Welcome to Offline Time

Change is coming

The first Substack post I ever sent was on March 2, 2022. Twelve months, 69 articles, 19,000 subscribers, a book club, and hundreds of paid subscribers later, I’ve reached the one-year mark of this newsletter. 

When I set out to start a newsletter, I didn’t really know what to expect. All I knew was that I wanted a space for my thoughts to go. I felt alone in stepping away from social media (the way I used to use it), but I still wanted to express myself (ironically, on the internet, I know…). I was drawn to the newsletter format: a slower, quieter form of “social media”, if you can even call this that. I had new boundaries that I wrote out clearly before embarking. I spent an afternoon writing a list of things I would and wouldn’t share under a “YES” and “NO” list. 

Under “YES”: my weird experience on social media, being an influencer, wellness culture, etc. 

Under the “NO” list: tying certain personal/sacred things to my “brand”, posting body pics when I needed validation, oversharing for likes/views, anything about my romantic life. 

It felt so good and so intentional. I’m so happy I took that leap.

However, since launching, my own desires and interests have shifted. I’ve realized I wanted to focus more on the shifting of my relationship to the internet and social media. As a self-proclaimed ex-"extremely online” person, my experiences stepping down from influencer life had a profound effect on me, and I feel this shift is something a lot of people can relate to and/or want for themselves. That said…

Moving forward, this newsletter will be called OFFLINE TIME. 

I worked with the graphic designer Hannah Packer who brought my ideas to life beautifully.

Who is Offline Time for?

This newsletter is for anyone who has ever had a TikTok explained to them and their stomach churned because they don’t want TikTok.

This newsletter is for anyone who can’t handle staying on top of the newest “online trends” and sees that the fast-paced cycle of social-media based trends is unsustainable and harmful to our minds and planet.  

This newsletter is for people who aren’t ready to go full-on Luddite and recognize that social media has a place in our lives and can serve as a tool, but they want to be more aware of how, when, and why they interact with it.

This newsletter is for anyone who has an interest in it. You don’t have to be “extremely online” or “totally offline” to read it. But if this mission speaks to you, you’re in the right place. 

A breakdown of free vs. paid.

More goodness added to paid subscriptions!

For free subscribers:

• The occassional public post

For paid subscribers:

• Access to all articles, past and future

• Ability to comment

• Access to the Dear Lee advice column (Submit your question for a chance to be featured)

• Access to the OFFLINE TIME Book Club (meets via Zoom)

• First access to events + workshops*

*new offering

What’s not changing? 

My mission to deliver honest, authentic, and thought-provoking content. 

You don’t need to do anything. If you subscribe to Pet Hair on Everything, you’ll still be receiving emails from me.

The URL will stay the same too: I'm always leetilghman.substack.com (PS note to anyone thinking of starting a substack, make your URL your name in case you ever want to change your substack name 😁)

After spending so many years on social media getting inundated with ads and even finding some of my favorite newsletters run by ads and affiliates, I wanted to create something different. This newsletter is 100% free of ads and affiliate marketing, and 100% supported by readers like you. However, this is only possible because of my paid subscribers.

Cost

Same as before: $50 per year, or $5 per month.

If you’ve read this far and are still with me, thank you for reading, thank you for sharing, and thanks for sticking along. I am so appreciative to my readers, and I’m so excited for what’s next.

See you soon!

As always,

Lee