Unlike our live workshops, this follow-along is a tool for you to ignite your creative spark at any point in your day or week, and move the needle just a little bit. You might be carving out “me time” before your toddlers wake up, or taking your lunch break on a park bench. Wherever you are…

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As I mosey over to the antique armchair in my sunroom, having just finished my monthly therapy session and a hodgepodge lunch consisting of Chinese-styled potatoes and jammy sweet mustard from Germany (with a webinar in my ears), I’m thinking: I’m so excited to be back!

Wait, but where did you go?

I was out for a week, and spent it glued to my couch with a phlegm monster and stomach bug double-bunking inside of me, and my brain tossed in a salad of job-search busywork that left me feeling like I had barely escaped one of the evil forests in a Grimm’s fairy tale.

But, I’m back and eager to share all that’s been spinning in my mind and in this creative community!

→ If you’re here for your evergreen recording of Possibilities Club and not yet a paid subscriber, click here to upgrade your membership. We’ll be sending out the recording to all paid members tomorrow. To join Possibilities Club LIVE, save the date: May 12th 12-1pm PST.

🎶Haters Gunna Hate, Hate, Hate, Hate, Hate🎶

(Some of you who follow us on Instagram got a little peek last week).

It was 8 PM on Wednesday, April 15th: 15 hours before I was scheduled to run Possibilities Club live on Substack for the first time. I had a sore throat and felt a body of sickness brewing inside of me (I had aggressively popped Zicam all day, and was gargling salt water like it was an Olympic sport).

I grabbed my electric toothbrush, squeezed (too much) toothpaste onto it, and stood with my left hip popped out lazily to the side: callously brushing my teeth (sorry, dentist) and scrolling through my Instagram messages to see if any of them were about tomorrow’s workshop. I typically block social media apps outside 9am-6pm, but I made an exception that night.

As I went through my DMs, I opened a message from someone who was signed up for Possibilities Club (and had been dabbling in our world for about 6 months). Note: This person was not a “rando” on the internet. In fact, they were someone I met in-person first and who continued to connect with me sporadically over the next months. Maybe they just had a quick question?

I pressed play on their 6-minute-long voice note.

What came next was a vicious monologue berating me about (their interpretation of) my character, core values, how I showed up in the world and in their world, and how they “had enough” and wanted their money back for tomorrow’s workshop. I was dumbfounded. Not only was this message the last thing I expected, but it was impossible not to entertain their harsh accusations.

Did everyone in my community think this too? Was I really so toxic?

While I won’t recount the details of their message and my response (thanks to the steadfast support of my partner and “Shake it Off” by T-Swift)… I will share the 3 big lessons I learned:

1. It’s okay to be misunderstood. Not everyone gets to have the full me nor do I need to explain myself to everyone who demands a piece of me. I get to control the dial on how much of me someone gets. No doubt: it is uncomfortable to be misjudged by others (especially those I am inspired by or once desired a connection with), but it is much more important to protect my peace first.

2. I am not for everyone; and, everyone is not for me. My creative north star (or life path) does not and will not align with everyone else’s, and vice versa. So, while it might be disappointing to hear that someone thinks my value is not valuable to them, this feedback is actually a gift. It means that I am not simply molding to whoever crosses my path. Rather, I am being so uniquely me that people know exactly what they are opting in to (or out of). And, for a recovering people-pleaser like myself, this is a long-time coming.

3. When a hater comes at me, it’s probably not about me at all. This might be the most obvious takeaway, but I think it’s worth mentioning. Everyone is going through some mixture of shit in life and, though it’s never okay to weaponize these emotions onto others, it inevitably happens. So, when I receive hate like this, I try to remind myself that it’s probably a product of their current circumstances. And, no good will come from overthinking their words. Wish them well, and keep doing me.

At the end of the day, receiving feedback that “you’re not for me…like at all” is just as informative and valid as “you are exactly who I need.”

→ So, if you are here for the messy journey of building a multi-passionate creative business while juggling a non-linear career path (and tapping into as many dreams and creative joys as possible), WELCOME 🫶.

But, if not, no hard feelings! Please unsubscribe, and I wish you well in finding community on your own path.

🎶24-Karat Possibilities Club Magic in the Air🎶

Next up: your evergreen access to Possibilities Club + our next LIVE workshop…

First, I want to say: I am so freaking inspired by you all.

April 16th’s Possibilities Club was a precious reminder of this community’s collective gifts, dreams, talents, and journeys. Over the course of an hour, we dreamed our most limitless selves into existence, faced our demons, held our inner child’s hands, had heart-to-hearts with our future selves, and blossomed in community.

Here’s a couple messages I received right after the event:

If you missed this beautiful gathering, I’m happy to share that… (drum roll please)

1. An evergreen recording of Possibilities Club will be available to paid subscribers starting tomorrow. This means you’ll be able to follow-along the entire workshop from the comfort of your own home (or a park bench on your lunch break) and tap into a playful 4-phased creative flow to tap into your dreams and lay down some foundations for pursuing them.

2. We are going LIVE again on May 12th (12-1pm PST). As much as we love the flexibility of on-demand, there’s nothing like sharing energy with others in-real-time and a shared space. So, whether you missed last month’s live event or just can’t wait to come again to meet new creative humans and dive deeper into your dreams, we can’t wait to see you! Plus: we’re adding cool surprises and additions to the workshop (thanks to your all’s feedback!), and we can’t wait for you to experience 2.0 😉.

Note: all upcoming Possibilities Clubs will be hosted on Zoom instead of Substack Live. Why? Because I am trying to adapt this experience to be even more human and connective, and Substack Live just isn’t the best platform for this gathering right now. We’ll be sending updated sign-up details soon!

New to Possibilities Club? Learn more here.

Let’s Catch-Up

Lastly, here’s a quick catch-up on what I’ve been up to lately!→

• Community Coffee Chats are a hit! So, we have lots more of them coming your way. If you missed our first Community Coffee Chat featuring Keriann Bellamy and Melissa Rivera, you can listen to it here.

• The Possibilities Club Pod is loading! Our vision for this show is super immersive and intimate, so it’s taking a bit longer to iron out the production timeline. But, trust me: we will share more when we can (also, yes: I found an amazing editor/producer)!

• We’ve been IRL a lot (in the SF Bay Area)! While online spaces can feel so aligned, there’s nothing like being in the presence of texture: hugs, post-it notes, snacks, or a shared couch or window. Lately, we’ve been working at Local Economy, hosting weekly events with Tribe Social Club, and having tea/coffee with lots of creatives around town. Later this month, we’re also excited to speak at a panel co-hosted by Women in Innovation, Service Design Network, and Adobe that will touch on how my career as a service designer relates to my identity and path as a “multi-hyphenate creative and community-builder.” Any other service designers in here?

