This is a lovely piece Keeley! You put to words the experience I was speaking about in therapy just yesterday. When you have multiple passions while navigating career shifts (and for me, midlife), it feels confusing how to define what it is you’re doing and who you are. I love the idea of normalizing the process publicly!
It is confusing isn't it. I was soooo lost for about a year trying to work out my next steps & eventually decided to go study floristry and pivot entirely. It doesn't feel amazing to get to your 40's and be like huh I don't actually like what I'm doing anymore 😂. I think when we do online work or art we just don't have the luxury to plan our next steps and focus in hiding and then present a full product. It's awesome you're talking through it all with a therapist. It's a bit lonely otherwise! Are you working on a project at the moment? 🤍
I am juggling projects. Still writing on Substack but also now working on a memoir manuscript. I love that you pivoted and I believe in time it will get clearer for you
I love you title. I have no idea how this got into my inbox (other than divine providence) and I'm not sure when I may have signed up for your substack (years ago probably, I'm not an avid user of substack at all). But the title made me open the email. And I read it. And it resonated, because, "Me too!" I just quit my job with no new job waiting. I've been working for DECADES on other people's websites, books, and branding and given no attention to my own because procrastination and perfectionism. But I know my own projects deserve to exist, and someone out there is waiting for what I have to share and is depending on me to do it!
Thanks for inspiring me, stranger, and I'll be looking forward to more of your journey as a kindred spirit on a similar path.
Wow I can relate to all of that - working on other people's websites and messaging & stories for years upon years upon years. It's so easy to lose your own voice on the way, almost without realising. Your own projects absolutely do deserve to exist! Love how you put that. And perfectionism is a sneaky thief. Especially now on the time you have freed up, I just want to encourage you to treat it with curiosity and play, rather than needing perfection or answers. At least that's how I'm finding it easier to show up. I'd love to hear about what you create! Do you have an idea of the direction you want to go? 🤍
Ps - I promise I would never steal an email 😂 so I think you must have signed up a long time ago & forgot haha. (Relate.)
This whole thing made me smile so wide keeley! Again I have no idea how I ended up here!
As someone who's written and written and written in public, pivoted a billion times (don't even ask me how many times I changed my bio), cleared out my email lists because it just didn't work... I could completely feel your words my friend.
But I've also realised that people actually don't give a shit. Even when I did that, all these beautiful souls remembered were the experience they had with me as a person or while reading my words. Weirdly, they gave words to describe "what I do" when I couldn't. You know?
And most importantly.. I've understood that it's crucial to write purely for us. Nobody else. It has to come from the soul. I'm not talking about formatting, making it easier to read on the eyes and stuff. But the core of our writing should be for us. Writing is a medium of expression isn't it? How can it be for others? And when we do that the right people automatically get attracted. They do join even if we don't believe so in the moment. It's never ever the other way round. Spent years trying to fit in "what the audience wants" shoes until I didn't work anyways and had to say fuck it. The universe responded haha.
Hi Shruthi! Haha it sounds like everyone has subscription amnesia - relatable.
It' soooo true that people don't seem to care as much as we think they will. And that's absolutely it - the experience and connection far outweighs specifics.
I do agree - in some ways - writing for ourselves yes...but also I think there is a strong part of me that wants to write to share and connect, otherwise I could just write in my diary and bypass the whole being embarrassing in public thing haha. But I also agree that I need to write to satisfy my own need to write and express and when I try to silence that or dim that it's not healthy for my own spirit. If that makes sense. And yes, writing only what the audience wants to hear is a road to bigtime burnout.
I love the energy you show up with!! No wonder the opportunities are finding you. x
Yeah exactly!! Writing itself ‘should’ (though I don’t like that word haha) stem from our deep need to express and activate our voice. There’s such a sacredness to that! At the same time…connection and sharing becomes an outcome of it. Like the idea originates from our soul. We edit and make it readable for others haha.
I so relate to your post Keeley. I’m intending to pivot out of my corporate job over the next year. It feels scary but it’s a must as I need to reduce my stress. It’s a very stressful but rewarding job. I turned 60 this year and can’t carry the level of stress for the next decade.
