GRATITUDE + CONSCIOUS LIVING Page 9 of 22

What would you do with a day away?

Posted on 2015-06-23 at 8:56 am.

Last week we had our annual ‘away day’ at Do What You Love. It was actually two days – a strategy meeting on Wednesday, and a day on a yacht on Thursday! We chartered the boat to give us a way to get a complete change of scenery, open our minds and think differently. And it worked!

We were brainstorming ideas for my book (more on that in the coming weeks), and it was amazing how the gentle lapping waves helped us forget about to-do lists and tune into some big deep questions.

It was also good to spend some fun time with our lovely team, on a gloriously sunny day, to hear more about their individual dreams and plans, and get to know them better.

We are only a small team, but moments like this are important.

Even if you work on your own (or for someone else), can you give yourself the gift of an away day? If so, here are some tips to make it special:

Put it in your diary and guard that time carefully. No adding little meetings, or cutting it short for urgent business. Protect it, and make it happen.
Go somewhere you don’t normally spend time, or use an interesting mode of transport to get there. Try being on the move as you think – perhaps walking, hiking, cycling, or sailing.
Clear away all distractions (no email, no phones, no small people – just for a few hours!)
Plan one specific thing to think about, and ask yourself a handful of probing questions
Let your mind wander, and see what emerges
Make notes about your ideas, as they may disappear as easily as they arrive

This week we challenge you to find time for your own awayday. We’d love to know what you thought about, and what came out of it – please share with us on Facebook or Twitter!

Have a lovely week

Beth and team

[Tweet “What would you do with a day away? “]

Ditch the routine

Posted on 2015-06-03 at 10:42 pm.

Written by vbnz

Do you have a routine? How does it go?

Chances are you don’t acknowledge your routine day to day, but we bet you have one. You probably go through most of it on autopilot, without stopping to consider whether what you’re doing is healthy, productive or enjoyable. Isn’t it time to change that?

We’ve been really enjoying doing the activities from the Do What You Love e-course recently. Week three of the course is all about being brave and coming alive. One of the activities asks you to spend a day mixing things up a bit, so we asked Rose to ditch her routine today. Here’s what happened.

When I started thinking about what I was going to do differently today, I was at a bit of a loss. Shaking up your routine is inevitably going to move you out of your comfort zone – that was clear at the very moment I started thinking about it. But when I really got to thinking about what I could do differently, I felt a strange sense of excitement.

It started with breakfast. Today I swapped my usual Marmite for Nutella and bananas on toast. Having chocolate for breakfast always feels indulgent, but it’s the chocolate-banana combo that makes this an unbeatable start to the day.

Rather than sitting straight down in front of my computer after breakfast, I decided to go for a morning stroll on the seafront. It was a beautiful day – sunny and breezy – and I was surprised to find so many people by the sea before 9am. I was even more surprised at how friendly everyone was. I tend to assume everyone is grumpy in the morning, not being a morning person myself. But receiving so many friendly hellos so early in the day put me in a great mood.

After my stroll it was time to get to work. But I was feeling remarkably chirpy, and I didn’t fancy working on my own. I decided to give my friend (a freelance designer who works from home) a call. She invited me to work at her house, so I grabbed some juice and biscuits and headed over.

I loved working somewhere new in the company of my friend and her cat, Mila. We enjoyed frothy coffee, countless snacks and great music. And I had a really productive working day.

I was so surprised at what an effect shaking up my routine had on my mood, and my productivity. I felt more alive today than I have in weeks. I’m looking forward to changing my routine in different ways in the future – perhaps I’ll end up replacing my old routine with a great new one that’s just right for me!

The Do What You Love e-course will help you ditch bad habits and boring routines, and lead you to see what you really want (or need) more clearly.

“I am now far more open to ideas and willing to say yes to opportunities. I think, well, whats the worst that can happen?!” Shona W., Do What You Love participant, Jan 2015

Join us this June for the experience of a lifetime.

