Productive Stillness

Hi everyone! 

Welcome to my blog. If you haven't been here in awhile, don't feel bad... neither have I! I'm majorly guilty of overthinking what I should blog about, not finding the perfect time to get it done, and then it just doesn't happen. But I think the blog is absolutely perfect for moments like this... where I've stumbled upon a useful thought that I just want to put out there. But it takes a little longer to explain than Twitter allows.

Who has a long to-do list for themselves? A lot of stuff on your plate, and when one thing gets done, something else is always waiting. This seems to be me with everyday life, but also with my videos. I look around my room at boxes with products spilling out of them and I think- great! Content for days. The video ideas are just sitting here. Review this, review that, review these other things. And then review some more. 

And honey, I LOVE reviews. I built my channel on reviews. But as I slowly start burying myself with the 2017 holiday palettes and gift sets... I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel a little overwhelmed. Maybe a lot overwhelmed. Every single morning that there's time to put on makeup could be a time for me to shoot a video on something, and since I'm in this continuous rotation of product testing, there's almost always something I'm technically "ready" to talk about.

Today I was in a place were I was caught up on the videos I wanted to shoot and edit for this week. And I just went upstairs with my cup of coffee (babies still asleep), and I turned on a podcast featuring Brene Brown, and did my makeup (for me makeup is practically meditative and soul-filling) and let my thoughts wander in that stillness. And I reminded myself that this is where the real inspiration and creativity is born. 

Make gaps in those jam-packed to-do lists for a little stillness. It's not being lazy and it's not abandoning your duties. Recharging is actually productive! It sometimes feels risky for me, since I have two little kids and my morning work time has to be managed SO carefully.  But today I left my mess-covered makeup desk feeling so content. Honestly, maybe it was the coffee, the Brene Brown motivation, or just discovering a really cool new eyeshadow palette... but I felt recharged. 

Basically folks, it's playtime. My "stillness" is just playing with makeup and letting my mind wander. Nothing HAS to come from moments like this, but often these times of freely not following your to-do list actually let some really good ideas creep in. Have a GREAT day, everyone! Love you all!

♥

Emily