Hey Reader,

I was born in May so it's always been a special month for me but the older I get, the more I learn to celebrate me because I realize that life's too short to be busy, grumpy, envious, or resentful.

But this month is also special because we recently kicked off a live cohort of my signature program, Medium Writing Academy, and we have tons of exciting live events scheduled!

It's been an absolute pleasure to meet dozens of talented and curious writers in our first calls and receive feedback like this:

Messages like this ☝️ make my day because they remind me of why I do what I do.

During the promotion of Medium Writing Academy, I was asked several times if I ever faced Imposter Syndrome and what to do when you feel like you're not good enough.

It's been mentioned so often that I brought it up during my interview with Medium CEO Tony Stubblebine.

And I honestly don't think it's necessary to ever feel 100% confident about your work.

When you care about what you do and the impact you have, you always think about others as much as you think about yourself. Doubts are normal. They're proof that you care.

And you usually do a better job when you care about what you do.

🎓 MWA Scholarships

We know that Medium Writing Academy isn't affordable for everyone, so I'm thrilled to share that we're giving away a handful of scholarships to writers who want to grow their audience and income this year but couldn't join the live cohort for financial reasons.

​You can apply here.

⚙️ Stop Working So Damn Much (Says Bill Gates)

Over the last few years, I learned to live and work in seasons, which gives me lots of freedom throughout the year.

I usually run two live launches per year, which are the most intense and stressful periods, lasting around 10 days.

Once a launch is over, I use what I've learned to refine and improve various areas of my business without stress or deadlines. That's when I write, strategize, improve evergreen funnels, build partnerships, and serve my community.

I always mention that I didn't start my own business to be "successful" or "rich" but to be free.

I can't stand the idea of working for someone else for the majority of my life. I'd much rather run my own show and make the rules myself.

And even though I love what I do, I'm most proud of the fact that I escaped toxic hustle culture and managed to build a business that allows me to live to the fullest.

To me, this means lots of traveling, being present with my loved ones, and spending the majority of my time doing things I enjoy (far away from my computer).

When Bill Gates was asked about five things he wished he had learned sooner in his life, he mentioned taking more breaks to enjoy life.

Read more about it here:

🧹 How to "Spring Clean" Your Life

One of my intentions for May is to do a deep spring clean, declutter my home, get rid of things I don't love or use, repot my plants, and put up some summer decor for fresh vibes. 💐

But even though I love a good physical declutter, I also like to "spring clean" other areas of my life.

​Click here for my step-by-step guide to decluttering and re-organizing your life.​
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Big love from my screen to yours,
Sinem

PS. I've recently been obsessed with Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department (obviously) and had lots of fun discovering posts, memes and gifs of brands who used the album release to their advantage - like Scrub Daddy.

If you're a marketer/creator and find those trends as amusing and inspiring as I do, why not write about it?

👋 Want more?

1. 🎓 (FREE) Take my email course: Start writing on Medium.com​
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2. 🎬 (FREE) Find video trainings on my Youtube channel.
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3. 🚀 Learn how to grow your audience & income inside Medium Writing Academy.