He can make you whole again… spotlight on Andres Roberts

Posted on 2015-05-29 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

“I have really tried to be the change many of us want to see.” ~ Andres Roberts

Today’s world is more complex and challenging than ever before. Many of us find ourselves meandering aimlessly through life paying little attention to how we feel or where we’re heading. It’s no wonder that we find ourselves feeling lost and disconnected. When we don’t really know or understand our true authentic selves, how can we truly connect with others, and the world around us?

Andres Roberts, co-founder of Way of Nature UK, is a leading expert in positive revolution. As a guide, a facilitator and a leadership and change advisor he is dedicated to helping people find wholeness, purpose and balance in life. The concept of “wholeness” is at the centre of all his projects – understanding that we are a part of something bigger can allow us to let go of the smaller things that hold us back in life (“our everyday bonds”) and focus on the bigger picture.

A group retreat in nature, led by Andres

“For some reason we’ve come to a place in life where it’s normal to wear masks, and play roles,” Andres explains. “It’s intriguing for me that for so many people life begins at five o’clock or at the weekend, when they start doing things they really love. That’s a form of separation for me. What we’re doing is separating ourselves from our beliefs, from each other, and from our true selves. I believe that all this is happening because we act to feed unhealthy aspects of our ego, that small self that can be so misguiding. It’s how many of us end up working in jobs we don’t like, feeding consumer culture, but not really meeting our deepest needs and passions.

“When we think and act from a small ego we lose sight of the fact that we are part of a much bigger ecology and to me this is really interesting. I believe that we feel that ecology all of the time. We need to spend time outdoors. We need to spend time in nature. As soon as the sun is out we all want to be out there, we all feel heavy and tired and we sense our energy draining if we sit behind the computer all the time. We evolved in the wild with trees, birds and grasses, so when we go for a walk in nature, it’s about going back home. Being outside in nature can lead to deep relaxation and opening of the heart and that it is an antidote to what contemporary work and life, fuelled by a consumer culture, is all about.”

Andres leading a group in Crestone, Colorado

A few years ago Andres’ work investigating playfulness, or the lack of it, in our working lives opened the door to nature. He started taking groups of people to Spain to experience solos in the wilderness – on their own for a day or two – to help them to reconnect with themselves and nature. He also organizes retreats and workshops to get more connected with nature and recently spent 28 days alone in the Colorado mountains.

He explains: “When people spend significant immersive amounts of time in nature their sense of self shifts. The boundaries within the walls of their body and mind begin to move. They feel present and connected, and they begin to flow more easily as part of a world, a bigger world. It’s like growing a family; your sense of self expands. You see outside yourself and realize that life is not just about you anymore. You are connected. You are all one. We are all one. It’s very natural to want to spend more time in nature because we miss that connection to something bigger, the wider whole.”

Do you feel lost or disconnected? Do you want to live a more whole and balanced life? [Tweet “Are there things about the way you work, live and play that you want to change but don’t know how?”] Do you dream of spending more time in nature? Andres can help you figure out the answers here. And for more information about Andres, visit his website.

“I know Andres well both professionally and personally. He is an absolute pleasure to work with and to be with. His motivation for systemic change is tangible and his energy is abundant and infectious. I think this comes from his alignment with the natural world and the purity of his motivation. He is a genuine inspiration.” ~ Steve Waygood, Chief Responsible Investment Officer, Aviva Investors

Ideal environments

Posted on 2015-05-26 at 5:04 pm.

Written by vbnz

Our environment has a huge effect on not only how we feel, but how we live our lives. When was the last time you thought about where you want to be as opposed to what you want to be?

When have you last been aware of what kind of environment makes you feel alive and gives you a sense of possibility? Is it in a bustling town centre or is it in a cottage overlooking a dramatic sea landscape? Week 1 of the Do What You Love e-course encourages you to explore what changes you want to see happen by visualizing your ideal life, and that includes where you feel the happiest.

