How's it going Reader!

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I made a list of "ins" and "outs" for 2025 because I have some strong opinions lately. Thought it would be quite cathartic (it was!!) (It also took ages)

I just picked things based on what I've been thinking about lately. There's no specific theme but it's mostly about productivity & creativity.

Here's what I picked:

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Out:

Those ads that are like "you don't have burnout, it's cortisol addiction. Hack your ADHD with this science-based productivity routine etc etc" 😐

This is manipulative. It's using people's insecurities against them. The target audience of these ads (and especially ADHDers) are those with very low self-esteem. They probably beat themselves up every day believing they are lazy and letting everyone down by not fulfilling their potential.

Promising them a "fix" if they pay money for some app is straight-up cruel.

ADHD or not, I'm sure every creative has felt this way before. Someone who is burned out needs *real*, nuanced support. Not being manipulated into throwing money at stuff.

That kinda links in to..

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Marketing that uses manipulation and fear tactics.

I used to reaaaallly panic when a specific creator I like had a sale going on (not naming any names as it ain't personal).

Because she created SO MUCH urgency around her offers.

They were usually offers teaching how to make money as an artist/creative.

She'd talk about how life-changing her offer would be in such a captivating way (quite impressive sales copy really!)

That, combined with my desperation to not feel like I was flailing about in life... was too much.

I did buy some of these offers, but I didn't always feel good about it after. Just kind of gross, as if I really had been manipulated.

And there's much worse stuff out there that *actually* manipulates you and creates an urge to panic-buy.

Trust your intuition and buy things when it feels good to do so 🙏🏻

(This also informs me on how I want to sell things myself. I want to present my work effectively to those who need it. Not freak people out and try to convince them they need something if they're not sure).

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Expensive online courses that just sell a one-size-fits-all business model.

People are starting to become wise to this I feel.

It's quite common that, in an attempt to provide "efficiency", a person or business will sell some course that lays out an *exact* plan for you to build your own business (or some similar goal).

And as a favour they'll charge you a lot of money for it - if you've spent a lot, you're more likely to commit!

Unfortunately, they've neglected something important - we're not all the same person.

Everyone works differently, has different strengths and weaknesses, etc. etc.

Forcing everyone through a one-size-fits-all system leads to wild success for some.

But the rest hit a brick wall. They believe they weren't "motivated enough" to make it work. In reality, they just needed a different approach.

(Yes, I have experienced this first-hand...)

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Feeling rushed in literally anything, ever

As per my last email 😁

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Viewing consistency as a necessity (changing energy levels are normal!!)

Many creators online harp on about how important consistency is to them. How it was vital for their success.

I think it reflects the way they speak to themselves, forcing themselves to "show up" even when it's difficult to.

I have *two* takes on this.

1) I do NOT believe consistency is necessary to build connection with an audience.

If you're a creator I follow, I do not care if you send an email every Wednesday at 11am precisely, or if you send 4 emails in a week and then disappear for a month. As long as you're saying something interesting, I'm still hanging on to every word.

I've also seen people do very well by posting on social media every day for a bit to reach new people, then taking a break. Surely that should be the norm?

2) I do NOT believe consistency is necessary for creative projects.

How often do you have a cool idea and decide to just chase it madly for a couple of days? I love doing that. I find it way more enjoyable (and productive) than anything else.

Following your creative "rhythms" like this builds self-trust. You can discover and enhance your strengths instead of forcing stuff out when you don't want to.

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Using to-do lists and productivity hacks as a bandaid for poor mental wellbeing

Quite a spicy one this...

When we think about improving productivity, we immediately turn to tangible structures.

Pomodoro timers, planners, "focus hacks", and so on.

They're easy to talk about. And easy to recommend in your "here's how I stay productive as a full-time [insert job role here]" Instagram Reel.

But they're just the cherry on the productivity cake really.

If you're suffering in day-to-day life, there's no point putting a cherry on it.

When you become grounded in your life and deeply connected with yourself, the desperate grasping for productivity fixes falls away.

You work on things with joy and contentedness.

Undoing suffering is different for everyone, but that's where the "cake" is.

That also links in to..

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Hoarding self-help books as if there's something fundamentally wrong with you (there isn't)

Likewise, it is possible to lose the desperate grasping to "improve" yourself.

It fills me with concern when I see someone bragging about how many self-help books they've got lined up to read this year (you know the ones - Atomic Habits, Think And Grow Rich, etc.)

On their own, these books have some truly valuable lessons to teach (I assume, I haven't read them).

But if you're flying through them looking for The Answer, that can't be coming from a good place.

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Thinking social media is the only place to exist, share, communicate and sell online

Oh my days. I'd forgotten how "busy" social media feels.

