#9 You Are Not Here to Be Liked 🪭

Hi you 🌞

I’m currently in the south of France, slowing down, recharging by the sea, and reflecting on the vision for the months ahead.

🎉 It’s hard to believe that in under 4 months, this newsletter has already grown to over 1,030 subscribers — what an amazing journey so far!

After 9 editions, I’m thinking of evolving this newsletter and creating something more offline too. My vision is to host regular in-person events where we can connect, share, and grow together. Because more than ever, I feel we need real, offline community to truly connect.

🫱🏻‍🫲🏾I’d really love to hear your thoughts! Please fill out the short survey below to help shape what’s coming next. It only takes 2–3 minutes!

Meet Manoj Pandey : Founder of Gezellig, community builder, creative curator

Manoj Pandey (he/him) is the force behind Gezellig, a Berlin-based community reimagining how people gather around music, art, and connection. With 10 years of experience in tech, product, and community building, he brings a unique blend of structure and soul to everything he creates. From rooftops to riversides, Manoj has hosted over 50 intimate concerts across the city, crafting spaces that feel personal, magical, and deeply human.

How would you describe your Berlin?

My Berlin feels like a patchwork of unexpected moments — quiet streets opening into wild courtyards, strangers turning into friends, and constant reinvention. It’s a city where you can start something from nothing, where things don’t have to be polished to be powerful. It’s raw, honest, and strangely comforting.

What inspired you to create Gezellig and why did you choose the name ?

Gezellig started in the pandemic times (summer of 2021) out of a desire to make people feel something real again — to slow down, listen deeply, and connect beyond the noise. I had spent years building tech and product experiences, but I missed the human side. The name “Gezellig” is Dutch, and though it doesn’t translate perfectly, it means a warm, cozy feeling — the kind you get when you're at home with people who just get you. That’s what I wanted to build.

How does music act as a bridge in your community?

Music has this beautiful way of dissolving the walls between people. It’s one of the few things that can instantly shift a room’s energy and make strangers feel like they belong. At our sessions, it’s not just about the music — it’s about what happens around it: the glances, the laughter, the silence, the shared feeling that we’re all here together.

What does “community” mean to you and what has building this community taught you about yourself?

To me, community is about being seen — and seeing others. It’s not just about events or gatherings, but about showing up with openness and care. Building this community has taught me that people are craving intimacy and meaning more than we realize — and that we’re all more alike than we think. On a personal level, it’s reminded me that I don’t need to have all the answers — I just need to hold the space.

What advice would you give to someone trying to create community in Berlin today?

Start small. Don’t wait for perfect. And don’t try to please everyone. Berlin responds to sincerity — if you’re doing something with heart and consistency, people will come. Focus on the feeling you want to create, not the numbers.

Your 3 favorite places in Berlin and why?

1) Flakturm Humboldthain — a hidden gem in the city with beautiful sunsets and a peaceful view.

2) Walking by the water around Landwehrkanal or Märkisches Ufer — perfect for solitude, deep thoughts, and resetting.

3) Maroush is a little rugged spot that honestly serves one of the best shawarmas in the city at €4.50

Your favorite song at the moment?

Maro’s collaboration with Nasaya on the song “I DON'T WANNA FEEL THAT WAY”, definitely a beautiful blend of electronic and acoustics.

Connect with Manoj:
Follow Manoj on Instagram 
Follow Gezellig Sessions on Instagram

Support TheBerlinFlow 🙏🏼

For those who didn’t know yet, TheBerlinFlow has a Telegram channel where I share event updates. Join here!

If this newsletter adds value to your life, please consider contributing to help keep the community growing. Even a small donation makes a big difference.

SHAPES OF US 3.0 at DARK MATTER / SONIC SESSIONS

Berlin’s iconic fetish- and club-fashion store THE CODE returns with SHAPES OF US 3.0—a bold fusion of runway, rave, and immersive light art. In collaboration with DARK MATTER, Berlin Fashion Week, and THE BERLINER, they are back bigger than ever, featuring kinetic light installations, boundary-pushing fashion, and a celebration of fluid identity and self-expression.

At the center of the night is THE CODE Runway Show, where over 10 models bring creations from 20+ Berlin designers to life. Expect a high-energy blend of fetish fashion, queer cabaret by the Velvet Creepers, and dynamic DJ sets from Anetha, Laure Croft, machìna, and Marie Montexier—all unfolding within the monumental SKALAR installation.

