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Do What You Love interview – Helen Stephens

Posted on 2016-09-22 at 8:55 am.

Helen Stephens calls herself an ‘authorstrator’: an author who writes with pictures and adds words in where needed.

Helen drawing

Helen has been creating children’s books for over 17 years and she is known for her bright, instantly recognisable illustrations.

As well as illustrating for authors like Michael Morpurgo, Cécile Aubry, Sophie Hannah, Holly Webb and Roger McGough, Helen writes her own stories. These include Fleabag, The Night Iceberg, The Big Adventures of the Smalls, the Betsy toddler series, and How to Hide a Lion, which has sold in 14 languages, been nominated for The Kate Greenaway Medal and The Redhouse Book Awards and won the Prix Livrentete. It is now being developed for stage at The Polka Theatre in Wimbledon, where it will be shown this Christmas.

The most recent additions to Helen’s ever-expanding portfolio include Baby I Love You, Gracie Grabbit and the Tiger, How to Hide a Lion from Grandma, and released earlier this September, How to Hide a Lion at School. We’re delighted to talk to Helen to find out more about how she’s living a truly creative life doing what she loves. ~ Rachel

Baby I Love You

1. How are you doing what you love?

I write and illustrate picture books, I draw live for huge crowds of children at book festivals, and to relax I walk my dog Peggy on the beach. For me, this is the ideal job.

2. When did you realise that you wanted to spend your life drawing?

When I was about four years old, I announced to my parents that I was going to go to art school. I never wavered from that certainty, it’s all I wanted to do. When I was nineteen I got a place at Glasgow School of Art, where I decided to study illustration.

Image from How to Hide a Lion at School

3. How did you turn your dream into reality?

When I left art school I was lost for a while. I had my ‘people’ at art school, I felt I belonged. It was a huge shock to leave, I didn’t know what I was going to do, how I was going to make a living, it was a very difficult time. All I knew for certain was that I wanted to draw for a living. So I took tiny steps, one at a time, hoping I was heading in the right direction. I moved to London, where the big publishers were, and got a part time job in a bookshop to pay the rent. I took on small illustration jobs when they came along, and turned down offers of full-time work in the bookshop because I knew that would hold me back.

Image from How to Hide a Lion at School

Bit by bit I found my way, one illustration job led to another, and another, and another. One day I was visiting a publisher to talk about illustrating a book, when they asked if I would write my own text, so I did! I’ve been happily writing and illustrating picture books ever since.

Image from How to Hide a Lion at School

4. What have been your biggest highlights and ‘proud-ofs’ since then?

I am proud that I stuck at it in those early days and ignored all the knock backs and difficult times. I am also proud that I still make time to draw for fun. Sketchbook drawing is hugely valuable, and often leads to new book ideas.

Helen and Gerry with daughter, Frieda. Photo by Kristy Noble and styled by Hannah Bullivant

5. Your partner, Gerry Turley is also an illustrator. How does your art influence your way of life together?

I met Gerry at Glasgow Art School, where we were both studying illustration and our workspaces were side by side. We still share a studio space now. I like having Gerry around, we are used to each other’s habits and it works really well.

Helen and Gerry work together in their home studio. Photo by Kristy Noble and styled by Hannah Bullivant

In terms of how we live, we are lucky to work from home. We shake off deadline stress by walking on the beach every day with our dog Peggy and we collect all sorts of sea treasures. We use old sun bleached plastic fishing crates as plant pots, we collect wood for the fire, and we have recently started to collect sea-worn red house bricks which we’ll use to make a garden path.

Studio space. Photo by Kristy Noble and styled by Hannah Bullivant

We have a rule: if we need anything for the house we either make it, or buy it second hand. Gerry studied Natural History Illustration, and he has always liked natural forms and materials. I love colour and vintage furniture, so our house is a big mix of both of these influences.

Helen’s hallway

6. You love a story and that’s partly what drew you to your house in Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Northumberland. What’s the history behind it?

Our home looks like a child’s drawing of a house, a door in the middle and a window in each corner. There are four main rooms, two up, two down. When the house was built each room housed a fishing family, they each had a range to cook on and a shared toilet in the back yard. In the 1960’s the fishing flats were converted into a house and an extension was built.