• Lastly, I’m writing a novel! Last time I shared about this was after my weekend getaway to the Tahoe Mountains. Since then, I’m disappointed to say…I haven’t written much. But, I’ve been absorbing different frameworks from writers in my world (shoutout !) and here are a couple: Save the Cat, a storytelling method devised by Hollywood screenwriter Blake Snyder, and Zettelkasten, a note-taking and writing system developed by sociologist Niklas Luhmann. Are you a writer with a recommendation for a writing philosophy or approach to experiment with? If so, I’m all ears!

That’s it for now. Look out for the evergreen recording of Possibilities Club in your inbox tomorrow (it will only be sent to paid members), and I wish you a beautiful rest of your week 🌻.

With zeal and gratitude for this creative life,

Vanessa

That’s tomorrow: Thursday, April 16th from 12-1pm PST here on Substack! Click here to add the event to your calendar. For paid subscribers only. Join us anytime!

Alright friends, I am super energized that so many of you will be joining our first-ever virtual Possibilities Club, so I’m popping by to answer all your Qs!

Possibilities Club FAQs

What is it?

Possibilities Club is a monthly gathering that’s playful, interactive, and productive, where you:

• bring clarity to your squishy ambitions

• experiment with new ways of thinking about your current/ future self

• set aside your everyday identity and step into an open-minded, goofy, and expansive version of you

• create a roadmap that describes exactly where to focus your energy in the next 30, 60, 90 days

• and, give/receive support from this community

Click here to learn more about what folks have started in this space!

Where do I join?

The event will be hosted as a Substack Live event that you can join from your desktop OR Substack mobile app. Think of it as a mini-show/ demo! Here’s the link to join!

P.S. It’s my first time hosting this workshop on Substack, so bear with me as I work out the kinks! If it’s not the ideal platform going forward, we’re not married to it :)

Will I need to be on-camera/ talk? 😬

Unlike a Zoom meeting, you won’t be able to go on-camera or unmute yourself during the event. So, there’s no need to worry about having a bad hair day or being called on mid-sandwich bite!

However, you will be invited (and highly encouraged) to share your creative and reflective process and takeaways in the event chat throughout the session. Think of the chat as a cozy place to land between self-reflection prompts, and a place to get playful (maybe a little vulnerable?) and give/receive support from this community!

Do I need to bring anything?

Please come equipped with a notebook (or a few blank sheets of paper) and a writing utensil! Optional: your favorite beverage/snack.

That’s it! I can’t wait to witness you in all your creative flow, and for you to meet all the dreamy do-ers in this community starting/ building super cool stuff!

With zeal and gratitude for this creative life,

Vanessa

Can’t make tomorrow’s event? We’re running Possibilities Club every single month (so you get the creative consistency you need to get those dreams into the world). Drop by for 1 or all 5! We promise you’ll get something new out of it each time. Sign up for the next two below!

• May Possibilities Club: PLAY 🙈 (12-1pm PST) ➡️ Click to add to your calendar

• June Possibilities Club: EXPAND 🌈 (5:30-6:30pm PST) ➡️ Click to add to your calendar

Two months ago, after decades of struggling with hormonal acne (and worsening to the point where I was considering harsh, prescription medications), a friend recommended I see an acne specialist named Elise May in San Francisco.

Elise’s unique differentiator (and what caught my eye immediately) was that she had founded a holistic practice called Skin Nutritious that focused on treating acne-prone skin using only natural, lifestyle, and nutritional approaches. Oh, have I been waiting to meet Elise…

Frankly, I didn’t even think this was possible: to holistically assuage the stubborn pattern of volcanic eruptions appearing unannounced on my face (which would then trigger my relentless Wack-a-Mole behaviors, inevitably leading to bloody finger tips and crusty scars). But, I should have known. I grew up in a household where herbal teas and food as medicine was the standard operating procedure. But, after years of living away from home, acclimating to a mostly Western diet, and being gradually influenced by more and more “quick fix” narratives, I had lost sight of nature’s healing powers. And, ultimately, had desensitized myself to my own intuition.

Why am I sharing this? Because, after my first 90 minutes with Elise at her office (a.k.a., a Victorian mansion a stone’s throw away from Japantown that had been converted into office space for a dozen or so wellness providers), I felt overwhelmed with gratitude and awe.

Elise had started this holistic acne practice after a long and arduous personal journey, and had alchemized her own trials and tribulations, learnings, and deep research and education into a practice that now helps so many individuals (like me) come back to themselves.

And, no, my hormonal acne did not go away immediately.

Elise gave me something so much more: she gave me tools to listen, observe, and respond to my body with care; she gave me education about my skin and biology I had never learned in school; and, she gave me the assurance that a slow, holistic approach to treating my decades-long acne was going to be much more lasting (and much more aligned with my lifestyle and life goals) than a pill I would have to take everyday.

More than anything, though, Elise inspired me that creating something (a practice, a business, a community movement, a community) out of something you are passionate about can be so life-changing for yourself and others.

I am not lying. I left Elise’s office feeling a profound sense of joy and admiration for small-businesses, creators, and any human who decides to lean into a calling and share it with the world, whether that be making candles that smell like one’s childhood home in the Philippines (like our friends at Mahal Scent) or dedicating one’s life to photographing love becuase it’s the most powerful thing in the world (like our inspiration Jasmin Schuler, who photographed our engagement and city hall wedding).

So, if you feel a deep calling to start something, let this be your sign.

➡️ Join us for our next Possibilities Club this Thursday, April 16th 12-1pm PST! Click here to add it to your calendar

What happens inside Possibilities Club? You’ll be guided to step into your most limitless self and actually do the thing, consistently, month after month.

It’s a playful, expansive workshop that will guide you to tap into your most limitless self (open to paid members only - upgrade here!). You’ll:

• bring clarity to your squishy ambitions

• experiment with new ways of thinking about your current/ future self

• set aside your everyday identity and step into an open-minded, goofy, and expansive version of you

• create a roadmap that describes exactly where to focus your energy in the next 30, 60, 90 days

• and, give/receive support from this community

Last year, when we ran Possibilities Club in-person (twice) in the San Francisco Bay Area:

• one person (who arrived feeling like they had no time/energy outside their 9-5 job for their personal creative ventures) ended up designing a daily practice to finally start a dream project: to direct a sci-fi short film;

• another person used the exercises to deeply examine the next chapter of her life, which consisted of big life transitions including sunsetting a multi-decade career supporting large tech clients to become a full-time fine artist;

• yet another creative outlined the stepping stones of pursuing their dream of designing and curating a museum to celebrate the Filipino heritage and diaspora

Want to learn more about how this community can help you spark your creative joy without the pressure of starting over? Learn about Possibilities Club and more here!

See you on Thursday! We can’t wait to witness what’s possible! :)

With zeal and gratitude for this creative life,

Vanessa Li

Once I got over my nerves (watch me ask Keriann to repeat herself 🙈), the three of us sunk into a vulnerable and honest conversation about what this season of business and building our dreams looks like.

