"There's nothing wrong with taking a different route..."
This was the thought I mulled over constantly for several months prior to leaving my job. Studying psychology had been my dream. I wasn't done. Yes, I was a high school counselor. But, there was so much more space on the career ladder. Yet, I felt such a strong and compelling tug to pivot. This feeling coupled with the toxic environment that was my workplace contributed in my decision to take the final leap on April 16, 2018.
Last week, April 16, 2019, I quietly celebrated the one year anniversary of leaving my job, making a career pivot, and diving full force into what I considered a hobby for the past 5 and half years. Now, let's rewind and I'll briefly get into this "hobby" of mine.
The back-story
In 2013, my brand Beneath Your Beauty was born. This was an outlet I created for connecting with women, and helping them build self-esteem, courage, and develop their personal style. Soon after my first Beneath Your Beauty event, I was asked to take on clients for brand management. I wasn't sure what exactly this entailed, but I was willing to (and did) learn on the way. Fast forward to 2014 when I moved to London to earn my masters in Psychology. I was frustrated by the lack of opportunities my program provided for graduate students. So, I took matters into my own hands and sought out opportunities. I knew I loved helping women...so naturally, my search included organizations that catered to this demographic. Not long after I began my search, I got my first gig in marketing as a Communications Manager (really, I was a glorified social media intern), for a lifestyle brand based in Milan, Italy. During my interview, I showed them the content I created for Beneath Your Beauty. They loved it and hired me on the spot. Excitedly, I jumped at the offer, not understanding this whole digital marketing thing (it was still very new back then), and desperately wanting money to pay the rent for my flat in London.The pivot
After earning my masters in Psychology, I graduated, and moved back home to Los Angeles. Soon after, I started working as a high school counselor. I was so much closer to my dream of being a psychologist and providing therapy for teens and their families.Concurrently, I ran annual Beneath Your Beauty events, created content for our blog; consistently took photos and wrote content for my personal brand (thank you for reading and keeping up with me!)....I did all this while working as a counselor full time, juggling a part time job as an ABA Therapist, and managing a small handful of clients for digital marketing (I was no longer working with the brand in Milan, but established clients of my own as a freelancer). As I type this, I realize that I did...the most. I started to get the feeling that I had to...choose. I'll admit that it did feel strange writing "Counselor by day, Marketing Strategist by Night" on my Instagram bio. So, I chose.
The chance
Just before I handed in my notice at work, I did my due diligence of applying to other jobs for the same role, as well as roles in fashion marketing. But, everything in me was nudging me towards taking a chance on myself. I wanted to find out if I could actually make it. So, I chose. I chose to step out fully and zero in on this hobby I just couldn't let go of despite my 14 hour work days and fully booked Saturdays. I never intentionally planned to be an entrepreneur or self-employed...by accepting that there was nothing wrong with taking a different route, I believe I willingly fell into it...
PHOTOGRAPHS BY FEMI OLUBODE
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Okay so we are nine whole days into the new year, and while some of us felt the high of inspiration during the first few days of the month, that inspiration has died down for others. You might still talk about your goals and share them with others (because this makes them more real, right)? But after a while, your lack of discipline and your desire for inspiration will hold you right where you are and keep your goals from coming to fruition (reality check!). It's true that you can't always feel inspired, creative, or motivated. We can't always depend on this high to fuel our work. You can have every intention to thrive and accomplish every task, but if you never discipline yourself to sit down and work, honestly, you might never achieve what you need.
Let's talk about discipline:
Discipline is more than motivation. Discipline pushes past the desire to quit when inspiration or motivation run out. Discipline is the habit of acting in the moment based on a decision you made in advance, regardless of your feelings. It's the action that binds you by your will, not your emotions. - She's Still There by Chrystal Evans HurstThrough my experiences with my brand and with clients, I’ve worked out tips to stay disciplined so that your brand (and you) can flourish this year (even when you feel like hope is lost).
1. Implement the "first five minutes rule":
My friend and client, Mahawa Kamara (founder of The Soap Connoisseur) recently told me about the “first 5 minutes rule” she started implementing. She schedules time to work on a task and in that first five minutes she must work on it, non stop. This is for tasks you’ve been reluctant to do because they might seem difficult or overwhelming. Do it any way…commit to working for just 5 minutes. Oftentimes you’ll find that an hour has passed and you’ve actually completed your task!Check out The Soap Connoisseur here.
2. Create a routine and be consistent:
Online (as a brand): If you’re a fashion or beauty brand, creating a routine is similar both online and offline. Your goal is to build trust with your followers, so a routine is extremely beneficial. Set up a specific time to post to your social media accounts (this can be daily or any day or time you choose) Maybe you create a routine of posting to your social media account every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 8am and 12pm (hint hint…these are great peak times to post online!).
Another routine measure you can consider is creating a set time to respond to emails, send out newsletters, or check in with customers/clients. Whatever it is you choose to do, be consistent.
With my brand, Beneath Your Beauty, I’ve found that creating a consistent routine with our social media content + events helps to keep our audience engaged and expectant of what’s to come.
*Check out our Instagram here.
With my brand, Beneath Your Beauty, I’ve found that creating a consistent routine with our social media content + events helps to keep our audience engaged and expectant of what’s to come.
*Check out our Instagram here.
Offline (personal development): Creating a consistent routine offline can be something as simple as waking up every day at 8am and getting out of bed immediately; going on a run every morning before work; or maybe a little be more complex like dedicating the last hour of your day to reading and studying instead of scrolling through social media. Over the past several years, I've committed to not checking my email or text messages first thing in the morning, and instead dedicated my first and last hours to devotion and quiet time.
3. Remove anything negative from your life and get rid of anything you might call a temptation.
Delete and block! You don't have to see everything! You don't need everything in your presence, especially if it is draining your energy or causing self-doubt. As my friend and client Raj Will mentioned, be weary of only consuming content when you should be creating.Check out his work here.
4. Get an accountability partner:
There’s nothing wrong with sharing your goals, with the right people of course. Share your goals/to-do list with at least one person who can hold you accountable and perhaps even give you deadlines for certain tasks.I had the opportunity to chat with Federica Boaeteng, founder of Fash.Ed. When speaking about my goals, she literally gave me dates for which she wanted to see me accomplish them! In an effort to keep my word, I’ve been fervently working to meet these deadlines.
Check out Fash.Ed here.
I know there can be times where we feel uninspired to move forward with our visions (even in light of the “new year, new me” rhetoric). Yes we’ve all proclaimed that this year we will work harder, stay up later, and dream bigger. But how do we do this when we feel blatantly uninspired. How do we keep building our brand when it seems like absolutely no one is paying attention? Try applying these measure and watch and see you and your brand flourish in the right direction. Happy New Year, loves!
I know there can be times where we feel uninspired to move forward with our visions (even in light of the “new year, new me” rhetoric). Yes we’ve all proclaimed that this year we will work harder, stay up later, and dream bigger. But how do we do this when we feel blatantly uninspired. How do we keep building our brand when it seems like absolutely no one is paying attention? Try applying these measure and watch and see you and your brand flourish in the right direction. Happy New Year, loves!
PHOTOGRAPHY BY WILL CHARLES MEDIA
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