Heart of the home: Helen’s lounge with wood burning stove

When we moved into the house six years ago it was very sad and neglected, we are gradually bringing it back to life. We are opening up all old fireplaces, taking the 1970’s panels off the doors to reveal the original victorian ones underneath. The thing that has changed the house most, and given it a real heart, was putting in a wood burning stove, the whole house feels warmer. One of my favourite features is the victorian privy (outside toilet), so useful in the summer when we have lots of visitors.

There is also an old outbuilding in the garden that we will eventually convert into a studio space. At the moment we share a workroom in the house. We like sharing a space, but we are bursting at the seams!

Helen’s desk. Photo by Kristy Noble and styled by Hannah Bullivant

7. Talk us through a typical day in your life…

We get up, eat some breakfast together, then one of us takes our little girl to school, while the other starts work. We are both usually at our desks by 9.15am (ignoring any housework jobs, those wait until the evening). The six hours Frieda is at school are extremely precious work time, we try to squeeze all of our work into those hours. Later we pick up Frieda, and take our dog, Peggy, to the beach for her daily run, then one of us goes back to work while the other prepares a meal. That is pretty much our usual day.

If one of us is promoting a book, we might be away from home for a few days, visiting schools or book festivals, but we try to do this as a family as much as we can. We also travel to research new books, we went to Venice and Switzerland recently, Frieda comes with us and we get huge enjoyment out of these family drawing trips.

The family by Frieda

8. Where do you find your inspiration for new stories and characters? And how do you keep on top of all your thoughts and ideas?

I like to draw from life as much as I can. I keep sketchbooks where I write notes and ideas. We also collect books on our travels, and vintage picture books. They are a huge source of inspiration.

Work in progress: Helen’s sketchbooks (above and below)

9. Talk us through the process of illustrating a book; how does it go from an idea in your head to a finished work of art on sale in bookstores?

It usually takes about nine months to develop an idea into a book:

It starts with an idea, often this might be an image, or a character name, or just a title.
I sketch out a plot using thumbnail sketches, refining the idea on each new draft.
Then make a mini dummy book to check that the page turns are in the right place. I might do this 5 or 6 times, until everything is just right.
Next I make full sized rough drawings.
After the publisher has given me their thoughts, I start the artwork. I like to make a kind of ‘nest’ at my desk, Peggy at my feet, art materials all around me, podcasts on my headphones. I hibernate a bit while I do the artwork, only taking Frieda to school, and Peggy for her walk. It usually takes about four months.
Then, when the book is published I visit lots of schools and book festivals where I become social again, meeting lots of children and being generally being silly.

Image from Helen’s book, The Night Iceberg

10. Why is it vital to be courageous and true to yourself if you want to succeed as an artist?

In the early days of being published I found I was taking advice from art directors, and altering my work to suit what they were asking for. After a while I felt my work was no longer my own. It didn’t look like the work I did in my sketchbooks, or at art school, and it didn’t feel authentic anymore. So I took a year out and went back to drawing in sketchbooks. It felt like a big risk because my published work was successful, and I didn’t know whether publishers would still want to publish me if my work changed. But they did, and I feel very happy that I took that risk. The books I have done since that period have become my most successful books. I think if you are feeling happy and inspired, and are true to yourself, it shows in the work.

11. What are you working on at the moment?

I have lots of pots on the boil. A Christmas book, a book of Fairy Tales, another in the How to Hide a Lion series, a book about naughty kittens, and a longer novel. I’ve never written for older children before, so this will be a challenge. But I like a challenge, I always like to take on new projects that are unlike stuff I’ve done before, it’s exciting, I get a kick out of learning new stuff.

I am also a big fan of Instagram and try to post every day (I am ‘helenstephenslion’). It feels like the ideal social media for me. I like how you can arrange your feed, a bit like creating a picture book: A close up, then a long shot, then maybe a dark picture followed by a light one… But I do get tired of all the posed pictures of perfect lives, and I try to show my messy work space just as it is, toilet rolls (for dabbing wet brushes) and all. I also like to show some of my work process, rough drawings, dummy books and sketchbooks. I like all that behind the scenes stuff.

12. What do the words ‘creativity’, ‘success’ and ‘freedom’ mean to you?

All good words! If you love doing something, you should make it your job. I have found that living on my creativity alone has been hugely rewarding, I have been able to carve out a ‘Helen’ shaped job. I feel very lucky.