As we go through some of the Do What You Love exercises this month, we have asked Vickie to go through the “Ideal Environment” exercise. This is her mood board below.

All images courtesy of @vickieinwonderland

“The way a certain environment can make you feel is very powerful and finding a place where I can be happy and feel alive is as important to me as finding my “crowd”. When I travel, I often get somewhere, look around, sink in the atmosphere and think “I could live here”. It’s always a combination of things that makes me feel that way, but if I break it down, my ideal environment would have to include these three elements: water, gardens & markets.

Water is calming and invigorating at the same time and it’s ever changing. You never look at water twice and see the exact same thing. Whether it’s the sea or a small stream at the bottom of a garden, water is in constant movement and it reassures me to know that something in constant movement can still be calming and permanent.

For me, gardens are havens of peace. It is important for me to have even a tiny patch of garden somewhere. When I lived in a small London flat, I converted a little corner of my kitchen into a garden, with fake grass and pots with different plants and flowers. I had less space for cooking but I could have breakfast in my “garden” and nothing would make me happier than seeing the sun come through the window onto my plants after a tiring day at the office.

As much as I love the peacefulness of water and gardens, I also love a bustling marketplace. They make me feel like I am a part of a community of great people, even if I don’t know anyone there. Markets are friendly and happy places and although they can get a bit hectic, to me they are always rather comforting. They are like huge street parties where strangers come, share things and go away with a sense of belonging and a smile on their face.”

The Do What You Love e-course will help you understand that you can choose the kind of life you want and gives you the tools to explore what your ideal life would look like so that you can start building it for yourself.

“This course has been very important for me to understand myself in a deeper way, and make the right choices.” Cinzia R., Do What You Love participant

Join us this June for the experience of a lifetime.

Do What You Love HQ Update – May 2015

Posted on 2015-05-26 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

The long summer evenings have brought with them a renewed sense of relaxation and calm after an incredibly busy few months at DWYL HQ. After almost a year of new content creation and recruitment our team has clicked with everyone fitting into the right roles, finding autonomy and feeling assured. The sheer volume of work that the team has got through since January is astounding. I take my hat off to each and every one of them, from Beth downwards. It is a pleasure and a privilege to work with so many people who are motivated by purpose, and who work with humour and a smile to such incredibly high standards.

Fast on the back of her appearance at The Barclays Debate #barclaysdebate Beth was proud to talk at the recent Mumsnet conference in London. She was there as part of a panel providing business and lifestyle advice about how to start up on your own. I know she thoroughly enjoyed herself as she came back with a spring in her step after mingling with so many other aspiring and driven mothers.

The Business Soul Sessions opened its classroom doors (digitally speaking) on May 11 to a new group of individuals. This revolutionary course offers a thought-provoking, perspective-shifting, mind-opening approach to business growth for entrepreneurs who want greater impact, explosive growth and serious profits they can be proud of. Without blowing our own trumpet, I wish we could have taken The Business Soul Sessions at the start of our journey!

It has been nearly three years since the previous class ran and I can’t wait for all the wonderful eureka moments that I know our students will have. So many great things come out of this course for so many people, and it’s wonderful to watch our students grow and transform their approach and their businesses before our eyes. This is what some of our past students have said…

“This course was pivotal for me. It helped me gain a professional confidence and business identity that I didn’t know I was even missing.” ~ Noelle Rollins

“My business has grown at least 300% and my network and knowledge have expanded exponentially because of this course.” ~ Sandra Dumais

“The Business Soul Sessions changed my entire approach to everything I did. It changed how I thought about business and living the life of a business person. I taught myself to value my talents, my time and my efforts. I would tell anyone who is in a business that relies on creativity, imagination and ingenuity that they really need to do this course. It will pay for itself and you’ll look back in time and be so grateful that you invested in your soul work”. ~ Kass Hall

And there’s lots more exciting news to report…

1. Registration is open for the next DWYL e-course, starting June 15. We’re proud to say that the powerful yet practical content contained in this transformative course continues to surprise people. It’s all about helping you find the answers to your questions and then taking the right actions for you. If you are wondering about the true power of the course, well it doesn’t come much bigger than a Marriage Proposal… and just wait until you find out how he popped the question!

