Change is Inevitable. Growth is Intentional.

Within the shelves in my office are notebooks. Pretty notebooks. Scrappy notebooks. Small notebooks. Packs of notebooks. Too good to use notebooks. At a glance you can tell I am very happy with a nice new notebook. Or even several because they all serve a purpose eventually.

Buried within the well worn pages of my notebooks are reminders, important things inside that must not be forgotten. But often are.

I have always loved stationery. Notebooks and coloured pens are fabulous. Yes technology is brilliant and helpful too, I am partial to using Evernote when I feel super productive and efficient. But you cannot beat a lovely hand stitched notebook from Paperchase.

This year I made a decision about the notebooks, let’s call this an intention. I decided to change how I intend to use them. Because I’d have quotes in one, to-do’s in another, random ideas and creative downloads in another and I’d struggle to find all the good stuff I kept for a specific reason.

So whilst I love new notebooks, instead of buying several I decided to invest in one.

Fortunately, I didn’t need to venture too far as sitting on the shelf in my office was a lovely notebook with gorgeous birds and butterflies on the cover that my husband had purchased as a gift for me sometime ago. Waiting to be used. (He is very thoughtful with the gifts he buys, so I’ll mention it here just in case he reads this post!)

“You don’t always need a logical reason for doing everything in your life. Do it because you want to. Because it’s fun. Because it makes you happy.”

Back to the notebook. I’d been keeping this notebook for special purposes. And this seemed the perfect time to put it to good use.

You’ll have heard of vision boards, well this has become my very own vision book.

This beautiful notebook is the perfect size and was ready to be filled with all the quotes I love, little reminders to perk me up, magical moments that occurred during my day, actions I’ve taken, gorgeous images cut out from magazines that deeply resonate and not forgetting my own important intentions, actions and progress. Everything contained in one place where I can add to it quickly and easily as well as review and reflect. Perfect.

Fast forward to now and this magical book is something rather special. It’s no longer just a pretty notebook. This has become my anchor. It manages to remind me precisely what it is I intend to do with my own life and business.

When I drift off course, or the negative committee in my head tells me I haven’t done enough, or someone else would like me to put their intentions and priorities before my own. I pause for a moment. Pick up the notebook, flick through the pages and suddenly I return to a place of positivity. My mindset shifts. I feel inspired and encouraged. I reconnect with myself and focus once more.

And there is always an inner nudge that whispers “This is what YOU intend to do, remember?”

Ah yes. There it is. All of it together in one place so I don’t forget.

Every page has meaning. It helps me remain focused. It perks me up when I feel I am not making the progress I desire. It reminds me of how far I have come this year alone. And when I feel pulled in different directions in life, either of my own doing or by people around me I consciously come back to what I intended and crack on.

But as well as keeping me focused, productive and on track, this magical notebook has enabled miracles. The words and images have taken on a life of their own. To someone else my notebook may look meaningless. However to me it’s precious and full of meaning. Because during the first six months of the year something remarkable happened. One of my biggest transformations occurred. An epiphany of sorts.

I am not one for resolutions. Goals can be a bit tedious. But intentions are transformative. I knew this before, but I hadn’t quite realised just how powerful intentions can be.

When I began filling the pages I knew life would be a little easier. I’d find what I wanted quickly. But what I hadn’t envisaged was that over time, season by season and month by month as the content on the pages grew, something was beginning to bloom. To grow and transform right before my eyes.

The intentions became my reality.

It was quite a moment when I realised what I had “unintentionally” created. Because it was glaringly obvious when I could see everything together staring back at me from the carefully crafted pages.

As I have written about before, I knew that I had undergone another life transformation. I was ever-so ready to let go of past and my living brand itching to evolve into the new. But what and how?

Suddenly as if by magic all of the answers I had been seeking for a long time were right there. Beautifully contained within my magical notebook.

Everything that matters to me. What really lights me up.

This book is me. It’s who I’ve become. It’s who I am now.

My new petite business. My own living brand. My life.

And this is how I intend to show up and live my own magical life. It’s all here.

When I realised what I had created, I stepped outside into our sanctuary also known as our garden. I looked around and something clicked into place. It isn’t just my magical notebook that enabled me to grow, bloom and transform.

Our garden worked it’s magic on me too. Nurturing this neglected place, meant it also nurtured me. Bringing me gently back to life.

Over time I began to notice the beauty all around us. My life has taken a very different path than I’d ever intended. The change was inevitable. Suddenly the blinkers were off and I instinctively knew my work had to incorporate the wisdom of nature. And this was abundantly clear within my notebook.

This realisation meant finally I could connect the dots. I’d found the clarity I’d been seeking to create my new brand identity and website.

I locked myself away, along with my magical notebook and got to work.

The new web copy was written. My logo created and printed into fresh business cards. My new website lovingly designed, created and filled with my own words and images. Images that had been there all along waiting for me within my Instagram feed or sitting in files on my PC.