Older work: Pages from Poochie-poo – Helen’s funny and charming story about two doggie friends who constantly try to impress each other

13. What’s your ultimate dream?

I’d like exactly what I have now, but with a bigger work space. Oh, if we are talking ULTIMATE dreams, I might have a second home in London so that I have somewhere to stay when I’m visiting my publishers or having a city top-up. Oh, and what about some sort of magic potion that stops Peggy rolling in smelly dead things on the beach?

Cover of Fleabag

14. What careers’ advice will you give your daughter, Frieda, as she grows up?

To do what she loves, whatever that is. She might not be an artist, she once told us she was going to be a doctor, and we’d have to make an appointment if we wanted to see her!

Find out more about Helen and her work on her website or connect on Instagram.

Credited images were taken by Kirsty Noble (website and Instagram) and styled by Hannah Bullivant (website and Instagram).

Do you dream of illustrating a children’s book?

Would you love to create a make-believe world with characters that you’ve designed? Do you love the magic of children’s books and feel that you have something to offer? Well we can help!

Through our collaboration with Make Art That Sells, we are running an amazing course in Illustrating children’s Books co-taught by top art agent Lilla Rogers and highly-respected children’s book art director Zoe Tucker. In just five weeks you’ll create a brilliant children’s book pitch to help you land your dream children’s book gig. You’ll get over 20 videos, weekly assignments, live weekly video reviews, and inspiring interviews with publishers and illustrators. Plus Helen Stephenson shares more information about her books and we sneak a peek at her diary to see exactly what it’s like to live a life you love.

Our step-by-step course is supportive, fun and engaging and it will give you all the tools, insight, and advice you need to succeed. Class begins on Monday, October 2 and runs until Thursday, November 6, 2017. For more information and to secure your spot, click here.

Do What You Love interview – Marty Knapp

Posted on 2016-09-08 at 8:35 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

In 1988 Marty Knapp quit his day job and spent all his money on equipment to start a new career as a photographer. He survived using only his camera and his darkroom doing portraits and weddings, making slides for artists, developing films and creating custom prints for clients. In every bit of spare time he had he pursued his own creative work, capturing dramatic moments of light in the landscape then printing editions for collectors. Before long his work began to sell.

30 years on and Marty’s iconic black and white images can be seen in his own art gallery in Point Reyes, California, and he has written a book, Point Reyes: 20 Years, which tells the stories behind his quest for his most memorable shots. Marty has been on an incredible journey in order to do what he loves and we hope you enjoy the interview. ~ Rachel

1. How are you doing what you love?

I’ve consciously created a life that keeps me immersed in my passion, creative fine-art photography. My days are involved in every aspect of creating the actual art pieces that end up on the walls of my collectors. I thoroughly enjoy each process, whether in the field exploring the landscape with my camera, or back in the studio making the prints, mats and frames that are displayed in my gallery. I even love working on my website and blog which helps to express my feelings about these creations and markets the work to my followers. I get to use my mind, my hands and my heart in these varied processes. The variety of work stimulates and pleases me.

In the entrance to my gallery

Images from my “New Photographs 2015” exhibit

2. What was the catalyst for deciding to dedicate your life to photography, and how did you discipline yourself to stick with it in the early days?

I had an epiphany in my mid-thirties which changed my life. Up to that point I had been wandering kind of aimlessly in both my professional life and my personal life. I was uninspired, unmotivated and had fallen into a dangerous habit of too much drinking and use of recreational drugs. Then, and this is hard to explain, on one summer morning I woke up and everything became absolutely clear to me. Nothing could shake this new feeling. I just knew that my addictions were over. It felt like I had shed my skin and was a brand new person. At the same time, I knew that I would dedicate my life to my photography. I would look for the light and record my discoveries with this medium. I was full of the spirit and inspired to get on with my life’s work. I felt a profound happiness and I wanted to honour it.

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Do What You Love Interview – Nick Christian

Posted on 2016-05-05 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

Nick Christian, now retired, has pursued a life of personal freedom in all its forms. At the age of 70, his lust for independence has recently culminated in his first self-published novel of Historic Fiction. “You have only one life, live it, and where possible, by your own rules,” he advises, and follows his own advice daily.

