STEPPING GENTLY INTO 2026: PAUSE, REFLECT, AND PREPARE

Happy New Year, my friends! It feels so good to be back. As 2026 begins, you might be noticing a quiet stillness - a feeling that the year hasn't quite arrived, that you're not ready to rush forward just yet.

This is a beautiful time to slow down, to shed what no longer serves you, and to get clear on how you truly want to feel. For me, it's been about noticing patterns, releasing old habits, and gently tuning in to what brings ease, joy, and creativity.

Before the year picks up pace, take a moment with me: What do you need to let go of? How do you want your days to feel as you step into 2026?

This period has been about noticing what no longer serves me: physical clutter, teaching habits, limiting beliefs, and thought patterns. I'm shedding. And the idea of starting the year at full gallop doesn't feel right just yet. There's power in pausing, observing, and allowing the stillness to guide us.

I've been running my online event, Design Your Life, for over seven years. Usually, this season sees a surge of energy, goal-setting, and action. This year is different. The retreat, too, has shifted focus from goals to release, preparing us for the upcoming Year of the Fire Horse - a rare and potent astrological shift not seen since the 15th century.

One powerful insight came to me recently: financial freedom isn't about hitting a target number. It's a state of mind. You can have millions in the bank and still feel anxious or restricted. True freedom comes from cultivating a sense of ease, abundance, and joy in your life - independent of the digits in your account.

This reflection has shaped my thinking for 2026. It's led me to ask myself: How do I want to feel? How do I want to spend my time? These simple but profound questions are guiding me to design a life aligned with creativity, intention, and personal growth.

Click here for the full show notes:

https://www.unitedartspace.org/youre-not-behind-youre-still-shedding/

Ever wondered what it really takes to run a successful art gallery and online shop?

In this week's episode, I'm chatting with The Two Faced Twins, Gemma and Stella, about how they built a warm, welcoming gallery, developed a signature style people instantly recognise, and turned their creativity into a thriving business.

We talk about the power of knowing your audience, keeping things simple, showing up consistently, and staying playful even as your business grows.

If you've ever dreamed of selling your work in a gallery or building an online shop that actually works, this conversation is packed with honest insights and down-to-earth advice.

Have you ever found yourself doing everything with your art but still not feeling clear? In this episode, I'm talking with Kellee Wynne about how to strip things back, reconnect with what you actually love, and turn your creativity into something sustainable without the overwhelm.

We chat about choosing one focus, following the ideas that feel exciting, and building something meaningful that really helps people. If you've been feeling scattered or unsure where to put your energy next, this conversation might be exactly what you need.

Have you ever felt like your old ways of working or creating no longer fit?

In this episode, I sit down with Sheryl Garratt, writer, creative coach and former editor of The Face and The Observer Magazine, to explore what it truly means to start again.

We dive into the art of reinvention, how to follow curiosity when life shifts, and why starting over is never really from scratch. You are building on all the experience you already have.

If you are ready to embrace change or reignite joy in your creative work, this conversation is a reminder that every ending opens the door to something new.

Website:

thecreativelife.net

Free 10-day course with 10 foundations for growing your creative business:

https://tcl.kit.com/grow

10 YEARS OF UNITED ARTSPACE

In-Person Event | 17th April 2026

Celebrate our anniversary with us. Learn more here: https://unitedartspace.myflodesk.com/10-years-of-uas

This episode is a special one because next April marks 10 years of United ArtSpace.

But today isn't really about me or the business. It's about you: the artists, dreamers, and makers who've been part of this journey.

Whether you joined last week or you've been here since the early days, you're part of something that has changed countless lives, including my own.

Over the last decade, I've learned so much about what it really takes to build a creative life. Not just how to make art, but how to live creatively, keep going when it's hard, and find the people who remind you why you started.

In this episode, I'm sharing three big lessons that have shaped everything I've learned from these ten years. Lessons that I hope will inspire and guide you wherever you are on your own creative path.

As we look ahead to our in-person anniversary event next April, Live, Create, Become, I want to invite you to celebrate with us. It's going to be a powerful day of connection, reflection, and creativity.

So grab a cuppa, settle in, and let's take a moment to pause, reflect, and celebrate how far we've come together.

10 YEARS OF UNITED ARTSPACE - IN-PERSON EVENT

Join us for an in-person day where you can focus on your next creative chapter. You will focus on how to live, create and the person you will become.

With artist talks, art making and real connection you will leave this event with friends for life and a bigger sense of your creative purpose.

Food and drink are provided so all you have to do is turn up!

>> CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

The world is changing fast, and as artists, we feel it deeply. Whether it's in your work, your business, or life itself, change can bring fear and uncertainty but it can also open the door to something new.

In this episode, I talk about how I handle change when everything feels unsettled: how I ground myself, tune out the noise, and trust the next step even when I can't see the full path yet.

Growing as an artist or creative can be exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming.

The pressure to keep up, the endless to-do lists, and the feeling that you should always be doing more - it takes a toll.

In this episode, I'm joined by LaKisha Mosley, who shares openly about her own experiences with mental health and why she's so passionate about creating safe spaces where people feel seen and heard. We talk about why rest isn't indulgent but essential, how boundaries can protect your energy, and why you don't need fixing - you just need support.

Whose voice are you really listening to when you create? 👀

Friends, family, strangers and all their opinions can be endless. I've been there, making choices based on what others thought was "right" instead of trusting my gut.

This week, I'm sharing why following your intuition matters more than chasing trends or bending to advice. And I'll tell you how my Nanny Dot inspired me to stay true to myself and stop changing for others.

Time off isn't indulgent, it's essential.

If you're someone who throws yourself fully into projects and finds it hard to slow down, this episode is for you. I'll share practical ways I've learned to carve out breaks, manage the guilt, and use rest as fuel for creativity, clarity, and sustainable growth.

This week marks the 200th episode of the podcast - and I just want to start by saying a huge thank you.

When I launched this podcast all those years ago, I wasn't sure if I had enough ideas, let alone another hundred episodes in me. But your support, your listening, and your stories have kept me going and I'm so glad they have.

In this special episode, I'm bringing it back to the heart of why I started: your art matters. I'll be talking about creativity in all its forms, the journey of the last 200 episodes, and what's next for us as we move into the future together.