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✨ When there’s so much advice, how do you know who to listen to? ☎️⁣ ⁣ There’s a lot of talk when building your online brand about consistency. And let’s face it, I’m pants at that. I’ve actually tried to be on top of it and I do have some posts ready to go in my photo and caption ‘bank’. ⁣ ⁣ But when I know I should be posting, I just don’t want to. It feels so forced and unnatural. I wanted to post at least two times a week, because that’s what I feel like I should be doing (actually, it should be more but I wanted it to be achievable for me). There’s a lot of guilt running my business because I feel like I’m not doing half as much as I should.⁣ ⁣ Yesterday I listened to the Make a plan Make it happen podcast by @josephinepbrooks, with the brilliant Leona from @indie_roller, who talked about our overwhelming expectations on ourselves and playing by our own rules. Leona said that it’s OK to not show up on a consistent basis - people are NOT going to forget about you. Plenty of other podcasts, experts, coaches and blogs tell me the opposite.⁣ ⁣ The point is, it’s really hard to know what to do or who to listen to when there’s so much advice out there. I suppose it’s just a case of going with our gut, and if it doesn’t feel right, then don’t push it. ⁣ ⁣ If you want to post five times a week, go for it! I admire that so much. If you don’t feel like posting and it turns into a once a month thing, that’s cool too. I don’t think we should force it just because we ‘should’ - as small biz owners, we already put a lot of extra pressure on ourselves as it is.⁣ ⁣ So, here is a photo of the red barn print available in my shop, with an honest caption that I felt like sharing. #blog
First of all, how are we a week into September?! Second of all, gjkjgajkdsjfbsj I have A LOT on my to do list. The run up to Christmas is always the busiest time of year for a small business, and it’s SO easy to get overwhelmed.⁣ ⁣ We need to have our Christmas designs sorted (oop, not even started). Content written and planned. Mailing lists and social media and product promotion and blogposts and scheduling and… well, there’s just not enough time in the day.⁣ ⁣ There are so many online training courses, newsletter sign ups and e-books promising results and giving advice to tell us to WORK HARDER. The truth is, we need to work smarter. ⁣ ⁣ I ALWAYS get into the cycle of burnout. I work too hard for too long and then I have weeks or months of feeling burnt out and subsequently feeling SO guilty.⁣ ⁣ I’ve changed a lot of things this year, and one of those still ongoing is putting too much pressure on myself. We all do it, don’t we? What if we just cut ourselves some slack?!⁣ ⁣ So here’s my reminder, and if you need it, your permission. You are only human! Don’t burn yourself out. Do what you want to do, and look after yourself in the process. You can’t pour from an empty cup, after all 🌺☕ #blog
😖❌ Decision making is the worst 🙅‍♀️⁣ ⁣ Please tell me I’m not the only one 🙈 With big decisions, I’m paralysed by the idea I might get it ‘wrong’. I’ve always hated it, and always stressed and worried and over thought every single one. ⁣ ⁣ Something I’m learning and teaching myself is that there is no such thing as a wrong decision. By thinking this way, I’m taking some of the pressure off and hoping I’ll get more confident in making them. ⁣ ⁣ The world will adapt and change and alter depending on your choice - whether ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. Really, we can’t actually make bad decisions. They may not pan out like we hoped, but that means we can learn from them instead. If it’s a lesson, how can that be wrong? ⁣ ⁣ Every options holds a promise. And, as Baz Lurhmann said: Your choices are half chance, and so are everybody else’s.
Ever thought about creating a travel sketchbook? Here’s a peek in mine ✏️✨⁣ ⁣ I started a travel sketchbook this year and it’s documented all of my travels from 2019 so far. It includes short breaks and longer ones, and is a really lovely way for me to highlight elements from each day.⁣ ⁣ I still take photos, that’s what I scrapbook for! I document those in a different way, but I really love this more compact and personal way of recording memories.⁣ ⁣ ⭐️ Head to the story highlights in my profile to see more of my travel sketchbook or scrapbooks 👉🏻📒 #blog
✨F A V O U R I T E P L A C E S🗺🌟⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ I’ve travelled a lot this year, both abroad and closer to home. When it comes to short breaks in the UK, nothing calls me back quite like Brighton.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣ I don’t know if it’s the wonderful treasure trove of The Lanes, the independent shops, the colourful people or simply the creative vibe, but I always feel so inspired.⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ I came home and felt the urge to paint, and this little gem appeared. ⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Is there anywhere that inspires you? Or is it just the feeling of somewhere different, and then the return home, that starts that little spark of creativity? #blog
There's something about messy paint palettes that I just love! These colours are mixed on a disposable tear off palette, meant for oils but also perfect for acrylics (and can be used for gouache like I have here). For watercolour, I use a plastic palette as, like gouache, these paints are water based and can be reactivated. It also means it's quick to clean up, but it does always make me a little sad seeing the colours washed away! #blog
Popping in with a bit of Wednesday wisdom! This is a super difficult one for me, and I’m sure a lot of people can relate. I experience emotions really strongly, and I’m slowly learning and teaching myself that *this is not a bad thing*. . An account that’s really helped me this year is @notesfromyourtherapist - so many good lessons in those little handwritten notes! If you know any other accounts like that, I’d love to hear 🙂 #blog