Over the holidays I always find myself walking along beautiful beaches that get my thoughts rolling along, seeking new paths, exploring tucked away ideas. I love this experience, it’s one of the healthiest things I can do.

Inspiring evening beach walk

I got to thinking on unicorns and what they mean colloquially now days, especially for those of us trying to build something special. While in the tech startup world it means a new business that reaches a $1 billion dollar market value based on private or public investment I love how it has different facets to it. It is no surprise that other ambitious women have taken this term to heart, and showing the true power of language to evolve, have made it into something deeply motivating for themselves.

For me it is becoming a term that symbolises the ambitions, hopes and dreams I have for my creative business. So I want to bring unicorns into my life. To be frank, I have no desire to dream up, create and sweat out a tech startup business. I’m ex-IT and happy to have learnt a great deal from that industry but I don’t want to return to it, I love my creative business way more than I ever did that world.

I do want to create and build a really healthy, sustainable and fun creative business. This takes being open to ideas and people. It means having an open mind and an open heart. So I want to welcome unicorns into my heart. I want my creativity to flow from my heart and my spirit. I want my creative muse to play with unicorns.

The difference a warm open heart makes

If the billion dollar tech startup business is as rare as a unicorn and that’s why it makes such a splash then I want such brilliance in my creative ideas. It’s me who’s responsible in my business for the new paintings and designs for the jewellery, it’s me who comes up with ways to share them and it’s me who works on the businesses as well as in the business. Having fabulous ideas come to me is essential!

How to Call Unicorns

I’ve learnt creative unicorns don’t feel very welcomed when you’re working seven day weeks for months on end, exhausting yourself physically, mentally and creatively. Instead they want to feel welcomed (what a surprise!), so create some room for them, unclog the overwhelmed brain and feed your spirit, do things that make your shoulders ease on down and you’ll be able to welcome your own special breed of unicorns!

5 Ways I’ve found to encourage Unicorns

Here are five lessons about calling unicorns and making them feel welcome:

1. Unicorn Tip

Give yourself time to explore and have adventures. For me that’s about open spaces, wildernesses and open roads. For others it could be going to new built environments and significant cultural events. Whatever it is that lights you up, lets your imagination out to play, do it.

2. Unicorn Tip

Have some structure and discipline to what you do. Working in your own space can often lead to isolation and the ability to be busy but not really achieve anything (this is often called multitasking). When you are focused on an action and result you get things done. Use tools like Make it Happen Journals to keep you on track.

3. Unicorn Tip

Be ambitious. For heaps of women this term has way too many negative connotations and they just aren’t necessary. Find your own positive meaning for ambition in your life and embrace it because it’s like honey for unicorns, they love it when you’re striving whole heartedly for something amazing and that’s what ambition is all about (when you let it).

4. Unicorn Tip

Get yourself involved with supportive creative communities, setup some fun and interesting creative collaborations and let yourself be connected. Working alone in your studio, office or lounge room can set some big limitations on your through isolation while being with others can spark amazing ideas into life.

5. Unicorn Tip

Make sure you have time for some creative play, whether it’s curating beautiful photos you’ve taken for instagram or getting the paints out to capture stunning sunset colours or writing some beautiful code – what ever lets your creativity out and about, do it.

Finding inspiration in nature with her lights

Help Get Unicorns Running Around

The more unicorns that are visiting all of us the better life will be for all of us. So support your friends and small businesses you think are doing cool things, grab a girlfriend for a head clearing walk (sans children), plan a weekend getaway, share inspiring blog posts, take beautiful photos, book in for that art class you’ve been over-thinking and get along to it and let the kids have dad or grandparent or aunty and uncle time – even trade recharge time with another parent with play dates for the kids.

Let’s get more unicorns running around and doing good!

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