Happy April, friends!
Can you believe we’re already at the tail end of another month? I know I say that nearly every other blog post, but truly, time is flying! Earlier this month, I gave a behind-the-scenes look at how I work with new clients, and since then, I’ve been deep in the creative process. I’m currently wrapping up the fitness journal project, and we just completed our initial feedback review.
I was so nervous to send off the first drafts. There’s something incredibly vulnerable about sharing your work and waiting to hear what someone else thinks, especially for a custom piece. Thankfully, the feedback was both encouraging and helpful, and I’m walking into the next round of edits with more confidence and direction.
With that said, this month’s post is all about reflection and growth, so let’s get into it!
April Reflections
One of my biggest focuses this month was getting the drafts done for my client’s journal. We’re creating a custom fitness journal, which includes a cover design, a notes page, and a weekly fitness tracker.
The notes page and tracker came together fairly easily, especially since we walked through a few inspo boards during our consultation. But the cover? That was a bit more challenging. When I design covers for my premade notebooks, the creativity tends to just flow. But designing for someone else adds a different kind of pressure—one where I’m constantly thinking about their brand, their audience, and how it all comes together visually.
This project is my first major client project, and I’m realizing that some of the pressure I feel is rooted in my desire to get it just right. I know that with time, I’ll settle into a more confident rhythm, but for now, I’m giving myself grace to learn through the process.
Another point of reflection: this project has had me thinking deeply about the direction I want to take Annie Sharae Creations. I’m starting to feel pulled toward working more closely with small businesses—maybe even centering my services around that. But I’ll save those thoughts for next month’s post.
April Growth
I’m just one month away from completing my entrepreneurial studies certification! It’s wild—it’s only been about two and a half months, but it feels like so much longer (in a good way). The program has challenged me to think critically about who I am as a business owner and what I want my business to represent.
Last month, I mentioned that I’ve come to see this journey as an “actualizing activity”—something that brings me joy and fulfillment outside of income. That realization has been a huge personal win. There’s peace in knowing I don’t have to put pressure on myself to “make it” financially right away. I’m free to create, experiment, and evolve without the weight of needing everything to be perfect or profitable right out of the gate.
I don’t think this mindset will be permanent, but it’s what’s working for this season—and that’s enough.
Looking Ahead
Next month marks the beginning of summer here in Arizona (a.k.a.. when the heat starts to get real), and it’s also the final month of this client project. I’m hoping to lock in my next project shortly after, but first, I need to do some rethinking and rebranding to align with the next phase of Annie Sharae Creations.
It’s been a full month—lots of deadlines, decisions, and deep thoughts—but all of it is shaping the path forward. And for that, I’m grateful.
Until next time!