7 Takeaways from Our Conversation

Community Coffee Chats are a casual conversation series with entrepreneurs, creatives, storytellers, and small-business owners in the Tomatokind community. Here are our takeaways from our conversation with Melissa and Keriann (paid subscribers can go straight to the full conversation by clicking the video above):

1. Move the goalpost closer.

Sometimes, the reason you’re stuck isn’t because you’re lacking motivation. It’s because the finish line feels impossibly far away. When you bring the goal closer, you create momentum (which builds self-belief). If you think about it, small wins are actually BIG WINS because they can be the reason you keep going at all.

2. Build as you go.

You don’t need a fully formed plan to begin. The path will reveals itself when you start putting things in motion, and there’s no amount of waiting that is going to make things perfect. For me, building Tomatokind has certainly been messy and imperfect every step of the way (just look at how we initially sent the wrong event time for this event!). Starting messy might be the only way to start.

3. Your vulnerability is a strength.

Communicating how you actually operate (your needs, constraints, and even personal challenges) can create more ease and alignment in your collaborations with others (whether that be clients, business partners, or your audience). When you let go of the need to “have it all together,” you open the door to honest co-creation (and it might even invite others to show up more fully too).

4. Listen closely.

The things you’re best at rarely feel extraordinary to you. Because, they’re just part of who you are! But, if you listen closely to the people around you (whom you trust, respect, and are frequently around), it is likely they are constantly reflecting back to you what they see your strengths are. So, tune into what your community comes to you for (maybe it’s advice, support, or a skill). Take note of these. Because, they might be pointing you toward your next step.

Read more

Today, I’m writing to you from Local Economy, a community-gathering and co-working space in Oakland, CA founded by local writers Sarah Rich and Alexis Madrigal. Fresh-ground coffee is wafting through the air from Painted Leopard and it’s a vibe (and I’m not even a coffee person).

Anyways…we’re keeping it short and sweet today!

• Friday, 4/10 (TOMORROW) at 11am PST, join us for a free-flowing “Community Coffee Chat” (Substack Live) featuring two members of this community (click here to join!):

  • Melissa Rivera works with nonprofit startups and social enterprises to support early stage compliance with templates, coaching and consults! Her heart is to support more people who want to make their corner of the world a better place.

  • Keriann Bellamy is a content strategist, copywriter, and certified Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) health coach with a passion for storytelling. She believes great content is about building relationships, and effective messaging always wins over ever-changing algorithms.

• Now through 4/15 (NEXT WED), we’re running our first-ever GIVEAWAY on Instagram (soooo many creative goodies… basically, a creative upgrade worth $100+)! Enter here!

• Thursday, 4/16 at 12pm PST, DON’T MISS our first Possibilities Club of the year! It’s a playful, expansive workshop that will guide you to tap into your most limitless self (open to paid members only - upgrade here!). You’ll:

  • bring clarity to your squishy ambitions

  • experiment with new ways of thinking about your current/ future self

  • set aside your everyday identity and step into an open-minded, goofy, and expansive version of you

  • create a roadmap that describes exactly where to focus your energy in the next 30, 60, 90 days

  • and, give/receive support from this community

And…that’s mostly it! Juuusttt in case you haven’t taken advantage of this community recently, here are some quick reminders on what you have access to always:

• 24/7 Community Chat where full- and part-time creatives are connecting, collaborating, and giving/ receiving support!

• Creative Spaces Map: a living, community-built map of creative spaces, studios, and hideaways — curated from our editorial adventures at Tomatokind Magazine and reader submissions (think of it as “Yelp” for creatives filled with co-ops and collectives, artist co-working spaces, creative services, gathering places, and creative event venues around the world - updated every quarter!). Explore here!

• Tomatokind’s Creative Journey Library: A thoughtfully curated collection of books that inspire creativity, deepen reflection, and nourish the spirit — titles that help ground our approach to a creative life, and that we dog-ear and return to often. Click here for all the recs!

With zest and gratitude for this creative life,

Vanessa Li

What are Community Coffee Chats?

These are casual Substack Live conversations with entrepreneurs, creatives, storytellers, and small-business owners in the Tomatokind community. They’re not interviews, but rather an open dialogue about what’s on our minds this season/ month/ day of our creative journeys.

Think of it as a virtual water cooler: we’ll yap about topics that are relevant and resonant, and come out feeling a little more seen and supported. If you’d like to join me in a future conversation, reply here to let me know!

This Friday, I’m excited to be joined by Melissa Rivera and Keriann Bellamy.

Melissa Rivera works with nonprofit startups and social enterprises to support early stage compliance with templates, coaching and consults! Her heart is to support more people who want to make their corner of the world a better place. “I want it to be EASY for people to do more GOOD!” - Melissa. Follow Melissa’s Substack publication called Nonprofit Curious, and learn more about her work at www.pursuitofpurposeconsulting.com.

Keriann Bellamy is a content strategist, copywriter, and certified Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) health coach with a passion for storytelling. She believes great content is about building relationships, and effective messaging always wins over ever-changing algorithms. When she’s not crafting compelling content for her clients, you can find her hiking with her border collie, or getting lost in her latest romantasy read. Learn more about Keriann’s work at www.kerianncopywriting.com.

We can’t wait to see you at Friday’s community coffee chat!

With zeal and gratitude for this creative life,

Vanessa Li 🫶

🙋🏻‍♀️ Raise your hand if I’m describing you. Last month:

• you heard that a friend of a friend secured a location to open their dream board game cafe…and were a little envious

• you subscribed to 3 more newsletters that genuinely inspired you (but didn’t read a single word)

• you researched “how to start a podcast” for weeks as a way to procrastinate doing …

Read more

Hi creative friends!

You might have heard that we’re stacking our spring/summer calendar with our signature offering: Possibilities Club! It’s a playful, expansive workshop for anyone pursuing a dream. And, shouldn’t we all be?

We ran Possibilities Club twice last year (in-person in the SF Bay Area), and it blew it out of the water.

So, we’re launching a virtual series as part of our paid membership here on Substack. And, we can’t wait for you to join us. 🤩

SAVE THESE DATES! →

• Thur, April 16th 12pm-1pm Pacific Time (UTC-7)

• Tue, May 12th 12pm-1pm Pacific Time (UTC-7)

• Wed, June 24th 5:30-6:30pm Pacific Time (UTC-7)

• Fri, July 17th 12pm-1pm Pacific Time (UTC-7)

• Thur, August 20th 5:30-6:30pm Pacific Time (UTC-7)

Drop in for 1, or all 5! 🎁 Oh, and we’re giving out $25 Bookshop.org gift cards for folks who can make it to at least 3.

In the coming weeks, you’ll receive instructions on how to 1) join each event and 2) enter an exciting giveaway (for the chance to win a collection of our favorite products to ignite your creative spark this season)!

🗓️ For now, please just do us a huge favor and save these in your calendar. We’ve been working with various creatives and collaborators to perfect this already-immersive run-of-show for you, and we can’t wait for you to experience it (in less than 3 weeks) 🌈✨.

Lastly, if you’re interested in learning about all the perks of our paid membership, check out this Instagram post here. That’s it for now - have a beautiful weekend!

With zeal and gratitude for this creative life,

Vanessa

Don’t forget! If you haven’t stopped by our subscriber-only group chat, check out what your fellow creatives have been buzzing about! Challenge: introduce yourself in 1 thread! ⬇️

Interested in the behind-the-scenes?! Peek into our journey of hosting our inaugural Possibilities Club field trip to Marin Headlands, CA last November →

“It’s my dream to write a book someday.”

I’ve said this sentence a thousand times in my life. But…what will it be about? Will it be a waste of time? What will I tell people while I’m writing this book? If I fail, will it confirm my fear that I’m not a good writer? That I’m not funny enough, clever enough, imaginative enough…

Maybe you’ve had these same thoughts. If so, comment your biggest fear of writing a book so we can anguish together. ↓

Leave a comment

Last week, though, I stumbled onto a YouTube video titled “What it’s like to write a book (4 year documentary)”. And, it damn near changed me.

It was by Haley Pham, a 25 year-old content creator and published author who I’d admittedly never heard of (not because she’s not popular but because my social media algorithm has somehow evaded the realms of “BookTube” even though I am absolutely her target audience). In this multi-year vlog, Haley shares vulnerably about her experience writing her debut novel Just Friends (released on March 6, 2026). One of the opening scenes was actually footage from her first day writing it (which she saved but was too scared to share with her audience until this vlog compilation…4 years later).

As I watched this 20-minute video, my soul was ignited. It excited me to see her go from staring at a blank screen, to printing her first draft (then second, third, fourth, and fifth), finding an agent, making major plot and dialogue re-writes, securing a publisher, shipping out her Advanced Reader Copies, revising (and revising and revising), co-creating the book cover, and finally seeing her own book on the shelf of an airport bookstore on release day. I got goosebumps. It was the first time in my life I could truly imagine myself in a published author’s shoes.

Because, while I’ve met (and befriended) many book authors in my life, to be one has always seemed the most elusive thing in the world: more than “A-list actor”, “Neurosurgeon”, or “Fortune 500 CEO".

But, after witnessing Haley’s writer’s journey (albeit curated) at this particular moment in my life, I felt the strongest pulse of creative determination course through my veins, trickling from my frontal lobe to my finger tips (like when you hang upside down for too long and then suddenly stand straight up). I was going to do the thing. I was going to write a book. Yup. It was happening.

Perhaps, this is what it feels like to be influenced??

"I’m Writing in a Cabin in the Woods” Cliché

Long before I stumbled upon Haley’s video, I had booked a 3-day solo trip to Lake Tahoe, CA to immerse in nature and maybe work on Tomatokind’s upcoming podcast. But, with my brain now filled with dreams of becoming a published author, I decided: “I’ll go write my book in the cabin in the woods.”

Heck, that’s perfect! What bonafide author doesn’t do their best work in a cozy A-frame with a reading nook and fireplace by a lake somewhere?? So, this is how it went:

Read more

Last week, I met up with a college friend for a quick long-distance-bestie-bonding trip in Chicago. Like many of my chosen-family, she is a multi-passionate person (with a full-time science career and many passions, including as a food/ lifestyle content creator and real estate agent).

As we wandered about the windy city, booked last-minute tickets to see Broadway’s Hamilton, admired the frescoed ceiling inside the historic Palmer House, and browsed Eataly to assemble a DIY charcuterie experience back at our hotel (think: red wine in paper cups and crackers from the box), we talked about many things.

One topic in particular mirrored conversations I’ve had with many of you. That is: how to celebrate and share one’s multitudes.

• While at our corporate jobs, how do we share that we’re also building a jewelry business on the side…without sounding unserious or uncommitted about work? Contrastingly…

• While connecting with those in our creative communities, how do we open up about a very fulfilling 9-5 job in higher education or tech…without sounding like a “sellout”?

Even though it should be quite obvious that every single human has many interests, passions, skills, callings, and intellectual curiosities, it can be difficult to feel comfortable bridging these narratives and allowing others to see many different sides of us all at once. Actually, it was only after I was laid off from my 9-5 job last year that my ex-colleagues shared openly about how they were finally going to open up that yoga studio they’ve always dreamed of, or start submitting their illustrations to art shows.

Me: “Wait what? You practice yoga?? You draw??” How did I not know these things after years of working together?

If I learned anything in my 20s, it is that experimentation, non-linear journeys, and parallel paths are all part of our becoming. We are nudged every day to lead a straight, vertical path. But, many of us dream of a side-quest (or two). And, the truth is: even the most “random” side-quest is never a waste. Each life experience will just alchemize itself into something else in the next chapter of our lives.

Recently, I did the math: I turned 30 last December and, in total, I’ve worked 30 different jobs (since I was 15). They each gave me something valuable. Some taught me the value of a dollar (of a hard-earned paycheck); others allowed me to express myself creatively. Still others gave me a sense of purpose, and insight into my inner world and the world at large.

So, this is 30 Jobs Before 30

(A.k.a, your permission slip to take the scenic route too, and be loud and proud about your squiggly, multi-passionate path.)

The Ones that Taught Me the Value of a Dollar

1. Barista & Food Server: I was the machine of protein shakes and chicken caesar wraps.

2. Dog Sitter: Ask me about the client with the glass house. 😬

3. Catering Staff: I can still smell my uniform.

4. Department of Public Safety Staff: I worked the Lost & Found Office

   (so made a lot of people’s days).

The Ones Supporting Children

5. Camp Counselor at a summer camp for children with life-threatening illnesses (e.g., liver & kidney transplant).

6. Applied Researcher: Studying biomarkers in children

   living with autism spectrum disorders.

