April reflections

to quit or not to quit that is the question.

It has been a busy month and I’ve got a lot of thoughts to share.

Quitting

I’ve spent a lot of time this month thinking about quitting. Not literally, but how easy it would be to do this (or so it seems). For some context: I’m building a life that consists of a corporate career, a jewellery business, and a sprinkle of content creation to keep my creative brain happy. It can be overwhelming, time-consuming, and a lot of the time I do ask myself, “why am I doing this?”. From hitting objectives at the day job, to packing orders, to designing and producing a whole new collection, to spending my nights and mornings editing on CapCut, the burnout is looming.

The real answer is that I’m an ambitious woman. A Capricorn, of course. I want to reach everything I’m capable of reaching, and more. What keeps going in my head is this: if I quit, I’ll definitely never make the dreams come true. If I don’t quit, there’s a chance, no matter how small, of fulfilling them. So this month, I’ve been quietly repeating that to myself every time I want to quit, or feel the tears coming, because I know how easy it would be to walk away.

My new lip balm

Yes, we’re now moving on from my midlife crisis and straight to beauty, because that’s how my brain works. And yes, another lip product recommendation.

Victoria Beckham Beauty has quietly become one of the most reliable makeup brands on the market, and the Posh Balm in Fleur has been in my bag every day since it arrived. The packaging is genuinely beautiful, weighty (always a good sign), considered and feels luxe. The product holds up to the packaging, which doesn’t always happen: a balm with actual colour (very sheer baby pink), not one that fades to nothing the second you put it on.

I’ve been pairing it with the VBB lip liner in 03, and the combination is exactly the natural lip I’ve been chasing. Hydrated, soft, and most importantly, not sticky. Which means no hair stuck to my mouth at every possible opportunity, which is the bar I’m holding lip products to these days.

Already a VBB fan. This has me wanting to work my way through the rest of the line, starting with the foundation everyone keeps talking about.

Scrolling and not reading enough

While I’m trying to build all of this, I’m also trying to scroll less and read more. The algorithm seems to agree, “no scroll” content has been showing up everywhere on my feed lately, which I’m taking as a sign from above. I recently saw a creator who does a no-scroll Sunday every week, and every week I keep meaning to take part and yet I fail.

When your phone is also your job, running a business, posting outfits, editing on CapCut at all hours, the idea of putting it down feels harder than it should. But I’m now actively trying to create, not scroll. Rather than hiding the device in a locked cupboard, I’m taking this alternative approach of ‘creating’. The shift from consuming someone else’s day to making something of my own is the direction that I am trying to go in (with a little bit of scrolling).

This needs discipline, which I’m starting to enforce this month. Partly to make life easier, partly to keep my brain busy in the right kind of way. (I cannot chill, and it’s not the flex one might think it is.) Reading helps, I’m currently making my way through Yesteryear, like every other woman in her late 20s and early 30s this last month. So far, so good.

Still Here denim in London !!!

Every cool girl here on Substack (mostly based in the US) is wearing Still Here denim specifically the Sport Jean. Gabriella from The Gift of Gabs (all the Gabs’ have great taste eh) has probably caused the brand to sell these out more than once. I tried a pair in New York last year but I was having a bad shopping day so for some reason I decided not to buy them. But when I saw a post on IG saying that they are stocked in Harrods, I RAN, literally. I was hoping that they would have more colours of the Sport Jean but they only had the classic blue which I also loved. It was great to try on for sizing so that I can order the colour that I would actually like to get (white or camel). I am also going to the US soon so I am hoping to find a pair there. Thoughts on the jeans: very soft almost non denim like, the low waist is not that low and looks really good (you have to lean into it), the option to have a cuffed leg is great and most importantly, they felt super comfortable.

The shoes I cannot stop thinking about

If you didn’t know, Paloma Wool has a beautiful store in the heart of London and I have not visited in a couple of months. It was probably better if I skipped another visit because my wish list got out of control this time. I tried on a number of things (do not go on a weekend like me or be prepared to wait for 40 mins) but the one piece that stuck out to me were these pumps. They come in a number of colours but the black are just stunning. I’ve bought so many shoes in the last few months hence why I am reluctant to buy these but I cannot stop thinking about them and my Mum said that I need to have them soooooooo…..

A quick note on my new bag

I bought the Phoebe Philo Gig bag last month. I will do a proper post / review about this bag but for now all you need to know is that I’ve worn it pretty much every single outing. It fits everything that I need except my book but a Kindle would work. It’s soft, it can extend do a cross body if needed (when on a Lime bike), the colour goes with everything and is different to the other bags that you see out there. She is perfect.

Things I am excited for in May

• Gabsluk’s new collection. Finalising samples right now and I cannot wait to share more.

• A trip. First big trip of the year, somewhere I’ve never been, requiring more activewear than my wardrobe currently contains. I am in full packing crisis. A break from the city, well overdue.

• A spring wardrobe clear-out. Five bags sitting in my spare room waiting to be listed. Vinted is my most-used app at this point. Everything must go, and I’m telling you to do the same.

• A wedding guest edit. A run of weddings coming up and they’re my favourite kind of dressing up. Full post on that to come.

  All things worth not quitting for !!!!!!

G xx