07/08/2026
Thank you for following my new page 😀
For the past seven months I've been working hard on putting together the first issue of this magazine. I actually applied for the ISSN from the National Library of New Zealand just before Christmas 2025, with the intention of getting the first issue out by April 2nd (I would have been a fool to release it on the 1st, right? 😜 ). The National Library emailed in May wondering why I hadn't submitted the first issue to their Legal Deposit department. Talk about accountability 🫣
I told them it was only half baked at that stage and pushed the goal post out to July... and then I had a family medical emergency, followed by software issues which corrupted my file and I lost 2+ weeks worth of work 😭😭 I started wondering if I was really meant to publish this magazine. Maybe my higher self wanted me to do something else, although I have no clue what because in my heart I know this is part of my life mission.
So I was determined to not give up, especially as I was so close to the finish line. Like any hero facing a challenging journey I continued onwards, and here we are, 2 days away from the great unveiling, on the verge of "opening the virtual doors" of my new magazine 😀
Things to note: zero AI has been used in the writing, editing, design, or publication on the magazine. I refuse to use AI or the Cloud as basically you are putting your intellectual property and creative gifts, talents, and attributes into the hands of 3rd parties, and signing away your rights to it hidden in the small print. You'll learn more about how to protect your IP, data, privacy, etc in the first and future issues as my partner and I have a very "autonomy must be retained" attitude about technology, and other areas of life.
Potentials Quarterly is mostly my own "blood sweat and tears" (creative work). I have had a little help from a few friends with some of the articles (thank you Drs Randall and Sarah Farrant, Lisa Murray, Aaron McLoughlin, Alan Fayter and Eric), as I didn't want this to be "all about me". In fact, I am hoping that when you read it, you'll find plenty to inspire you to make it "all about you."
The vision of the magazine is very personal growth and self reliance focused. Articles range from NLP (Neuro Linguistics Programming) and Neurosemantics (branches of self-actualisation psychology), to health and nutrition, to building self-reliance at home and with technology.
This first issue is jam packed with articles and has zero advertising... apart from promoting my other business endeavours, and those of the friends who have given me permission to include their articles 🙂 I'm selling advertising from issue 2 onwards to help cover costs and keep future cover prices down. Issue 1 will not be available in retail stores but hopefully future issues will be. You will be able to purchase issue 1 online from Keswin Publishing Ltd and Keswin Academy 's websites, as a downloadable pdf and/or viewable as a 3D flipbook in a member login area. I am also looking at doing a limited print run if there's enough demand.
Some background: The idea of this magazine possibly began when I was 9 or 10 years old! I had a penpal who lived near Bristol in the UK. My letters to her often included "Deb's Delightfully Dumb Puzzles" 🙃 which was a small magazine with info about Christchurch and maybe a poem or short story and a few puzzles. I had fun putting each issue together and there was only ever one copy printed eah time as it was all done by hand. I doubt she kept any, but who knows? They'll either be cringy or collectibles!
Fast forward to my early 20s; I ended up living near her, and working in publishing. I loved that job! And was determined to one day own my own publishing company; a dream I achieved in 2013 with my Christchurch earthquake related books.
Between 2021 and 2023, I worked with regional and local coordinators of a grassroots freedom organisation to publish an award winning digital newsletter to our 4,000+ membership base. It was fun (and a lot of work). I was reminiscing about it yesterday with the former regional coordinator who worked closely with me on each issue. We did 23 issues in total and we always got positive feedback from members.
From those two serial publications comes Potentials Quarterly. Personal growth, self reliance and freedom focused. I'm hoping you will find the articles inspiring and empowering.
Thanks for taking time to read this lengthy post, and feel free to like, share, and comment below.
May you have a day full of sunshine, curiosity, joy, and surprises 🌞
Deb Donnell, Potentials Quarterly Editor