7. Non-Medical Assistant: Providing aid to surgical teams treating kids in under-resourced communities.

The Musical Ones

8. Wedding Violinist: “Canon in D” & “All of Me” on repeat.

9. Pit Orchestra Musician: 100+ live shows & counting.

10. Music Therapist at hospitals & assisted living facilities.

The Ones that Taught Me How Institutions Work

11. Staff for a Former U.S. Senator: Oh, the dread of answering the phone (aka mostly verbal abuse).

12. Notetaker for students with physical disabilities.

13. Business Consultant at an architecture firm.

14. Civic Service Designer advising federal agencies.

The Ones that Nurtured Communities

15. Special Olympics Staff: a truly special experience.

16. Social Club Manager hosting events to combat loneliness in cities.

17. Dog Handler providing animal-assisted therapy to those in high-stress environments.

18. Resident Assistant: basically my entire personality 🙃

19. Library Advisory Member: Advocating for local library projects & programs.

The Ones in Public Health

20. Epidemiologist supporting state & federal initiatives.

21. Environmental Health Researcher implementing menstrual health interventions in low-resource settings.

22. Clinical Pharmacy Staff in Taipei (ask about the paper I wrote entirely in 中文! 😨)

23. Global Health Conference Coordinator: Convening experts around the world.

The Ones that Showed Me the Complexity of the Human Condition

24. Psychopharmacology Researcher studying the impact of nicotine products.

25. Health Services Designer at a major U.S. hospital.

26. Tobacco Advertising Researcher: Flagging harmful practices by Big Tobacco.

27. Health Design Strategist at a studio where I was the only design staff without a design degree.

The Ones Where I Learned to be Scrappy

28. Handywoman: Who knew years of shadowing my dad would land me 5 stars on TaskRabbit?

29. Head of Operations at a Startup: Basement vibes (iykyk).

30. Entrepreneur: A.k.a., the greatest self-discovery journey of my life thusfar.

So, I’m here to tell you (in my just-turned-30-and-still-naive-but-at-least-a-bit-wiser voice): your path doesn’t have to make sense to you right now. Let alone to anyone else...

We can be many things all at once. And then? We can also change our minds.

So, I’m curious: How many different jobs (side-quests?) have you had? What’s a surprising one? Pop in the community chat and join the conversation! ↓

With zeal and gratitude for this creative life,

Vanessa

Earlier this year, I met in the Unlock Your Vitality Community, a space hosted by to help women entrepreneurs lead lives and businesses that are in alignment with their intuition. Almost instantly, Keriann and began a friendship that traversed our shared life experiences, interests, and quirks: a love for musical theater, writing, self-help books, long walks with our dogs, a consistent habit of being late, and shared dreams of “the RV life”.

And, a topic that resurfaced between us time and time again was how different geographies and places have shaped our sense of selves. We told stories of adventuring in different cities, epiphanies that came to us atop summits overlooking vast bodies of water, tears shed backstage after auditions, and moments curled up in reading nooks.

One thing became clear to us: no matter how universal a place seems (a park bench, restaurant, classroom, bus stop, cabin in the woods), each holds vastly different meanings for different people.

So, today’s piece is co-authored with , and it is an invitation to journal with us on the places that have shaped you.

We’ll guide you through three simple journaling prompts, and introduce them by sharing our personal reflections. Let’s begin!

Read more

Dear creative friends,

I’m writing to you on the night of March 3rd (which is the last evening of the 15-day Lunar New Year celebration). And, it finally feels as though I’ve emerged into 2026 (I feel like I’ve been faking “2026 vibes” since January).

So, to those of you who celebrate the lunisolar calendar or just feel more energetically aligned to the cycles of the moon, I wish you a belated happy new year. Everyone else, happy March!

As I sit down to write today’s “Letter from the Editor”, I realize I haven’t written one of these in quite some time. And, it is because I’ve been existing in “work-in-progress” mode for the past few months, which has made sharing my creative journey (openly and honestly) quite difficult. I’m sure many of you can relate.

By “work-in-progress", this is what I mean:

Back when I worked a 9-5 job and published Tomatokind as a passion project, my corporate title gave me a sense of safety. Even though it was trying at times (when the job no longer felt aligned), having it in my back-pocket as I freely explored my creative desires was liberating in a way. Whenever a stranger would ask me “what do you do?”, I would lead with Tomatokind because it felt like the part of me that was most “me”. But, I knew I always had my credentials and public service career to fall back on if there were any follow-up questions (“Oh, so you do this full-time?”).

Then, when I got laid-off and jet-set around the world, Tomatokind became my full-time gig, inadvertently becoming the anchor that my 9-5 job once was. It allowed me to relish new adventures and opportunities in the world with direction and purpose (albeit amorphous at best), and was the permission slip I needed to experiment with a new way of living. In a way, deciding I didn’t want to look for another 9-5 job was an anchor in itself: the gift of clarity.

This winter, though, I’ve been wrestling with Tomatokind’s next evolution (and all the life variables that this evolution impacts). It’s amounted to weeks upon weeks of checking out the foundation, the roof, the pipes, the furnace in the attic…and, honestly, the bank! And, this level of inspection has at times felt destabilizing (even when I know they are stepping stones to future clarity). There are days I wish the new version of my creative vision would just materialize with the wave of a magic wand, and I wouldn’t need to actually put in the work, brick-by-brick. But, I know that’s not authentic, nor possible, nor worth it. Because, the journey is the whole friggin point.

In the midst of evolving Tomatokind, I’ve also let myself re-open the door to my career as a civic- and healthcare-focused service designer, which has brought both feelings of excitement and nervousness. This is all to say: if you are also in the in-betweens of multiple jobs, careers, or life paths, let this be a reminder that you are not alone. You won’t believe how many people share with me (every single day) their messy reality of being a multi-passionate human, or “indecisive”, or otherwise “searching” in a world with so many possibilities.

Uncertainty, questioning, confidence (then the shattering of it), clarity, overwhelm, epiphany, joy, disappointment, relief, pride…

This is all part of the journey. And, this community is here for it all.

So, before I leave you today, I want to share with you a peak into these “works-in-progress” and invite you to be a part of what’s next:

1. First up: Tomatokind is launching a podcast! This has been a dream project for many months. And, throughout March, we will be scoping out producers to co-create this vision, and also bring you along our podcast-making journey. Know a talented producer friend we should chat with? Reply and let us know! We’ll also gladly take your top podcast rec. 😊

2. Next, we’re adding monthly workshops & live events to our paid subscription, starting with Possibilities Club (our signature workshop series guiding anyone with a dream to step into their most limitless selves). Help us choose a recurring (virtual) meeting time below!

3. We’re also celebrating that Tomatokind’s Community Chat has officially been live for 2 months! 🎉 Have you stopped by yet? Every Wednesday, I post creative prompts for the community to connect on. We’ve explored everything from personal storytelling, to daily rituals, beginning new projects, and things that bring us creative joy. It’s a place to be inspired, seek advice, & share wins. Come say hi! Our next thread drops within the hour →

4. Tomorrow, we will be publishing our first co-authored article (with guest contributor ). That’s Thursday 3/6 at 2pm PST. The piece is an invitation to journal with us on the significance of place in shaping sense of self (and it’s going to be so good)! And, speaking of collaboration, if you or someone you know has a story or perspective that aligns with the values of this community, please reach out. Co-creation is such a beautiful thing, and I’m excited to pursue and share more collaborative works this year.

5. Last but not least, Tomatokind is developing a consulting arm that will expand its reach through working with mid-size companies, co-working spaces, and other community-based organizations. The mission is the same: to help stable-career professionals ignite their creative spark without the pressure of starting over. But, through partnering with employee wellbeing initiatives and organizational change teams, we hope to deliver impact by stepping outside of the Tomatokind universe. We are in the early stages of figuring out what this looks like, so we welcome your input! How do you see Tomatokind partnering with organizations to provide transformative experiences? Let us know!

