3 Things for May🩷

On inbox detoxes, behind-the-scenes content & choosing resource over resilience

‘May, more than any other month of the year, wants us to feel alive.”

Fennel Hudson

Hi friend,

What are you making May your month of?

Mine’s a little re-focus as we rush to the mid-year point.

Make that a big re-focus. Looking at ways to anchor more deeply in this month of Bank Holidays and short weeks and that uptick you see in your calendar as we all start living our best al fresco lives and dive into the glorious pace of summer.

Also, I’m switching up my 3 Things for…series a little. I always want to bring more value to this newsletter. Each month I’ll share an intention/ micro- strategy focused on visibility and profile raising each month. Ones I’ll use. Proven techniques I share with clients.

It’s an experiment. Let’s see what happens. Come along with me for the ride. And with that…

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3 Things for May🩷

Some intentions I’m taking into this new month with me:

1. Re-focus, re-focus…just focus

I’ve been struggling with distraction lately. Of course it’s the usual culprit of too much mindless scrolling, the toxic impulse to reach for my phone the second I have a thought I’d rather avoid, possibly over-consuming. It’s leaking into and out of my minutes, my days. So much so, I tried some Lion’s Mane gummies (because Instagram told me they’d improve my concentration). Basically £35 on over-priced Fruit Pastilles.

This month is about plugging all those places I let me energy and focus leak out from. Even as I write this, I can even feel my left hand twitching towards my phone.

Because it’s confronting to acknowledge this.

To acknowledge how much of myself I give away to avoidance.

Also, as an adult woman, who has run a business for 12 years and has a self-management toolkit, of course I know what works.

📋Re-prioritising.
⏳Time blocking.
✔️Completion

I may add “inbox detox” to the list.

2. Our worlds, behind-the-scenes

Ok, I know this one comes up here a lot. Like so many solo-business owners I spend most of my workday alone. There’s always that balance of delivering the work vs. being with people who refuel you, who energise you. Which ultimately means you do that work better. From a place of pleasure and appreciation, rather than pressure.

In a move to be more discerning about how I spend my time, I somehow stripped out so much colour and texture. And fun. Which inadvertently trimmed down my own content. There’s only so many desk selfies I can share on Instagram.

Behind-the-scenes (BTS) content is always my favourite. Of course, it’s still edited and filtered.But there’s that sprinkling of storytelling, that invitation to be part of something, to be vulnerable enough to be seen trying.

So I’m committing to sharing my own BTS content x3 times a week as an effort to rebuild this muscle. Join me.

3. Choosing resource over resilience

Parking my privilege, I’d say I’m well-resourced as a creative business owner and writer. Rich in connections, relationships and support. As every reader of The Conversation knows, I still have overwhelming moments of stuck-ness. Caught in the loop of telling myself I know what I need to do. And yet…I’ve had “CEO day” on my to-do-list for 8 weeks now.

Sometimes you need that space held for you.

This month I’ve invested in a messaging refresh as I work out how to balance the parts of who I am in the world, as a PR and poet, so I can grow with this expanded identity. I’ve also signed up to a women’s business and personal growth event.

Just putting a little bit of attention and care back into my business.

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I’d love to know what your May plans are. Hit reply or share in the comments below.

As always, I’m grateful for every ❤️ and response.

With love,
Antonia xo

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Some May recommendations for you:

1. Read: I’ve long been a fan of Tamu Thomas’ deeply progressive work on toxic productivity and her limitless way of thinking. Coming back to her book Women Who Work Too Much at a busy time.

2. Learn: I just completed (ish) Claire Venus’ brilliant Joyful Growth challenge. For the first time thinking about what could be possible for me here on Substack. For anyone thinking of making the Substack leap, start here.

3. Think: Those outside the Substack universe may have missed this story. Glennon Doyle joined Substack. Then un-joined. Because of how people reacted. What does this say about how we treat visible women, powerful women, women with platforms? And why other women’s success can make us all mean girls.