#9: Dr Hazel Wallace – Habits, Positive Rituals & Believing Anything is Possible with The Food Medic

Dr Hazel Wallace, Founder of the incredible The Food Medic website, podcast, blog and best-selling books joins Kristina in this incredible episode.

Passionate about maximising health through how we live our lives and how we view food, physical activity, sleep, stress management and our social connections, Hazel is on a mission to educate, inspire, and help everyone achieve their best life – their healthiest life! Hazel is not only a best-selling author, content creator, award-winning blogger, Instagram star, personal trainer and influencer, she is also a qualified, practising medical doctor, who is amazingly just about to finish her third university degree!

Her passion for medicine and health began after sadly losing her father to a stroke when she was just 14. This pivotal event changed the way she viewed the world and sparked a true passion in her for helping people.

Back in 2012, Hazel created the The Food Medic blog while studying medicine, to help educate and inspire herself to become a healthier, and stronger person. However, it wasn’t long before she noticed a gap in the curriculum for nutrition and other areas of lifestyle.

And this is where her quest to bridge the gap between traditional medical advice, nutrition and other areas of preventative lifestyle began. Hazel’s story is a wonderful example of how it is possible to create something positive out of difficult times.

Driven by her passion for helping people live their dream lives through better health, she has found her purpose and continues to inspire and educate us all.

In this wonderful episode, you’ll discover…

• How sometimes it’s the most challenging times in your life that will lead you to discover your passion and change things for the positive
• How, no matter how many times you fail, nothing is final, and everything is possible
• How by making a few simple food and lifestyle changes, you can set yourself on a healthier path to living your best life
• Hazel’s amazing ideas on food and lifestyle, and how she is changing the way the world approaches wellness and medicine
• How, no matter what your dreams or goals are, if you believe in them enough and work hard, you truly can make them happen.

And so much more!

Hazel is a perfect example of how you can choose to follow any dream you have, even if it means completely changing direction. And as she says, ‘failure isn’t final.’

"I found it truly inspiring how, even though Hazel thought she would always end up following in her father’s footsteps, she discovered a new passion for medicine after his passing – and chose to pursue that.

The way Hazel has paved her own way to follow her dreams of educating the world is just so inspiring." Kristina Karlsson

RESOURCES

• The Food Medic: https://thefoodmedic.co.uk/
• https://www.instagram.com/thefoodmedic/
• The Food Medic, Dr Hazel Wallace: https://thefoodmedic.co.uk/the-food-medic-books/
• The Food Medic For Life, Dr Hazel Wallace: https://thefoodmedic.co.uk/the-food-medic-books/
• Bronnie Ware: https://bronnieware.com/https://bronnieware.com/regrets-of-the-dying/
• Your Dream Life Starts Here, Kristina Karlsson 
• Dream Life Journal 
• 101 Dreams Audio Guide 

 

Full Podcast Interview Transcript:

Kristina: 00:04                                      What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail? If you had all the money, all the time, all the knowledge, all the resources that you needed? What would you do with your life if you simply knew that anything was possible for you? My name is Kristina Karlsson, founder of Global Swedish Design and Stationery Brand, kikki.K, and author of the book, Your Dream Life Starts Here.

Kristina: 00:29                                      I love exploring those sorts of questions, to inspire people to dream. Before I started kikki.K, I had a dream that I could bring Swedish design to the world, to create beautiful products that bring sparks of joy into the everyday lives of millions. Now that I have achieved that dream, I want to help you dream big. I want to create a global movement to inspire 101 million dreamers to transform their lives and [00:01:00] transform the world in return.

Kristina: 01:03                                      Each episode, I'll be talking to some of the world's most inspiring people, exploring the powerful impact that dreaming has had on their lives. We'll be diving deep into the power of dreaming with real insights and ideas that you can use immediately to build a dream life of your own, whatever that means for you.

