Well howdy Reader!! 😁
How the hell are you?
I gotta be honest, Reader - I've been slipping into old habits. Thought patterns and behaviors that don’t serve me. Not for my business, and definitely not for my mental health.
It’s been a manic couple of weeks. My incredible friend Anastasia was here shooting my new photos (which I cannot wait to start using!), I messed up my shoulder (a literal pain in the ass...well, shoulder), and the state of the world? Let’s just say, it’s been getting to me.
I’m a sensitive old soul (maybe too sensitive some may say 😜) and sometimes, keeping up with "business as usual" feels impossible when so much is happening that goes against everything I believe in. I also get in my head too much, which can quickly lead me down the dreaded spiral. (Can you say doomscrolling anyone? 🤨). That's why I've been a little quiet.
This week, I caught myself falling into the trap of overthinking instead of doing. Again. And the thing is.... I KNOW that taking action (however small) is what pulls me out. It gives me a sense of control - like I’m not just standing by, worrying. And the same goes for my business. Taking action, creating, moving forward—THAT'S the antidote to overwhelm...the key to feeling like I am making a positive difference.
So I am revisiting, and reminding myself daily of my phrase for the year:
So if you are feeling a little stuck (with your business OR with everything happening in the world)...this is your reminder to TAKE ACTION. However small, whatever you can manage today. Lots of tiny actions lead to big change. Get out of your head and take that step forward. You got this. WE got this. 🖤
Speaking of progress...
My geeky side loves to take things apart (both metaphorically and physically!) to see how they work - and that's exactly what I do when I see cool video graphics or animations. I try and break it down frame by frame to see how it all works and how it comes together to create something stylish. And I especially love recreating something that is usually reserved for complex animation software, just using Canva!
That's what I've done this week over on YouTube - I am using simple Canva animations and tips to show you how to create progress bars for your next project or video. These can be really useful and have been shown to actually increase engagement! Plus it's fun to take the basic principles, get creative with different styles and elements, and make it work for your brand or business. AND the techniques used to create these progress bars can be used to create timelines, or countdowns, or any number of other animations 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:
Meaningful Creations
Maybe it's because I'm dreaming of escaping from everything 🤣, but this week I wanted to share a space that just feels like the most perfect (and kinda surreal) location to retreat from reality.
Folly Mojave is an off-grid wilderness retreat at the intersection of The Mojave National preserve and Joshua Tree National Park. But it's not just the location that is out of this world - the architectural design and styling are absolutely breathtaking. Every detail has been considered - from the angle of the structures to the materials to the decor and the views from every opening.
The elegant, brutalist structure and vast beautiful landscape evokes legends of deep spiritual awakening...or dystopian sci-fi futures. I'm not sure which. 😜
Either way it's a marvel. Check it out here and here.
That's it lovely people. Take care of yourself and keep creating joy. 🖤 See ya next week.