And, now that I’ve bared my creative soul and “work-in-progress” projects with you, I’m curious:

What are you working on these days? What is inspiring you?

With zeal and gratitude for this creative life,

Vanessa

P.S. I’m heading to Chicago tomorrow, so send us your favorite pie spot🍕, under-rated bar or restaurant, museum, and any other rec I won’t find on a “Top 10” list. Not my first time visiting the Windy City, but there’s so much to see and do (and I’m most certainly not ready for the frosty temps & wind chill 🥶). Will write you from there! 💌

Below, you’ll find 1) a brief orientation to the main features of our publication, 2) some starter resources, and 3) where to find the rest!

#1 For Inspiration

For inspiration, check out our Facet and Amid columns! ↓

A peek inside Facet:

• Inside the Brilliant Mind of Anna Sale: The Fearless Voice Behind ‘Death, Sex & Money Interview with Anna Sale - Host of Death, Sex, & Money and Author of “Let’s Talk About Hard Things”

• How Two Friends Crafted a Community Living Room in Berkeley Interview with Elena Fong & Naomi Phan-Quang, Co-owners of IMASALA Collective

• Alchemizing Corporate Burn-Out Into Art, Comics, & Humorous Storytelling Interview with artist Alice Yang , & a mini showcase of her works

• Unscripted: This Filmmaker Lets People Tell Their Own Truth Interview with Stebs Schinnerer, Documentary Filmmaker & Co-Founder of Crews for a Cause

• He Built a Community-Centered Gym So Adored that Members Throw Birthday Workouts There Interview with Ian Birnam, Owner and Coach at IBX Fitness

A peek inside Amid:

• Why I Started this Publication & how I alchemized my parents’ worst fear

• Music Was My Crutch, Until It Wasn’t On the classical music community that changed my life

• Hosting This Event Changed Everything (But I Almost Called It Quits) 3 Takeaways From Launching My 2nd Live Workshop Of 2025

• An Ode to Creative Rest A Poem & a Birthday Wish

• Let’s Get Shallow: 20 Questions with Vanessa Li Letting Creativity Breathe, & Getting to Know Me...on a Surface-Level

click here for more inspo!

#2 For Community

To immerse into our creative community, join the subscriber-only chat! ↓

How it works: Every week, I’ll post prompts and topics for the community to explore, and you’ll be invited to jump into the discussion! Think of it as a friendly group chat (or a private subreddit) to hang out and converse about all things worth dreaming about. Paid subscribers get to start new threads!

Every month-ish, join us for Community Coffee Chats! These are informal Substack Live conversations with entrepreneurs, creatives, storytellers, and small-business owners in the Tomatokind community. They’re not interviews, but rather an open dialogue about what’s on our minds this season/ month/ day of our creative journeys. Think of it as a virtual water cooler: we’ll yap about topics that are relevant and resonant, and come out feeling a little more seen and supported.

#3 For Practical Tools

For tools, tips, and tiny experiments, check out our Spark column!

A peek inside Spark:

• Acts of Self-Love for Every Creative On biomimicry, procrastination, the 100-Day Project, & more

• The Art and Power of Remembering 5 Ideas for Deeper Remembering and Celebration in a Digital Age

• The Myth of the Perfect Creative Space Redefining creativity beyond aesthetics & mood lighting

• 10 Lessons from Spending the Weekend with 500+ Women Entrepreneurs Experimentation, making a “do-not-do list,” and not staying quiet

• “What star is that?” An amateur stargazer’s epiphany on a dream life 5 things that stargazing can teach you about creating a dream life

click here for more!

While this is not everything (for example, we have a podcast launch scheduled for Summer 2026, as well as an occasional travel column filled with lots juicy hot takes), it’s a great place to start!

I am so happy you’re here. 🌱

With zeal and gratitude for this creative life,

Vanessa

Good morning creative human,

Is love in the air today?

And, I’m not just talking romantic love. I’m talking…

• random-acts-of-kindness love

• kismet love

• platonic love

• creative love

• self love

• family love

• community love

• inner artist love

Because, whether you love or hate the sappiness and big gestures that come with Valentine’s Day, I hope there is an abundance of love in your life right now (floating overhead like fairy dust in a Disney movie scene involving cute animals and supernatural powers).

And, as you get ready for Galentine’s Day Brunch, or a fancy shmacy meal with your beau, or a peaceful day with yourself (perhaps taking your dog to the beach, curling up with a good book or movie, or running weekend errands), might I suggest giving your inner artist some love too?

Your inner artist is that part of you that is always taking a back seat and yielding to the serious, pragmatic priorities of your modern-day life. It’s the part of you that wants to take the afternoon off to plant flowers at the community garden or take a beginner pottery class, but never gets their way…

And I get it…it’s hard.

I was under the weather this entire week, and it felt deeply uncomfortable — not in my body, but in my mind.

Read more

17: age when I performed at the Musikverein in Vienna, Austria (widely considered the best-sounding music hall in the world, and home of the Vienna Philharmonic)

4: the number of times I would pretend I needed to go to the bathroom during my nightly 2-hour practice sessions from elementary school through high school (to avoid practicing)

2 & 4: my favorite positions to play on the violin (iykyk)

145: the number of musical theater performances I’ve accompanied as a pit orchestra violinist (my top 3 musicals to play: Ragtime, Sunday in the Park with George, & Spring Awakening)

1/8: the size of my first “mini” violin (measuring about 13 inches from the scroll to the chin rest), which still hangs in the music room of my childhood home

0: the number of times I’ve practiced my scales last month

6: the number of symphony orchestras I’ve played with across the country

25: the number of years I’ve had the pleasure of learning this beautiful instrument, first taught to me by my father (who self-taught himself in a dark attic in ZhongShan, China during the Cultural Revolution)

Music was my first community.

In the beginning, it was a painfully solo sport: squeaking away at fresh new pages of music, drilling difficult passages a million times over, memorizing virtuosic pieces for solo recitals…

But then, in 8th grade, I joined a local youth orchestra (Young People’s Symphony Orchestra based in Berkeley, CA), and my world changed.

All of a sudden, an art I had mastered in an isolated environment (and questioned often: “Who cares that I’m good at the violin? What am I learning this for? I just want to play outside like the other kids.”) was suddenly a gift of the highest magnitude.

Because…that’s when I became part of a music collective (something much bigger than myself).

Every Monday, I would come home from school, eat an early dinner, and hop into whoever’s parent’s car was on the carpool list for the night. After about 40 minutes meandering through the streets of Oakland, we would arrive at the Crowden School of Music, and my fellow musicians and I (peers from across 50 different schools across the Bay Area) would indulge in a myriad of activities:

• of course, make music together (under the instruction of acclaimed maestro David Ramadanoff)

• eat way too many slices of Costco pizza during rehearsal breaks

• crush on each other (oh, the orchestra romances!)

