Recently I let the people in my membership program know that I’m quitting said membership at the end of everyone’s term.
No big deal.
When something no longer feels joyful or aligned, it’s time to stop.
But …
This is the fifth membership I’ve started and stopped.
The fifth!
You’d think by now I’d know to not start another membership program because maybe, it’s not for me.
But no.
Last year, around this time, when I got the idea for this particular membership, it felt like the perfect thing to do. And so I did it.
That’s the thing.
Every time I get the idea for a new membership program, it feels like the right idea. I’m excited. People sign up. Renew. Enjoy it.
And then I notice the same thing each time:
It stops feeling joyful. It no longer feels alive.
Before, I quit for different reasons, like:
👉 It was too much work to get new people in all the time;
👉 I ran out of ideas to market the membership—I didn’t want to promote the same thing all the time, and I also didn’t want to use those doors-open-only-once-a-year type of promotions;
👉 I got tired of creating new content each month.
This time however, I noticed something else.
Something that I’m sure played a part before, but I didn’t recognize because the other reasons to quit shouted just a bit louder.
Running the same thing long term is not my thing.
I’m all about creation, not preservation.
Doing the same things over and over bores me.
If I’d get really dramatic, I’d say this even slowly kills me.
I live in the moment and let come through what wants to come through then.
THAT’S where I flourish.
That’s where I thrive.
That’s where I LIVE.
That’s why writing is perfect for me: every time I sit down, something new comes through.
Magic.
That’s why creating online courses is perfectly suited for me: create it once, set it up in my shop, and bam, onto the next thing that wants to come through.
When things run long term, it starts to feel stale.
It loses its life and my attention.
In short:
It’s just not for me.
I thought I’d come to that conclusion before, but apparently not. 🙂
This is not to say I’ll never create another membership again. God no.
Don’t I know me by now?
If it feels right in the moment … I’ll go for it again.
Sigh.
So, what’s in all this for you?
Several things or perhaps absolutely nothing.
You’re welcome.
But perhaps, this is something you can take away from my experience:
#1 It’s okay to quit.
Just tie everything up neatly and professionally, and you’re golden.
#2 Be true to what suits YOU.
(Even if it takes you years to finally figure out what that is or is not. See my example above.)
#3 Quitting doesn’t mean you give in.
It simply means something different wants to emerge now.
#4 There’s no such thing as mistakes.
Everything is what it is, for whatever reason. It’s just life unfolding.
The mind labels things as a success or a failure, but at its core, everything is just a happening.
Just an experience.
#5 It’s okay to pivot, stop, start, create new things all the time and never bother with monetizing or holding onto your old stuff.
Follow what works for YOU.
What I took away from all this?
Probably don’t start another membership.
What did you take away from it?
Love,
P.S.: Time for Nothing is happening this Friday, March 21.
No agenda, no goal—just an hour of space to BE.
A break from endless doing and always thinking about what you should do next.
A pause from life’s noise..
P.P.S.: Liked this blog?
You’ll love my free newsletter!
Leave your email below to receive irregular doses of inspiration directly in your inbox.