2. We launched our brave stranger campaign to celebrate bravery in all shapes and sizes, by every day people. Get involved on Facebook or Twitter next week for a chance to WIN a place for you and a friend on the DWYL e-course.

[Tweet “Change your life! WIN a place for you and a friend on the next DWYL e-course”]

3. We’ve had some brilliant applications for Little Beach Hut of Dreams and we can’t wait to share how our beach hut residents spend their days by the sea. UPDATE: The Little Beach Hut of Dreams has been sold as we no longer live in Brighton and only residents are permitted to own beach huts there. This post has been archived for reference but we are no longer accepting applications for Dreamer-in-Residence. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our Dreamers-in-Residence for being part of our adventure, and to Towergate Insurance for awarding The Little Beach Hut of Dreams runner up position in Beach Hut of the Year 2015. She was very proud!

4. Our Webinar Series – Alchemy – has certainly got people inspired and thinking. The feedback and comments have been great. Alchemy is constantly available and now takes pride of place in amongst our other FREE Resources – Sign up today and listen to some of the most interesting and potentially important conversations you will hear all year.

5. Our blog continues to be galvanised by our guest bloggers who are all leading all experts in their field. They include: Alastair Humphreys, Ben Keene, Frances Booth, Louise Armstrong and Lara Tabatznik.

6. What do you think about our new look? Last month our new website launched. We want it to be a place you can trust to find all the inspiration, tools, resources and support you need. At the end of the day all of this is for you. So we’d love to hear you thoughts. Please get in touch and let us what works, what doesn’t and most importantly, tell us if something is missing, or if there are any features you’d find helpful. We really do value your feedback.

An update on our collaborations

Make Art That Sells (MATS):

1. The LIVE event is SOLD OUT! Make Art That Sells: The Global Art Gathering will take place in Brighton, UK, on Friday, June 12, 2015. It promises to be a fun-filled, action-packed day with all the energy, passion and magic you’d expect from Make Art That Sells. We’ll be welcoming a host of acclaimed speakers and panelists from the international art industry to advise and inspire you.

2. MATS: Creating Collections for Home Decor has been hugely in demand since we announced its launch last month. Lilla and Beth have teamed up with Top Art Director Margo Tantau – to run the fantastic course that Margo has described as a GAME CHANGER! To ensure you don’t miss out before it sells out Register here.

3. MATS: Assignment Bootcamp has entered in its final month. I can honestly say that I will miss the buzz in the Bootcamp Community when it draws to a close but I know there will only be a short interlude before attention turns to this year’s Global Talent Search. Don’t miss out on what could be one of the biggest and best opportunities for your career… join the waiting list here.

4. Our gorgeous new Make Art That Sells website continues to turn heads! It’s bursting with free resources, industry insight and motivational videos to help the artists among you make leaps forward with your career. Be sure to check it out.

Make It In Design (MIID)

Since our sister site, Make It In Design, announced Printsource New York as their Official Trade Show Partner energy levels have been sky high. As one of the world’s most prestigious shows for the surface pattern design and textile industry, this partnership will provide exclusive content, behind the scenes access, and top tips to help designers build their brand through trade shows.

1. Trade show video series – over 1,000 people tuned in from around the world last week to watch our latest Trade Show video series hosted by Rachael Taylor and Massimo Iacoboni, the owner of Printsource New York. The feedback has been amazing with many people letting the team know how many great ideas they’ve picked up and how grateful they were for all the free inside know-how to trade show success. Rachael shared years of trade show trial and error to help others avoid the steep learning curve. The videos are still available to watch until May 31, 2015. Sign up here.

