The Art Of Hitting the Wall

Dear Readers,

When I started The Branding Habit, my intention was to offer a much wider and more generous lens through which to understand branding. I’ve always believed that different people need different aspects of the branding process, depending on where they are in their journey and what stage of growth they’re in. That’s why I broke branding into seven distinct areas — so that anyone, no matter their starting point, could begin from where they are and find a meaningful path forward.

The first series I created was called Tend. It was written for the early, fragile stages of a project — those moments where your idea is still new, still vulnerable, and your inner critic is loud. I wrote about overthinking, self-doubt, and the gentle courage it takes to simply begin.

I wanted to give you a bone-deep kind of permission from my heart to yours.

But something happened after I published that series.

I had given you permission to nurture your idea, but what I didn’t realise was that I was also extending that same permission to myself.

I soon started writing what I thought would be a short essay about the Impressionists, about creativity, and technology and change. But the story grew and became something else entirely.

The Art of Hitting the Wall

Coming Soon: The Art of Hitting the Wall

A Memoir.

What begins as a simple essay about the relationship between art and technology quickly unravels into something more personal — a reckoning with midlife, memory and meaning.

If this sounds like something that would interest you, you are welcome to subscribe to The Art of Hitting the Wall.

I am publishing it chapter by chapter, and I’d love to have you along for the ride.

The Art of Hitting the Wall

This morning, the best thing happened. I was on my way to a doctor’s appointment when — by happy happenstance — I caught Andrew Bird launching on Substack in real time, playing some tunes & chatting with Substack’s Hamish McKenzie.

There I was, cheering like a very happy kid. Or maybe a slightly unhinged middle-aged woman? Either way, I was thrilled, and I’m a big enough fan to require a full page to express my deep appreciation for the wonderful music of Andrew Bird.

…not to brag, but Andrew Bird was my most-listened-to artist of 2024 on Spotify, (and I have proof)… so to catch him launching live just before I had to don a gown and walk across the cold tiled floors under fluorescent lights? — It made my morning. I wrote this article frantically in the waiting room with a ridiculous grin on my face.

Andrew Bird’s music makes me think about artistry at its finest — about brave, authentic, creative work.

His music is inventive, expressive, unusual. It’s not trying to be palatable or perfect or viral. It’s just true. And that’s something I want more of in this world.

His music doesn’t try to appease everyone. He’s not trying to reach the widest audience. He doesn’t smooth out the edges to make it more digestible.

But for his people?

It goes straight to the heart.

I think of this as artistic courage.

It’s so tempting to overwork an idea until it becomes pop — polished, catchy, and safe. But in the process, we shave off all the things that make it special in the first place. Artistic courage resists that urge. It pushes away the impulse to flatten it to make it more palatable and more certain. That kind of trust is generous & brings the artist forward.

That’s what Andrew Bird does so beautifully. He leaves the edges in. He makes space for the work to be itself.

And it reminds me of something Seth Godin writes in The Practice, about shipping your work. Not shipping because you’re sure it’ll be well received — not because it’s perfect, but because it’s time. Because showing up for the work is the real commitment.

“The work is the work. The reaction to the work is a gift.”

Andrew Bird feels like someone who deeply understands that.

One of my favourite aspects of Bird’s music is how his songs evolve over time. Threads of melody and lyric reappear like old friends across different albums.1

As a listener, it makes me feel invested in the creation process. That piece I loved didn’t stop breathing when it was recorded onto the album — it kept growing. It came back, evolved, shifted shape, and became part of something new.

And Bird invites us into the creative process in ways I haven’t seen any other musician do.

He has a series of live albums called Echolocations, set in wild, resonant spaces like a canyon, or by a river — letting the acoustics of that environment shape the music. The space becomes a collaborator.

Then there’s the Fingerlings albums — a series of live recordings, imperfect & raw, featuring half-formed songs and ideas that might never make it to a studio album. They’re glimpses of the work mid-gesture. Still forming.

And it makes me think: in a world edging toward polished, AI-generated everything, there’s something radical about that kind of transparency.

In a time when machines are learning to mimic creativity, that kind of openness matters more than ever — But that’s a thought for another upcoming piece.

