I'm Totally Rebranding in Just 2 Weeks!

I'm Totally Rebranding in Just 2 Weeks!

Yep it's time. My online digs are in need of renovation. And now that I'm a graphic designer, I'm armed with the tools and the skills to do it. But before I get into how I'm going to do it, I first want to tell you why.

In my first blog post back, I said that I was thinking that I would keep my graphic design separate from my blog. But after having almost two weeks to sit with this decision, I realised that it wasn't actually what I want. I made it out of the fear that the two were incompatible.

But I love graphic design, and I love talking about and sharing what I've learnt in my continuing inner work. After all you can't separate our inner work, from the work we do in the world. They both feed each other.

So I've decided not to separate it. Anyone who has a blog or a business knows how it is one of the best ways of bringing up all sorts of fears and issues for us to face. Putting yourself out there will do that to you. Blogging and/or running a business is just as much an inner journey as it is an outer one. And so my blog is going to continue to be a place for me to share and document the lessons I'm learning in design, branding, blogging and life.

AND NOW TO THE EXCITING NEWS.

How To Add Text To Your Blog Post Images For Free

How To Add Text To Your Blog Post Images For Free

Do you want to create professional looking feature images for your blog posts but don't know how to use Photoshop? No problem. The good news is that you don't have to learn complex programs, spend lots of money or be a graphic designer in order to create good visual content for your blog. In fact you can do it for free. If you read my previous post, you'll know why it's so important to add text to your blog post images. Today I'm going to show you exactly how I do it. And while I may have just started studying to become a graphic designer, I (at the time of writing) do not know how to use Photoshop.

You can create professional graphics using free, easy to use software and today in this video tutorial I am going to show you how.

I'm Becoming A Graphic Designer!

I'm Becoming A Graphic Designer!

This is a bonus post today because I wanted to announce my exciting news. I'm becoming a Graphic Designer! Today is actually my first day of Graphic Design School. I can't tell you how excited I am. Actually this all happened really quickly. If you had have asked me 2 weeks ago what I'd be doing today, my answer would not have been starting a graphic design course.

How it all transpired

5 Reasons Why You Should Add Text To Your Blog Post Feature Image

5 Reasons Why You Should Add Text To Your Blog Post Feature Image

So you've written, proof read and completed your final edit of your blog post and your ready to hit post. Oh wait! You almost forgot to add a feature image. After a quick search on your favourite free stock photo site (because you know you can't use just any old google image) you upload a pic and hit publish. This is something a see quite a bit online. Bloggers who write a great post, but the feature image looks like it was a bit of an after thought. I think this is such a shame because this is such a missed opportunity.

We live in a world that is so visually orientated and in which social media is the primary way that most of us consume or are directed to information. It is now so important that we optimise our blog post feature images. Here are my top 5 reasons you should be adding text to your blog post feature images

Why You're Losing Motivation For Your Blog

Why You're Losing Motivation For Your Blog

During my time off (which you can read about in my previous post) I learnt a lot. The time offline really gave me an opportunity to reflect and get really honest with myself. Perhaps the most significant realisation was why I was struggling to find the inspiration and motivation to blog and 'go pro'. The week before I stopped blogging I had sent out an email to my subscribers (if your not already on the list you can join here) declaring my intention to, in the words of Steven Pressfield,  'go pro'. B-School had just started again and I was genuinely really excited to go through the course and really implement everything into my blog and business.

But then (ba ba bowww) I crashed. I was literally exhausted because I had spent the last 2 years with my wheels spinning, trying to find some traction to propel me forward. I was trying to create the life of freedom, passion and creativity I wanted and to become the person I've always wanted to be.

I just couldn't do it anymore. It all caught up with me and I was forced to face some things in myself and in my life that I had been avoiding. It was quite intense and I just couldn't find the motivation to blog or do B-School. Luckily I had enough insight to realise that I was feeling this way for a reason so I honored it and gave myself permission to have a break, while I explored what was really going on.

In my exploration I dug up one of the most valuable insights.

Why You Should Stop Searching For Your Purpose

Why You Should Stop Searching For Your Purpose

What is my purpose in life? Why am I here?

I'm sure you've asked yourself this question at least once, if not a dozen times. The asking of it is the impetus for the inward journey for many people.

It seems like everyone in the personal growth and spirituality community is on a quest to find the answer. Attend any self help seminar and the room is filled with people who are searching for their life's purpose.

The strange thing with our life's purpose is that we all have this sense that the answer is there deep within us but it's really tricky to nail down. We go through hundreds of ideas, try out loads of different hobbies, desperately looking for that thing that makes us tick.

The whole process of uncovering our calling is really hard. Often we feel like the more we search the further away we become. When we haven't had any epiphanies or that certainty of a 'HELL YES!' we attend more workshops, read more books, do more inner work, and continue searching. And the relentless cycle continues.

It can get really frustrating, overwhelming  and disheartening. You end up just not really getting anywhere.

Something has to change, there has to be another way. And there is