2. Make it in Design are on the countdown to one of the most exciting and powerful courses in the world of surface pattern design – ‘The Ultimate Portfolio Builder in association with Printsource‘. This advanced 7-week course will give you all the tools and advice you need to grow your body of commercially viable work, refine and strengthen your professional design portfolio, make your designs more sellable and give you the fast-track to trade show success. Class starts on May 25, 2015, there’s still time to join us.

3. Uppercase launched an exciting competition to win a place on the upcoming ‘The Ultimate Portfolio Builder’ course. To date there have been over 70 entries which you can read on the blog here.

4. Summer School dates are out! Last July hundreds of people joined Make it in Design for some creative fun for all the family. Check out the Summer School Lookbook featuring some of their favourite designs and join the waiting list to get more details soon.

5. We are also thrilled to tell you that a number of Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design students exhibited at Surtex in New York last week. You can see their latest work right here on the Make it in Design blog.

Thought of the month…

Just last week Beth (Mrs. K) and I sat down to work through the ‘Core Values’ section of The Business Soul Session course for our business (yes, we use our own resources!) and it couldn’t have been better timed. In the midst of all the ideas, an ever-growing team, increasing commitments and working at 100 mph to get everything done, we needed to ensure that we were still being true to the soul of our business. The outcome was really insightful; it reminded us that we must never lose sight of the ‘WHY’ behind our business. It is the beating heart of Do What You Love.

Make time for the important things and stay true to yourself.

Until next time,

Mr. K

Time to slow down?

Posted on 2015-05-25 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

All too often we rush through our days checking items off our to-do lists and wearing our busyness like a badge of honour. But how often do we actually stop and think about why we are doing this? Or where the pressure to multitask with urgency is coming from?

Usually it’s from within. We fear that something bad will happen if things don’t get done. To calm that fear we work harder, and longer, and harder, and longer only to realize that there’s more to do. It never ends.

The thing is, going faster doesn’t necessarily mean we are accomplishing more, or doing things any better. In fact, in most cases, the opposite is usually true. When you slow down you are likely to think more clearly, act purposefully, focus on the task in hand, and make fewer mistakes.

Whenever you’re feeling a bit stressed or overwhelmed, take a few minutes to stop and breathe. Give yourself a break: have a stretch, take a walk, look at the sky, cook a meal, soak in a hot bath, make yourself a drink, doodle, meditate or do just do nothing. Appreciate exactly where you are right now and for being nowhere else but there. After all, it was Gandhi who said: [Tweet ““There is more to life than increasing its speed.””]

When life gets busy, how do you do to slow your pace? We’d love you to share your thoughts in the comments box to inspire others.

Nature is a great teacher

Posted on 2015-05-22 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

When did you last immerse yourself in nature? How did you feel? What lessons did you learn?

How can you improve the world today?

Posted on 2015-05-15 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

We can all contribute to making this world a safer, happier and more joyful place by being more mindful of our thoughts and actions and living our lives to the best of our ability. When we recognise the positive impact that we have on others’ lives, and that they have on ours, the world becomes a brighter place.

It really is the little things we do on a daily basis that can have the greatest impact. So start today and be the change you wish to see in the world. Need inspiration? Here are 10 ways you can make the world a better place today…

1. Be happy! If every single person was happy, or truly cared about making themselves happy, the world would be a much happier place!

2. Find a cause or mission you are passionate about and get involved.

3. Teach your children about eating healthily and exercising to prevent chronic disease.

4. Plant a tree, a flower, a plant… the earth needs more greenery and we all benefit from it.

5. Walk or ride a bicycle to work – keep fit and do your bit for the environment.

6. Donate and help others – your time, money, clothes, books, food, organs – whatever you can. You could even give the gift of life by signing up to become an organ donor.

7. Surprise a loved one – it doesn’t matter whether it’s your child, partner, parent or even your dog – make someone feel special.

