"Squirrel!" 🐿️
I used to chase every shiny new idea -- until I realized this.
You ever see someone doing something SO COOL and immediately rethink all your ideas and plans?
That was me this week 😵💫
I was scrolling through Substack Notes and came across THIS one from
:I felt an IMMEDIATE response. Like a magnet pulling me toward her content.
(Something you should know about me: I love travel AND I’m super interested in positive psychology, neuroscience, and self-discovery. So this? Right up my alley.)
My first thought was:
“This is genius. I should be doing this!!”
Thennnn the thought spiral:
💭 “Wait… am I even on the right path?”
💭 “Why didn’t I think of this? Ugh, people are so much more creative than me!”
💭 “Should I throw everything away and start over?”
Cue another existential crisis moment.
“Squirrel!” 🐿️
This is where I usually go off the rails.
In the past, I would have absolutely chased this excitement immediately.
I would have built an entire brand, website, and offer in 24 hours — no joke.
(Ask me about all the squirrels I’ve chased in the last four years: yoga + meditation teacher (Tend to Self), a plus-size lifestyle blog (Bonjour Alison), travel advisor (Wander on a Whim), a wellness newsletter (Eat Well, Take Care), copywriter (Take Flight Copywriting) 🐿️).
(Should I do brand work??? Wait — 🐿️)
I knew if I wasn’t careful, I was going to repeat the same pattern — again.
So, I shut my computer and started to journal.
What was really going on here?
At first I thought I was drawn to what Katie was doing. But when I asked myself if it was something I genuinely felt excited to DO… ?
meh.
(BIG clue that it’s not for me!)
So I kept journaling.
I realized I wasn’t drawn to WHAT she was doing. I was drawn to HOW she was doing it.
Katie’s blending two seemingly unrelated things — travel and psychology — into something novel. It’s fresh and unexpected. It feels new and exciting.
THAT’S what I was responding to.
The magic isn’t in WHAT you do, but HOW you do it
This aha moment sparked another realization:
This is exactly how I create my best work.
When I look back, the projects where I feel the most flow (and have the most fun with) are ones where I’m combining two unrelated things to create something fresh and exciting.
✈️ For my copywriting business, Take Flight Copywriting, I blended my love of travel with copywriting to create a brand identity that I have SO much fun playing with.
🏀 One of the most fun sales pages I’ve ever written was for a copywriter who loved basketball. I didn’t force a generic message (yawn). I merged those two things to craft a brand voice and messaging that was personal, powerful, and magnetic.
My strong response was never about changing direction — it was showing me how to lean into what I already do best. ✨
Maybe your distractions aren’t distractions at all
Maybe they’re clues. 🔎
Next time you feel that squirrel energy 🐿️ pulling you in, instead of running with it — pause. Get curious.