Elephant’s 19 years old. We’re stronger than we’ve ever been before. Why? We’ve learned. I’ve learned. We’re finally able to pay well for 35 talented, caring staff. But Facebook continues to smush indie media, mindful community. Their algorithm is tighter than a bleep bleep’s butt. With 15 million fans on 60 pages, we are lucky to get 100 readers at any given time. It used to be upwards of 2,500 readers in any moment.

Will we make it to 20 years old? That’s not up to me. I’ll work hard. My team will work hard.

It’s up to you. We will continue to exist, and serve you, and our world, but only if you’ll subscribe, and read, and get our free newsletter, and open it, and share articles you dig.

Subscribe here: elephantjournal.com/subscribe.

…today, right now, if you value a community with helpful advice, inspiring stories, respectful debate and disagreement. Help us pay our staff and top writers and complete our “ecosystem,” which will make Elephant fully independent of social media/Big Tech.

If you don’t, that’s fine, too. But we may not be here, and we’re one of the last great indie bulwarks against the Big Social tech monopoly.

Join Elephant’s 19th Anniversary Birthday Party Love-In featuring Waylon Lewis & Special Guests. RSVP (free to join) here.

Here’s a collection of (some of, hard to choose!) our best, most meaningful, most mindful, most little-bit-life-changing articles and videos from over the years: