Notion of Happiness #8
The Popsy website builder, James Clear on imposter syndrome, peaceful chill music from Novo Amor + Hailaker, deserving thanks, cats in strollers, and “Oh well” vs. “What if?”
👋 Hello hello friend!!
I hope you’re doing well!!
At the time of writing this it’s been SOOO humid here in VA, it’s like breathing in water. Today was the first day in forever where the humidity was below 80%+, and even at 87ºF, it was drastically cooler outside than it has been.
Luna certainly enjoyed today’s outing on the long line — she’s been dying to go out but we haven’t because GIRL 👏 THE 👏 HEAT 👏
Hahaha, I digress. Onto this week’s issue!!
🛠 Tech Toolbox — Popsy
If you know me at all, you’ll know I love Notion. It has my heart. 100%.
BUT I haven’t quite loved the process of making a website in Notion.
At the start of 2023, I initially created a Cult of Notion website using Notion as the website builder and Super.so to make it more website-friendly.
And while the partially-completed website didn’t look bad and Super did its job well, I just found it to be a cumbersome process. And I think this is partly becauseI’m very picky when it comes to design. Notion’s minimalism would frustrate me when building the website, because there were still significant layout/color restrictions, even when using Super.
To me, this process was far less streamlined when compared to other website builders (I’ve used Squarespace, Wix.com, and Hostgator heavily for reference).
I just wanted something simple and budget-friendly.
And then I found Popsy.
Popsy was originally much like Super.so — a software that converted Notion’s typical workspace UI into a more website-friendly presentation. But (I think in 2022) the company refocused into making an independent website builder with a similar feel to Notion. And OMG, it’s such a joy to work with!!
It’s minimal, gets the job done quickly, has some fantastic presets right out-of-the-box, and I just love how easy it is to use while still looking sleek AF. There is a free version, but it only costs $8/mo. for all features. I pay to have my custom domain linked to the site because ✨presentation.✨
Two things I want to point out though:
- If you want to host a blog on your site, you’ll probably want to use something else. It doesn’t have any built-in Content Management Structures as opposed to something like Squarespace. There’s also no built-in RSS feed management or anything.
- Custom code blocks + integrations are limited. If you like to embed a lot of cool shit, you’ll need to use something else. There is a native code block widget you can paste into — but it seems to be intended for displaying source code as it doesn’t render (whereas the same code copied/pasted to Squarespace’s code block does render). There is a separate section to add custom CSS + HTML, but it affects the site globally — so it’s difficult to embed widgets on specific pages unless there’s a Popsy integration with the desired app.
To reiterate, the appeal here is in the simplicity. I truly love the Popsy builder and have genuinely considered converting my neon siren studios website over from Squarespace — I just have so much customization and intentionality behind that site, I don’t think I’ll be able to part with it for a long time. 😂
But if you’re looking for something you can quickly + easily use, definitely check Popsy out!! Here’s a little peek into the current Cult of Notion site:
💬 Quality Quote
“Don’t feel qualified? Nobody does. You can only be qualified to do that which you have already accomplished or trained for. Anything new is accomplished by unqualified people.”
— James Clear
I’ve struggled SO much with imposter syndrome and I was SHOOK when I read this quote for the first time. This is so encouraging to me when I’m in the midst of all my self-doubting. Realizing just how many people have been extremely successful when they were technically ‘unqualified’ is eye-opening.
🎵 On Repeat — Peaceful Chill
1) State Lines by Novo Amor
2) Terraform by Novo Amor
3) Famous by Hailaker
4) Coma / Smoke by Hailaker
If you need to wind down before bed and let those worries melt away — this music is for you. Chill vibes like no other. So chill that the Calm App literally has a playlist featuring Novo Amor’s music. 👀
🌱 Reflect & Refresh
Q: Is there anyone who currently deserves thanks from me?
🤣 A Little Laugh
Just your typical cat in a stroller…
↗ Onward & Upward
Oh well… > What If?
I tend to acquire far more regrets with the things I didn’t do or try than the things I did and… wouldn’t do again.
Do the thing, and if it doesn’t go great — you’ll never have to wonder “what if?”
🙏 Thank you for your time and for reading.
I hope you have a lovely rest of your day, stay safe, and know that I’m rooting for you always!! 🌱
All best,
Jac
