Sometimes you need to just get started.

Karens notes sketchnote

Karens notes sketchnoteSometimes you need to just get started.

And sometimes you need to just stop.

Last week I spent five days on the Isle of Mull. It’s my favourite place of rest, of beauty, of refreshment, of quiet and peace.

And although I told myself I would simply sit by the fire and read books and not even go outside….I still went out. I went for long walks through green fields, by the coast, on the beach.

One walk took me four hours round the north west coast, and I stopped partway through to warm up with a cup of hot tea in my handy mug (one of many swag items from the Quickbooks connect event in San Jose last year). When I took a picture, it struck me that it looked like one of those “inspiring quote” photos, or a stock image you pick to include with your email or social post.

It’s a great message, and absolutely you sometimes need to stop faffing about and get things done. Just start.

But it’s also equally true that sometimes you need to just stop.

Stop rushing, stop hurrying, stop doing all the things and just sit. Sit with your cup of tea or your new book or the twinkling stars or your kids or the sea or nothing at all. Maybe think about all you’re doing and whether you’re overdoing it… maybe think about something you really want to achieve and what’s preventing you…. maybe don’t think too hard at all.

No matter what, the stopping will help you go forward too. It may help you start something. It may show you what you need to stop. And it may just be good for your soul.

 

P.s. here’s the actual photo!

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ON THE GRAM

“The biggest mistake accountants make in marketing”….

I’m not usually a big fan of focusing on the negative - the don’ts, the oughts, the shoulds. But I was asked this question at a conference last year and I answered by saying the mistake was to look at marketing as a list of to do’s rather than an identity as an accountant. 

And if you look closely you can see a copy of my book The Accountant Marketer to hand while I was speaking! 

Day 25/100 Video Challenge 

#100dayvideochallenge #100days #justkeepgoing #theaccountantmarketer #marketing #video #cpa #conference #accountants
Taking a walk is one of my favourite things to do. It clears the head, connects me to this world, opens the mind, brushes away the cobwebs, helps my breathing, and shows me new kinds of landscapes to enjoy. 

Ironically, today I’m resting from just about everything - swimming  and walking and working and recording a video - because my cold has settled in and my voice is a big creaky! Here’s to getting back to walking again tomorrow 🙏🏻💪🥾

Day 24/100 Video Challenge 

#100dayvideochallenge #walking #justgetstarted #justkeepgoing #getoutside #onestepatatime #hikingboots #beach #scotland #northcarolina #london #isleofmull #phoenix #brokenankle #healing #stepoutthefrontdoor
A walk in the sunshine past the river and a whisky distillery naturally makes me think of… marketing! Haha! 

Was a guest on a podcast this week and we talked about the difference between long term marketing efforts and short term quick wins, and it struck me that each is dependent on the other. 

If you only do short term things, like one post or one series of emails or one week of follow up or one event on its own, you can get discouraged. 

But when you do the longer term marketing consistently - showing up, being present, talking about the same topics to the same audience - that helps make your short term efforts more effective. 

Day 22/100 Video Challenge 

#100dayvideochallenge #video #marketing #whisky #clydeside #dailywalk #bytheriver #sunnyday #happysunday #glasgow
Remembering this gorgeous day last year where we took a very long and winding single track road for hours to get to a ferry that… wasn’t running 😆😆 

Glorious day and views, so there was much to be grateful for! But also a good reminder that a picture may be worth a thousand words, but it doesn’t always show the full story. 

Happy restful Sunday. May your views be beautiful AND your ferries be running. 😆❤️✨

#acharacle #windingroads #roadtrip #beautifulday #beach #scotland #travelscotland #viewsfordays #justkeepgoing #sometimesjuststop #rest