaks. I do take ones that are about a week long every so often without warning. Yet when I come back I usually get little 'peeved' messages from not responding. So that's made some of it a bit hard, but perhaps it would be different if I announce the breaks instead.
If I do leave fully, maybe I'll leave the account active in case I do decide to come back at a later date and just think of it as an extended break. There are a lot of people on here that I genuinely like. It would be sad to throw everything away just from little things that break me down.
Thank you, Gary, I really appreciate you. I think you're an absolutely lovely part of this space and I'm glad you're here. ❤️
Thanks Cory. That's good of you to say. I'm hoping that it's largely quietened more now. From my side at least I am not seeing anything directly at me, though have still been aware of some of the things going on from people sharing and on feeds.
I think that breaks are good, obviously though of you're feeling a pressure from people for not responding because of it, that's a whole different thing too.
Ultimately, I think it's one of those things where you need to prioritise what is good for you and be a little selfish if needed in that regard.
Being a little selfish myself, I do hope you stay as you're a great part of it around here, but do what is best for you. Taking care of yourself in all aspects both in the real world, and online, is vital.
The shackles line... Notifications can turn into chores with glitter on them, word. I’m really glad you named the self-inflicted expectations thing... That is such a real Substack trap, caring so much you accidentally handcuff yourself. I hope you get to breathe here again without every DM turning into homework.
You are a damn good dude, Cory. I’m sorry for any pressure that has been applied by anyone. Don’t give up on your space. Keep working on the book until it’s what you want. Don’t settle. Honestly don’t settle for anything in life. I continue to admire your character and insight. ✌️
🥺😢🫂 Truly Cory…you are always so kind and supportive of others, and you needing to post this breaks my heart! 💔 You don’t deserve to be treated this way. You have been brave and honest, and those are qualities to be admired. I think I already told you were one of the first to read something I wrote when I first joined Substack, and I was moved by how gentle, kind and genuine you were. Our brains our wired to see threats and the negatives, and I get that…but don’t overlook the positives, and all those who admire and respect you. 💛
Awh, you're such a sweetheart. Thank you so much. ❤️ I really appreciate you and your kind heart. You've been an absolute blessing for me to see over the months. I hope you're able to stay true to your heart, too!
I am trying my best to stay grounded, I just drown myself in doubt sometimes. Thank you for being here. ❤️
I agree Gregory. There's so much beauty in our world, I believe even more than the ugly. Yet it's the ugly parts that for some reason hit harder. Whether online or in person, it's the little negatives that speak so much louder than the positives.
I read this whole piece if yours, and I'll 'break character' for a second here, Cory. For you.
The vast majority of people don't even know that there's this phenomena, called The Dunbar Number. The magic of it is... that we, as people, can only maintain contact with 150 other people. So, technically speaking, if you have more than 150 people that you follow (and let's not forget that this 150 people limit applies to your real-world family, friends, and so on) – there is no physical possibility for you to be able to maintain contact with all of them.
There go your notifications.
Now, about the drama.
Evaluating solely from the psychological side – I saw that coming from miles away. And I even know the underlying psychological mechanism behind it all, just that I haven't dropped a piece on that topic. Got more important things to write, haha.
Another thing on Substack which reflects the real world - cliques. They form here, too. Unfortunately.
One second you're close to a certain group of people (your clique), the next – you're banned by some, because... you didn't take sides? Because you called out the BS? Because someone had said that you should be blocked?
Fuck that, Cory. Fuck the cliques, because they're formed on our most destructive structural concept of the mind—ego.
Now, the haters... Well, it's simple really. Fuck them, too.
If someone comes up to you and states "I hate you, because your hair is blue!"
How will you react? You'll dismiss it, because your hair is not blue, that is simply not true.
Why don't you dismiss the haters then? Apply the 'blue hair' analogy to incoming hate. If it's not true - why bother with it?
If it is true, however, then it's not hate. It's critique. And should be taken as that.
That is all for now. Love you, and you know – my DMs are wide open for you. I have buried my ego a long time ago.
Love ya. 🩶
You're making my eyes water, Ellis. Thank you so much. I feel like you're always teaching me new things. ❤️
I think most of my problem is internal. I just let outside factors effect me too much. Life outside is hard enough so adding on bits from here, too... Maybe I'm just weak.
