A VERY WARM WELCOME

...and a Lovingkindness meditation for us all.

Welcome to my long overdue Substack! If you’ve followed my writing on Instagram, I hope you will join me here. And if we’re meeting for the first time, it’s nice to meet you. Here’s a bit about me and what to expect.

I’m a writer, singer-songwriter, and mother to ten-year-old twin boys, West and Lou. I’m also a two-time cancer mom to Lou and, in a wild 2022 plot twist, an early breast cancer survivor myself. A New Yorker living upstate, I’m a student of Tibetan Buddhism, a lover of lipstick, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and beautiful dresses. Those things are important, too.

For years, I shared my heart on Instagram, posting micro-memoirs and selfies from my car, the hospital, trying not to lose my mind waiting for scan results...all the real stuff. Connecting with fellow caregivers, survivors, parents, artists, and seekers from all across the world was a gift. I learned that no matter our story, we all want the same thing:

To be safe, happy, healthy, and free.

Here’s what I write about.

• How and why we keep going.

• What is lost and what is found when life takes turns we never imagined.

• And how we gather the grace, humor, courage, and love to keep showing up, despite it ALL.

In short, resilience.

Memoir, meditations, the occasional haiku. I believe that a well-told story has a sweet spot where anyone can rest their head. And most importantly, that we can be of service in our increasingly troubled world by sharing our stories, listening to others, and extending a hand.

My writing on Instagram was off the cuff, on the go. Vignettes from my life and good wishes for all. You’ll find that same rock ‘n’ roll spirit here, sans the algorithm. Plus plenty of other opportunities to spend some quality time with me.

How this works.

Free subscribers will receive a weekly essay and meditation much like my Instagram posts. These will go out on Thursdays. Consider me your Thursday coffee date!

Paid subscribers will receive the above plus a Sorta Dharma Talk video on Sunday nights (think of these as pep talks for the week ahead). You will also receive the Resilience Q+A with friends who inspire me, and access to a monthly writing and meditation workshop via Zoom. Lastly, you will be invited into the creative process as I begin the book proposal for my memoir and head into the studio to make my first record in eight years. Paid subscribers will also be able to leave comments and engage with the community.

Do what works for you! If you’ve enjoyed my writing for free on Instagram, I thank you for considering this act of reciprocity here on Substack. Your contribution will directly fund my work as a writer. Thank you for your support!

(PS. if you need access to the above and can’t pay at this time, email me at alexa@alexawilding.com and I will gift you a paid subscription, no questions asked. Believe me, I get it.)

One last thing.

I’m so excited to embark on this new chapter with you. Thanks for sharing with your friends. I can’t wait to read your Substacks, too! Bear with me as I learn the ropes and try not to beat myself up over typos.

May this newsletter and community inspire you and make you feel less alone. And, especially at this dark moment in our world:

May ALL beings be safe, happy, healthy, and free.

Much gratitude,

xx Alexa