Taking back my creativity

Whilst navigating changes

Hello lovely,

Buckle up, it’s time for a little catch-up!

Since the end of February, it feels like life has been turned upside down, shaken around a tad, and turned right side up again. And my brain is still trying to catch itself up!

I mentioned a few letters ago that at the end of February, I was told that my job role was no longer needed, essentially forcing me to leave. Now here’s where I feel that the universe was at play because I’d been planning to start freelancing later on in the year anyway. So, I guess I’ve been given that nudge, just much sooner than expected.

I will be forever grateful for that job position I was lucky enough to be given two years ago — I’ve learnt so much, and it’s allowed me to be one step closer to my dreams.

However, during my last few months there, I was beginning to feel that my creativity was being stifled. Working from home is a dream, but working with clients that didn’t light me up inside was becoming increasingly difficult. You see, I am very much a dreamer, and the clients I had to write for were very corporate, and not really creative in nature. Because of that, I found myself starting to rely on Chat GPT much more than my creative soul wanted to. I almost felt like I was cheating on my creativity, and it just made me feel like a lazy writer. I feel vulnerable sharing this, but I only ever want to be honest with what I share here.

I started to feel like a fraud — the only time I ever use AI in my own writing, is simply for occasional grammar checking (such as Grammarly), and I couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that if I was relying on AI too much for things like research and starting points on topics I had no idea about, then something was very, very wrong.

My soul was starting to feel burned out and was begging me to write for fellow dreamers that I felt passionate about. As a result, my own words were starting to suffer, having barely written a poem that was longer than a few lines in months, I knew something needed to change.

They always say that everything happens for a reason. So here I am now, navigating this strange new path.

I’ve had the most overwhelming support on a note I posted last week after my final day. But here’s a disclaimer — I have since been offered a job at a coffee shop/cafe/bookshop (absolute dream).

So yes, my brain is still currently trying to process all the changes!

Now, I may be a dreamer, however, I still need money to pay my bills. So, because I have taken on a very part-time job on the side, it doesn’t mean I’m not fully committed to making my dream of being a full-time writer a reality.

I know the universe gave me this premature nudge for a reason, I just didn’t have as long as I would’ve liked to ensure financial stability before leaping into the world of freelance.

My ultimate dream is for Substack to provide some of my income in the future, but for now, I will continue to write my heart out here for any of you reading.

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As creatives, we are allowed to change direction.

We are allowed to flow and leave behind things that do not align with what feels right in each creative moment.

Along with the change in my career, I have been feeling a huge pull away from Instagram too, which I feel is about time! Whilst I will still continue to post on there, I no longer want to continue pouring all of my efforts into a platform that I seemingly cannot grow on. And I know that numbers aren’t everything, but as creatives, we deserve to feel seen. Something in which I very rarely feel on that platform.

With this pivot, I’m going to be focusing more of my energy on this wonderful space here and Pinterest.

Photo by Engjell Gjepali on Unsplash

3 weeks tomorrow, I will be setting off on the trip of a lifetime — a creativity retreat in Tuscany — I truly cannot wait to bring you along for the journey!

It will be my first ever ‘solo’ trip. I say ‘solo’ because I’ll be flying to Florence and spending two nights immersing myself in the culture, architecture, art, mouth-watering food, and yes, a glass of wine or two from the quaint wine windows that line the streets, before meeting up with everyone attending the retreat and getting whisked off to a 13th-century farmhouse for 5 nights.

I am so ready to create, write, eat, and make new friends under the Tuscan sun, so stayed tuned for more as I take back my creativity and move into this new chapter.

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With me beginning my journey of freelancing, if you know of any individual or business looking for copywriting and proofreading services, please drop me a message.

Going forward, I may start to write more letters for paid subscribers, as I would love for Substack to be the place that supports me financially in the future. If you’d like to, you can upgrade and join me on the softer side of Letters of Everyday Romance.