Date: July 4th, 8 PM
Location: DARK MATTER, Köpenicker Chaussee 46, 10317 Berlin (Transformator)

Get your Ticket: 
RA Guide Or DARK MATTER

• Berlin Mens Circle:  A group of men meeting regularly in a safe and confidential space to share openly about life’s challenges and experiences. The intention is to create a supportive environment for honest conversation, connection, and personal growth.
  Tuesday June 24th from 7:45 PM until 10 PM - Private home (Donation based)
  

• Open Sharing Circle - Spirituality in the urban jungle: This circle is an open invitation to connect with like-minded people, share personal and spiritual experiences, and explore how we can live more consciously and grounded in the fast pace of urban life.

  Wednesday June 25th from 6 PM until 8 PM - Berlin Tiergarten (Donation based)
  

• Community Breathwork Session – Inner Space Breath: ​Join Toyah & Gerjet for an evening of conscious connected breathwork in a supportive and light-hearted group setting. This is not your typical inner journey: expect a space where emotional release meets giggles, music, and snacks.
  Wednesday June 25th from 6:45 PM until 10 PM - Nike (5€ registration fee + donation)
  

• Wellness Community Gathering:  An evening of connection, inspiration, and meaningful conversation—created for wellness practitioners and made possible with the support of Squarespace. 
  Saturday, June 28th from 4 PM to 6 PM - Soul Collective Berlin Pop-Up (free)

• Kirtan Music Night (Open-Air): Kirtan is a joyful musical event that serves as an effective tool for inspiration and recharging your energy.

  Saturday, June 28th from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM - Tempelhofer Feld (From 10€ donation ticket)
  

• Build Your Own Website for Wellness Practitioners: Soul Collective Berlin and Squarespace have partnered to offer a free workshop designed to help wellness practitioners build their own website.
  Tuesday, July 1st from 12 PM to 1 PM - Soul Collective Berlin Pop (free)
  

• Community Circle - Meditation & Journaling:  Reflect on our weekly theme through gentle movement, meditation and journaling.
  Wednesday, July 2nd from 7:30 PM to 9PM -  Karuna (€7.57 or €9.70 2 tickets for 1)

• Sacred Rage Workshop: Raw, powerful, and transformative journey into the sacred fire of anger as truth, power, and expression.
  Friday, July 4th from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM - Deep Blue Studio (24,54€)
  
  

• ://sektgarten x Hagen Richter [free entry & open air]: The club ://about blank invites you to enjoy ://sektgarten, a relaxed outdoor space with drinks, snacks, and music. It’s free, family-friendly, and perfect for hanging out with friends or celebrating together.
  Thursday, June 26th from 4 PM until 11:30 PM - :// about blank (free)

• 48 Stunden Neukölln Festival: Visit an independent art festival that turns Neukölln into a living gallery for one weekend each year. Over 1,000 artists take part, showcasing bold, socially engaged works in bars, studios, parks, and public spaces across the district.
  Friday, June 27th from 3 PM until 10 PM - Neukölln - different locations (free)

• Zero Waste Jewelry Workshop: You will learn the principles of zero waste and sustainable jewelry design while exploring various techniques to reuse materials. You’re encouraged to bring your old jewelry, and you’ll also have access to a selection of salvaged trimmings and beautiful wood remnants to create with.

  Saturday, June 28th from 1 PM until 4 PM - Mitte (6,51€)

• Open-Air Bollywood Summer Party Berlin: BreakFree Events and Sounds of India proudly present the ULTIMATE Open-Air Bollywood Summer Party — a celebration of music, culture, and pure desi energy!

  Saturday, June 28th from 12 PM - Aeden Club (from 14,50€)

• Berlin Jazz Week: From 28 June to 4 July 2025, Berlin Jazz Week returns for its seventh edition, filling the city with jazz, improvisation, and conversation. Under the theme “Where do we go from here?”, expect live performances, discussions, and experimental formats across clubs, stages, and unique venues.
  From 28th of June until 4th of July - Different locations (free)

• OXIgarten invites Teki Latex [Open Air]: Free Open Air at OXIgarten
  Sunday, June 29th from 1 PM until 4 PM- The Castle (free)

• Shapes of us 3.0 at Dark Matter / Sonic Sessions: SHAPES OF US 3.0 returns with a night of boundary-pushing fashion, queer performances, and immersive light art at DARK MATTER.
  Friday, July 4th from 8 PM until 2 AM - Dark Matter Berlin (28,25€)
  

• Mixed-Media Collage Workshop: Learn to make expressive collages by blending traditional techniques with acrylic paint, markers, washi tape, and other creative materials.
  Saturday, July 5th from 3 PM to 5 PM - Kreuzberg (35€)
  

DISCOVER RABENTINTE, SURREALIST PAINTER FROM BERLIN

Meet Rabentinte, a Berlin-based artist whose surreal, symbolic works blend dream logic with emotional depth. Drawing from mysticism, everyday life, and subconscious imagery, Rabentinte creates haunting compositions that invite personal interpretation. His work has been featured in solo and group exhibitions across Berlin, sparking dialogue through contrast, symbolism, and layered narratives.