I deliberately chose to share what I had created with a couple of trusted friends who had walked my transformational path with me. They knew me well. They know who I am now. They also know just how far I have come. And their support and encouragement was invaluable. Because we all need those soul sisters who believe in you, when you are wobbling and wonder can I do this? Can I say that? Can I really show up and just be me?

Within the space of three weeks, the job was complete. I’d created and built everything and launched my new website. My new petite business emerged and bloomed. With me front and centre with a new identity in my own name and the flowers came too.

I’d like to say at this point it was painless. It wasn’t. It was blinkin’ hard work. Navigating change and transformation usually is. But still you dig deep and carry on.

But I knew I was right to trust my instincts. I’ve found my flow once more. I am aligned with my heart and soul. My patience has been rewarded. The transformation occurred.

It was time to go for it and emerge once more.

Everything about me and my work is intentional and often has a sentimental meaning behind it. Or at the very least a story to tell.

I don’t pretend to be something I am not with my brand. Or within my photos on Instagram. What you see is what you get. In reality too. And it may not be for everyone. But that’s the point. It is what it is. And I am what I am.

Someone said to me a few weeks ago “You’re different, I like that”.

Yes me too. I’ll take that as a lovely compliment. Because you can create a “social media show reel”. You can follow the crowd and do what everyone else does. You can bend and fit in to be liked online and off. But doing this means you are not being true to you. You’re replicating what someone else intended.

The flowers in my logo were deliberately chosen with care, the font with my name had to be changed from black to golden, to represent from the darkness into the light. The branches of wisdom blog is inspired by being among the branches of the many trees in our garden. We also have a big tree trunk that is perfect to sit on and tune in to some natural wisdom.

Everything, even right down to the image on my website and my business cards with the pink roses and me walking in the background is used consciously. Yes this is me. My husband took this photo whilst I was wandering around the gardens of a chateau I love in France. This place is special and close to where I used to live and work in my twenties. Only this was taken the summer I started my first petite business, when I felt a sense of freedom that has re-emerged once more with my new chapter.

I’ve come a full circle. Because my very first business also had a brand with flowers, pink and purple colours and a golden logo.

So when I refer to creating and establishing your own living brand, this is precisely what I mean.

And this is mine.

“Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature.”

— Gerard De Nerval

When I received my new logo files I decided to send them to my sister to take a look at.

She emailed me back and said “Well, it’s very pretty Mel, but what do the flowers have to do with your work?”.

I must write down a reminder to show her my magical notebook sometime soon!

There Is A Voice Within So I Write

There have been two constants that have sustained me throughout my life and are now entwined into my soul-led work and living brand. Writing and gardening. And yet it has taken a long time for me to recognise these two significant threads weaving their way in and out of my life and work since childhood.

Writing is my go to

Even if writing wasn’t within my existing job role or a need to for my business I know I will always continue to put pen to paper. Just because it's what I love to do. 

First and foremost I write for me. To articulate my thoughts and ideas. To process what I feel and see going on in the world around me and of course to share my stories.

Writing is like my therapy and it has seen me through some pretty dark days and back towards the light. You could say it’s a lifelong trusted friend that doesn’t speak out loud, but gently guides me forward to discover the answers I seek all from the words written on the page.

And now I can clearly see that my writing practice sustains all of me, in my day-to-day life and within my petite business. It isn't one or the other it is a blend of both.

Over the last few years I have worked on "Conscious Writing" a practice that typically starts with a meditation to slow everything down. For my writing practice this works brilliantly as I need peace and quiet to write. I cannot be in a busy cafe or have people around me. I cannot hear myself think if there is noise. Hence my office being referred to as my "Creative Cave". When I am in there I am not to be disturbed!

Following the meditation you're ready to tune in and listen to the voice within and clearly hear precisely what it is telling you and get it down on the page. You write what is there. Sometimes it can be a challenge to get it all down as it flows quickly. But usually writing this way means a few tweaks and then I am good to go. Rather than sitting at my desk and over thinking what to say.

I've also been fortunate to attend a workshop with Julia Cameron, author extraordinaire of the Artist Way and have diligently followed her guidance and advice ever since. 

With writing there can be a perception or belief that you’re not really a writer until you have a proper book deal from a publisher. Or until you see your printed book on the shelves in a book store. Or even until you’re a number one best seller on Amazon.

None of these things mean you are officially a writer

Let's put all of these beliefs to one side because if you decide to pick up your pen, write down your words in your notebook or type something on your screen you are a writer.

You don’t even have to share what you write with another person in order to claim the title. You just have to decide for yourself. I am a writer. I will write. 

I met someone recently who is about to graduate she has been studying for her English Literature degree and now is embarking on her new path as a bid writer. I said I also used to write bids and tender documents and I hated doing it at the time.

It didn’t feel at all creative. It felt stressful and mundane.

But putting together the bids was more significant than I ever could have realised at the time.