Substack feels exactly right for Andrew Bird.

It’s a place full of people who care about nuance. About craft. It’s not about being the loudest voice — it’s about being a true one.

And his music is just that.
It’s cerebral. Playful. Odd and lovely and layered — the kind of music that doesn’t shout for everyone’s attention, but stays with you.

And maybe that’s why I wanted to write about it here, on The Branding Habit.

Because creative work lives and breathes when we stop asking “Do you think people will like this?” and start saying: “This feels true to me!”

Andrew Bird’s music reminds me of that.

His music is a masterclass in artistic integrity.

So, Andrew Bird,
Welcome to Substack.

We’re so lucky to have you here!

And for the Substack reader who’s just discovered a new artist — here are my top 5 tips for where to start:

1. Wear good headphones.
Bird’s music is for active listening — headphones on. All those delicious little details get lost in open space if you’re listening in your car — you’ve got to funnel all that good shit directly into your ears.

2. Listen by album, not playlist.
His style shifts a lot across albums, but each one holds together as its own world. If you jump around too soon, it might feel chaotic.

I would start with:

• Inside Problems

• My Finest Work Yet

• Are You Serious

• Armchair Apocrypha

• The Mysterious Production of Eggs

Once you’ve found your favourites, then go wandering.

3. Savour the details.
Start with ‘Skin Is, My’ from the 2005 album The Mysterious Production of Eggs. The pizzicato violin bounces between your ears like champagne bubbles — it feels like a massage for your brain. You’ll understand what I mean immediately.

4. There’s so much to explore: ‘The NPR, Tiny Desk concert’, ‘Live From The Great Room’, ‘Song Exploder: Roma Fade’.

5. Still here?
Go follow Andrew Bird’s ‘Ahem’ on Substack.

In A Room of One’s Own (1929), Virginia Woolf writes:

“A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.”

But of course, she wasn’t just talking about fiction, she was talking about space — creative, emotional, and physical. The kind that lets you return again and again to what matters — without apology, allowing ideas to unfold, and our work to deepen over time.

You’ve already made some of that space this week.
You’ve cleared out the mental noise.
You’ve let go of what isn’t for this season.
You found a spot on the horizon that feels alive with possibility.

And now — we begin the practice of coming back to it.

With care & intention.

You Don’t Need to Be Everywhere

If you feel the urge to rush ahead — to launch something, to be visible right now — pause for a moment.

Visibility doesn’t begin with noise.
It begins with presence.

It’s not about doing more, posting everywhere, or forcing momentum.
It’s about returning — again and again — to what you’ve chosen to build.

Just like Woolf’s room — your room — your brand needs a place to live.
A quiet space where it can take root and grow strong, before it is asked to perform.

Making Space to Return

We tend to think clarity will arrive like lightning: bold, electrifying, obvious. But often, clarity arrives through return. Through the quiet habit of coming back to what matters. Again and again.

What do you truly want to build? And how will you carve out time and space in your actual life to nurture it?

That might mean:

• Blocking out time in your calendar.

• Setting up a physical space dedicated to this work.

• Choosing one small action you can take every day.

Small & gentle is enough.

Day 5

Look back at the intention you set yesterday. Now ask:

Where can I make space for this in my calendar, my habits, or my heart? What small rhythm can I create to keep returning to this?

Give your ideas somewhere to live.
Show up for them like they matter. Because they do.

You don’t harvest the same day you plant.
But you water the soil. You show up.
You tend.

Thank you for walking this path with me

This 5-day reset wasn’t about rushing ahead.
It was about coming home to your ideas, your clarity, and your voice.

You’re not behind.
You’re not too late.
You’re right on time — and right on track.

Let this be the beginning of a rhythm that sustains you. Let this be the start of a quieter, truer way to build.

🗓️ Book a Clarity call

What We Can Work Through

You can bring anything to the table. Some common clarity topics include:

🔹 Strategic questions (positioning, audience, offers)
🔹 Visual identity confusion (logos, moodboards, fonts)
🔹 Substack wobbles (name, tagline, structure, what to write)
🔹 Brand voice or messaging support
🔹 Overwhelm, perfectionism, “I don’t know where to begin”
🔹 A confidence reframe and gentle pep-talk
🔹Another set of eyes on a project you’re working on

Whatever’s swirling in your mind — let’s untangle it.