Kristina: 01:30                                      My guest this episode is the delightful and incredibly inspiring Lucy Feagins, a stylist, writer, editor, and passionate creating mind behind The Design Files, Australia's most popular design blog, and a true one-stop design and inspiration hub. Lucy started The Design Files blog in 2008 before the world had even thought about the likes of Instagram or Pinterest. What began a fairly low-key passion project for Lucy [00:02:00] after she finished University, working her way through a free-lance career in set design in the film industry has now become the ultimate design, trend and inspiration resource for us all.

Kristina: 02:11                                      Despite always imagining she would pursue a career in film, it wasn't long before the little blog that she had been chipping away at on the side became her main focus; and The Design Files grew to become her true passion and purpose, and we're so glad it did.

Kristina: 02:28                                      Lucy's story is a wonderful [00:02:30] example of how making a decision to pursue something you're passionate about and lead you down a true path of success, even if it's a completely different direction to what you had imagined for yourself. One of the things I love about Lucy is her honesty, and, as you'll hear, she's the first to admit that she faces new challenges and constant moments of uncertainly as her career, business, and personal life grow and change. A mother of a busy toddler, a wife, and a founder [00:03:00] of a hugely successful business, Lucy reminds us how no matter how successful we become, we always need to take the time to set goals, plan and think about the next step when working on our dreams.

Kristina: 03:13                                      In this wonderfully refreshing episode, you'll discover how jumping out of your comfort zone, choosing your own path, and following your passions can open up a world of opportunity and success. The importance of surrounding yourself with people who can mentor you, and help you achieve your dreams. [00:03:30] How writing down your goals and dreams, and setting a clear plan of action is vital to achieving what you want. And so much more. You are going to get so much out of this episode, so let's get right into it.

Kristina: 03:45                                      So Lucy, welcome to our Dream Life podcast. I am so excited to have you, thank you so much for joining us this morning.

Lucy: 03:51                                           Thanks so much, for inviting me.

Kristina: 03:53                                      I can't wait to get right into the details of your amazing career, and the inspiring phenomenon that The Design File is. [00:04:00] But first, I'd like to know how your childhood was. I want to take you back to the childhood. Were there any dreams for the future when you were a child?

Lucy: 04:10                                           It's funny, at the time, I didn't have big career dreams, but now that I look back, I can see things I did, and achievements I had that really point to where I am now. But it wasn't clear to me at the time. So, for instance, I was a bossy child, and I was an organizer of [00:04:30] my friends, and always organizing projects.

Lucy: 04:33                                           One summer, for instance, I decided I wanted to make a magazine. I was really young, in primary school. I got all my friends over to my house; I can't even believe I actually did this. I think I must have been about eight or nine. I had all my girlfriends over and we all; I guess it was like a 'zine, now that I think about it, but everyone had a job to do. So someone did a page on some fashion thing for kids. Someone in the craft thing. Everyone had their job. I guess I was acting like an editor, [00:05:00] organizing all these poor little friends of mine to contribute to this magazine, which we photocopied on my mom's photocopier at her work, and made a little magazine.

Lucy: 05:08                                           Now I look back and I go, what was that about? But it's not too dissimilar from what I do now. I didn't have a dream to work in publishing, or in magazines, but I was always doing projects like that and coordinating people. I guess now that I look back, that says a lot about where I am now.

Kristina: 05:25                                      I love that, I love that. Did you sell the magazine? Or did you-

Lucy: 05:30                                           No. I think we just gave it away. Those details are a bit sketchy. I remember more the making of it, and the joy of the process to be honest. More so than the finished results. But when I was a child, I was always creative, and I was always very encouraged, especially by my mom to pursue creative projects. I would come up with the most ridiculous things, that I wanted to do and mom would go, "We'll find someone that teaches that." And she would hunt down some person that could teach me what I wanted [00:06:00] to learn.

Lucy: 06:00                                           We lived in London when I was a child, and I went to a state primary school, a public primary school, and there was no language offered. I really wanted to learn another language for some reason when I was little. I was begging my mom to find out a way for me to learn another language, and she just kind of ... the woman that ran the local health food shop was Spanish. She just made a plan with this woman for me to go to her shop, after school one night a week, and just spend half an hour to 45 minutes, I can't remember, doing conversation [00:06:30] practice. We would read Spanish children's books. It wasn't a formal arrangement, but it was just another example of my mum saying, "We can do that." I think that attitude has really formed a lot of what I've done as an adult.

