• “- I think we need to sit still for a bit, and stop trying so hard. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ - Mmm no that sounds like a terrible idea, let’s keep going/writing/backspacing/rewriting and let’s keep 134 tabs open at all times, we could be missing something! Also, we’re out of tile cleaner.” ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This is an actual conversation between my gut and my brain, this afternoon, while writing copy for my website. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The gut’s obviously onto something, but you can’t erase a lifetime of relying on your brain that easily. I recently wrote about a different way of working, more in sync with my internal rhythm, etc. And yet this still happens. And it comes with a super size serving of self-doubt and imposter syndrome. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Change is hard. Old habits are more stubborn than gouache stains and I guess the only thing I’m trying to say here is to be easy on yourself as you try new things. Any type of change or experiment has its set backs. What’s important is to keep trying gently and consistently. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ On the bright side, I remembered to buy tile cleaner. Thank you brain.
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    “- I think we need to sit still for a bit, and stop trying so hard. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ - Mmm no that sounds like a terrible idea, let’s keep going/writing/backspacing/rewriting and let’s keep 134 tabs open at all times, we could be missing something! Also, we’re out of tile cleaner.” ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This is an actual conversation between my gut and my brain, this afternoon, while writing copy for my website. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The gut’s obviously onto something, but you can’t erase a lifetime of relying on your brain that easily. I recently wrote about a different way of working, more in sync with my internal rhythm, etc. And yet this still happens. And it comes with a super size serving of self-doubt and imposter syndrome. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Change is hard. Old habits are more stubborn than gouache stains and I guess the only thing I’m trying to say here is to be easy on yourself as you try new things. Any type of change or experiment has its set backs. What’s important is to keep trying gently and consistently. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ On the bright side, I remembered to buy tile cleaner. Thank you brain.
  • I always go back to Le Marais when I find myself in Paris. This is where my best friend used to live, in a tiny apartment under the roofs. This is where she left to when I learnt what it was like to truly miss a friend. This is where we’d spend hot Summer evenings wandering around, catching up on our lives apart. This is where I had my first taste of independence, even if only for a few days, away from the family home I was still living in. A sweet taste of freedom, that still lingers around every familiar corner. Bye for now Paris, I’ll miss you, but I’m leaving with new memories to add to my little book of special moments.
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    I always go back to Le Marais when I find myself in Paris. This is where my best friend used to live, in a tiny apartment under the roofs. This is where she left to when I learnt what it was like to truly miss a friend. This is where we’d spend hot Summer evenings wandering around, catching up on our lives apart. This is where I had my first taste of independence, even if only for a few days, away from the family home I was still living in. A sweet taste of freedom, that still lingers around every familiar corner. Bye for now Paris, I’ll miss you, but I’m leaving with new memories to add to my little book of special moments.
  • Paris I love you. I’m here for a quick solo visit, and I had planned on it being work as usual but this trip is turning into an extended artist date. I am soaking all the inspiration I can get. And there is something about returning to your home country that refuels you like nothing else. Even the most random conversations overheard on the metro, the smells, the drops of rain, people debating at the terrace of a café, children coming out of the boulangeries with their pain au chocolat, all feel so familiar that I feel transported back in time. Sometimes the best thing you can do for inspiration is simply live, and let work rest for a little while.
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    Paris I love you. I’m here for a quick solo visit, and I had planned on it being work as usual but this trip is turning into an extended artist date. I am soaking all the inspiration I can get. And there is something about returning to your home country that refuels you like nothing else. Even the most random conversations overheard on the metro, the smells, the drops of rain, people debating at the terrace of a café, children coming out of the boulangeries with their pain au chocolat, all feel so familiar that I feel transported back in time. Sometimes the best thing you can do for inspiration is simply live, and let work rest for a little while.
  • I wrote a blog post that I would never have a year ago. It’s about inviting more feminine energy into your creative business. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ In short, I started planning my work around my menstrual cycle. I know, sounds super witchy, right? But you don’t have to bleed to benefit from the highly creative power of the feminine. You just have to be a beautifully imperfect human willing to honour your internal rhythms. You just need to be willing to break away from a deeply engrained, overly masculine way of working (thanks patriarchy) and open yourself up to more ease and flow. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ If you’re curious, the link’s in my bio!
