We get to choose and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Life can be busy, layered, stressful, even confusing. It can be filled with chaos, change, judgement, lessons, trauma and strain; events that can alter us into reactionary states. Always reacting to external input or forces. Always just trying to cope with it all. Always doing what everyone else wants, needs or expects of you. Sometimes we need to be reminded that we can put ourselves first.

Working with your archetypes is like tapping into a superpower. Archetypes are universal symbols used in myths and storytelling through the ages and across cultures. The were conceptualised by Carl Jung, who identified these patterns of behaviour in our collective unconscious.

Our lived experience is becoming more digitised by the minute, but books aren’t going anywhere. Books are one of the earliest forms of technology. A Buddhist text called the Diamond Sutra was the first book produced in Ancient China, 868 CE. Ironically, books are one of the most undervalued forms of technology today.

(spoiler: you don’t have to be an artist to get these creative kicks!) What is creative expression? It’s an outward expression of inner values, feelings, thoughts and ideas. It’s bringing something that wasn’t there before to life. It’s a combination of body action and mind potential fusing into something else - an imprint of yourself, perhaps? But what if we don’t have to take it all so seriously?

I'm not actually a bookshop owner. But in another life - my other life! - I am. At some point, around age 10, my world split and a pair of dual realities began running on parallel tracks. I'm having a Gwyneth Paltrow in Sliding Doors moment as I pen this.

When I began my Ship 30 journey, I became aware of fellow writers talking about ‘Smart Notes’, Zettlekasten and The Second Brain: A field of productivity called PKM. What the hell is PKM? Google explained: Personal Knowledge Management. A lightbulb went off. I have been needing this!

An incredible thing happens when we realise the only thing standing in our way is ourselves. We can decide to stop taking detours, ignoring our calling or waiting for others to approve of our ambitions. We can step into our power, purpose and flow. We can thrive.

Perfectionism and burnout live in the same burning house. Perfectionism is on the rise. We're fed over-achieving behaviours as normal ways to function in society every day. We're conditioned to strive for the perfect life, career and even appearance. It can have us going to extreme lengths to achieve unrealistic goals.

It's always a good day to write - even on Friday's, but especially on the 13th day of the month. Here are 13 ways to get out of your own way today. 1. Stop looking at your phone the moment you wake up even through you promised yourself you wouldn't and that this morning would be different

“This is a story about two roads — Should and Must. It’s a pep talk for anyone who’s chosen Should for far too long — months, years, maybe a lifetime — and feels like it’s about time they gave Must a shot” … And so begins The Crossroads of Should and Must by Elle Luna, a blog post on Medium that found me at the start of my journey as a solopreneur back in 2014.

Beginners mind is a Buddhist practice that invites you to approach life with eagerness and an open mind, which in turn allows you to be more present and enjoy the moment. Generally, the more we think we know about a topic, the more likely we are to close off to the idea of learning more about it.

If you didn't know; Andy Warhol was more than the pioneer of Pop Art; he was also the master of the personal brand. Over the course of his career, Andy became his art. He discovered the creative power of his fame and toyed with his persona as if he were a living exhibit.

Following on from my previous post, Less is so much more - reflections for the year ahead, I'm setting some intentions for how I'd like to steer my year creatively to connect with myself more deeply and inspire my inner artistry. This is what I'm bringing to my creative playground in 2023.

Out the other side of the festive season, I'm landing into the blank canvas that is 2023 and taking some time to be reflective and set some intentions. Last year was a shift and turning point in how I do a lot of things and I'm keen to take these adjustments and learnings into the year ahead:

Patti Smith is one of my favourites writers. Her writing is a whole mood; both melancholic and atmospheric and just simply, Patti. My journey with her writing began with her autobiographical, Just Kids. I was mesmerised by her life story and the poetic nuance in which she shared it.

Hemingway may have put that in his pipe and smoked it, but for a lot of us it seems there's so much more to writing than just doing the damn thing. But is he right? Is most of it just about getting out of our own way?Well, there's only one way to find out - so here's to opening a vein and bleeding for the next 30 days.

Having worked in social media since 2011, I made the call in June this year to set a boundary and say no to social media projects that came my way. This meant turning down income when I was in the throes of re-booting my business. It was hard at first, but today I can say: RIP 10 year social media career. #byee

This week is filled with words in the form of poems and the magic they conjure when placed artfully and thoughtfully together. I'm incredibly honoured to be editing a book of poems for a friend in L.A. This friend and a dear friend of hers, bored of Zoom calls and craving deeper connection, came up with a project during the pandemic.

There are so many contradictions to being an artist or creative, but one self-destructive construct is that you have to work for free to earn credibility, but then you’re a sellout when you put a price to you work. Excuse my poetic French, but fuck that noise. Artistic integrity doesn’t come at the expense of earning a living.

This one's for the artists and the shadow artists. Isn't it crazy how reading these words feels like a soft punch in the knowing? It's hard to step out into the landslide of online content, this shouty world, to show yourself and what you're making, but it absolutely must be done.