Posting stuff online sometimes feels like trying to have a meaningful conversation in the middle of a fairground.

It's packed, very loud, lots of flashing lights and people shouting.

I do think it's doing more harm than good for the creative community (though there are some really good things about it too!)

It can be quite miserable basing your whole online existence around your social media profiles.

(That's why I love having this newsletter 🥰)

There's plenty of other places to exist - webinars, summits, private groups, networking events, collaborations, blogging/newsletters (Substack is booming rn!)

Social media is not the be-all and end-all.

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That's all of the rant-y things on my list. Let's move into some positive things now.

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In:

Helping others (and your past self!!) by creatively expressing your true self

We get stuck living "outside in".

We want to make things other people will like.

Our self-worth is driven by what others say about us and how popular we are.

Living "inside out" is the answer. Your creative purpose lies in your uniqueness, not in hiding yourself to fit in.

When you create things *for yourself* and not for other people, it heals your past self who had to hide themselves to fit in.

Embracing your own uniqueness also helps those around you embrace theirs. They feel more connected to you because you're being authentic rather than trying to please them!

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Products and services made with humanness at the heart (things AI couldn't deliver!)

ChatGPT has really improved a lot since it came out (as have many other AI tools). It's really easy to make digital products and stuff now.

I think the real gems for business owners will be offering things AI *couldn't* make.

i.e. things that aren't just information-based, or things with a truly personal connection.

There's a whole world of possibilities to explore here.

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Screen time down 📉📉📉📉

Using your phone less feels really frustrating at first but once you get used to it, it's SO refreshing.

I started leaving my phone on my desk when I don't need it (which is most of the time, actually) and the world feels much clearer and more peaceful.

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Sleep loads every night ✅✅

I kind of went down the Bryan Johnson rabbit hole last year...

He says sleep is the most important thing you can do and you should become a professional at it. He's right.

Over the course of the year I started going to bed an hour earlier. I also made time to relax every morning and evening.

It is also SO refreshing. I wake up earlier, feel rested, and can actually do more during the day.

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Trying your creative ideas just for fun, no commitments or expectations

Perfectionism holds me back so much, I imagine the same is true for you.

That's why trying things out without commitments or expectations is so important.

Trying to look ahead into the long-term with projects is scary, there's so much uncertainty. If we fail in the long-term we'll feel ashamed!

Uncertainty can be made less scary by making it fun, playful, and low-pressure. Embrace your inner silly goose and go have fun.

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Taking fatigue and burnout seriously + always being on your own side

The thing about burnout is - if you don't take it seriously and just keep ploughing through life, it only gets worse.

You have no choice but to reduce your work and life commitments. Make saying "no" your default to pretty much everything.

You also have to go self-care mode: extreme. Take whatever your self-care plans are and x10 it, to the point it sounds ridiculous. And *that's* what you really need.

Extreme self-care is in this year.

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Following your intuition instead of societal rules and expectations

There are many rules and expectations about how we do things. But by following them we often end up:

• denying our true creative selves
• ignoring our own needs
• working too hard
• seeking external validation

Your intuition has a lot to teach you. Creatives are supposed to be weird and unconventional, so why be a boring rule-follower?

I'll give an example - I realised trying to be consistent on social media was holding me back. My intuition says that putting so much effort into "consistency" won't get me anywhere.

So I started ignoring the rule of consistency. I accepted that I'm not a consistent person. And I accepted that I don't want to "niche down" either.

I feel an immense amount of freedom from not following these rules.

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Knowing your work is a gift to the world and not selling/promoting it is a disservice to those who need it

Read that one again ⬆️

We've all been taught that marketing is sleazy and you must manipulate people into being interested in you.

But whatever you are making is truly a gift. Your job is to get it out into the world so the people who need it can find it.

They'll gladly pay you to show their appreciation for what you do. They want to support you so you can do more of your things.

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Knowing you deserve wealth and financial security (full stop, no matter what)

Making money is not greedy, selfish, or contributing to the world's problems. It gives you the opportunity to be more yourself and do more for yourself.

More financial security not only means a happier life, but more freedom to help others, to support causes that matter, and to create meaningful change in the world. Don't you deserve that?

If you feel overwhelmed thinking about money, you aren't alone. We're in it together. It's a reality of the system we live in to feel overwhelmed, but we still deserve to thrive.

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Is there anything you'd add to this list? You're welcome to reply and tell me about it 😄

Remember: creativity is what the world needs right now.

Keep going, keep caring, keep taking care of yourself.

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I'll see you next week,

Damon

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🌱 Stuff I'm Doing Recently 🌱

January Week #4

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