Wishing you all the success with your floristry and I’m inspired by your pivoting 🥳
Oh wow Beverley that's so exciting! Definitely scary too. Do you have thoughts on what you might do next or how you'll make the transition? It sounds like the right call if its affecting your health in any way it's just not worth it. And thank you so much, I truly appreciate that. 🤍
Keeley this is such an amazing piece 🤍 I’ve had lots of pivots with my creative work and have certainly felt those familiar feelings of failure etc. You’ve reminded me that pivoting is definitely part of the process, especially as we grow as both a creative and a human.
Hi Jenna! So lovely to hear from you! How are you adjusting to life with bub? It's weird that we convinced ourselves pivots were failures isn't it. When there's not a single artwork that was ever created start to finish without changes or new directions. I don't know how we collectively decided that haha. x
Yup. I launched a whole meditate with my painting thing and then moved countries and … lost all enthusiasm for it. I still paint but not for consumption. Meanwhile, I’m trying to decide if I should add a podcast here. I’m already doing it on YouTube but with visuals …
Yep. You get it. Hmm podcast pondering...I would probably recommend taking the audio from your YouTube videos and using that as your podcast, you can still point people to the video too. At least in the beginning - lowers the barrier to entry and then if you're inspired you can create a few stand alone podcast episodes too.
What I get hung up on is the music. The IG audio library can’t be used in Pinterest. The YouTube library has a similar requirements apparently. Using music outside of YouTube but in YouTube requires shenanigans to get it approved even though its already either royalty-free or whatever and at this point my head hurts and I give up.
There's also the option to sign up for the platforms that let you use their assets and you can add your social profiles so you don't get copyright strikes. But they're subscription based and just yet another expense. Good though if you're using lots of music or SFX etc.
Hey Gorgeous! You know something, I don't mind reinventions, reshaping, reformatting, renaming... re-anything as long as the some beautiful soul I fell in love with is still at the helm!
Sending love, with hopes of more of you 'en fleuraison'! xx
PS I think I like the chance to change the colour of the script, highlighting though?? I see enough of that in the classroom!
Hi lovely Keeley, My poor sheep are suffering in our third heatwave since May, they literally don’t know what to do with themselves and there seems to be no let up in sight… I spend hours showering the roof of their cabin with water to cool it and them down but it is dry again in seconds… I feel utterly helpless and so very sorry for them. 😢 We are longing for autumn at the start of summer, which is sooo not normal and sooo not like me! xx
Oh no your poor sheepies!! I'm so sorry to hear this! Of course they must be struggling in the heat wave you guys are experiencing, I hadn't even thought of that. It must be so foreign to them and so stressful for you. I truly hope the weather lets up soon, sending you and them lots of love & I hope they get some relief and the chance to frolick in cooler weather very very soon! xx
I feel like I am always dancing between pivoting and cringing and pivoting again. I love that you are here doing it too. I couldn't ask for better company.
Dancing between pivoting & cringe is the best line! Although you’ve never ever been cringe that I’ve seen. You have such an elegant online presence. Kind of like a fairy godmother but…classier. And likewise! Thanks for being in it with me. 🤍
I will humbly receive the classy fairy godmother compliment. That’s so yummy. And the cringe stories that I could share…but I am thanking my past self for being brave and getting practice in feeling very, very uncomfortable. It has definitely paid off.
Stories from the cringe. Could be a series. 😂 Yessss I love that so much!! Thanking our past selves for being brave and uncomfortable. I only recently started to feel like I really understood that. I guess your classy wisdom vibes are hard won by her.
Well this was very timely.... I think the universe may have had a hand in this! As today I just announced to my subscribers I'm stepping back and closing down some things I started earlier in the year. Thanks for the reminder that it's ok to change direction (and of one of my all time favourite Friends episodes!!)
Hi Melissa! Ah, I love it when the timing works. 🤍 Good on you for taking the steps you need even if it means change. Really lovely to hear from you and haha it's a great episode isn't it. Pivoooot.
I'm right there with you! Currently on the brink of making a shift in my writing / substack / creative life / self concept lol and your piece popped up as i was overthinking things. Just what I needed to read today, thank you for sharing 💓
Hi Jess! Gotta love some good timing. Overthinking is the worst. And it's so true - self concept is never left alone when we're shifting everything else, it's a package deal isn't it. Just because I'm nosey can you tell me a sneak peek of what you're shifting to? 🤍
Yes! And thank you for asking ☺️ I was previously just trying to get out of my marketing writer's comfort zone and find out what i was really being pulled towards. That saw me writing about creativity, meanwhile not feeling really in tune with my creative self. 🫠
Since then, I've discovered i enjoy playing with poetic language and feminine frivolity and topics that make me feel connected to girlhood but also motherhood. So the next chapter (no pun intended!) will be a series of lyric essays about home, with a dollhouse as a recurring motif/metaphor.