Why I Offer This

I love chatting with thoughtful creators — sometimes one grounded conversation is all you need to move forward with confidence. If we end up working together longer-term, great. If not, that’s totally fine too.

Disclaimer

Please know: This isn’t therapy. I’m not a licensed professional or a certified life coach — just a brand designer with 15 years of experience, a good ear, and a lot of care.

This session is here to support you in your creative and strategic process. But if you’re facing deeper emotional or mental health challenges, I wholeheartedly encourage you to speak with a licensed professional or coach. You deserve that kind of support, too.

Does this sound Like What You Need?

🗓️ Book a Clarity call
If the calendar looks full, check back in a few days. Please reach out directly if you need a special time.

Let’s get you back to clarity.

There’s a moment in every story when our hero stops listening to everyone else — and starts listening to the call within.

In the 2016 Disney film Moana, we meet a young girl raised to inherit her island’s traditions. Her role is clear. Her path is set. But something inside her won’t quiet down.

“See the line where the sky meets the sea? It calls me.”

She’s not trying to rebel.
She’s not chasing something shiny.
She just knows — without being able to fully explain it —
that there’s something important she’s meant to explore.

Everyone around her tells her to stay where it’s safe.
But she chooses to follow the call.

She doesn’t have the whole map & she doesn’t feel entirely ready.
But she begins anyway.

That’s where we are today.

Yesterday, you let go of the things that don’t belong in this season.

And now — you get to name what you’re moving toward.

You don’t need a strategy or a five-year plan (not yet)
Just a way forward that feels true enough to start walking.

For some, this might come as a sense of purpose.
For others, it might show up more softly — as a flicker of curiosity.

Either one is enough.

What matters is that it comes from you.

When life gets full — and it will — it’s not strategy or checklists that keep you going. It’s remembering the pull of what’s over that horizon.

So today, Take 10 minutes.
Let yourself be quiet & listen for what’s already stirring.

Then write a sentence that captures what you’re moving toward.

Ask yourself: What do I want to bring to life in this season?

• What direction have I been quietly circling around?

• What keeps tugging at me — even when I try to ignore it?

• What would feel clear, energising, or even just interesting to build this year?

Let it sit in your mind today.
Let it gently shape what you say yes to next.

You don’t have to know everything.

You just have to know enough to begin.

When you know where you're going, you stop chasing every shiny thing.
This is your filter. Your focus. Your way forward.

Note for Tomorrow

Tomorrow, we’ll finally shift into action, in a way that’s sustainable, kind, and true to you.

You’re already at the shoreline.
Now, all that’s left… is to push off.

By now, your mental landscape is clearer.

You’ve named what’s been weighing on you, and you’ve spotted the patterns beneath the clutter. And maybe you’re already feeling a little lighter.

But today, we talk about something that might not feel light at all.

We talk about letting some things go.

Because the truth is: You don’t need to carry it all.
You don’t need to chase every idea, and you definitely don’t need to feel guilty for releasing what no longer feels aligned.

Cheryl Strayed’s ‘Monster’

In her memoir ‘Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail’, Cheryl Strayed shares the story of hiking 1,100 miles alone — from the Mojave Desert in California, through Oregon, to the edge of Washington state. At the start of her journey, she packed a backpack so overloaded, that it was a nightmare just getting it onto her back, so she called it ‘Monster’.

She carried everything she thought she might possibly need, for every part of the trail ahead.

But as the miles wore on, and the terrain tested her, she began to realize:
she didn’t need much of it.
And the weight was holding her back.

Maybe this is true for us, too — in our creative work and in life.

What Are You Carrying That You Don’t Need?

If your list on Day 1 felt like Monster, you’re not alone.

So much of what we carry isn’t visible to anyone else.
🔸The pressure to be further along.
🔸The fear that we’re not doing enough.
🔸The belief that we need to master everything before we even begin.