I feel like my number is limited to like 20 or 30. I don't interact much in real life, either. So the bit on here kind of... shocks my nerves? Then having drama thrown on top of it, I guess it just makes me shut down.
Thank you so much, Ellis. I love you, too. ❤️
I think you're taking way too much responsibility here. I'm going to send you a DM but I won't take it personal if you decide not to read it, or feel you can't. It's just thoughts that may/may not help <3
Thank you, Belle. ❤️
Stay strong, brother. And if you'll have anything you want to talk about – find me.
Thank you, Ellis. You've been such a strong positive influence to me in this space.
I really appreciate you. ❤️
Aw, Cory, I hear you. That really resonates, and I can understand why you’d feel that way.
I’ve enjoyed reading your posts and appreciate you sharing this.
Wishing you peace as you move through it.
I feel like it's one of those things that will probably always be there. I just felt I needed to say something in case I do fully drift away.
In the meantime I will be here trying to enjoy myself the most I can. ❤️
Thank you, Rose! I hope your stay here continues to be pleasant and enjoyable!
I agree with this Cory. There’s some negative and some warmth/positively on here. What you do here is wonderful. And from what I’ve seen of your book…it looks great too. I think that how you put this is extremely important and helpful to people here. At the end of the day, your work is phenomenal. The experiences sometimes are the ones that make the whole perspective. 🩵✨
Thank you Sarah. I appreciate your words so much. I hope my book doesn't disappoint anyone.
I think most experiences here are positive. The main drains come from self inflicted expectations and the bits of negativity that slip through. 😅
I struggle a lot with trying to be useful for someone.
Awww thanks for the shoutout! The feeling is mutual! I chat with you more than anyone and I always enjoy the weird and wonderful topics we get into ✨
Honestly I’d be devastated if you left 😭 Selfishly, it’s partly cause you’ve been such a great support and inspiration to me!!! But even more importantly, I’d hate to see an opportunity like this taken away from you cause of a few outliers.
I think Substack is the ultimate lesson in restraint, humility, and boundaries. It tests people constantly. How you stand up for yourself. What you ignore. What you engage with. How much of yourself you give away before realizing not everyone can hold it carefully🥹
You can absolutely get close to people here, but I’ve learned to stay a little cautious too. Even genuinely good people can become reactive or self-protective when they’re overwhelmed, desperate, hurt, or emotionally tangled up in online dynamics😅
And once things drift into immature territory, my favourite tactics are usually to ignore, block, mute, or redirect the conversation somewhere more positive. Not every misunderstanding deserves emotional labour 💖
But for what it’s worth, I think your presence adds a lot of warmth here. People can feel sincerity, and yours comes through very clearly. I hope you stay, even if that means pulling back, protecting your energy more, or changing how you engage with the space 🫶💖✨
I always feel so bad confiding in you. 😭 I do want to try my best and not just end things. It's just hard, especially with medical issues.
I definitely feel the opportunities and support. Even just the bad actors aren't fully tearing me down, I think it's more internal. I've been contemplating it even before all of this drama. 😅
Maybe if I do feel the need to quit, I'll still keep my account active just to talk to certain people, like you. I feel like I've become so close to someone on here. Much more like close friends rather than just creative acquaintances.
Thank you, Innerverse. I always appreciate you. ❤️
I think it’s perfectly fine to take this platform at your own pace. Share when you’re ready and able, stay quiet when you’re busy or sick. We all put loads of pressure on ourselves but it doesn’t need to be that way 🥹
I always enjoy our chats! Happy, sad, optimistic, down, sick, healthy whatever. It’s all great 🫶💖✨
Awh. ❤️❤️❤️
I agree, you've been such a pleasure to be around.
Cory i love you being here! but if there is any sort of negative pressure on you, I totally get you needing out of here. the bickering, disagreements, unprovoked attacks are unnecessary and exhausting. if you can't ignore the idiots it may be better to leave. I question it alot. it usually ends quickly but it does leave a bad taste in your mouth. take care of you... as much as i love you being here, you have such a kind soul,if you need to protect you, I understand that! ❤️❤️❤️❤️. please stay in touch no matter what!!
Thank you, Notes! You've been so exceptionally kind to me. The drama seems to just be a consistent come and go these past few months. On top of being from people I thought I was close to.