8. Buy products that reflect your values, like Free Range, organic, Fairtrade, etc.

9. Call or visit someone who is lonely or sick.

10. Carry out a random act of kindness: send someone a kind message; give a small gift; make something for someone; or tell someone how much they mean to you. There are so many ways to brighten someone’s day.

Remember that our thoughts become our actions and the sum of our actions becomes the lives that we lead. What will you do to improve the world today?

Collecting moments

Posted on 2015-05-13 at 5:56 pm.

Written by vbnz

Our next Do What You Love e-course is starting in June, and over the next few weeks we’ll be offering you a taste of what’s to come. During the course, you’ll be asked to go out with your camera and take pictures of things that put a smile on your face or a spring in your step, before turning those pictures into a mosaic or collage for safekeeping. Since this is one of Vickie’s favourite exercises from the course, we asked her to share her experience of it with you.

“I love to go exploring with my camera (these days it’s with my phone) and I have become a fan of Instagram over the past couple of years. You just can’t take a bad picture with Instagram. Editing the picture and adding those filters and effects are all part of the fun; they are a great way to capture the mood of that specific moment even better.

This exercise reminded me of how much I love taking pictures, and whatever I do in the future I want photography to be a part of it somehow.

Taking pictures is much more than just gathering memories, and the process is as important to me as the final picture.

It allows you to be more observant of what’s around you as you look for the perfect shot
It makes you think about light and contrast, colour and movement and you might find that you’re more creative than you thought
It allows you to live in the moment, be focused on what is happening here and now
It gives you an excuse to wander off the beaten track and explore places you wouldn’t go if you were just walking around. You’re not a random wanderer, you are a photographer on a mission!
It surprises you when you look back at your pictures that you have developed a style of your own – it makes you feel proud
It makes you think about what you are drawn to, what you like and which moments are important to you

Small moments, big wonders

My mosaic is about freedom, wonderment, sharing and playfulness. From top left and clockwise:

1/ Spring has arrived in Brighton and I love to feel the heat as I walk along the street. Feeling the sun on my face makes me smile and want to spend more time exploring outdoors. It makes me feel braver, as if I don’t need any protection anymore, I am free with my movements and choices.

2/ I am lucky enough to live by the sea, one of my favourite environments. My office is close to the seafront and I can pop out whenever I need a break. The sea is always there but it never looks the same. It makes me feel refreshed and full of new possibilities. When I go back to the office, it’s always with a new idea or solution in my head.

3/ Sharing afternoon tea with a friend I hadn’t seen for a long time. A lot of my friends live abroad and people sometimes ask me if I miss them. I don’t. I love the idea that there are people scattered around the world with whom I have a special connection. Just knowing that they are there is often enough. Meeting up after several months, years sometimes, and getting along as if we only last saw each other the other day – those are always magical moments.

4/ I got these vintage roller skates second hand and just looking at them makes me smile. This is something I used to love doing as a kid and hadn’t done since then. I recently had to go to a specific location for work and decided to skate there to make the ride more interesting. Well I wasn’t disappointed! Although I did have muscle cramps the next day (and a bruise on my left thigh), it was totally worth it!

5/ Every year during the winter hundreds of thousands of starlings gather around Brighton pier in the evenings to roost. It’s completely mesmerizing to watch them dance around the pier in the sunset. It is one of those wonders of nature that you watch in awe without completely understanding what’s going on.

6/ The month of May in Brighton is festival time. Streets and venues fill up with artists, musicians, comedians and it’s not rare to bump into tightrope walkers or even cowboys on a street corner! This was a man making giant soap bubbles. Soap and water. That’s all it took for kids and adults alike to let go ooohs and aaaahs as the bubbles danced into the wind and popped silently over our heads.”

Victoria (@vickieinwonderland)

The Do What You Love e-course will encourage you to explore in so many ways. We believe that knowing ourselves and our environment is key to having the confidence to achieve big things.