Having grown up in the countryside at a time in history when the Nanny State and pressures of social media would only have been a fantasy in a futuristic Si-fi movie, he had the good fortune, along with a proportion of his generation, of having freedom thrust upon him.

Home was a small cottage, isolated from the nearest neighbour by fields and woods. Water was gathered from a deep well and the house was heated by a coal fired inglenook fire. In winter, glistening patterns of frost decorated the inside of his bedroom window.

This is how Nick describes his childhood:

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Do What You Love interview – Tom Hodgkinson + Win The Gift of Knowledge This Christmas

Posted on 2015-12-10 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

Back in 1991, bored to tears by his job, 23-year-old journalist Tom Hodgkinson lay on his bed dreaming of starting a magazine called The Idler. He’d found the title in a collection of essays by Dr. Johnson, himself a constitutionally indolent man. How to live, that was the question. How to be free in a world of jobs and debt? And ditch that dreaded alarm clock.

“I was sacked from my first proper job in 1993 and I put the magazine together while on the dole” Tom explains. “That was the Idler and it has been going in one form or another for 22 years now. I have done all sorts of things to avoid a ‘proper’ job, including freelance journalism, writing books, creative consultancy, being very thrifty, importing absinthe, running areas at festivals and Airbnb.”

In 2002 Tom quit the commercial world and retired to a farmhouse on the coast of North Devon to write books. His first book How to be Idle was a global best-seller and was followed by How to be Free, The Idle Parent and Brave Old World. 12 years on he and his wife, Victoria Hull, returned to London to start their own school in Notting Hill, The Idler Academy of Philosophy, Husbandry and Merriment.

The Academy at 81 Westbourne Park Road, London, W2

“During the day our London HQ operates as a calm, quiet bookshop selling beautiful, useful and unusual books and gifts. We serve Monmouth coffee, tea and cake, and there is an enclosed medieval garden to retreat to,” says Tom. “We teach Greek philosophy, handwriting, ukulele and lots of other useless skills and you can enjoy learning in convivial surroundings with like-minded and interesting people. In the evening we have all worst of interesting people dropping by to run events, give talks, do gigs and run courses.”

We were excited to catch up with Tom to find out how we can all achieve more by doing less… ~ Rachel

The Idler cafe

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Do What You Love interview – Alexandra Frey & Autumn Totton

Posted on 2015-11-12 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

Hollywood stars swear by it, companies like Google, Target and General Mills train staff in it, and schools are developing ways to teach it. Mindfulness is a hot topic these days and with studies showing that the benefits can enhance just about every aspect of your life, it’s no wonder everyone wants to give it a go.

Two people who are on a mission to make mindfulness mainstream are Alexa Frey and Autumn Totton. The pair met while studying and they went on to form The Mindfulness Project, a social enterprise which combines Totton’s business expertise and Frey’s experience in mindfulness, some years later.

Now, at their beautiful centre for mindfulness in Central London, the duo offer regular 8-week mindfulness based stress reduction courses, plus drop-in meditation classes, workshops, and seminars on mindful-living topics to help support everyone from new parents, to stressed out business people to those who are dealing with illness or bereavement. We hope you enjoy the interview. ~ Rachel

Autumn Totton (L) and Alexa Frey (R), Co-founders of The Mindfulness Project, believe that mindfulness has the capacity to change the world from the inside out

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Can Being Bored Make You More Successful?

Posted on 2015-08-11 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

Today we bring you a guest post by Charles Scott, an endurance athlete and family adventurer who believes that embracing new experiences is the key to living a full and happy life.

The broad adoption of anywhere anytime computing into modern culture has transformed not just office productivity and modes of communication. It has also reset expectations. We expect immediate gratification from our devices, instant responses to our texts, and in perhaps the least analyzed transformation, the promise of release from boredom. But [Tweet “think twice before eliminating boredom from your life – it may turn out to be your key to success.”]

When I worked in the mobile products group at Intel Corporation a decade ago, we often discussed the nirvana represented by anytime anywhere computing. Intel had not yet launched its Centrino platform, which would integrate wireless technology into laptops. And most people used handheld devices primarily for checking their e-mail and calendar. We often discussed how great it would be to have the Internet at our fingertips at all times. A decade later this is old news, of course. And although many companies tried, Apple had the greatest success in bringing the anytime anywhere vision to the consumer market with the iPhone and iPad.