• gripe about homework and AP classes

• and, grow up together (be really awkward, study for the SATs and ACTs, go on international summer tours, compete for silly seating arrangements, apply to college…)

Since then, I’ve leaned on my music community for that feeling of belonging and purpose.

When I moved away from home for the first time, I joined my university’s chamber orchestra — seeking that familiar environment: weekly gatherings, stand-partner banter, evening rehearsals, post-concert dinners, lots of symphonic works by old white men…

Even when I wasn’t confident in my social skills or ability to make friends in a new city, I knew I could rely on music communities wherever I ventured to for that quiet “in."

For example, when I moved to Boston in 2020 for a new job, I joined the Me/2 Orchestra — the world’s only classical music organization created for people with mental illnesses and people who support them.

And, Me/2 was my home.

Still, it is one of the most beautiful organizations I have ever had the pleasure of being a part of.

Throughout the pandemic, the orchestra gathered every week with our N-95 masks, rehearsed outdoors in the Boston summer, recorded entire arrangements by stitching together individual recordings, and hung out over Zoom on Friday nights just to stay connected and make sure everyone was hanging in there.

When I moved back to California a couple years later, music came to my rescue again.

I loved my home and community in Boston (I had my orchestra friends, neighbors who I’d met walking our pandemic puppies together, work friends who had become life friends, etc.), and I was a nervous about starting from scratch again.

But, a month before driving cross-country from Somerville, MA back to my hometown of Oakland, CA, I reached out to multiple orchestras in the Bay Area to set up auditions.

And, a week after landing back in my all-too-familiar zip code, I became a member of the Prometheus Symphony Orchestra, and also signed up to play a summer musical with Korsa Musical Theater Company.

All was well in the world again.

Looking back, music is where it all began.

Music is where I first felt the warmth of a community,

where I felt like I belonged anywhere,

where I learned to facilitate —

to gather, to co-create, to commune…

Without music, I wouldn’t be the community-gatherer I am today (in and outside the music world). I wouldn’t have the courage to talk to a stranger (without the assurance that we were creating something beautiful together), and I wouldn’t be a lover-of-people (which I 1000% am).

So, to all that, I owe it to music.

Specifically, to my classical music roots…

And, if I go really deep, I owe it to my father, who sat by me every night for 18 years — coaching me on an art that would later open doors to some of my most precious memories, relationships, and communities.

So, I’m curious: What was your first community? And, how has it shaped you? Reply to me here :)

With zeal and gratitude for this creative life,

Vanessa Li

P.S. If you enjoy articles like these (and delight in meeting others with wild, beautiful, scenic, and unexpected routes to their creative calling) I invite you to join our subscriber chat! →

In this community space (exclusively curated for our paid and free subscribers), you’ll find belonging with other creative humans balancing passion projects and day-jobs, consuming endless self-help books about the artist’s life (like the The Creative Act by Rick Rubin, The Book of Alchemy by Suleika Jaouad, or Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert), and building things that light up their soul.

And, you might just feel at home.

You may also enjoy some of our interviews with musical artists (below):

With that, we’ll see you on the next page!

Today, I want to introduce you to an artist whose works speak to my soul.

Her art quite literally lights up the physical space around me (as two of her illustrations hang serenely in my bedroom next to an arched vanity mirror — positioned just above a Chinese jewelry box, a handful of fragrances, and a small glass swan displaying my chaotic collection of $5 vintage rings).

As the morning and evening’s light dances shadows upon my eggshell walls, these two pieces move to and fro like a careful duet — reflecting back to me an ever-changing stream of quiet thoughts…

Meet the Artist: Alice Yang

I first met Alice Yang at an artist fair in Downtown San Jose, California.

The variety of her mediums and narratives moved me (from free-hand, sarcastic comics to cool-toned portraits, and vibrant, whimsical illustrations) — and, we later met for a more in-depth conversation about her creative journey.

True to her form, though, the best way to describe Alice’s artist path is not through words but rather comics. For example:

1. This one illustrates the often unspoken (yet collective) experience of losing oneself to the corporate grind (and the facade of it all). Alice illustrated it right before she left her role at Uber (and the tech world for good…), and it is one of her many “corporate self-care” comics and prints crafted from deep within her soul (and custom-made for all the corporate girls and boys out there still sticking it out). And…

2. This other one presents a powerful recognition of self over time. Alice illustrated it as she was finding her groove making art that was deeply meaningful to her — and it is a quintessential example of her more narrative works (that she hopes to do more of in the future). The piece depicts her in the image of a horse, dreaming to be free.

Alice: “My late oil painting teacher, who taught until he was 95, once said to me that ‘if you have knowledge that other people are looking for, it’s your responsibility to share it.’ And, I think about that a lot.

I feel like I’ve had a broad range of life experiences, and have been given the opportunity to see things through different lenses and pull out some universal themes.”

And so she does.

In her art, Alice:

• explores the concept of change;

• plays with color; and,

• blends humor, storytelling, and an undeniable love for cats.

Share Tomatokind Magazine

Before becoming an artist, Alice spent 10 years in the corporate world — as a software engineer, product designer, in-house illustrator, and head of art at many-a-tech-companies.

Since leaving her 9-5 to be a full-time artist mid-pandemic, she now spends her time sharing her life experience through comics like “fuck around and find out” (a whimsical story of bumping around like a Roomba “in the room of life”) and making fun-to-wear merch that brings her life perspective and emotions into yet another physical form (Check out her online store here!).

It’s stunning, really…every one of her pieces.

Meet Her Art: A Mini Showcase

So, with Alice’s permission, I want to share some of my favorite pieces of hers:

As you can tell, her art is probing…

contemplative…

a reflection of an inner discovery…

a movement through time and seasons…

which is precisely why they speak directly to my soul.

So, now that you’ve snuck a peek behind the curtain, here’s an invite to check out Alice’s comics and other musings on Instagram as well as purchase any of the art featured in this story (and more!) in her online store. Note: You can also find Alice at in-person events around the San Francisco Bay Area.

Last but not least, if you crave stories like these (and enjoy meeting others with wild, beautiful, scenic, and unexpected routes to their creative calling) I invite you to join our subscriber chat! →

In this community space (exclusively curated for our paid and free subscribers), you’ll find belonging with other creative humans balancing passion projects and day-jobs, consuming endless self-help books about the artist’s life (like the The Creative Act by Rick Rubin, The Book of Alchemy by Suleika Jaouad, or Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert), and building things that light up their soul.

And, you might just feel at home.

So, with that, thank you for reading, and happy community gathering!