💌 Your ‘Not Now’ Folder

Here’s something I’d love to borrow from seasoned Pacific Crest Trail hikers: They only carry what’s needed for the stretch they’re walking now.

Some even tear their guidebooks into sections, so they only carry the pages they’ll use that week — and mail the rest to trail stops further ahead.

They know they’ll need those pages later.
But not today.

What if we took the same approach with our ideas?

What if you gently packaged up everything that isn’t for this stretch of the journey, sealed it with a kiss, and mailed it to your future self?
You’re not letting it go forever.
You’re just not carrying it right now.

Because trying to hold it all now is like dragging Monster up the mountain.
Every step is heavier than it needs to be.

Sometimes we load ourselves with extra expectations, like: “I need to lose 10kg before I can hire a photographer… so that I can build my website.”

That’s a lot to carry.

How about: “I’ll get a friend to snap a few photos. I’ll pick the best one. That’s enough for now.”

And later, when your business is growing, and you need to look more professional, then you can revisit the idea of booking a professional photo shoot.

That’s the beauty of mailing something ahead.
It’s not lost. It’s simply not for this stretch of the trail.

So the question becomes:

What’s the lighter version of this thing you’ve been carrying?
And what can you gently post into the future, so that it’s not standing in the way of your progress today?

Day 3

Pull out your brain dump from day 1.

Instead of rushing into doing mode, take a deep breath and ask:

• Which of these things still feel alive — clear, energizing, and aligned with who I am right now?

• Which ideas feel like pressure, perfectionism, or performance?

• Which ones are for a different version of me — or a different season?

• Is there a lighter version of this thing I’ve been carrying?

➡️ Choose what truly belongs in this stretch of the trail.
➡️ Gently shelve the rest.

You’re not missing out.
You’re choosing what matters most for now and learning to walk lighter.

Not every idea on your list was meant to bloom right now.
Some were meant to show you something.
Some sparked curiosity or excitement in a different season of life.
And some… were never yours to carry in the first place.

How does it feel to set something aside today?
Is there relief in the release? Or sadness?

Is there a part of you that wants to carry everything — just to prove you can?

When I looked at my list and realised that it was becoming a monster, I began simplifying my own business ideas, and I was surprised at my own emotional response. I didn’t feel relief at all - I felt a wave of grief. It felt impossible to admit that I couldn’t be everything to everyone. I wanted to be able to carry it all. And I really, really did not want to have to choose.

But the truth is, trying to do it all doesn't make us more capable.
It just makes us more tired.

You’re allowed to choose, to focus & build in a way that feels spacious, not frantic. And the way we do that is by carrying less.

We’ve done a lot of looking back & looking inward. I’m so proud of you. Tomorrow we’ll choose one clear direction, and from there, every decision will get easier.

But for now:
You’ve just reclaimed a piece of your energy.

That’s worth celebrating.

In Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865), Lewis Carroll invites us into a world where nothing quite makes sense.

Alice falls down a rabbit hole and tumbles into a place full of shifting rules, strange logic, and curious contradictions. One moment she’s too large to fit in the room. The next, she’s too small to reach the key.

Time bends.
Logic twists.
Nothing follows the rules she thought she knew.

Yesterday, you emptied your mind into a list.
You gave all the ideas, obligations, saved drafts, and scattered to-do’s a place to land. And now they’re no longer swirling in your head — you can actually see them on the page.

But before we move forward, let’s do something a bit different: Let’s go through the looking glass and look at what patterns, fears, or beliefs have led us here?

Because if you look closely — you might notice how upside-down some of your thinking has become.

I’m afraid that if I share this idea, everyone will see it.
I’m also afraid that no one will care.

I’m afraid my idea is too safe — it’s been done before.
But also: too radical — it might be too much.

Too big.
Too small.
Too early.
Too late.

Do you want to stand out — or to fit in?
You want to embrace the imperfections… but you want to get it just right.

Which is it?

That’s the Wonderland of it all.

When we don’t slow down to examine what’s really going on underneath, we try to hold two impossible truths at once — and then wonder why we feel stuck.

Today isn’t about fixing.

It’s about noticing.

