why every online creator should also create offline

For the past 18 months, my life revolved around creating online.

I poured my heart into writing Threads and crafting newsletters. It was everything I’d dreamed of—connecting with incredible people, improving my writing, and earning a living entirely online. The freedom to travel the world while sustaining myself through my online work felt like a dream come true.

And yet, something was missing…

Even with the joy of building a global audience and creating meaningful content, I wanted to do more. I wanted to experience the energy of real-life interactions, to stand in a room with others, and share ideas face-to-face. I wanted to teach. To hold space. To share the art of acceptance in a way that couldn't be captured through a screen.

So when I arrived in Ethiopia 3 months ago, I decided to try something new.

Take the First Step

I started small. I reached out to yoga and meditation centers, as well as psychological service centers, and asked if they’d be interested in me hosting a workshop on Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT). It was an idea I’d been toying with for a while—taking what I teach online and bringing it to a room full of people in person.

The first opportunity came from a yoga center, where I held a workshop on the art of acceptance. The day was magical. Watching people engage with the ideas I shared, guiding them through exercises, and seeing their reactions in real-time—it was everything I hoped for. Here are some impressions:

From there, an art studio reached out, asking if I could lead a 2-hour journaling workshop. Again, I said yes. That session brought together a group of individuals who poured their thoughts onto paper, following the journaling prompts of ACT (reach out if you want to have them). One of the attendees, a psychologist, invited me to run a full-day workshop at her psychological service center.

So a week after, I found myself leading an 8-hour ACT workshop for psychologists, diing deep into the theory, guiding meditations, facilitating role plays, and sharing the essence of journaling. It was an incredible experience—one that reminded me why I started doing this work in the first place. Here are some impressions of that special day:

The Magic of Showing Up Offline

What began as a small idea turned into something much bigger. By simply putting myself out there, more doors opened than I could have imagined. People started reaching out, asking if I could bring my workshops to their spaces.

There’s something uniquely fulfilling about creating offline. It’s not just about the connections you build—it’s the energy, the shared moments, and the opportunities that come from being present in a room with others.

As online creators, it’s easy to focus solely on digital spaces. But stepping into the offline world allows us to bring our work to life in a whole new way. It deepens the connection to your art and your audience, while also giving yourself the chance to grow in unexpected directions.

For me, offline workshops didn’t just expand my reach; they revealed my passion for sharing ACT. They helped me build new relationships, create new opportunities, and showed me where my true purpose lies - sharing ACT with the world.

So if you’ve ever felt like something is missing in your work, maybe it’s time to try stepping offline.

Follow your bliss

When you follow what excites you—when you take that idea that’s been lingering in your mind and put yourself out there—doors open in ways you didn’t even they could.

For me, it started with one workshop. For you, it might be something entirely different. But if there’s something you’re passionate about, don’t keep it in your head. Share it. Talk about it. Show up for it. You never know where it might lead.

I want to leave you with the words of Joseph Campbell who describes my experience the best:

With love,

Heythem

P.s.:

I’m now offering private 1:1 ACT- Counselling. Together we will learn how to:

• rewire your brain from anxiety and shame + heal your repressed trauma

• create a meaningful life while accepting the pain that goes with it

• separate from thoughts & emotions instead of getting caught up in them

• create clarity on your value system to give you direction in your life

If that’s for you, reply to this E-mail with “ACT” and I get back to you. Don’t know what ACT is? I recently gave an 8-hour Workshop on ACT - I want to give you access for free to the 86-page course material here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10B8preWKk_ziqEEkGRfcQTWnK_6_OHpx/view?usp=sharing