When Something New Begins: The First Circle Conversation

There’s something tender about firsts.

Not because they’re perfect, but because they’re honest.

First steps. First drafts. First brave attempts at turning a vision into something real. That’s what this is. A beginning.

Recently, I filmed and recorded the first ever episode of Circle Conversations. It was part podcast, part video, part creative experiment and every single part of it was a labor of love. From the lighting to the sound to the people who showed up to help bring this vision to life… I’m still holding the beauty of it all in my chest. My partner helped engineer the sound and lighting. His friends ( a community of filmmakers ) generously lent gear to help build out the look I had in my head. And to make it even more meaningful, my first guest was my best friend. That wasn’t just a happy coincidence. It felt like alignment. We came together creatively, emotionally, humanly and we made something. Something real.

Something I’m proud of.

Let me be honest, I already know I’ll cringe when I watch this episode back in a few years. Maybe even in a few months. But I’ve come to realize that cringing is just evidence of growth. It means you’re evolving. It means you’re doing the thing instead of waiting to be “ready.” And even though I’m more comfortable behind the camera than in front of it, I knew this was a step I needed to take. Not for perfection, but for progression.

That’s the heartbeat of Circle Conversations.

Creating from a place of curiosity, courage, and deep care.

Not because you have it all figured out, but because you don’t.

Not because it’s flawless, but because it’s yours.

Right now, Circle Conversations lives in the digital space. But in my heart, I know this is just the beginning. I dream of it becoming something more, a physical circle, a room full of creatives breathing the same air, exchanging ideas, giving each other permission to be both powerful and messy. I imagine a room where inspiration, accountability, vulnerability, and genuine connection aren’t just talked about, they’re lived. A space where you can be unsure, and still show up. Where you can fail out loud and be met with grace. Where creativity isn’t something you have to earn, it’s something you already carry.

If You’re Holding Back on Your Art…

This post isn’t just an announcement, it’s a note of encouragement.

If you’re reading this and sitting on something that matters to you. A song, a short film, a painting, a poem, a brand, a project, a podcast. Whatever it is, and something is stopping you from sharing it…

I get it.

Maybe it’s fear. Maybe it’s perfectionism. Maybe it’s the pressure to get likes or go viral or be seen as legit. But here’s what I want to say to that voice in your head:

Do it anyway.

Not for the numbers. Not for the praise.

But because you made something from your own mind and hands and heart. And no one else could’ve made it quite like you.

The creating? That’s the joy.

The sharing? That’s just the bonus.

For the Brave Beginners

To the perfectionists, the overthinkers, the artists starting over, and the ones still figuring it out:

This is your sign to start anyway. Cringe later if you must ... but honor the fact that you began.

Because art doesn’t have to be flawless to be real.

Vulnerability doesn’t have to be polished to be powerful.

And your voice, exactly as it is, deserves to take up space.

Circle Conversations has officially begun.

And it’s only going to grow from here.

So thank you for being part of this first moment. This sacred, imperfect, beautiful beginning.

You’re not just witnessing it.

You’re part of it.

More soon,

Ariel