I now have to set myself a deadline for when to actually relaunch and then hold myself to it..! 😅
Ohmygoodness this is amazing!! I love it so much, I'll have to subscribe, I'd love to read your work. Poetic language & feminine frivolity 😍 - gorgeous.
The dollhouse metaphor!! Love.
I think it's interesting that a marketing background can hide the softness a bit? The feminine. It feels like a different energy to be in that space and then when you step back from it, you can begin reconnecting with those other parts. At least, that's been my experience.
Yes! Deadline mode. Let's pick a soft launch date. 🤍
Aw thank you!! Stay tuned ☺️ And yes it's an odd thing, I'm not sure whether it comes down to trying to be a certain type of professional who is creative but versatile enough to be "taken seriously"? And I suppose, as in a lot of areas like fashion for instance, the neutral and versatile option is decidedly not feminine at all. But how freeing to get back in tune with that side! Excited for your floristry adventures 💐
This is a lovely piece Keeley! You put to words the experience I was speaking about in therapy just yesterday. When you have multiple passions while navigating career shifts (and for me, midlife), it feels confusing how to define what it is you’re doing and who you are. I love the idea of normalizing the process publicly!
Hey Christine! Thank you!
It is confusing isn't it. I was soooo lost for about a year trying to work out my next steps & eventually decided to go study floristry and pivot entirely. It doesn't feel amazing to get to your 40's and be like huh I don't actually like what I'm doing anymore 😂. I think when we do online work or art we just don't have the luxury to plan our next steps and focus in hiding and then present a full product. It's awesome you're talking through it all with a therapist. It's a bit lonely otherwise! Are you working on a project at the moment? 🤍
I am juggling projects. Still writing on Substack but also now working on a memoir manuscript. I love that you pivoted and I believe in time it will get clearer for you
Oh wow! Memoir!! That's amazing!
🤍
Thank you I really appreciate that. x
I love you title. I have no idea how this got into my inbox (other than divine providence) and I'm not sure when I may have signed up for your substack (years ago probably, I'm not an avid user of substack at all). But the title made me open the email. And I read it. And it resonated, because, "Me too!" I just quit my job with no new job waiting. I've been working for DECADES on other people's websites, books, and branding and given no attention to my own because procrastination and perfectionism. But I know my own projects deserve to exist, and someone out there is waiting for what I have to share and is depending on me to do it!
Thanks for inspiring me, stranger, and I'll be looking forward to more of your journey as a kindred spirit on a similar path.
Wow I can relate to all of that - working on other people's websites and messaging & stories for years upon years upon years. It's so easy to lose your own voice on the way, almost without realising. Your own projects absolutely do deserve to exist! Love how you put that. And perfectionism is a sneaky thief. Especially now on the time you have freed up, I just want to encourage you to treat it with curiosity and play, rather than needing perfection or answers. At least that's how I'm finding it easier to show up. I'd love to hear about what you create! Do you have an idea of the direction you want to go? 🤍
Ps - I promise I would never steal an email 😂 so I think you must have signed up a long time ago & forgot haha. (Relate.)
This whole thing made me smile so wide keeley! Again I have no idea how I ended up here!
As someone who's written and written and written in public, pivoted a billion times (don't even ask me how many times I changed my bio), cleared out my email lists because it just didn't work... I could completely feel your words my friend.
But I've also realised that people actually don't give a shit. Even when I did that, all these beautiful souls remembered were the experience they had with me as a person or while reading my words. Weirdly, they gave words to describe "what I do" when I couldn't. You know?
And most importantly.. I've understood that it's crucial to write purely for us. Nobody else. It has to come from the soul. I'm not talking about formatting, making it easier to read on the eyes and stuff. But the core of our writing should be for us. Writing is a medium of expression isn't it? How can it be for others? And when we do that the right people automatically get attracted. They do join even if we don't believe so in the moment. It's never ever the other way round. Spent years trying to fit in "what the audience wants" shoes until I didn't work anyways and had to say fuck it. The universe responded haha.