We live inside our patterns for so long, we forget we’re following them. But often, hidden patterns are driving us:

• Fear of missing out

• Perfectionism in disguise

• Wanting to keep up

• Trying to prove you belong

• Building things for a version of yourself that doesn’t exist anymore

Once you see the pattern, you can gently decide whether it’s worth carrying forward.

Day 2:

Look over your list from yesterday. Don’t judge it. Just observe.

And ask yourself:

• Am I trying to do too much at once?

• How many of these mental to-do’s are about chasing approval, or following trends?

• Which ideas genuinely excite me?

• Which feel heavy, draining, or disconnected from my true goals?

• What does this list reveal about what I really want to build?

You’re already complete.

You don’t need to juggle all these extra things to prove your worth. You don’t need to chase every opportunity.

Many of the things on your list might have felt like ‘the missing piece’ when you took them in. But today, you’re starting to see what’s truly aligned…
and what’s just clutter.

Note:
Tomorrow, we’ll begin clearing space.

It’s not always easy to see our own patterns. If you noticed even one pattern today — that’s powerful. I’d love to hear if this helped. Let me know in the comments.

In the 1911 classic The Secret Garden, Mary Lennox doesn’t enter the garden with a plan. She finds the key by accident — she finds the door by chance.

And what she discovers inside is not a pristine blank canvas waiting for her, but a wild, tangled space that has been neglected for years — ivy curling over the walls, brambles thick underfoot, leaves from long-past seasons matted against the soil.

Before she plants a single thing, Mary starts by brushing aside what’s dead and overgrown, making room for the garden to breathe again.

And we begin the same way, because:

You cannot build something meaningful on top of overwhelm.

You just can’t.

You can’t move forward in a meaningful way when every step feels weighed down by half-finished projects, by perfectionist pressure, by the noise of everyone else’s strategies and expectations.

And yet… we try. We push ourselves to build things before we’ve made space to even think. We create ambitious plans that we don’t have the energy to carry out — I know it’s not just me.

We chase the next thing with minds clouded with clutter.

Your next project doesn’t start with a logo, a color palette or the perfect domain name.

It starts by clearing the ground.

Before anything beautiful can grow, we need space to think, to feel — space to even notice what you want.

Day 1: A Brain Dump

Today, we begin with a brain dump — but think of it more like giving your mind a place to exhale.

Open a notebook, a doc, the notes app on your phone — whatever’s easiest.

Spend a few minutes listing everything you feel like you “ought to be doing” right now — without judgement.

Social platforms, email ideas, products, potential collaborations, unfinished tasks, courses you’ve saved but haven’t opened, potential offers or products.

All the “I’ll get to that soon.”
All the “this needs a proper plan.”
All the “I can’t think about this right now, but I can’t quite let it go either.”

Today, write it all down. Let your list spill over.
Don’t filter. Don’t organize.

You’re not here to fix anything yet, you’re just giving your mind a place to exhale.

Your attention is finite.

Your energy is not endless.

Every unacknowledged open loop drains you quietly. And when your internal space is full, there’s nowhere for your brilliant, inspired ideas to take root.

So today isn’t about doing more — It’s about making space, and noticing how much you’ve been carrying — mentally, emotionally, creatively.

Let that awareness be enough.

You don’t have to fix it all today.

Just see it, give yourself grace, and breathe.

That’s the first step to lightening the load.

Coming Up Next

Tomorrow, we’ll come back to this list.
We’ll start to notice what’s really driving it — what excites you, what drains you.

But for now:
How do you feel, seeing it all written down?

This short series is a soft space you can return to whenever things feel tangled — when the ideas are too many, the pressure is too high, or the next step feels unclear.

We’re clearing the undergrowth together & honouring the seeds of your inspiration.

The next 5 days are for you if:

• You keep starting and stopping, getting stuck in loops of overthinking, tweaking, or hesitation

• You have a hundred half-finished ideas.

• You’re building something you care deeply about, but the emotional weight of it has made you stall.

• You’re ready to bring softness and intentionality back into your creative rhythm.

• You crave depth, connection, and clarity over fast-paced, surface-level growth

Over the next 5 days, join me for a reset.