Follow his work on Instagram 
Check out his website

🌋 Tectonic Plates Shifting (Astrology June 24th - July 7th):

Seismic activity is heightened, as without, so within. We are bubbling and churning with momentum, anger, grief, inspiration & impatience. On June 24th Sun, Moon & Jupiter conjunct in a powerful New Moon in Cancer, squaring Saturn & Neptune. This is rare and profound. Deeply clarifying – and challenging to the max. Cancer asks about home, comfort and safety. Essentially this is the “heart” of all topics – the memory, roots and ancestral soil we grow from, and the emotional intelligence we’ve earned through cycles of loss and return. What do you identify as “home”, what are you sensitive to? Where do you fall into the shadows of under- and over-protection? While you nurture your compassion, there is a delicate balance to handle between expansion & limitation, precision & exaggeration, devotion & illusion.

Physical needs and desires may suddenly erupt as Venus transits Uranus, moving into Gemini. Be prepared for well needed flexibility. Stay curious and open for solutions to be a bit different than expected. Mercury moves from heart to will –  bold, clear, and wanting to capture attention. It's good to remember to check in with our own ego and intentions before speaking. With Mars in Virgo, actions are calling for precision. This is about the essentials. Mars is close to the South Node, so it's important to integrate something here. Shifting your ways of behaving from mere repetition to noticing the details that actually make the difference.

If you are in Berlin, it's a good time to tap into community, nourish yourself in the city's green spaces and emphasize finding your own rhythm aligned with the season. However, it's also a time to tune into how can you give back the space that nourishes you? How can you take care of your city, community and the nature here? Next time you go for a walk, look around and listen. How can the water, the parks, the animals, the neighbors, the houses... feel more like home?

Explore, awaken & connect with Jen: 
🔮 Website & Booking 💫 Instagram 
🎬 YouTube 🌿 Telegram

PEOPLE PLEASING

For most of my life, I hid my true self behind the mask of a people pleaser.

What is people pleasing?
People pleasing is a self-sabotaging pattern developed by the ego to avoid rejection, conflict, or disapproval. It often begins as a survival strategy—shaping ourselves to meet others’ needs in order to feel safe or loved. But over time, it disconnects us from our own truth and leads to burnout, resentment, and self-betrayal..

I would constantly betray myself:
…by always saying yes to people,
…by over-helping others even when they didn’t ask for help,
…by smiling when I was actually sad,
…by prioritizing others’ needs over my own
…by staying silent when I wanted to speak up
…by pretending to agree to avoid conflict

Because I wanted
…to be seen as a kind, generous person.
…to be loved, valued, and appreciated.
…to avoid being rejected or disliked.
…to feel like I belonged somewhere.

I believed
…that my worth depended on how useful I was to others.
…that love had to be earned by serving others first,
…that taking up space was dangerous,
…that prioritizing my needs was selfish and unworthy,
…that I’d be safer if I stayed hidden
…that love was conditional, and I had to earn it.

Journaling questions:

• In what situations do you often say “yes” when you really want to say “no”?

• How does it feel in your body when you agree to something that isn’t true for you?

• What do you fear people will think of you if you set stronger boundaries?

• In what ways have you abandoned your own needs to maintain harmony?

• What would honoring your truth look like today, even in a small way?

Exercice:
Create Your "Non-Negotiables” List: Identify 3 to 5 things you absolutely need to feel respected and valued. These are your non-negotiables for relationships and situations—commit to honoring them.

Video Recommendation: Eckhart Tolle's Guide to Overcoming People Pleasing

I’m Sabrina Jeblaoui, a French coach, photographer, interviewer, and community builder who has been living in Berlin for eight years. I am 32 and I’m passionate about building communities and connecting with people. My mission is to create spaces where everyone can feel truly connected.

Here are a few ways you can support my work:

• 💰Support & Donate! This is an independent project, created with love and dedication to keep inspiring and connecting our community. To keep it entirely free and accessible, donations play a vital role. If you’d like to support this work, any contribution - big or very small - makes a difference. Thank you so much for your support! You can donate here 

• 💌 Share this newsletter with your friends to help us grow this newsletter!

• 📢 Promote! Want to feature your event, product, or service in the next edition? Want to be interviewed? Get in touch at [email protected] for paid promotion opportunities.

• 📸 I am offering portrait, documentary and event photography sessions: www.sabrinajeblaoui.com 

• 💁🏻‍♀️ I offer holistic coaching sessions - You can book your free discovery call here

• 🧝‍♀️ Follow my projects on Instagram - Telegram - LinkedIn - Facebook - TikTok

Thank you for being part of the tribe! 🪶

💌 Love from Berlin,
Sabrina Jeblaoui