In making the Internet and an endless collection of apps available on demand, the iPhone represents the monetization of spare time. The term “micro-boredom” appeared in a Marketing magazine article in 2001 to describe an emerging usage model among Internet users looking to “kill a few minutes of spare time.” Since then, filling spare moments of boredom has emerged as a massive business opportunity for the technology industry.

Stuck in line at the grocery store? Sitting in a dark theater before the movie starts? Waiting for the subway? Don’t let your mind sit idle – play a game of Angry Birds, send a text, or check Facebook.

Driving? Out to dinner with your spouse? In a yoga class? In a meeting at work? Don’t get bogged down with a sustained focus on your responsibilities – check your e-mail or see how the stock market is doing. I won’t even pretend to admonish you to avoid these last examples.

We all know better, but for some reason, we just can’t help ourselves.

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Adventure – are you getting enough?

Posted on 2015-08-10 at 9:47 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

Today’s post is by Rachel Kempton, Senior Editor at Do What You Love

I love the idea of microadventures; mini escapes for people who want an ‘adventure’ but who don’t have the time, money, freedom or expertise to do something big or off the wall. It’s a concept that I was introduced to recently by one of Do What You Love’s guest bloggers, adventurer and author Alastair Humphries, and one that has inspired me to think about adventure as a whole, and what it really means to me.

Adventure can mean something different to everyone. For many it’s about thrills and excitement, taking risks, or discovering the unexpected. For some it’s about physical exertion and extreme, even dangerous, challenges; and for others, it can be mental or spiritual, or involve an emotional journey of some kind. For me, adventure is about being open to new experiences and finding little ways to challenge myself every day. It’s about making life richer and more fulfilling, creating lasting memories, learning, growing and getting to know myself better, and ultimately, doing more of what I love.

When you choose adventure, doors open – as if by magic!

As Alastair says: “You do not need to fly to the other side of the planet… be an elite athlete, expertly trained, or rich to have an adventure. Adventure is just a state of mind. Adventure is stretching yourself; mentally, physically or culturally. It is about doing what you do not normally do… and doing it to the best of your ability.”

Adventure is a way of being, a way of seeing, an approach to life.

Over the last few weeks, in a bid to mix up my day-to-day routine, I’ve been challenging myself to step out of my comfort zone and seek out adventure in my daily life. So far I found myself doing all sorts of new things: reading (and enjoying!) books I wouldn’t normally choose; getting up earlier and starting my day with a morning power walk or breakfast in a café; learning new skills to boost my creativity; exploring new towns close to home; and planning our next big steps as a family.

Half the fun is getting there! I’ve realised that when you see life as an adventure even mundane things, like supermarket shopping with my son, can be fun, especially if they involve befriending grizzly bears on the way there and getting the bus home!

I’ve also been inspired to organize a couple of impromptu microadventures with my little family. One was cycling the Tissington Trail in Derbyshire. Although we didn’t quite manage the full 26-mile course we pushed ourselves and definitely earned our picnic! Escaping the city and immersing ourselves in nature, even for one day, was so liberating and energizing. It’s true what they say: ‘the best things in life are free’.

My other microadventure was a last minute trip to Croatia – somewhere my husband and I have never been before. Every part was an adventure, from flying with an excited two-year-old (which, as any parent knows, is all part of the fun!) and driving on the other side of the road, to familiarizing ourselves with the language, culture and food and deciding what we most wanted to see and do.

The stunning Istrian Peninsula coastline inspired us to dream

The highlight was heading inland and veering off the beaten track, up a steep, winding, dusty gravel road, to explore the charming hilltop town of Grožnjan.

In the summer months Grožnjan’s labyrinth of cobbled streets and courtyards become one great stage for musicians.

Grožnjan is home to around 30 national and international artists whose houses are the stuff of fairy tales and fantasy novels with their tiny doors, colourful house numbers and cute window boxes. It was a pleasure to wander around the artists’ open studios and galleries and see them blissfully happy in their surroundings, making a living by doing what they love.

A gorgeous photography studio – I couldn’t resist treating myself to a print!

