Welcome to Issue 64 of Writing and Other Stuff, a newsletter by me, Kim Scaravelli, with a focus on writing with personality and pizazz, and nurturing your creativity. Glad you're here! If a friend forwarded this email to you, say thank you - and subscribe here.
Had an epiphany while driving through the Highlands of Scotland!
🚘 Let me start by saying that the first few hours were stressful. The steering wheel is on the left instead of the right, everyone is driving on the WRONG side of the road, and the signage is non-sensical to Canadians.
That said, hubby and I got used to it.
That's one of the magical things about venturing outside your comfort zone. It's stressful at first, but you adapt. You calm down. You find your balance.
Anyhoo...
Back to my epiphany...
From the passenger side of the car, I was blown away by the gorgeousness!
I kept saying stuff like "Did you see that?" and "Isn't this amazing?", and hubby kept nodding and agreeing. But after a while, I realized that he wasn't really seeing all the beauty I was seeing. He simply couldn't focus on the road and the scenery at the same time.
And THAT was my epiphany!
It's important to keep your eyes on the road. In fact, it's essential. But it limits your ability to appreciate what's happening around you.
🙏 Sometimes you need to STOP the journey in order to appreciate the moment and SEE what you came to see.
FYI: Don't worry about hubby. I found lots of spots to pull over so he could get out of the car and enjoy the view!
Cool quote
“There is so much we overlook, while the abundance around us continues to shimmer, on its own."
Naomi Shihab Nye, Poet
Simple Ways to Apply the "Stop and Enjoy the Scenery" Approach to Your Work Life
🩷 Take your foot off the gas. Schedule a 30-60 minute pause mid-week (and maybe again on Friday) to think about what you've done and what’s next. These little pauses may keep you from missing the scenic route of your career.
🩷 Celebrate small wins. It’s like pulling over to admire a cool roadside attraction—except instead of a giant ball of yarn, it’s your own awesomeness! These little pit stops let you feel proud of what you’ve achieved before you jump back on the highway of never-ending to-dos.
🩷 Be willing to re-calibrate. Take a step back now and then. Stop pushing forward long enough to clearly see where you're headed in the long run. Take a breather and look around. If it looks like you're driving in circles (or maybe even going in the wrong direction), re-calibrate and set a new path forward!
These things may seem obvious. But sometimes it's the obvious stuff we forget to actually do.
Like hubby... driving through the Highlands of Scotland but forgetting to stop and actually ENJOY the view! Until I made him pull over, he didn't even realize that he was missing out.
Don't let yourself miss out!
Stuff Worth Sharing
Do you struggle to make videos/reels for social?
📣 If this is a problem for you, you NEED to find photographer Allison Smith on Instagram: @dandeliondigitalhfx.
Allison is a personal friend, and a fabulous brand photographer, and she posts lots of helpful advice and tips, including brilliant B-Roll Prompts.
Basically, each B-Roll prompt gives you an idea for a super-simple reel you can create and share, including a suggestion for your caption. I've used her ideas more than once and they always get high engagement rates!
FYI: She has them all stored in one of the Highlights on her IG account, so you can peruse them whenever you like.
For the Word Nerds
Brought a new word home with me from Scotland: Slàinte
FYI: The way it looks is NOTHING like the way it sounds, so here's a link to hear it spoken.
It means "good health" and you can use it as a 👋 greeting or a 🥂toast. I love the way it LOOKS - and the way it SOUNDS. Very cool word!
Thanks for reading. The next issue will arrive in your inbox on October 16.
In the meantime...
🤙 If it feels like your brand voice isn't quite in line with your personality and your professional goals, book a free 30-minute chat. Let's fix that problem!
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