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    I wrote a blog post that I would never have a year ago. It’s about inviting more feminine energy into your creative business. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ In short, I started planning my work around my menstrual cycle. I know, sounds super witchy, right? But you don’t have to bleed to benefit from the highly creative power of the feminine. You just have to be a beautifully imperfect human willing to honour your internal rhythms. You just need to be willing to break away from a deeply engrained, overly masculine way of working (thanks patriarchy) and open yourself up to more ease and flow. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ If you’re curious, the link’s in my bio!
  • “I very consciously share any mistakes or whenever I don’t meet a standard because otherwise I would keep it to myself and feel ashamed and that’s just not good. That’s not good for anybody.” ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ In this 2nd podcast episode i chat to freelance journalist, blogger, podcaster and all round frikken awesome human @lucylucraft - I met Lucy last November on a chilly Sunday afternoon in her home in Brighton. Lucy just radiates honesty, from her simple yet slightly rebellious style to her heartwarming laugh. She made me feel at home straight away. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We could have chatted for hours. I felt like I was like catching up with a long lost friend. It was a deep and diverse conversation and I just can’t wait for you to meet her. Link in bio. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #avoiceofonesown
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    “I very consciously share any mistakes or whenever I don’t meet a standard because otherwise I would keep it to myself and feel ashamed and that’s just not good. That’s not good for anybody.” ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ In this 2nd podcast episode i chat to freelance journalist, blogger, podcaster and all round frikken awesome human @lucylucraft - I met Lucy last November on a chilly Sunday afternoon in her home in Brighton. Lucy just radiates honesty, from her simple yet slightly rebellious style to her heartwarming laugh. She made me feel at home straight away. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We could have chatted for hours. I felt like I was like catching up with a long lost friend. It was a deep and diverse conversation and I just can’t wait for you to meet her. Link in bio. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #avoiceofonesown
  • It’s a funny thing sharing something you’ve created. It feels all kinds of thrilling and liberating. You’re on a high for a little bit. But soon after comes a certain emptiness. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ That’s usually a brilliant time for self doubt to show up. You tend to attribute any success to luck. You convince yourself that whoever supported you was lying or being nice. You look back and will find all sorts of flaws. You wonder if you’ll ever get any new ideas. It’s becomes then very tempting not to get back into the creative saddle. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ But once you’ve done this a few times and allowed yourself to feel every emotion on this ride, it becomes familiar, and you learn to work with it. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Here’s what I do: I keep a file with every single word of praise or encouragement I have received on a particular project. That is a powerful secret weapon. That is hard evidence for your creative genius that somewhere down the line, you touched someone with your creativity. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Also, when you’re on a high and you feel proud and unstoppable, write a loving note to your future self. Be specific about why you created this thing. How it made you and others feel. Remind yourself that the way down is just as much part of the creative journey as the butterflies and thrill of grabbing an idea in flight. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ There is beauty in the mess. In the spectrum of emotions we feel. It’s all information about how we operate. It’s all inspiration. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ What are you working on at the moment and whereabout are you in the creative process?
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    It’s a funny thing sharing something you’ve created. It feels all kinds of thrilling and liberating. You’re on a high for a little bit. But soon after comes a certain emptiness. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ That’s usually a brilliant time for self doubt to show up. You tend to attribute any success to luck. You convince yourself that whoever supported you was lying or being nice. You look back and will find all sorts of flaws. You wonder if you’ll ever get any new ideas. It’s becomes then very tempting not to get back into the creative saddle. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ But once you’ve done this a few times and allowed yourself to feel every emotion on this ride, it becomes familiar, and you learn to work with it. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Here’s what I do: I keep a file with every single word of praise or encouragement I have received on a particular project. That is a powerful secret weapon. That is hard evidence for your creative genius that somewhere down the line, you touched someone with your creativity. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Also, when you’re on a high and you feel proud and unstoppable, write a loving note to your future self. Be specific about why you created this thing. How it made you and others feel. Remind yourself that the way down is just as much part of the creative journey as the butterflies and thrill of grabbing an idea in flight. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ There is beauty in the mess. In the spectrum of emotions we feel. It’s all information about how we operate. It’s all inspiration. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ What are you working on at the moment and whereabout are you in the creative process?