Grožnjan’s lovely antiques dealer

A potter’s paradise: an open ceramics studio

The last few weeks have shown me that adventure really is right there for the taking! It’s all around us, at all times, so it’s up to us to seek it out. Here are my top tips for making adventure part of your every day life:

Alter your perspective: see adventure, and the ability to seek it out in the daily routine of life, as a challenge. Each morning ask yourself: How can I be more adventurous today?
Slow down and indulge your senses: The more we tune into our five senses, the more easily we can tune into that magical and vital ‘sixth sense’ – intuition – the gut-feeling we all have. We also start paying more attention the signs all around us, the little ‘coincidences’ and ‘messages from the universe,’ as well as the things that feel good, easy, or magical, we open the door to possibility. All of these are clues leading us towards what it is we really love, and want to be doing, and invite serendipitous opportunities our way.
Switch off regularly. Give yourself permission to have a daily digital detox. Step away from any distractions, and focus on what you really want to do. Adventure can only start when you take control and captain your own ship.
Live in the moment and be spontaneous. Planning is all well and good but sometimes you just have to do it. Some of the best adventures come as a result of an impulsive, spur of the moment decision. What would you love to go and do today, tomorrow, or this weekend? How can you make it happen?
Connect with your inner child: The wilder your imagination the better! Climb a tree, write a story, go running, roll down a hill, sleep under the stars, take a road trip, take a new class, start a conversation with the mystery person you pass each day on the way to work – everything in life can be an adventure if you choose to see it that way.

We’ll be blogging about adventure throughout August and we hope our posts inspire you to be more adventurous in your daily life. As always we love to hear from you so please do share your experiences – no matter how big or small.

Make time for microadventure

Posted on 2015-07-24 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

This is a guest post by adventurer, author and motivational speaker Alastair Humphreys. Find out more about Alastair here.

The single biggest obstacle that gets between people and the adventures they dream of is a lack of time. Microadventures have always been about making the best of what is available, squeezing in small bursts of adventure into a busy calendar, rather than just lamenting how busy you are.

This weekend was pretty busy for me. It involved 14 hours on a train, an evening speaking event, a Christening, and not a lot of time for the sort of mucking about I enjoy. But I was speaking in Scotland, and any visit to Scotland feels like an opportunity to do something fun in the outdoors…

Kings Cross might be a very cool station, but I’d still rather not be here on the weekend. Still, at least I could be very grown-up and diligent and knuckle down to seven concerted hours of book-writing. This went well for a while. Until I got so very bored that I resorted to taking photographs of my computer instead.

A good time-filler on a train is gazing out the window and looking for cool spots to sleep wild for a night. Then you pin the location in Google Maps on your phone and save it for when you happen to be back in this part of the world and in need of somewhere free to lay your head.

As a very professional motivational speaker, I was sure to arrive at the venue very early. This allows plenty of time for what is known, in the trade, as “faffing about with your slides”. Swapping one picture of a desert for a slightly different one is – you feel – the key to giving a cracking talk.

Time for a spot of Dutch Courage before the audience arrive. Makes my jokes funnier (at least to me).

Time, at last, to give my talk. I spoke at length about microadventures, about the joys of sleeping on hills and making the most of whatever opportunities come your way. Time then for me to practise what I preached. I headed off into the evening to find a hill. But first, serious expeditions require serious nutrition. This is the glamorous world of the itinerant speaker – long hours on trains and snatching crap food when the chance arises.

The long, light summer evenings are perfect for climbing hills. The air was warm though wet with drizzle. It felt like a fine night to be high above a city and enjoying the dusk.

And so to bed. I slept well until about 7am when I was woken by the bellowing of a too-close stag which slightly scared the crap out of me, but successfully ensured I did not oversleep. If it’s raining hard and you are in a bivvy bag it is always worth finding a wood to sleep in. The rain rattled on the tree canopy but I was dry and sheltered down beneath it.

I woke to this view:

I enjoy the odd feeling when I am removed from the rest of the world, but still close enough to be connected.

I also enjoy being in situations where small pleasures become all that I need in life. A shaded bench, sheltered from the rain, to eat my breakfast apple and enjoy the view…

And now, to church! I had a Christening to attend and didn’t want to be late. I set off walking east.