Hi Shruthi! Haha it sounds like everyone has subscription amnesia - relatable.
It' soooo true that people don't seem to care as much as we think they will. And that's absolutely it - the experience and connection far outweighs specifics.
I do agree - in some ways - writing for ourselves yes...but also I think there is a strong part of me that wants to write to share and connect, otherwise I could just write in my diary and bypass the whole being embarrassing in public thing haha. But I also agree that I need to write to satisfy my own need to write and express and when I try to silence that or dim that it's not healthy for my own spirit. If that makes sense. And yes, writing only what the audience wants to hear is a road to bigtime burnout.
I love the energy you show up with!! No wonder the opportunities are finding you. x
Yeah exactly!! Writing itself ‘should’ (though I don’t like that word haha) stem from our deep need to express and activate our voice. There’s such a sacredness to that! At the same time…connection and sharing becomes an outcome of it. Like the idea originates from our soul. We edit and make it readable for others haha.
Oooh I love that. Yesss!! x
Oh Keeley. All of this is so extremely relatable. Thank you for giving it a voice.
🖤🖤🖤
Gabrielle! Hello! Lovely to hear from you. Are you off on a traveling adventure at the moment? Thanks for letting me know it's not just me. 🤍🤍🤍
Helloooooo
And sadly no, we are having a very much stay-in-place summer 💞
That sounds lovely though! Hope it's restful & inspiration-filled. 🤍
I so relate to your post Keeley. I’m intending to pivot out of my corporate job over the next year. It feels scary but it’s a must as I need to reduce my stress. It’s a very stressful but rewarding job. I turned 60 this year and can’t carry the level of stress for the next decade.
Wishing you all the success with your floristry and I’m inspired by your pivoting 🥳
Oh wow Beverley that's so exciting! Definitely scary too. Do you have thoughts on what you might do next or how you'll make the transition? It sounds like the right call if its affecting your health in any way it's just not worth it. And thank you so much, I truly appreciate that. 🤍
Hi Keeley. Thank you for your patience for my reply. I’ve been travelling.
At this point in time I’m not entirely sure what will be next for me so I’m learning to trust uncertainty for now.
My pleasure ✨
Keeley this is such an amazing piece 🤍 I’ve had lots of pivots with my creative work and have certainly felt those familiar feelings of failure etc. You’ve reminded me that pivoting is definitely part of the process, especially as we grow as both a creative and a human.
Hi Jenna! So lovely to hear from you! How are you adjusting to life with bub? It's weird that we convinced ourselves pivots were failures isn't it. When there's not a single artwork that was ever created start to finish without changes or new directions. I don't know how we collectively decided that haha. x
We’re doing well thank you! Steadily finding my groove. It is so strange. That is such a great way of looking at it though!x
So glad to hear you're settling into things. The best time. (& super hard, for sure). Sending you love x
Thank you lovely! Sending love your way too x
Yup. I launched a whole meditate with my painting thing and then moved countries and … lost all enthusiasm for it. I still paint but not for consumption. Meanwhile, I’m trying to decide if I should add a podcast here. I’m already doing it on YouTube but with visuals …
Yep. You get it. Hmm podcast pondering...I would probably recommend taking the audio from your YouTube videos and using that as your podcast, you can still point people to the video too. At least in the beginning - lowers the barrier to entry and then if you're inspired you can create a few stand alone podcast episodes too.
What I get hung up on is the music. The IG audio library can’t be used in Pinterest. The YouTube library has a similar requirements apparently. Using music outside of YouTube but in YouTube requires shenanigans to get it approved even though its already either royalty-free or whatever and at this point my head hurts and I give up.
Yeah they love to make things simple don't they.
Ok so that might be a bit more fiddle-faddle.
I guess there's option a) buy a track or two of royalty free music that you have licence to across all platforms and just use those OR
b) create a new audio file with youtube-friendly music and then another one with no music or different music for the podcast upload.
I think just owning one or two licences for tracks can help the process and they're not superrrr expensive for the lack of headaches.
There's also the option to sign up for the platforms that let you use their assets and you can add your social profiles so you don't get copyright strikes. But they're subscription based and just yet another expense. Good though if you're using lots of music or SFX etc.
Hey Gorgeous! You know something, I don't mind reinventions, reshaping, reformatting, renaming... re-anything as long as the some beautiful soul I fell in love with is still at the helm!
