WE’VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR! I CAN’T BELIEVE IT!
I started Salt with Soul on a whim. The name came to me in a dream, I wrote it down, checked to see if the domain was available- it was- and within 12 hours this place called “Substack” came across my path. At that point, I was deeply craving a place to write, and Substack became alluring because writers own their words. After being burned by so many publications (in fairness, I had no idea what I was doing.) I thought setting up a shop at a place I own was safe.
While the first post came to me organically, in the beginning, it was all bumpy. I had no idea what I was doing, or what I was going to write about, and thought that I had to compartmentalize all my ideas in order for them to take off. It became overwhelming to manage multiple platforms that all had the same messaging- Love Yourself Space, Photography, Here, My Poetry, and I was hustling so much that it was easier to just stop writing. So I did. I quietly quit on myself.
I’ve quietly stopped plenty of side hustles before, but there was something different about here. It ate at me. It would wake me up during the witchy hour. It made me feel like a quitter, and that was the FIRST time I felt that deep, soul call to “come back, to figure it out.”
I listened, with the mantra “create, just to create” fueling every keystroke. It wasn’t easy to overcome my own self-doubt- I’ve stopped myself from what I truly wanted plenty of times before- but, every time someone mentioned they read a post, a huge smile beamed across my face, fueling me to keep trying.
In Japanese culture, the art of Kintsugi is about repairing cracked pottery with gold, leaving a gold seam where the cracks once were. More than aesthetics, kintsugi is also about forgiveness. It's a practice of self-love. Accepting your cracks means being accepting and loving yourself. You must forgive yourself first before you are capable of forgiving another. Salt with Soul is my Kintsugi- I am whole again and I’m so grateful.
Here’s to so many more years of growth, learning, and new adventures. I am so proud.
As an Anniversary Celebration, we re-did our Merch!
The Salt with Soul Shop has received a Facelift and some new drops!
The “I Like it Dirty” Collection is an ode to my love of filthy dirty Tito Martinis, no vermouth, that you will always find my in hand on a night out.
The “Sassy Sally” Collection is the personification of our Logo, and sort of a jab at the idea that a woman needs to be in the kitchen. The “I Love to Stir the Pot” t-shirt is easily one of my favorites, and who doesn’t need a good apron?
The Prints Collection was a last-minute idea that I’m so grateful came to me. I have so many beautiful adventures captured and my poems have always resonated with people so this felt like the soul part of my world.
You can shop the New Merchandise Line by Visiting: www.saltwithsoul.com
(the domain I bought on a whim one year ago today has become a full circle moment, friends)
I would be remiss if I didn’t touch on the following: If you’re wondering about the Love Yourself Space… it was a wonderful idea- one that I want to keep and come back to when I can hire staff - but my joy is here, and I want to focus my energy on that.
Today wouldn’t have happened without you, so thank you. Thank you for opening these emails. Thank you for emailing me back. Thank you for asking about it when you see me in person. Thank you for the DMs. It all balloons my heart. I am so grateful.
We’ll see you tomorrow for a “best of” round-up of the most popular recipes from the last year.
For my Vanderpump friends…
See you tomorrow, friends.
xx,
L
1) Congrats on one year!!! I am so proud of you, and proud to know you and consider you a friend. Keep going, babe!!
2) LOINS GIRDED. I am not emotionally prepared for this reunion!!