It was such a pleasant feeling to have nothing to do but walk. I wish more of my mornings began in this way. On the road I saw a very good lesson for life for me: to slow down.

The rain was quite heavy but the landscape was beautiful and I was in an uncommonly good mood. An elderly man walking his dog passed me. “Not so good this morning.” he said, briefly. Weather observations are the glue that holds together most British social interactions. The correct technique for my response would be to agree, briefly, and carry on. Something like “Indeed!” or “haha!” or even a smile and a nod.

But I was feeling wild and reckless and the rain smelled great and I loved the shining beads of water on the cow parsley and gorse. So I contradicted him, “Not at all! It’s a wonderful morning!” and carried striding on. The poor gentleman is probably penning a shocked letter to The Telegraph as we speak.

Shortly before I reached the church I ducked into a small wood. I extracted my suit from my rucksack, smoothed it down as best I could, and hung it in a tree to try to get rid of a few creases.

Then I stripped to my boxer shorts and attempted to turn myself into a respectable-looking gentleman on his way to church.

Suit plus rucksack. Always a strong look.

I made it to the church on time. In fact, I was the first to arrive. You don’t want to be late for the Christening of your first godchild. I’m supposed to be setting a good moral example here!

And then it was back on the train, back down south, but with even less book-writing than before. Trains are brilliant for looking at the world and wishing you were out in it, making the most of it and exploring.

[Tweet “What plans do you have to squeeze some microadventure into your busy life?”]

Is your routine holding you back?

Posted on 2015-06-09 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

[Tweet ““If you think adventure is dangerous try routine. It’s lethal.” ~ Paulo Coelho”]

For me variety is the spice of life. I like every day to be different and I’ve always tried to avoid falling into habits and routines. So when I had my little boy, almost two years ago now, I’m the first to admit that being at home all day and juggling feeds, nap times, nappy changes, and everything else that a new baby brings, took some getting used to.

As any new parent knows, having a tiny little person relying on you for everything is hard work. You’re no longer have the freedom you used to. Even the simplest task, like meeting friends for coffee, requires an element of forward planning and spontaneity gores out of the window. Within weeks I developed my own little way of doing things. I was in the motherhood groove and and before long I had a routine!

My husband and I were in Brighton when I realised just how much of a creature of habit I’d become. It’s amazing how much clarity a change of scene can bring. Being by the sea, exploring a new city, and escaping the ‘daily grind’ left us both feeling inspired, refreshed and re-invigorated.

Getting a new perspective

Zack was now a few months old and having adapted to being parents things were becoming much easier. We realised that while there are always going to be jobs to do, and obligations and responsibilities to fulfil, life doesn’t have to feel like Groundhog Day.

Exploring a new city

On the journey home we agreed that while some routines are helpful and even necessary, especially for Zack, others had seen us get too comfortable and complacent. So we decided that some things needed to change.

Things that changed after our trip:

I left my 9-5 and started writing part-time for Do What You Love. Now I’m free to work wherever and whenever I choose and to do all the things I love – be a mum, go running, do yoga, and be creative. Embracing new opportunities and connecting with interesting new people is part of the job so no two days are ever the same. I want Zack to grow up understanding that my work makes me happy and that I have my own hopes and dreams.
We stopped complaining about how much time we waste watching TV and now, instead:

– we limit the amount of TV we watch

– we have regular date nights

– we have dinner as a family and talk

– we socialise more in the evenings with family and friends

– we spend more of our free time being creative and working on our own passion projects

We looked at our finances to see where we could cut back and save money for a weekend away every few months.
We both started doing more exercise. I joined a gym and my husband started running with colleagues at work.
We made a 5-year plan that will help us live the life we really want and create our own special memories along the way.