Sending love, with hopes of more of you 'en fleuraison'! xx
PS I think I like the chance to change the colour of the script, highlighting though?? I see enough of that in the classroom!
Lovely Susie! Hello!! That is actually spot on. I love the way you put that.
And yessss thank you that's what bothers me about them but I couldn't put my finger on exactly what I didn't like. It's too school-ish.
Sending love your way too & thank youuu
PS how are your sheep?? 🐑 🤍
Hi lovely Keeley, My poor sheep are suffering in our third heatwave since May, they literally don’t know what to do with themselves and there seems to be no let up in sight… I spend hours showering the roof of their cabin with water to cool it and them down but it is dry again in seconds… I feel utterly helpless and so very sorry for them. 😢 We are longing for autumn at the start of summer, which is sooo not normal and sooo not like me! xx
Oh no your poor sheepies!! I'm so sorry to hear this! Of course they must be struggling in the heat wave you guys are experiencing, I hadn't even thought of that. It must be so foreign to them and so stressful for you. I truly hope the weather lets up soon, sending you and them lots of love & I hope they get some relief and the chance to frolick in cooler weather very very soon! xx
Keeley the whole of France is hoping for relief with you! Thank you ♥️xx
I feel like I am always dancing between pivoting and cringing and pivoting again. I love that you are here doing it too. I couldn't ask for better company.
Dancing between pivoting & cringe is the best line! Although you’ve never ever been cringe that I’ve seen. You have such an elegant online presence. Kind of like a fairy godmother but…classier. And likewise! Thanks for being in it with me. 🤍
I will humbly receive the classy fairy godmother compliment. That’s so yummy. And the cringe stories that I could share…but I am thanking my past self for being brave and getting practice in feeling very, very uncomfortable. It has definitely paid off.
Stories from the cringe. Could be a series. 😂 Yessss I love that so much!! Thanking our past selves for being brave and uncomfortable. I only recently started to feel like I really understood that. I guess your classy wisdom vibes are hard won by her.
Well this was very timely.... I think the universe may have had a hand in this! As today I just announced to my subscribers I'm stepping back and closing down some things I started earlier in the year. Thanks for the reminder that it's ok to change direction (and of one of my all time favourite Friends episodes!!)
Hi Melissa! Ah, I love it when the timing works. 🤍 Good on you for taking the steps you need even if it means change. Really lovely to hear from you and haha it's a great episode isn't it. Pivoooot.
I'm right there with you! Currently on the brink of making a shift in my writing / substack / creative life / self concept lol and your piece popped up as i was overthinking things. Just what I needed to read today, thank you for sharing 💓
Hi Jess! Gotta love some good timing. Overthinking is the worst. And it's so true - self concept is never left alone when we're shifting everything else, it's a package deal isn't it. Just because I'm nosey can you tell me a sneak peek of what you're shifting to? 🤍
Yes! And thank you for asking ☺️ I was previously just trying to get out of my marketing writer's comfort zone and find out what i was really being pulled towards. That saw me writing about creativity, meanwhile not feeling really in tune with my creative self. 🫠
Since then, I've discovered i enjoy playing with poetic language and feminine frivolity and topics that make me feel connected to girlhood but also motherhood. So the next chapter (no pun intended!) will be a series of lyric essays about home, with a dollhouse as a recurring motif/metaphor.
I now have to set myself a deadline for when to actually relaunch and then hold myself to it..! 😅
Ohmygoodness this is amazing!! I love it so much, I'll have to subscribe, I'd love to read your work. Poetic language & feminine frivolity 😍 - gorgeous.
The dollhouse metaphor!! Love.
I think it's interesting that a marketing background can hide the softness a bit? The feminine. It feels like a different energy to be in that space and then when you step back from it, you can begin reconnecting with those other parts. At least, that's been my experience.
Yes! Deadline mode. Let's pick a soft launch date. 🤍
Aw thank you!! Stay tuned ☺️ And yes it's an odd thing, I'm not sure whether it comes down to trying to be a certain type of professional who is creative but versatile enough to be "taken seriously"? And I suppose, as in a lot of areas like fashion for instance, the neutral and versatile option is decidedly not feminine at all. But how freeing to get back in tune with that side! Excited for your floristry adventures 💐