“I was and continue to be floored by this course – it was so valuable. I felt like it helped me focus on me, my interests, my desires, and what was holding me back from those things. I was more painfully honest with myself than I have been in years, but I also allowed myself to play more than ever. Since joining the course, I’ve blossomed into a new person. I feel like the course will continue working its magic for ages. It has a killer curriculum covering all the bases. I’m so absolutely pleased I chose this as a way to start turning my life around.” Course participant

Join us this June for the adventure of a lifetime.

Boost your creative power with The Little Beach Hut of Dreams

Posted on 2015-05-13 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

UPDATE: The Little Beach Hut of Dreams has been sold as we no longer live in Brighton and only residents are permitted to own beach huts there. This post has been archived for reference but we are no longer accepting applications for Dreamer-in-Residence. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our Dreamers-in-Residence for being part of our adventure, and to Towergate Insurance for awarding The Little Beach Hut of Dreams runner up position in Beach Hut of the Year 2015. She was very proud!

Whatever you do for a living, or in your free time, creativity is an important part of life. As human beings we all need to find a way to express ourselves in order to feel fulfilled. But as Erwin Raphael McManus wisely said: “True creativity does not come easy; creativity is born of risk and refined from failure.” Whether you’re making music or art, writing books or poetry, taking photographs or designing the next big thing, creative blocks happen to even the best of us. So how can we break through them and return to that sweet spot where our ideas flow easily?

“Change of pace + change of place = change of perspective” ~ Mark Batterson

Sometimes we just need to slow down or switch off altogether, and often a change of scene can help too. Just by getting out and exploring the sights, smells and sounds we experience on our travels, we feel alive and invigorated. As Nick Skillicorn, CEO of Improvides, explains his TEDx Talk: “When the mind gets into a habit, it is actually very efficient at working on autopilot based on memory. If you provide new sensory input and make new decisions, such as going somewhere new for lunch, studies have shown you will have a short term boost to your creativity.”

Visiting new places and inspirational spaces can re-ignite our creativity and get us thinking in different ways. And this is one of the many reasons why Do What You Love has created The Little Beach Hut of Dreams; a tiny bolthole on the southern English coastline, with an uninterrupted view of the sea, where lovely people can escape to relax, dream, ponder, plan, create, wonder, and just be. And you’re invited to borrow it for a day – for free!

7 reasons why you should apply to become a Dreamer-In-Residence today:

1. There’s no electricity or wifi so it’s the perfect opportunity to switch off and enjoy a daylong digital detox.

2. You deserve time out to nurture your mind body and soul.

3. Being beside the seaside is good for your health. As well as helping you to feel relaxed and rejuvenated, the fresh sea air has purifying properties, which can help to eliminate negative emotions and promote natural healing.

4. It will remind you that life is magical and full of possibilities. Nothing beats gazing into the horizon to make you realize the amazing potential that lies within you, and that anything is possible.

5. You can reconnect with nature and be more mindful. Often we are so busy going about our daily lives that we forget to appreciate the amazing little things that make the world beautiful, like the clouds floating past in the sky, the waves crashing on the beach, or the sun setting on the horizon. But research shows that experiencing gratitude, and other positive emotions, boosts our creativity enabling us to do things like remember fine details vividly, think outside the box and link seemingly random ideas.

6. You can watch the world go by – strangers strolling gently past in no hurry to get anywhere, families eating ice-cream on the beach, couples wandering hand-in-hand along the Pier – and who knows, you might even make some new friends!

7. You’ll be inspired! The Little Beach Hut of Dreams is full of little surprises – like gorgeous books and fun little activities that will spark your creative thinking.

Everyone needs time and space to dream. We have built the space. You just need to find the time…

Apply to become a dreamer-In-Residence TODAY!

The deadline for applications is Tuesday, May 19. Find out more and apply here or click the image below.