I’m in the middle of a big life transition and it's forced some reflection on a lot of things lately. I wanted to share some of those thoughts with you.

If you are a follower of mine on Instagram you may know that I’ve been retraining in Surface Pattern Design, which is all about creating patterns that can be applied to a variety of products - fabrics, stationery and homeware are just some examples. For me, this new direction feels like the perfect way to combine my creativity with the 'freedom lifestyle' I’m heading for (more on that another time). I’ll be adding these designs into my existing product business but also exploring licensing these designs to others. I've really enjoyed learning a new art form and look forward to sharing more of this with you.

At the same time, I’m embracing the idea of slow business. For me, slow business is about stepping away from the constant hustle and pressure to grow at all costs. It’s about creating in a way that’s intentional - focusing on quality rather than being part of the constant churn of seasonal collections like I used to. It's about knowing what's enough, creating what brings me joy and finding a balance with my personality of 'one and done'.

I want it to feel aligned with the life I want to live and this comes with how the relationship with my business has also shifted. It used to feel like my entire identity was tied to what I did for work and the success of it. I felt I had a lot to prove after a slow burn work ethic in my twenties and although I am deeply proud of what I accomplished, I’ve realised that I don’t want what I do to define who I am because it can all change so quickly and I lost my true self in the process. Instead, I want my work to support the life I want to live, not the other way around.

It’s been a mix of excitement and uncertainty and this change is about giving myself the freedom to redefine what success looks like for me. I’m learning to embrace the messiness of it all, there are lots of circles I go around in daily (endlessly it seems) but it is time to let go of old ideas about who I’m “supposed” to be and to build something that feels true to me. 

My word of the year last year was 'consistency'. I was very consistent for 3 months and then burnt out because I was trying to be consistent with everything, whilst also going through personal stress. So I am carrying this word over to this year but just cherry picking the things I want to be consistent with, those things that I actually want to do and not what society or social media tells me I should. I've also thrown in the word 'vulnerability' as opening up to people this year has really kept me going and I absolutely believe that going forward, if I am my true authentic vulnerable self, only good is going to come from that. 

Do you have a word for the year? Do you find it helpful?