It's more of internal guilt and chains I've created for myself I think. Sometimes it seems I just need to break out to free myself. If that makes sense.
I am trying to break my thoughts away from here a bit more. I just get too caught up in my own expectations and fear of not acknowledging others.
My goal was to just show my book... Now it has been to try and uplift even just one person's day. Even when my day, I feel like breaking down.
I'm hopeful that distancing my emotions from this space can make it a little more bearable.
I guess it's no single thing, but a build up of everything.
Much love to you, Notes! ❤️ Thank you.
Cory you're an awesome person and I totally support you either way. What a long, strange trip it’s been 😆
I love what everyone has said on your post let me just add one more thing if I may.....besides what a great friend I would lose if you left however, keep this in mind my friend....the world is substack...substack is the world....you will find cliques....good and bad people that's just how it is....from grade school to high school to working to families....so before you leave remember you can't run from it...no matter where you go....a break yes that is doable even from families and friends even from work....just things to ponder
I also think this, but having it both online and offline is a bit... much. 😅
These are all situations that are choices. If having a bad clique, you can always leave. That's sort of the stand point I'm feeling.
Thank you, Cailin. I'll definitely keep in touch if I end up hitting my limit!
I am sorry to hear you have had hate mail here, Cory. You will make the right decision for your needs, but if you leave...you will be missed for your honesty and bravery in writing your own story. If you only give one person a bit of validation, or encouragement by example...that is huge! And the thing is...you may never even know you had done that. Just think of a little trail of breadcrumbs behind your footsteps, and that those crumbs may feed someone's heart because you walked on that path. Focus on walking with your head held high and your heart fully open knowing that the community on Substack is your tribe. You found your way here for a reason and we are glad you came.
Thank you, Catherine. That is exceptionally kind and I'm glad your words have reached my heart. I really try to think this way, too, but I do get emotionally crushed by my own demons.
I definitely want to try my best for as long as possible, but I also don't want the weight to inevitably cause indirect harm towards others. I think if I hit that limit it would be better for me to try breaking away or exiting completely. Especially since this has been such a beautiful community.
I'm so glad to have met the creative influence and souls of so many on here. You all have left handprints on my heart that will last my entire lifetime. ❤️
Oh, Cory, thank you! I so hope you stay and if you need to vent…message me! I am here for you, and for what it is worth, many of us feel as you do. Me, too…and when I her others say similar stories, it keeps me strong. count on me to offer support in that way, any time.
I think this is really lovely to share <3
❤️
Cory, I hear its been hard, I was aware of the drama a bit but kept out of it. I did t know you were impacted. I am afraid I chose to let it pass me by. I dont let people get close. But you are special and I would miss you. Here for you
Thank you, Nat. I wish to always be here for you, too. ❤️
I've kind of been stuck in this loop for awhile now. Even before the drama. I think everything that happened through it just kind of squeezed out the rest of my capacity. It's not so much from others, but more of internal chains I keep wrapping around myself, I think.
Thank you so much for being a part of my journey, I've really cherished our bond here.
I do too. I think I have noticed that it is important to be careful around those who are still acting out of their trauma. There is incredible energy but it has a tendency to self distruct
I'm so sorry you've experienced so much nastiness here too. If/when you need a break, I hope you'll take it, but I hope you'll still be writing either way. If writing helps you, don't stop, and if putting it on Substack (whether you answer notifications, post Notes, etc. or not) helps, don't stop that either.
This platform should be for writers, readers, and people who want to interact using Substack, not for bullying and harassment, and I hope you'll still get to use it in a way that works for you rather than have to avoid it because of people here.
I just saw this! I want to read it thoroughly, currently operating with 7% battery. I will be back. ❤️
❤️
That was a piece that resonates and I completely get where you're coming from.
I think it was around Easter, I started to get some DMs and hate and dragged into something that I very much wasn't a part of (even with someone showing up on my Facebook page referencing it, which is pretty much a place I just keep for friends and family. I thought I'd deleted/blocked before anyone saw it, though typically the one person that did was my wife.
She supports my writing but wasn't/isn't overly keen on my still doing much here, as the only time she's directly really experienced that type of hate online has come from someone referencing what was going on here and she thought I was involved in something which I actually knew very little of.