Before anything can take root, it needs room to grow. Not just time in your calendar. But space in your nervous system. Space in your mind, your energy, and your life.

We’re not brand-building yet. We’re clearing space so your brand can grow.

Each day, we’ll take one small step to:

• Notice what’s draining your energy and cluttering your clarity

• Sort through your mental tabs with gentleness, not judgment

• Release what isn’t aligned (without guilt)

• Return to your voice and purpose, gently

• Make space for what matters most

There’s nothing to launch this week.

Just a gentle clearing of mental, digital, and emotional space—so that when you do move forward, you’ll know exactly what you’re saying yes to.

A note on pace

There’s no prize for speed here. Take your time.

But if you commit to showing up for this reset—even imperfectly—you’ll begin to clear space for something deeper: Your own clarity. Your own direction. Your own way of showing up.

This is what sets the foundation for everything to come.

To be honest, you’re already doing more than you think. I’m proud of you for the very fact that you’re here — making space to grow.

Are you ready? Day 1 is available now.

An idea is a fragile thing.
It rarely arrives fully formed.
It’s more like a seed, Small, delicate and uncertain.

Ideas are messy.

They grow underground, out of sight.
Roots push down through the soil.
Nothing is stable yet.

But the temptation is to over-tend.
To hover.
To second-guess.
To doubt.

“Is this good enough?”
“Will people care?”
“Is someone else already doing this?”

Often, our idea dies, not because it wasn’t worthy, but because it never had a chance to breathe.

There’s a paradox at the heart of every creative journey:

You care.
You want the work to be good — even great.
You refine, tweak, shape, and that’s part of the creative process.

But there’s a point where the cycle flips, and the same care and attention that made it better begins to undo it.

Suddenly, you’re not polishing, you’re dismantling.
You add complexity until the whole thing collapses.
You hold so tightly to the idea that you suffocate it.

It’s like the Midas touch in reverse. Instead of everything you touch turning to gold, overthinking takes everything golden — and turns it into dust.

What started with the shining gleam of inspiration becomes brittle, overworked, crumbling in your hands.

I’ve seen it happen and I’ve done it myself.

So how do we care without crushing the thing we care about?

The truth is, every meaningful idea began in an uncertain place.

Every brand, every project, every beautiful piece of work you admire — none of them arrived polished.

They started faint.
Rough around the edges.
Vulnerable.

Make space for your idea.

Let it be messy.

Trust it, trust yourself, trust that your own practice will reveal your most true voice, trust that your audience will show up when the time it's right.

And over time the roots of your idea will deepen, the shape of it will become clearer, and it will begin to grow.

Here’s something that helps:

Before you edit, before you compare, before you overthink — get a messy, rough draft out of your head and into the light.

Let the messy draft arrive first.
Clarity arrives after.

Feeling stuck? Try hitting publish (before you feel ready)

Whether you’re building a website, drafting your first Substack post, shaping a brand, or working on a book — there’s usually a moment when it all starts to feel a bit heavy.

You tweak, hesitate & re-read your draft so many times the words start to blur together.

But here’s something I keep learning (and forgetting, and relearning):

Clarity doesn’t always come before you share. Sometimes it arrives because you did.

There’s a strange kind of magic in the “publish / send” button. Or the moment you show your messy draft to a friend.

It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be out of your head.

Because when something sits in your drafts folder for too long, it gets tangled in fear, self-doubt, and overthinking. You lose sight of how it actually feels. You start editing it for an imaginary super-critical audience that you can never satisfy.

But once it’s out there, the draft becomes something real. It gains a shape. You gain perspective. And what felt stuck in your mind starts to move.

Sometimes, the best thing you can do for your idea is let it breathe in public.

And no, this doesn’t mean blasting it out to the world (though it could mean that). “Publishing” might just mean sharing it with a colleague or small test group. Or posting your first version, knowing you can return later with more clarity.

In truth, most people won’t even notice when you come back and revise.

But before you come back to start making changes: stop for a moment & ask yourself:

• Am I editing from a place of clarity — or fear?

• Am I polishing to bring something forward — or to keep it hidden?

• Am I making it better, or am I being overly critical?

• Am I supporting it — or crushing it?