Kristina: 06:44                                     Yeah. Amazing, and how amazing it is to have a parent that is encouraging, and not putting limits to dreams. I think that is really, really important.

Lucy: 06:53                                           Definitely. I feel that now that I'm a mum, for sure.

Kristina: 06:55                                      Yeah. Oh fantastic, thanks for sharing. So most people know you as the [00:07:00] creative mastermind behind Australia's most popular design blog, and one stop design inspiration of The Design Files. I would love to get a little bit of a background on yourself. Where did you come from, and how did you get to where you are today?

Lucy: 07:13                                           That is a big question. I grew up in London, but I moved to Melbourne with my family when I was 13, so at the start of high school. I was always interested in writing, and English, and that was always what I did best at, at school. I also had a real love for art and design. [00:07:30] But, I'd never intended to start The Design Files, and I never actually intended to be a publisher, and I never really intended to have an online business. Those things, really more fell into place through doing, rather than goal-setting if you know what I mean?

Kristina: 07:45                                      Yep.

Lucy: 07:46                                           I finished high school, and I really wanted to do something creative, but I did quite well at high school as well, and my dad especially was more keen for me to pursue something like law or something a bit more academic. [00:08:00] But I didn't. I did a course that unfortunately no longer exists called Creative Arts, that was at Melbourne Uni., but it was a Bachelor of Creative Arts, with an interesting mix of subjects. So you could do film making, art, art history, film theory, creative writing, it was a real mixed bag, but it really suited me.

Lucy: 08:20                                           I majored in two things. Art, and art history, as well as film. But I was really interested in film design, so [00:08:30] I kind of had in my mind that I might want to work in the set design for films, and TV shoots. Which is what I did. I did this course, it wasn't very vocational, it wasn't that great at preparing me for a career. I guess it started to show me where my passions were. When I finished that Uni., course, I did that for four years, and when I finished that course, I started to try and get work in the film industry.

Lucy: 08:54                                           I was doing what everyone does when they finish a creative course, and basically looking for internships, [00:09:00] begging people to let me work for them for free, and doing a lot of work for free, for the first year or two, just to get my foot in the door. What I ended up doing was assisting a couple of really great production designers in the film industry. So working as the assistant to people that were designing the sets for TV shows, and TV commercials.

Lucy: 09:20                                           The film industry was an incredible training ground, even though I don't do that type of work today. I still feel it was just so good at [00:09:30] training you to be a problem solver, to work incredibly hard. The hours are crazy long, and to also have a bit of a freelance mindset, because film work is always contract based, and it comes and goes. I think it was quite powerful because I became a freelancer at the age of about 20. I was sending invoices, I was chasing people to pay me, I was hunting for work, because you're always kind of looking for your next job, even when you're employed as a freelancer.

Lucy: 09:57                                           That grounding was quite powerful. [00:10:00] That experience, I still use today. When you run a business, you need to know about boring things like invoicing and GST, and all this stuff. So, that was quite empowering. I think just working for yourself was what I took away from that. Even when you're working in the film production, everyone is a free agent, to some degree. Everyone's a contractor. Think I realized then, I really enjoy working for myself, and choosing my path and my destiny, rather than having it decided for me, and being part of a bigger machine.

Lucy: 10:29                                           So, when I first [00:10:30] finished Uni., I was working in retail on the weekends. For a long time, I worked at Spotlight, the craft store, every weekend for I think five years. All through Uni., and through the first few years of completing Uni., because I was very cautious about money. I wanted to make sure that I wasn't going to be stretched financially, so I would do film work Monday to Friday, and every weekend, I knew that I would have retail work to back me up. So if I had a quiet period in my freelance career, that would be [00:11:00] okay. Some months, that meant working three weeks straight, because I was really busy in both jobs. But I was very cautious about letting go of my security blanket.

