Meaningful Creations

EDITION 05 / 2025

Happy Monday Reader!!

You every have one of those weeks where it seems like everything is happening at once? That's where I am right now. 🤪

BUT, it's ~~all~~ mostly exciting. We have some work being done to our house (not EXCITING per se, but necessary), AND I have loads of new video ideas to film (but am having to work around the noise!) AND I am working on my online store revamp for April AND...I am having some new photos done next week (which is FREAKIN' me TF out.🤣)

I am NOT comfortable having my photo taken. It's so weird to me that I have performed in front of thousands of people, I love public speaking, AND I record videos of my self every week....and yet I still find it SOOOOO uncomfortable having my photo taken. I genuinely just don't enjoy it. I never have. I think it's probably because I was so self-conscious as a kid.

But I am VERY fortunate that one of the best brand photographers I have every worked with (and who has shot most of my personal branding clients) is now one of my dearest friends. And for the first time in years we will be in the same country and I have booked her to do some photos of me.

If you haven't ever had photos professionally done for your brand, I highly recommend it. Even if - like me - you don't enjoy the process that much, it makes such a difference to have a few really professional photos to use for your brand materials, website or socials. It doesn't have to be crazy expensive - but it's SUCH a good investment. I have planned & styled shoots that have delivered photos that my clients have been able to use for 2 or 3 years! That's a pretty good ROI right?? (PS: If you'd like tips on planning a brand shoot - reply and let me know!)

Plus (and this is the important part) - sometimes it's good to treat yourself like the kick-ass creative entrepreneur that you are, and allow yourself to be centre stage. Let people see who you, and accept....no, CELEBRATE who you are. We spend so much time criticizing ourselves (those little inside voices can be real dicks), and not enough time celebrating how much we do and how far we have come. This is your friendly encouragement to treat yourself the way you DESERVE to be treated. Don't wait for anyone else to do it...do it for yourself. I think you are pretty damn deserving. 🖤

The only way I'll ever be 'trendy' 😜

Things change LITERALLY on a daily basis on social media. And that's just the algorithm! 🤣 It seems like what's being 'prioritized' shifts by the minute. It honestly feels impossible to keep up. BUT, what doesn't change is that well-designed, quality content will always make an impact.

And what IS fun about how fast social media changes, is that there are always new design trends and styles to experiment and get creative with.

This week over on YouTube I am sharing 5 trends that I have seen really making an impact in the last few months - especially when it comes to carousels (which, BTW, are still one of the most consistently effective content types!) Plus I show you how to recreate the trends quickly and easily in Canva.

I'd so appreciate it if you would check it out, and please drop a comment and let me know what you think:

I've always been fascinated by how the minds of genuinely creative people work, especially artists. The intentional thought that goes on behind work that seems simple really makes me think about things in a different way, which - after all - is the definition of creativity.

One such person is London-based artist & designer Paul Cocksedge. His installations and products are a mix of engineering, art and design, and I love listening to the explanation and thinking being his creations. Some of them seem to virtually defy physics, but with a wonderful playfulness.

Check out his instagram and have watch of some of his video explanations about the materials and process...and tell him I sent you 😉!