If the answer feels murky, take a break. Come back when you have something constructive to add, not just something anxious to fix.

Because your idea doesn’t care about being perfect.

It just wants space to be.

Reflection:

Where are you overthinking today?
What’s the one seed you’ve been afraid to plant?

Maybe it was a business idea, a writing practice, or even something simple — like a new fitness routine.

You were all in. You made a plan, got inspired, maybe even saw some progress.

But then — you know — life happened.

Work got busy, you lost track & that thing you cared about so much started slipping to the side.

This is where most people give up — not because they don’t care enough, but because they don’t have a way to stay connected when motivation fades.

I’ve seen this happen over and over again — and not just with clients, but in my own creative work, too.

It’s rarely the big effort that keeps things moving.
It’s the small habit of coming back to it—again and again—that keeps your goals alive.

And that’s why I want to introduce you to one small habit that changes everything.

How The Brand Habit started

In early 2025, I was working with two brilliant tech founders. They had big dreams for their startup; a vision that could genuinely change their industry.

But there was a problem.

They weren’t moving forward.

Their full-time jobs were draining. Their schedules were packed. They had the best intentions — but week after week, their brand stayed stuck in planning mode.

We scheduled weekly meetings to work on their startup. But every time, something got in the way. Meetings got postponed & the startup they once felt excited about? It started to feel… impossible.

And I could see it happening — the frustration, the inertia, the self-doubt. So in a moment of inspired desperation, I proposed something radical:

“Forget the long meetings. Let’s just check in for a few minutes every day.”

I held my breath, expecting them to push back against this idea.

But to my surprise, they agreed.

And that simple shift — the daily check-in — it changed everything!

Their confidence grew. Their momentum built. I watched as they quickly developed what I came to call ‘brand muscle’ — the ability to see their brand clearly, and the excitement to keep building on it.

Small, daily actions changed everything.

The Habit of Checking In: The Secret to Staying on Track

If you’ve ever struggled to stay consistent with something that matters to you, here’s the game-changer:

Instead of focusing on massive progress, focus on simply checking in. Every day.

It could be as simple as asking yourself:

⭐ Did I show up today?
⭐ If yes: What tiny step did I take?
⭐ If no: What got in my way?

Even if the answer is “I didn’t have the energy to work on my goal today”—that’s okay. The power isn’t in what you accomplish daily. It’s in keeping the habit of checking in alive.

What matters is that you showed up — when you keep checking in, you never truly stop moving forward.

Why This Works (Even When It Feels Small)

At first, building a habit like this might feel almost too small to matter. It feels like nothing’s really happening.

But here’s why it’s powerful:

• It prevents the all-or-nothing trap.
  Instead of waiting for ‘the perfect time’ to get back on track, you never fully lose track in the first place because you’re checking in, even when your energy is low.

• It builds self-awareness.
  You start noticing patterns - what gets in your way — not weeks later, but as it’s happening.

• It softens the self-judgment.
  Instead of beating yourself up for stalling, you give yourself space to reflect, reset, and return.

• It removes the false urgency.
  No scrambling to "catch up." No panic sprints. Just small, steady steps.

• And most importantly… it’s really quick & easy. A minute is all it takes.

It’s not glamorous.
It’s not intense.
But it is sustainable.

Try It Today: Your First Check-In

Let’s start right now. Don’t overthink it.

Take a moment to ask yourself:

What’s one small thing I did today — no matter how tiny — that moved me closer to where I want to be?

Maybe you:
⭐ Put a daily reminder in your calendar to remind yourself to check in.
⭐ Decluttered your desk, to make physical & emotional ‘space’ for your brand.
⭐ Made any decision, no matter how small.

That counts.

Write it down.
Check it off.
Let it be enough for today.

Come back tomorrow.

I’m so glad you’ve landed here — If you’re reading this, you’re likely building something. Maybe it’s a business or a creative project that matters to you.

You might be in the early stirrings of a new idea — or knee-deep in something you’ve been shaping for years. Wherever you are, you’re here because you care. Not just about how your brand looks, but about what it means and how it connects.