I found that having a couple of little breaks actually helped. The DMs and directly contacts eased off and I started to see a little less of it, though even when muting people,I still saw another flare-up all over my feed, so took another week.
Since I've been back I've pretty much just been writing to prompts. It's given me a focus to concentrate on writing things, though there are people I love interacting with too and so have started sharing/commenting a bit more these past 10 days or so and it seems to be going ok at the moment.
Alongside that, like yourself, I have found, not only some amazing writers on here, but also people that have been encouraging, supportive and free with advice and honest critique when needed and I love those interactions.
In short, if you still think that you get something good and valuable from staying here, then I would definitely remain, but maybe build a few breaks into your time and take some time away.
The block/mute buttons help but if you are getting shit from unknown accounts/burners too, then you have to continually be vigilant in blocking them and often can't until seeing the first (sometimes hate-filled) message.
I'd certainly miss seeing you around and reading your work if you were to go.
I'm sorry to hear so much negativity has been impacting you, Gray. You're an awesome dude. It's strange how people like to pull others in. Hopefully your relationship didn't get harmed in any way from it.
I haven't been getting too many negative DM's it's more a bunch of confusion or calling me a backstabber for not agreeing with a particular 'side.' I didn't even know what was going on if I'm to be honest. Just people sharing screenshots with me out of context. 😓
I'm glad things are going alright for the moment! Hopefully it all calms down and it can stay a supportive and pleasant place again!
I'll definitely have to seriously think about breaks. I do take ones that are about a week long every so often without warning. Yet when I come back I usually get little 'peeved' messages from not responding. So that's made some of it a bit hard, but perhaps it would be different if I announce the breaks instead.
If I do leave fully, maybe I'll leave the account active in case I do decide to come back at a later date and just think of it as an extended break. There are a lot of people on here that I genuinely like. It would be sad to throw everything away just from little things that break me down.
Thank you, Gary, I really appreciate you. I think you're an absolutely lovely part of this space and I'm glad you're here. ❤️
Thanks Cory. That's good of you to say. I'm hoping that it's largely quietened more now. From my side at least I am not seeing anything directly at me, though have still been aware of some of the things going on from people sharing and on feeds.
I think that breaks are good, obviously though of you're feeling a pressure from people for not responding because of it, that's a whole different thing too.
Ultimately, I think it's one of those things where you need to prioritise what is good for you and be a little selfish if needed in that regard.
Being a little selfish myself, I do hope you stay as you're a great part of it around here, but do what is best for you. Taking care of yourself in all aspects both in the real world, and online, is vital.
The shackles line... Notifications can turn into chores with glitter on them, word. I’m really glad you named the self-inflicted expectations thing... That is such a real Substack trap, caring so much you accidentally handcuff yourself. I hope you get to breathe here again without every DM turning into homework.
Awh, thank you, Asuka. ❤️
Sometimes the notifications are exciting, other times it feels like I'm drowning.'
I hope you are doing well, too!
You are a damn good dude, Cory. I’m sorry for any pressure that has been applied by anyone. Don’t give up on your space. Keep working on the book until it’s what you want. Don’t settle. Honestly don’t settle for anything in life. I continue to admire your character and insight. ✌️
Thank you Mack, I appreciate you, too! 😊
I will try my best!
🥺😢🫂 Truly Cory…you are always so kind and supportive of others, and you needing to post this breaks my heart! 💔 You don’t deserve to be treated this way. You have been brave and honest, and those are qualities to be admired. I think I already told you were one of the first to read something I wrote when I first joined Substack, and I was moved by how gentle, kind and genuine you were. Our brains our wired to see threats and the negatives, and I get that…but don’t overlook the positives, and all those who admire and respect you. 💛
Awh, you're such a sweetheart. Thank you so much. ❤️ I really appreciate you and your kind heart. You've been an absolute blessing for me to see over the months. I hope you're able to stay true to your heart, too!
I am trying my best to stay grounded, I just drown myself in doubt sometimes. Thank you for being here. ❤️
Appreciate your putting this out there. A lot of it resonated with me. The world (including the Substack world) is a horrible, beautiful place.
I agree Gregory. There's so much beauty in our world, I believe even more than the ugly. Yet it's the ugly parts that for some reason hit harder. Whether online or in person, it's the little negatives that speak so much louder than the positives.
Thank you for sharing with me. ❤️
Stay stong You can vent on me