3 business-y things for May🩵
Creative Caffeine - On early summers, finishing tasks & in-person things
“May, more than any other month of the year, wants us to feel alive.”
- Fennel Hudson
Hi friend,
Thank you for the generous response towards my last newsletter on my first 6 months (give or take) here on Substack. It’s taken me two weeks to catch up …
I just got used to it being April, and then May comes along with her short weeks and long weekends and promise of summer.
My summer’s come early this year. I’m taking my mum Cyprus this week. Her Parkinson’s means she can’t travel alone anymore. Alongside caring, I have a few days of touching base in my hometown, some writing research and all the frappés. Soul stuff.
3 business-y things for May
I’m always working on my relationship with time. Trying to not obsess about how even four days out of my business throws things off. To take this time to regroup. Be grateful. Maybe getting over myself. Anyway, May is about discernment and priorities. How about you?
1. Being ok letting things be
I have huge shiny object syndrome. I’m forever scanning the horizon for what’s next; the next workshop, next opportunity, the next big win.
As I was about to sign up to another course, I caught myself. May is already filled with client projects, travel, my daughter’s GCSEs, a poetry manuscript deadline …Do I need to take on more? Things are pretty going ok.
Allowing things to be is new for me. To swim with things just as they are. Let’s see how it goes.
2. Completion
Oh, that wild feeling of accomplishment when you finish something.
Like, actually complete and ship.
As an expert starter, finishing things is not my strength (see above. Also ask my husband…he doesn’t find it cute). So this month, I’ve been focusing on getting things done before I move to the next thing.
Not massively revelatory but, as someone with multiple half-finished projects scattered on her desk, in Google docs and in her head, it’s a leap. Having a boundary with myself before I start something is my new MO. Last month I wrote about how sprints can create that momentum to get things done, if that works for you.
3. In-person things
A few Conversations back, I shared that business-of-one fatigue has felt very sharp lately. I’m starting to think about a piece that goes deeper into this.
In the meantime, I’ve been making a concerted effort to get out in the world more. Client face-to- face meetings. A little bit of networking. Work-ish coffees. Connection that fuels the hours at the laptop in my little office (which I love). Last week, someone suggested meeting at a coffee shop with great tyropittes (Greek cheese pies) and I felt entirely seen.
Tell me what you’re bringing into your May. As always, in the comments below, or hit reply. I’ll be ready to say kalimera from Cyprus.
And as always, I would love you to share or forward this Conversation.
Yia sou,
Antonia xo
I'm with you on struggling for time. And finishing things: the novel I started, 14 years ago.....which has changed completely since then, but still! And the joy of sunshine finally appearing, and warmth - even in the North East. Thought it would never arrive, yet 21C yesterday!
May, so far, has thrown me off with a stomach bug and taking on extra work. There's a lot to relate with you here, the doing, the looking ahead, getting things done (or started), so I think May is going to be what it wants it to be and I have to relax into it! Cheers.