What I’ve noticed over the years as a brand designer — is that people approach their brands in vastly different ways:

Some arrive with a crystal-clear vision. They already know exactly how their brand should look, feel, and sound. My role there is simple: bring my sketchbook, listen, and help translate what’s already clear in their minds onto the page, and into a polished design.

Others come with a strong idea of what they think their brand should be — but as we dig deeper, it doesn’t quite fit. Maybe it clashes with how they naturally show up or it’s aimed at the wrong audience. Often, branding becomes a process of realignment — closing the gap between intention and reality.

Some want to position themselves strategically — mapping competitors, sharpening their message, defining their edge. Others feel allergic to strategy entirely. They want their brand to hold up a mirror to who they are authentically, without compromise or tactics.

Some see branding as one more item to tick off before they launch.
Others treat it like the most important thing in their world — a neat container that holds their identity, their values, their purpose.

Sometimes, what starts as a conversation about design quickly reveals itself to be about something much deeper. The branding process can uncover all the messy feelings of self-doubt, perfectionism, impostor syndrome & fear. In this case, we need to focus on the inner tangle and find clarity before we can make space for the brand.

Introducing 7 Paths to Your Brand

Over time, I’ve come to see seven distinct paths in the brand-building process.

You don’t need to care about all seven. You might find yourself deep in one, circling another for later, ignoring a third entirely, for now.

That’s fine.

And the goal isn’t to try to do everything at once — it’s to know which season you’re in & what needs tending to right now.

What I’ve noticed is this:

When things feel scattered, stuck, or heavy — it’s usually because one of these areas needs your attention.

7 Paths to Your Brand

1. The Tend Series: Messy Feelings & Mental Blocks
   Branding starts within. The doubts, the overthinking, the perfectionism, the impostor syndrome — it’s all part of the process. Sometimes you need to untangle what’s standing between you and the clarity you need to get started. Because for anything new to blossom, it first needs the physical, emotional & mental space to grow.

2. Brand Fundamentals (Coming Soon — May 2025)
   This is the foundation every brand needs — your values, audience, mission, and voice. Getting these clear saves you from FOMO, indecision, and shiny object syndrome later on, because you’ll already know what logically fits your brand — and what doesn’t. When these are clear, everything else has solid ground to stand on.

3. Strategy & Game Plan ( — June 2025)
   Here’s where we step back and map the landscape, (or the battleground if you prefer) Who’s already out there? Where are the gaps?
   Who’s your audience — and how are you showing up differently?
   Here’s where strategy stops feeling abstract and starts feeling actionable. A clear plan that tells you where you’re headed, who you’re speaking to, and how to stand out.

4. Visual Brand Identity ( — July 2025)
   This is where we take the heart of your brand and translate it visually — so your audience recognizes you before you even say a word. No trends, just visuals that feel unmistakably you. Colors, fonts, logos — it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the choices, but if you’ve already done the groundwork, this is just like putting the final icing on the cake.

5. Launching & Showing Up ( — August 2025)
   At some point, you’ve got to get your brand out of your drafts folder and into the world. This is the moment where you line up all your branding assets & prepare to show your brand to the world. Whether it’s your first launch or your fifth, you want to focus on showing up clearly and consistently across all your touchpoints.

6. Scaling & Consistency ( — September 2025)
   Once the groundwork is solid, the question becomes: How do you keep showing up without losing steam? Here’s where you focus on sustainable, strategic growth — staying consistent, while also allowing your brand to evolve over time, and keeping your audience connected without burning out.

7. Thought Leadership & Visibility ( — October 2025)
   This is where you step into authority, share ideas worth following, and become the go-to voice in your space.

How to Use The Branding Habit

There’s no one right way to move through this.

👉 You can start at the beginning and work your way through.
👉 Or dip in wherever you feel stuck, scattered, or curious.

Each week, I’ll be sharing new insights, reflections, and actionable steps drawn from real-world branding conversations, rooted in the same questions, struggles, and breakthroughs that come up time and time again.

Over to you:

What’s one part of your brand that feels unclear, heavy, or stuck right now?

Let me know in the notes - or if you have any questions about your brand journey, feel free to pop me a mail at tara@omnibrand.co.nz