It's been a while, Substack!
Why I wasn't posting on Substack
Hello dear Substack follower (if you are also on my email list, what I am about to tell you is not new ;) but if you aren’t on my email list yet, you can sign up here and get free guides at the same time :))
Almost a year ago, I decided to build my membership Selfgentleness Academy. I had been teaching on Insight Timer since 2019, first as a meditation teacher and later on, as I developed my Selfgentleness teachings, I have been focusing mainly on Selfgentleness. And I still love Insight Timer and will remain there. BUT… I also wanted more. The workshops and 1:1 mentoring that I could offer through Insight Timer in 2022 gave me a taster that something deeper would be possible. And with Insight Timer growing bigger and bigger, focusing more on newer content than the old ‘goodies’ (and changing the revenue basis) I decided that if I wanted to bring Selfgentleness to more people in a more focused and deeper way, I would have to build my own place.
(Before I continue, if you are new to the concept of Selfgentleness, I define it as ‘Radically accepting yourself as the most important person to consistently deserve your own gentleness.”)
For years, I dreamt of creating a place where selfgentleness can be explored and deepened. A safe space to help more and more people to find that selfgentle perspective of themselves and to practice it in everyday life. To slow down and reconnect with yourself. Not to ‘work on yourself’, not ‘self-improvement’ but just to ease into who you are right now, and to be ok with where you are, no matter what.
Because I want to offer more than the meditations and talks I do on Insight Timer. To dive deep with people into specific topics, where selfgentleness might be far off. To create guides and workbooks and special tracks. To have group coaching calls.
So in January 2025, I finally started to build Selfgentleness Academy. It took me ages (some tech stuff that didn’t work out, together with a full time job at university) but that’s ok. A small but lovely group of people joined me along the way, to process with me, to give me feedback. And two months ago, I opened Selfgentleness Academy on the new platform. And I have to say: I am so happy and excited with how it looks, how it feels, and what it offers!
It’s not open for everyone yet. When I’ll be ready (if you’re reading my newsletter, you know that I am dictating this right now because I’m recovering from a frozen shoulder), I’ll make an official launch. But for now, it’s only open for those that already know me and want to explore selfgentleness.
Ok, now why I haven’t posted on Substack lately:
Because building my membership (including a full new website, which you can see here: drfemkebakker.com ) took me so much time, I had to make some decisions. Only monthly lives on Insight Timer, less YouTube videos and I decided to write a Blog on my website instead of here on Substack, so that my website will start to attract more views.
So, for now I will not be posting often on Substack, until everything is running. I’ll dedicate my free time to building Selfgentleness Academy, writing my Blog and weekly newsletter. You can sign up for those here.
Because truth is, to make my dream come to full life, I want to bring in more members. To expand our community and reach. I so believe the more selfgentle people become, the more gentle they will be with others. And when I look around in the world today, I get the feeling that a bit more selfgentleness is just what we all need.
If you want to learn more about Selfgentleness Academy, you can read more here: drfemkebakker.com/membership. You can put your name on the waitlist for the official launch OR….. you can join me today and get immediate access as a FOUNDER. You’ll then get a special discount (47%) which will stay with you as long as you remain a member.
You can sign up here: selfgentlenessacademy.com
Use SELFCARE to get 47% off for a monthly subscription (10 euro instead of 19)
Use SELFLOVE to get 47% off for an annual subscription (100 euro instead of 190)
Anyways, be selfgentle,
All love, Femke