Sometimes in business life can just throw you a massive curve ball. It might be illness, it might be a life event, and you just really don’t know how you’re gonna carry on if you can even run your business anymore. How you. Are gonna cope and you just feel massively overwhelmed. And that’s kind of what happened to me about a year and a half ago when I was hit really badly with long COVID and I was suddenly unable to walk for more than 20 minutes.

My brain just switched off and I was just in a permanent fog with endless fatigue. A zoom call would wipe me out for days and my creativity just. Absolutely was drained. I couldn’t come up with logos, I couldn’t come up with brand ideas. I had zero energy and I was told by the doctor that I had to actually take, you know, uh, a good two months at least off complete work so I could just rest and recover.

Um, and that’s what I did. And the recovery has taken a lot longer than expected. It’s been. It’s been very hard for someone who loves being outside, being active, going away in my camper van, it felt like everything that I love doing had been stripped away. But as ever, I always try and find a deeper meaning in when we’re throwing challenges.

And I did sense that, you know, part of I. Part of, um, what I was struggling with with business, I guess it illuminated everything when I got long COVID and maybe the things that were slightly stressing me became un unimaginable stress that I just couldn’t keep going with. So I’ve really had to think about how I’m gonna shift, shift my business.

Um, and at first I just thought I’d have to completely stop. And that was quite devastating because I’ve put so much heart and soul into running my business that the thought of completely giving it all up, um, and all the beautiful connections I’ve made online. And sharing kind of how weave nature into my brand.

I didn’t wanna let that all go. And, um, yeah, so it, it took a very long time, I’d say a good few months, um, and good chats with amazing friends who are also business owners to work out how could I shift it and still do it in a way that honors my energy. And so I realized I, I love branding. I’ve got so much experience in it, but I couldn’t at the moment, take on the big custom brand strategy projects.

They just take up so much energy. Um, and some days, you know, I can’t, I have to rest a lot more than it would allow. I couldn’t do jump on Zoom calls all the time. Um, and also I didn’t want to take on projects knowing that I’m not in my full energy. So I just started gently creating a few illustrations and selling them on my shop.

And a few people bought them. And then I created, I’d already created a website template, so I created another one, and then it was actually when I was getting a camper fan converted. And I just loved the idea of having something formed that you slightly customized, but you already know what you’re getting.

So many, many walks, gentle walks. I decided I wanted to, uh, come up with something that was like signature brand kits so that people who haven’t got the full budget to invest, and also when my energy isn’t there. I’ve created these beautifully formed brands in my Craig If wilderness style. That then can be customized with colors, with little illustrations that you can choose from with fonts.

So you can choose the kind of one that fits your overall brand style and you get this beautiful brand that would cost you normally, you know, upwards of 5,000 pounds for a much more affordable cost. So, so I started shifting my business in that way, and it is scary. I’m just launching it. Um, but yeah, I wouldn’t have.

Said that long COVID would be so life changing, but it really, it really has changed my life and it really has changed my business. And I remember I did always feel. Like the big projects were so much pressure on me. Um, and then everyone was saying how good I am at them, but it was like, I just felt this constant sense of stress and unease and pressure when I was doing them.

Um, and maybe, yeah, long COVID, almost put a magnifying glass on that and showed me ways that weren’t quite working. And it’s happened in life as well. I definitely, I was a people pleaser a lot and said yes. To things, but also pushed myself all the time, um, and didn’t listen to my body when I was tired.

You know, I’d be doing a mountain and maybe the next day doing a mountain again when maybe I should have just been chilling out or, you know, go, going on a van trip instead of just resting and relaxing in my van for a day. I’d be like going to the next spot. Always looking for that. And so I’ve really, I’ve really learned to rest a lot more.

It’s, and same with business to stock. Keep pushing. And I’ve just got to honor that. I am different to most business owners now. Um, and I was before, to be honest, I’m way too sensitive. I dunno how people post reels every day and, you know, share on LinkedIn all the time. I just, I just feel like I can’t keep up.

Um, so it is, I’m, I’m, I’m exploring recrafting, um, and Rewilding, I suppose, my business and, and to see if it works. Um. And yeah, if it can make enough money to support myself, and it is quite scary walking away from branding projects because they do, they bring, they brought in most of my income, to be honest.

And it was really good income from, from those. And yeah, I’ve spent so long doing that and getting experience in it. So I’m hoping it’s a little like sidestep. Uh, and I’m really, really passionate about producing them and, and I just, yeah, I feel really proud of the first three blankets that I’ve produced.

Um. But yeah, so I wanted to just share a bit of my journey and I’ll be sharing a little bit more around how I’ve had to like completely shift my business. And as a bit of an example, uh, at the start, I was working half an hour a day, and then I’d build it up each week a little bit more. So I’m, I’m currently at sort of two to three hours a day, but then after that I am absolute wiped.

And some days I have to completely. Like rest because my brain’s done and it’s stupid things like socializing or if I’ve walked a little bit faster than normal or gone for a swim, stayed in the sauna too long. So it’s still, it’s still very hard to, um, yeah, completely go all in again. So I’m just having to be patient, which I’m not very good at.

Um, but I wanted to share that because. I’m sure there are so many of you out there who are struggling, maybe with the pace of business you can’t keep up or you’re stuck doing something that you know is kind of causing you lots of overwhelming stress. Um, so it’s like looking at creative ways to shift it.

And I have to, I’m gonna be completely honest, like I’m not making much money yet at all compared to what I used to. So it’s, it’s very much a work in progress and trusting and having faith. So, and who knows, it might, you know, it might not take off, but I just wanted to, I dunno, follow my gut with it and, and see what comes out and experiment with Yeah.

Creating something that’s quite different to how people would normally approach branding for people. Um, I. And it’s seeing if how much freedom and sort of ease it can bring. Um, so yes. Um, hope you’ve enjoyed my little share. I’m sat on a tree at the moment, so hopefully the wind has not been too distracting.

And I’ll be back again with another voice note from the wilderness.

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