Tuning into your creative cadence
On escaping from conventional patterns + embracing your inner seasons + wisdom
Creativity is often thought of as the occasional burst of inspiration. But I think we can all agree that it is so much more. It can flow through our days, shaping our decisions, interactions, and perspectives, and this flow can be harnessed by approaching life and work in a way that’s attuned to our natural rhythm.
This week, my mind has been on building a business and crafting a cadence that supports me. Living and working in alignment comes with many challenges. It requires us to pay attention to our creative peaks and troughs and figure out when we feel most inspired and least energised. This awareness can be hard to cultivate, even for the most centred of people, because conventional patterns are tough to break free of.
While I consider myself skilled at responding to my feelings and finding ways of living and working that support my emotional, mental, and physical health, I’ve veered off the path of slowing down, creating less, and finding calm. I shared how I’m planning to realign myself in the midsummer issue of my latest Inside Story letter, which you can sign up for.
In brief, I want to move from being reactive back to being proactive, because when I think of creative cadence, my mind goes to the natural pace at which my energy flourishes. It's unique to each of us and involves noticing the activities and environments that feel good and fuel us. When you’re in alignment, you’re not forcing but thriving.
Last week, on the Brand Seasons podcast, I was joined by online business and marketing strategist Laura Blume. Laura is my Gathering Stories co-host and has a genuine passion for meeting business owners where they are and helping them show up in their own way. Whether you're starting a business or want to grow one intentionally, Laura believes you can shape it to serve you.
Our conversation explored the Season of Blossoming (in the Brand Seasons framework) and harnessing your energy. We also discussed the impact of aligning work schedules with peak energy and how honouring your creative rhythms can lead to greater alignment and overall wellbeing. After living with chronic illness and running a business while undergoing several years of fertility testing and treatment, this is a topic that’s close to my heart (and I touch on my experience with
in her next Motherhood and Creativity Interview, due to be released this Sunday).Ultimately, embracing our inner seasons is about bringing more to our lives. Read on for Laura’s thoughts on finding your natural rhythm and inviting structure to your days and weeks, especially in cycles of productivity and visibility.
Finding a natural rhythm
with Laura Blume
Have you ever wondered why some people are most creative and productive during the early hours of the morning, while others thrive late at night? If you've ever felt pressured to stick to a traditional work schedule that doesn’t align with your natural rhythm, this is a shared challenge. Embracing your unique cadence can greatly impact you as a business owner, leading to greater creativity, focus, and space.
Society has conditioned us to believe that the ideal workday fits within a specific structure. However, the reality is that we all have different energy patterns. It's not just about noticing the time of day our energy fluctuates but how it rises and falls throughout the weeks, months and seasons. For example, some of us are early birds, full of liveliness in the mornings, but we could be slow to rise during the winter season. Others love to concentrate as the nights draw in, but this focus can waiver during the energy of summer. Understanding your own creative rhythm means you can avoid trying to fit yourself into the same timetable as others.
Working in alignment with your inner seasons allows you to embrace your way of working. A structure built around how you like to work, that is flexible and adapts to your needs, and adjusts during seasons of lower energy where your body may need more rest for non-business time, like summer holidays, which might actually be a season of nurture for you and your business.
Breaking free from societal expectations about work schedules isn’t easy. We may believe that long working hours or sticking to a schedule is the only approach, and as you start to work in a new way, you may experience feelings of guilt as you shift from what's considered the “norm”. In those moments, remember that your way of working is what sustains you and your business.
Once you've got an idea of what your personal approach looks like, you can build a work structure around it, which can adjust for different seasons. This way of working should nurture your most productive hours, allowing you more time to rest and engage in non-work activities and begin to feel calm, focused and resourceful.
Benefits of aligning with your natural rhythm
Less overwhelm: Working when you're at your best enables you to get more done in less time without the pressure of sticking to a rigid schedule.
More productivity: You can approach the most challenging tasks with greater focus and ease when you work during the hours that are most suited to you.
Greater satisfaction: Doing things in a way that supports your energy gives you more time to rest, refill, and relish life inside and outside of your business.
This is why I created Your Season To Bloom, an opportunity to embrace a seasonal approach to business and create a work structure tailored to your unique rhythm. We’re all different, and our work can reflect that individuality, allowing you to show up and run your business your way.
Laura is an online business and marketing strategist. In her work, she aims to help her clients find clarity, build confidence, and create a business that aligns with who they are and how they wish to work. You can find Laura on Instagram.
Playing with creative cadence
In response to Laura’s piece, I’m sharing some thoughts on playing with our creativity, energy and seasons.
Experiment: Test different routines and settings to see what enhances your creativity. You might find that solitude sparks ideas or that brainstorming with others brings out your best. Don’t forget to try creating, making, or writing on days when inspiration seems elusive. It might surprise you!
Environment: Create a space that inspires you. Add art that you love, play music that stirs you, and keep materials nearby that encourage spontaneous creativity. And remember to visit new spaces. Whether it's visiting art galleries or exploring the outdoors, new experiences can spark energy.
Energy: Build your day around your peaks. If you’re most energetic in the mornings, tackle demanding tasks during this time, and don’t forget to make room for activities that bring inspiration. And remember to rest. Sometimes, stepping away from your work can lead to new insights.
Are you in touch with your natural rhythm? How does your energy flow through your days, weeks or seasons? And how does your environment impact your creativity? I’d love to know.
I welcome you to subscribe to my Inside Story letters if you’re interested in a seasonal email (sent around the equinoxes and solstices) which wraps up all things branding and design, as well as creative living and working, in one little package. You’ll also receive a mini guide to brand storytelling.
And if you’re ready to craft a brand that feels like home and access a bank of strategy, styling and storytelling resources, consider upgrading to join my Brand Seasons paid community. Here, I support you with a gentle, nurturing, and playful approach to branding, and some activities await you!
This is a lovely piece. Thank you for sharing your insights about cultivating a rhythm for your work that aligns to your personal rhythm. I have been aligning to the seasons for years now. Living in the country has enhanced this for me. I also notice and follow the lunar cycle as my energy ebbs and flows. Lately, I’m playing with my daily rhythm. I rise very early and have a daily yoga and meditation practice. This leads into tarot, journaling and creativity. From this place, I am inspired to dive into my work. I stay off devices and write or paint. I am going to use this time to tape videos for yoga and mediation. I tend to lose energy in the afternoon. I switch to household chores and phone calls at this time. It is wonderful to listen and trust my own intuition instead of what I should do. It’s an evolving process. ❤️
It's interesting thinking about how energy can vary over the seasons.