Not another boring question to answer....

Our bid team and I would traipse off to the board room (or should that be bored room!) for days on end locked away in front of a screen with me at the keyboard compiling our bid documents for big pitches. Bouncing around ideas, getting the words down and answering endless boring and repetitive questions. 

I wasn’t taken on to do bids, it wasn't officially my job and I distinctly recall my resistance to it. So much so another colleague and I had a to-do in the office about yet another bid that landed on my desk and was urgent. 

I’d had enough of endless bid documents and asked if someone else would do it?

He replied with “You’re the only one here in this office who can write. So let me know when it’s finished”?

Gah! Didn't he know I wasn't a writer and it wasn't part of my remit?!

Eventually I moved through the resistance

Writing became my friend, not foe.

Now I realise however much resistance I put up in doing the bid responses this enforced task was a thread, another significant step in my life that enabled me to practice writing something. I may not have enjoyed it at the time however it led me further along my writing path. 

When I left the bids and tenders behind I launched my first petite business with a blog. This meant I had to write something frequently and I would sit for hours writing and publish my posts. This was far more enjoyable and interesting and I could say whatever I wanted. Brilliant. More steps further down my writing path.

But I still didn’t consider for one moment that I was a writer. I just created blogs. With my own words. Maybe a blogger? Not yet officially a writer.

Even reflecting back on my childhood and school years I couldn’t recall excelling at anything in particular. I felt pretty average really. I know being sporty is still not my thing. I would get frustrated during my maths classes because why on earth do you need algebra in the real world?

But I loved to read. All the time. Roald Dahl and Enid Blyton were my childhood favourites. I also loved new notebooks and stationery. I still do. With sparkly pens and coloured pencils. And I even loved to scribble and write in them. Oh and funnily enough I still do this too. 

So a while ago when I was searching for my purpose and seeking answers about who I really am. I wondered what sustains me? What do I really love to do? What is the best form of self expression for me? 

It was challenging to say the least. Because it's hard to know yourself, sometimes you need outside helpers so I decided to ask my parents "Was there anything I enjoyed when at school, what did I love to do in my spare time?”

And they both said the same thing "You were always reading, writing and making up your own stories". I asked my sister. She said the same again. And added if someone was nasty they'd get written about in your stories. I might still do that......!

So this is how I discovered my writing thread. 

I dug out my old school reports to triple check this was true.  And there it was in black and white written on my school reports by my teachers "Melanie loves to write and tell her stories."

So I may have been rubbish at maths, not sporty at all, a bif iffy with science, but English Language and Literature well not so bad here. But I had forgotten all about my childhood pursuits because you do don't you? They remain buried and yet here was the significant thread. There all along, just waiting for me to rediscover it and acknowledge that yes I love to write.

Maybe now I will call myself a writer?

It has taken a long time for me to accept myself as a writer and to boldly claim this title. But now I will confidently state this within my bio's and elevator pitch. As I am more than one job title. And it is intentional that I bring all of me to my life, soul-led business and living brand, I want my tribe to feel like they know the real me and I will do so by writing and sharing here.

“You ask me why I spend my life writing? Do I find entertainment? Is it worthwhile? Above all does it pay? If not, then, is there a reason?
I write only because there is a voice within me.
That will not be stilled.

”

— Sylvia Plath

The signs and threads are there for us to see

It can be hard to recognise your own threads. Until they make themselves known loud and clear. They begin to gnaw away at you. You become restless. Agitated. Anxious. You know you’re meant to be doing something to sustain you, but what is it?

For me if I don't write I do feel a bit off. Antsy. Snappy. Like something is bugging me.

Ahh yes it's time for me to write. Because now I recognise the signs and hear the voice in my head that has something for me to say.

I cherish and nurture my writing thread and know I will continue to write until the end of my days. It sustains me in my entirety and is no longer about work or play it has become a combination of both. 

Our threads are unique and make us who we are. They create their own life long tapestry that enables us to eventually find clarity, purpose and meaning in our lives. Thread by thread.

And you can bring all of your threads together within your life and work too:

• Maybe yoga sustains you and you decide you want to teach others?

• Maybe you love looking after your skin and you decide you want to share this wisdom with others so you become a skin specialist for your work?

• Maybe you have learnt some important life lessons and you decide to create your petite business around sharing your own insights and knowledge to support others through this thing called life?

• Maybe you love to paint and instead of words your preference for your own self expression for life and your work is to share your own artistic creations?

The point is our threads are not all about just sustaining us OR our business.

They can when acknowledged and expressed, become what we are known for within our living brand AND sustain our entire being. Everything transforms for the better.

For me I know I intend to continue to show up with my words. Because there is a quiet voice within that has transformed my world so I will continue to write.

And as for the garden and beautiful flowers these remain another important thread and a story for another time.

Seeking more meaning and purpose in your life and soul-led work? Here's how we can work together.