“when we slow down, when we focus, things move smoother”

Anna Lovind helps feminist creatives and change-makers go from dreaming to doing – without the striving and overwhelm. 

She is the author of The Creative Doer, and she hosts a beautiful online course and community where women from all over the world gather to make good stuff happen. 

Anna lives with her two daughters, two cats and a dog in rural Sweden, where forests are deep, winter is dark and summer nights last forever. 

• Creating from overflow rather than exhausting the resources you have in order to live a sustainable life

• Learn to consistently fill ourselves up and tend to our needs 

• The things that are usually described for self-care such as bubble baths or massage are quick fixes but they don’t address the things that brought you to exhaustion in the first place

• Where is the balance off in your life right now? E.g start with sleep, nutritious movement, sufficient downtime

• What changes can I make right now?

• Do I have enough support in my life? E.g around caretaking for children or eldery people 

• Where in my life can I give less?

• Boundaries

• Draining relationships - where giving too much rather than receiving

• The focus on the individual, where we are meant to do everything ourselves is crushing 

• Finding the right people to support you- especially when you want to slow down and do less and question what we’ve been conditioned to do

• When you keep saying yes to everything, you’re saying no to the things that really matter to you. When you start to say no and prioritising, there’s more space in your life to focus on the few things

• Exploring what’s your actual, sustainable pace when you remove yourself from the hamster wheel

• When we slow down, it becomes a smoother journey. Smoother often translates to being faster, getting to where we want and need to go

• Rushing and striving keeps us stuck

• Resistance v knowing when you need to rest 

• Fear usually sits beneath resistance - sit with it, journal etc to give it a voice

• Breaking things down to make the next step small and doable

• Often our goal is the same as the to-do list! The gap between where you are now and where you want to go is too big. Break it down with a personalised approach for your particular situation and circumstances

• We can make big things happen with very little, if we know how to support ourselves and use our time and resources well

• Supporting yourself rather than cajoling yourselves creates a different experience and result

• Creating the circumstances where flow can happen. Flow requires relaxation, inner and outer space, overflow

• Being in co-creation with whatever comes through you 

• Show up, stay committed and have support in order to create- you don’t have to wait for inspiration

• The first step is the most important one

• How much time and space you have will affect the size and scope of your dream

• Almost everyone can find/ take back 10 minutes in their day and devote it to whatever really matters to them

• We have vastly different starting points 

• You don’t have to make a living from your dream. Sometimes a job that is satisfactory and pays the bills is a better option if it can provide the space for your dreams

• Validate yourself, your own work and your own life

• Capitalist mindset values size, speed and productivity

• You won’t know until you try

• Failure as information rather than something to avoid

 Resources:

Connect with Anna on Instagram and her website 

Link to book: ‘The Creative Doer – A Brave Woman’s Guide from Dreaming to Doing’ 

Anna’s community and course, ‘The Creative Doer’

Keep in Touch with Avni:

Sign up for my free course ‘5 Days to Wellness with Ease’