The Blog
The emotions, actions and thought processes of my creative work.
This is where I share what I’m doing and why, how I’m thrashing out problems and what I’m trying to achieve.
My 30 at 30 List
This week, I turned thirty. For some this is might mean nothing more than an extra candle on the cake or for others it might signal the unwelcome arrival of the end of youth. But for me, thirty feels, above all, like opportunity. Following an undeniably life-changing 6 months I feel like I am just now starting to scratch the surface of who I really am, what is possible for me and how I can truly, deeply belong to myself.
Guilt and Balance: Breaking The Productivity Addiction
When I was going through the responses to my annual survey, I began to see the same struggle coming up over and over again: guilt. More specifically, guilt about not being productive enough, whilst simultaneously not taking time for oneself: “I WANT more balance, but I always seem to feel guilty when I’m not at my desk”. Over and over, in different words and in different ways people were chastising themselves for not working more, doing more, achieving more – and not being more balanced.
In This House We Do Not Glorify Busy
Ever hear something come out of your mouth and have no idea where it came from? A moment where you float outside of yourself for just a moment, those words hanging in the air and think “well…that’s new”. Let me set the scene – it’s sunny, and I am lying on our front wall, propped up by bolster cushions and reading a book. My boyfriend walks out of the house and asks, “busy?” – in that semi-taunting, semi-shaming way that people do. My eyes flick up to him, and I say, “in this house, we do not glorify busy.”
The Power of ‘Being’ vs ‘Having Goals
It seems trite to say it, but goals are important. They help you keep an eye on where you’re taking your business (and your life!), they translate your dreams into actions and they are a motivational force. I don’t think anyone is under any doubt that setting goals is a Good Thing.
What My Working Week And 4 Hour Days Look Like
“It’s rare I work more than four hours a day.” The words came out of my mouth quite nonchalantly; it was, after all, the truth of my day to day in my business.
Experiencing ‘The Fear’ In My Business
Here’s the truth: I’ve got ‘The Fear’. The fear of showing up and being visible with my work, the fear of talking about what I do, the fear of creating anything new.
A 3 Step Process To Lose The Dread Of ‘I Have To’
Something I encounter pervasively is the feeling we ‘have to’ do something in our business that feels draining or just ‘not right’. This is not just in the women I work with, but also within myself – I really feel the weight of expectation and duty without remembering to really question it.
Medicine For Procrastination Season
In the northern hemisphere, we’re entering what I like to call Procrastination Season. It’s ironic, I always think, that while the long days of summer bring us more time, they also bring more procrastination.
Four Things I’m Only Doing Because I Think I Should, And How I'm Letting Them Go
If you’ve been listening to Grow With Soul (and if not, why not? 😉) you’ll know that I have a mix of solo, coaching and interview shows. I’m happy with the solo and coaching formats, but I know that I’m not hitting my own high standards with the interviews. While my guests have been great and had really valuable things to say, my skills (or lack of) as an interviewer has been letting them down somewhat.
5 Simple Living Shifts For Summer
What kind of a season is summer? With it's endless, cloudless days, sticky drips of ice cream and overhead buzz and flutter of transient birds and insects? It's a season, to me, of both rest and projects. After a spring of 'hustle' and growth there is now space and opportunity to enjoy the fruits of that labour, while this same space reinvigorates inspiration and creativity and brings new ideas to the fore.
How To Plan Your Own Micro-Adventures - with Victorinox*
[Sponsored content] Over the last month I’ve been undertaking a series of micro-adventures as part of Victorinox’s Modern Pathfinder campaign, and you know what? It’s been one big realisation for me about this whole simple living thing. I’ve written before about how I always feel like I need to be doing more in order to be slow living ‘properly’, and this is something I find very difficult to shake.
Why Is Slow Living So Hard To Write About?
It’s been quite a while since I’ve written anything lifestyle-y here (and completely ignoring my own advice about balancing content in the process). Over the last few months I’ve found it really hard to come up with ideas for writing about slow living. When I’m talking about marketing I’ve got it down; I know exactly what I want to say, what people want to hear and how I can provide value.
5 Simple Living Shifts For Spring
Spring is the season that brings promise. More than any other it feels pregnant with opportunity and promise both in life and work, and for me, it’s the time where I feel that my energy and that of the world around me are most in sync.
How To Be A Morning Person (As Much As Possible)
The phrase ‘brand story’ gets bandied around a lot and it’s one of those marketing phrases that no one questions yet no one fully understands. For me, a brand story is essentially a USP, but a USP with flesh and bones and heart.
Some Ways To Slow Down In Times Of Stress
Someone asked me a while ago what practices I had to help me slow down in times of stress. And in truth, at the time I didn’t really have an answer. I’ve never particularly struggled with debilitating stress, and when I do go through stressful periods I’m pretty good at channeling it into productivity.
Winter In The Mountains
When we first moved to Snowdonia, I’d only really experienced it in summer. And we’d always been really lucky; the odd gloomy day but more often than not roaring sunshine, the sea sparkling turquoise and the white beaches giving the Bahamas a run for their money.
How To Style A Cup Of Tea
You’ve probably noticed, but my go-to prop for Instagram photos is a cup of tea. Partly this is because the photos I take featuring rosie-lea are always my most popular – take a look at my most popular posts below for that evidence. I always know that if I’m in an engagement slump then a good ol’ cuppa will be sure to get me out of it. But of course, it’s not all about the likes and validation, there are lots of reasons why I’m drawn to tea as a prop.