10 simple ways to shake up your routine today:

Change your schedule. Get up with the sun and take an early morning walk. You’ll see your world differently, sense different emotions in the people you meet and hear different sounds.
Change your style – do your hair or make-up differently or experiment with clothes to find a new look.
Commute a different way to work, or instead of going by car take the bus, train, walk or cycle.
Take a class or a course in something you’re interested in, who knows what doors may open.
Pick a different place to hang out. If you meet friends at a local bar, try a local restaurant. Or do something different – go to a sporting event watch a gig or have a dinner party.
Have a conversation with someone new. Make this your daily mission and who knows, you might make a friend for life!
Make more of your lunch break. Go to museums, try new restaurants, meet a friend, walk in the park, do something you’ve never done before or go somewhere you’ve never been before.
Have a mini-adventure at the weekend. Do a road trip, go hiking or camping or explore a new city.
Be inspired and get creative. Watch this playlist of TED Talks to kickstart your creativity, or read this excerptfrom Pico Iyer’s TED Book, The Art of Stillness.
Take a day off and give yourself permission to do anything you want. Go for a long, solitary walk; write poetry; bake; go shopping; read a novel; watch a blockbuster; paint; make something for a friend; have a picnic in the middle of nowhere and then lie in the grass and look at the clouds.

[Tweet “Have you ever felt stuck in a rut?”] Do you follow the same routine, day in, day out? What small changes could you make to mix things up today?

Rachel

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, what’s the worst that can happen?!” Shona W., Do What You Love participant, Jan 2015

Join us this June for the experience of a lifetime.

Where’s your happy place?

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

Written by Beth Kempton

“Secondary to being with my family, I am most happy when I am kite surfing – give me a kite and a board and some wind and waves, and you won’t wipe the smile off my face. Why does it make me happy? There’s a feeling of freedom, exhilaration, and oneness with nature that comes from kiting – and an extraordinary rush of adrenaline. On top of that it’s great exercise, recreation, relaxation and stress management, and there’s something so spiritual about the experience.” ~ Richard Branson

The places in which we choose to live, work and play can affect us on so many levels. They can influence our moods, our energy levels, our ability to think clearly and creatively, and even the way we move and interact with others. For instance, when you’re being interviewed for a new job you might feel tense because you’re so keen to impress; when you’re on a roller coaster you might feel exhilarated with the thrill of the ride; when you walk through a busy train station, you might find yourself speeding up to keep pace with the crowds; and when you enter a warm, welcoming and familiar space, chances are you’ll automatically relax.

Paying close attention to the affect that different environments have on the way we think and feel can help us figure out where we feel happiest and then take positive steps towards spending more time in these, or finding ways of creating happy places in our daily lives.

Creating your happy place

When I joined Do What You Love I realised just how important it is to have a space of my own. Working remotely from a laptop gives me the freedom to work anytime, anywhere in the world, but I also wanted a home office, a base with a desk, storage, and all my creature comforts. As I started visualising what my ‘office’ could look like I had a lightbulb moment: this space could be lots of other things too; somewhere I could go to read, paint, be creative and practice yoga.

It’s the first time I’ve ever had a room of my own, a bright airy space, filled with colour, fairy lights, beautiful books, and inspirational things I’ve collected over the years. Everywhere I look I’m reminded of things I love – my family and friends, hobbies, work, travels, adventures, experiences and dreams. It really is my own little piece of paradise.

We all dream of having a place or a space where we can get away from it all, glean fresh inspiration and enjoy some me time.

[Tweet “To find your happy place, ask yourself…”]

What kind of environments are you most drawn to? (For example, the sea, buzzing cities, countryside, cliffs, hilly landscapes, mountains, lakes, warm climates, etc.)
What kind of spaces did you gravitate towards as a child: the hidey-hole under the stairs, a window seat in an alcove, a treehouse nestled high in the branches of a tree. What made these spaces so magical?
What is your favourite room in the house, or what has the potential to be? What would you need to do in order to turn it into a place you love spending time? What design elements make spaces more inspiring?
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Is it somewhere you’ve been, or a place you’re aching to explore for the first time?
Where do you feel most energised and alive?
Where do you feel most calm and at peace?
Which environments make you feel powerful?
Where are you when you lose track of time?

Rachel

Find the happy in every part of your life…

Our acclaimed, transformational Do What You Love e-course is back, and it’s perfect for anyone who wants to spend more time doing what they love, in places they love. The course runs for 5 weeks and it starts on June 15, 2015. To find out more click here.

“I’ve lived more, said yes to more, and opened my eyes more in the last few weeks that I have in the last year” ~ Birgitta Z

“I feel so excited about the future! I have learned so much about myself in the last five weeks. Now I really do trust that anything is possible.” ~ Claire K