With zeal and gratitude for this creative life,

Vanessa

P.S. If you liked this article, here are a few others you may enjoy:

And, as always, I’d love to hear from you! Consider sending me a quick message to say “hi”, introduce yourself, or share what you’re most excited to see from Tomatokind this year!

“It is an old European tradition”, she said.

“For beekeepers and their families to inform their hives of significant life events by gently knocking on the hive and speaking softly to the bees.”

When I first learned of this tradition from a friend whose family keeps bees in southern New Hampshire, I was fascinated.

“Things worth communicating to the bees",” she continued, “include changes in the bee’s primary keeper, any travel plans (departure/return dates), births and deaths in the family, and other important life milestones and intentions [like her going off to college, and when a sibling decided to pursue a new career path].”

Upon reading more about this tradition (and the ways it has adapted in our contemporary context), I learned that this ritual stemmed from the belief that whispering to the bees about these changes would initiate a spiritual connection, and bring good fortune to those impacted.

The ritual was also a deep sign of respect as the bees were an integral part of the family.

Woah.

Learning these facts also made me curious about other similar practices throughout history and cultures (though, I’ve had little success in finding direct parallels).

Read more

After procrastinating for months, I finally announced Tomatokind’s Subscriber Chat back in January! 🍅

This is a conversation space exclusively for subscribers.

Think of it as a friendly group chat (or a private subreddit) to hang out and converse about all things worth dreaming about.

In my imagination, this chat is that cozy treehouse you and your childhood friends played pretend in for hours.

(…a little cottage up in the sky where you shared in each other’s messy lives, talked for hours, and encouraged each other’s dreams.)

Whether you’re a creative entrepreneur, small-business-owner, multi-passionate hobbyist, occasional photographer/ poet/ watercolorist/ tinkerer of things (or, even if you’re reading this thinking I’m not creative at all), pop into the chat and let’s dream together.

Spoiler alert: you are creative.

And, this community is waiting to hear what’s in that noggin →

How It Works:

Every week, I’ll post prompts and topics for the community to explore, and you’ll be invited to jump into the discussion!

If you’re a paid subscriber, you have the ability to start your own thread (a.k.a., introduce a new topic for the community to chat about!).

For example, you should feel comfortable to:

• ask for advice on how to balance a 9-to-5 job with a creative side-project

• crowd-source books, podcasts, tools, and habits to fuel your dream life

• post a “does anyone else feel this way?” creative dilemma

• ask for feedback on a messy draft or half-baked vision

• share a small (or big) win — signing up for your first ceramics class, hosting a workshop, announcing your next book launch/ short film/ gallery show, learning a new language, starting an Etsy shop

…the list goes on!

I can’t wait to see you in the chat! ✨ (…where you can chime in from literally anywhere!)

And, if you’re anything like me…you’ll be posting random thoughts in the car between Zumba and the grocery store→

Join The Chat: Step-by-Step 🪜

1. Get the Substack app by clicking this link or the button below. New chat threads won’t be sent sent via email, so turn on push notifications so you don’t miss conversation as it happens. You can also access chat on the web.

Get app

2. Open the app and tap the Chat icon. It looks like two bubbles in the bottom bar, and you’ll see a row for this chat inside.

3. That’s it! Jump into the thread to say hi, and if you have any issues, check out Substack’s FAQ!

The treehouse (our little corner in the clouds) is officially OPEN!

Other Musings 🍋

[First posted in January 2026]

This morning (like every other morning for the past 6 months), I walked out to the old lemon tree in our backyard and squinted up into the skies.

Five little green lemons, I counted — head cocked to one side, then the other.

This past summer, I pruned the heck out of the aforementioned lemon tree.

It had stems that looked like dead snakeskin and an overall tree-in-front-of-haunted-house physique, clamoring in agony.

After taking a long shear to it for an hour (clip clip clip), I thought Oops.

Maybe I had really done it this time. (Killed it, I mean.)

“Death by callous pruning.”

(And, it wouldn’t be the first.)

To my surprise, though, little lemons finally sprouted from the flower buds in mid-December (the ones I had stared at longingly day after day).

Then, I thought of those of you who wrote me in late 2025 — about being in a funk, not feeling inspired, going through tough times, and being very confused about where life was headed. (Me too! 🙋🏻‍♀️) Well, perhaps…

2026 will bear the fruit that you have been patiently waiting for….working for… (and, that is my wish for you 🫶 ).

Thank You For Another Year!

In 2025, Tomatokind welcomed many new (paid and free) subscribers, and I am beyond grateful.

If you haven’t done so already, please take 2 minutes to fill out our Reader Survey so that we can continue to grow this community in a way that serves you! →

Start Survey

As a reminder, if you’re a free subscriber, you get 1-2 posts a month.

To get every post and other paid subscriber benefits, upgrade to a paid subscription (it’s only ~$8 a month, a.k.a., the price of a latte) →

Upgrade subscription

Outside of Substack, you can find me on Instagram with more behind-the-scenes content! But for now…don’t miss out on the conversation in the subscriber-only chat! →

With zeal and gratitude for this creative life,

Vanessa

Hello from The Void! (a.k.a Dec 27-30 — when no one knows what day it is…)

I hope this finds you in something soft and cozy, and munching on a sweet or savory treat.

(I just finished some leftover banana bread, topped with a generous dollop of Nutella.)

Looking to Get Cozy and Creative This Winter?

Around the same time last year, we launched our Little Album of Small-Business Adventures where we shared 39 reader-nominated businesses and experiences across the country in the following categories:

• NATURE & CULINARY ADVENTURES

• ARTS, GIFTS, & MARKETPLACES

• APPAREL, FABRICS, & ACCESSORIES

• PERSONAL CARE & MOVEMENT

• BOOKS, PAPER, & MUSIC

This year, though, I want to deliver something that can evolve with this community — something that is interactive and usable on the daily basis for creatives of all types.

So, for the past few months, we have been collecting recommendations from our entire creative network and compiling a first edition of Tomatokind’s Creative Spaces Directory.

About the Creative Spaces Directory: a living, community-built map of creative spaces, studios, and hideaways — curated from our editorial adventures at Tomatokind Magazine and reader submissions. Think of it as “Yelp” for creatives! Here, you’ll find local co-ops and collectives, artist co-working spaces, creative services, gathering places, and creative event venues - updated every quarter.

The map currently includes 80 establishments across the continental US spread across 4 categories:

1. CREATIVE WORKSPACES

2. EXPERIENCES

3. STUDIOS & TALENT

4. GATHERING SPACES & RETAIL

Explore the Map!

So, if you’re looking for a space to do your art or creative thinking this winter (alone or with others), click into the map and check out what spaces others in the community love!

And, if you don’t see your favorite local spot in the directory, reply to me with the establishment name and location and we’ll make it happen →

Top Picks from the First Edition

“But, Vanessa - what kind of places does this directory feature?”

I’m glad you asked! Below is a quick introduction to our top 20 picks from this first edition:

Read more