If you want more members, here’s the trick: Don’t shout “Join me!” just light the wick. Post what you love, post what is true, Let curiosity do the recruiting for you. Show up with rhythm, show up with heart, Not salesy noise, just honest art. People don’t join for rules or fame, They join because your space feels safe. Now keeping them? Ah, that’s the game. Don’t build a crowd, learn their names. Ask real questions, spark small play, Give them a reason to show up today. Celebrate effort, not just the best, Invite the quiet, hype the rest. Create small wins, low-pressure fun, That’s how communities become one. Consistency beats viral flair, A little daily says “I care.” Do that long enough, here’s the twist, You won’t chase members… they’ll insist. By Jason Strickland The Art of Poetry Community

I took an early morning workout class yesterday & the instructor said, "The toughness of this class isn't to work out your body, it's to work out your mind." I really liked that sentiment & felt like it is really important to realize how powerful our minds can be. For instance, later on in the day yesterday, I joined my first call in @Mary Wilmer's community. I didn't see any familiar faces & I had no idea what to expect. Mary started the call with an exercise to loosen everyone up & I immediately got nervous. She asked for everyone to pick a color that they resonated with & explain the color as if it was ourself (ie I am light blue, I am like the ocean & I feel like I give people peace of mind & calmness). I felt a little embarrassed to be silly or say something weird with people I don't know, but then I thought to myself, "why do I care so much???" ... I was letting my mind run the show & overthinking way too much. I absolutely LOVED how effortlessly Mary was able to get every single person on her call to be silly & vulnerable. That's truly a gift & I already can't wait for the next call 🤍 Felt like I needed to share this here in Goosify bc if you've been to a Goose-lead IRL, then you already KNOW that this is such a key component. Shaking off the seriousness, getting silly, getting out of your comfort zone, & just opening your mind to new things. Throwback to dancing & playing red light/green light in the middle of Central Park with people we all just met at the NYC IRL 🤣