Lucy: 11:08                                           So, I worked in film from about the age of 20, when I was first starting as a tiny junior, to 27. So I did seven years, working in the film industry, and I must say, towards the end of that period I was becoming a bit disillusioned. I thought that what I really wanted to do was work in film, and work my way up to being a designer in film. But, the film industry is quite [00:11:30] small in Australia, and I felt like I couldn't see the opportunities for growth, beyond a certain stage, because the designers in Australia are very established. There weren't that many openings for young people to leap into a more senior role. I was very aware that I needed to do my time, as well. So I knew that I couldn't just leap straight into a senior role, but I felt like I couldn't see the path, I guess, after seven years. I was like, I still don't feel like I'm getting much closer to taking [00:12:00] a step up.

Lucy: 12:01                                           Through that time I had started a blog. I had started The Design Files, but it was very much a personal blog at that time. It was just me, it was really bad, and bad photos. Very different to what it is today. It became a real passion for me. I became a bit obsessed with it, so I was working in film, but I was always writing this thing, and working on this thing in my spare time.

Lucy: 12:22                                           Gradually it over took my film career, and my passion for this side project became bigger than my passion to pursue this [00:12:30] previous goal of working in the film industry. I just followed it, and it took me on this journey. It felt like there were more opportunities for growth, with this little project I had, than there were in the career that I previously thought would be my focus.

Lucy: 12:47                                           I started The Design Files when I was 27. It was a very personal site. It was nothing like what it is today, but I could see the potential that it had. So for about two years I worked doing The Design Files, and doing film freelance [00:13:00] work on the side. And then there came a point where I really had to choose one or the other.

Lucy: 13:07                                           About two years in, I had the opportunity to either take a big film contract, there was a big film coming to Australia, and I was kind of potentially going to go and work on that for a six month period. Or to really take The Design Files to the next level. I made the call to choose The Design Files. It wasn't the biggest risk, it was only six months. It was manageable. I wasn't quitting a full time [00:13:30] job. I was just choosing to focus for six months on this thing. I'd saved a bit of money. I was living at home with my mom, yes at 27. But it gave me the freedom to pursue this thing, without stretching myself too much financially.

Lucy: 13:45                                           So I did that, and really I never looked back. From that point, I decided The Design Files would be it. Then I declined other film work, and I just didn't pursue film after that, which is kind of sad. I did think that would be my career, but I think actually, [00:14:00] it was quite powerful to decide that it's okay to change, and that you can leave something behind. You don't have to stay with something just because you've invested some years of your life in it. That can also hold you back sometimes.

Kristina: 14:15                                      Yeah, absolutely. I talk a lot about that as part of my book, that sometimes you just have to start and not be perfect at it. I think you mentioned that, that your start was bad in terms of photos, and [00:14:30] copy or whatever. So what kind of advice would you have for listeners, to really just start? Because I think so many people wait until ... And I was speaking to Gretchen Ruben, on the podcast about this, that I love this quote, "You don't have to be great to start, but you actually have to start to be great." So, have you got any tips for our listeners on how you get into that mindset? And how you just get going?

Lucy: 14:52                                           Yeah, that is so true. I think I'm a perfectionist, and often perfectionists do struggle with putting anything [00:15:00] into the world that isn't perfect, and isn't completely resolved. It's incredibly difficult to have something be perfect on the day you launch it, because really I think often part of the refining process happens once it's already out there.

Lucy: 15:14                                           It's incredibly important to just start, and to start in a quiet way. You don't need to announce it to the world when you start. But to refine it through that process. My motto used to be ... I actually haven't thought about this lately, [00:15:30] but when I was first starting The Design Files, I read a book by Jack Canfield, now I can't remember the name of it. How To Go From Where You Are, To Where You Want To Be, or something like that. It's kind of similar in theme to your book. One of the principles in that book was this idea of leaning in. Now that was before Sheryl Sandberg wrote her book, Lean In, which is also an amazing book, but it's a slightly different focus.

Lucy: 15:52                                           My motto, which I took from Jack Canfield's book was, lean in. And by that what he meant, and what I really focused on was [00:16:00] this idea that if you don't quite know the full journey, or every step on the path, it's okay. But start, and lean in the direction you want to go. So if you want to start a blog, but you don't quite know how you're going to get the photography happening, or get the graphic design happening, or whatever, just start leaning in the direction, and don't stress yourself out with how you're going to market it in six months once it's out there.

Lucy: 16:27                                           It's really easy to put obstacles in your own way, [00:16:30] but I think there's a lot of power and momentum in leaning in the right direction, and just looking at that next step, without being too terrified of every step along the way. That idea of leaning towards the right direction has been a quite powerful one for me.

Kristina: 16:46                                      Yeah, that's great advice thank you for sharing that. So for our listeners, tell us a little bit about what is Design Files today?

Lucy: 16:53                                           So The Design Files, now is a business of eight people. We have a little office [00:17:00] in Collingwood which is near the city, here in Melbourne. Our focus is really as a publication. A big part of our week and our team is about generating beautiful content around homes, interiors, and design, and art. So we've got a writing team, an art department, a design team, some partnerships, and sponsorship people, and myself. My days will be spent either in the office with my team planning content, writing content, generating content, also working with partners and brands, [00:17:30] because a lot of our business ... The business side of our business relates to collaborations with partners and big brands.

Lucy: 17:38                                           Then also, often I'll be out on a shoot, or a video shoot, again with a focus on making content. My downfall is that I spend a lot of my week in the business, doing the side that I'm passionate about, which is the content and that creative side. I probably don't spend as much time as I should on the business side, and thinking bigger picture [00:18:00] about where my business is headed. That's a challenge that I hope to work on in 2019.

Kristina: 18:05                                      Yep. That's a good one. In my book, we have a chapter on designing your perfect day, so that might a little good exercise to do, because I think sometimes to dream up your perfect day is a good start. In dreams you can do anything. You don't have to actually make them happen if you don't want to. It doesn't give you any limitations.

Lucy: 18:25                                           I should take that advice, definitely.

Kristina: 18:27                                      So you began The Design Files before Instagram and [00:18:30] before Pinterest were even on our radar. I think we've been in business in a similar time. Did you have any idea that it would grow to be the success it is today? And why do you think the content of The Design Files resonated so strongly with people right from the start?

Lucy: 18:46                                           The internet has changed so much since I started. When I started the site, we didn't have Instagram, as you said, or Pinterest. Blogs were a very different thing. So, blogs were the Instagram of the internet back then.

Lucy: 19:00                                           There was a real community feeling around blogs. It was quite niche and a lot of blog readers and blog writers would connect offline and support one another and in many cases it wasn't a very commercial thing. That was before there was influencer culture, that was before blogs were really seen as businesses. So, no, I never really thought The Design Files would be big and I never thought it would be a business because back then there wasn't really a precedent in Australia in any case for a blog that was a business in itself.

Lucy: 19:30                                           [00:19:30] It's funny though, I feel like I'm a bit more nervous now than I was then because even though we've had great success, we've got a big audience now, having an audience can be nerveracking and sometimes it's easier to make decisions in those early days before we really had much of an audience, and when our audience was small and very supportive and there was a real sense of community around The Design Files then. There still is, but now I think with the growth we've got a much bigger audience [00:20:00] that I feel like I don't know as well in a personal sense. If that makes sense?

Kristina: 20:05                                      Yeah. Absolutely.

Lucy: 20:05                                           So, I get more nervous now sometimes to make decisions than I did then. Then I was really intuitive and I didn't really have any other stakeholders. I didn't have advertisers or clients. Now I think I have to be a little bit more careful and measured with my decisions. Yeah.

Kristina: 20:22                                      Yeah. I mean, that's such a good point because I think a lot of us look from the outside and think businesses are perfect. [00:20:30] I get that all the time, that you [inaudible 00:20:32] such a big success. It is in so many ways, but there's always challenges. You know, regardless of size of business and where you've got to. So, I think that is a really good just kind of insight for our listeners to understand, that even if you have been in business for a long time there's still nerveracking decisions to be made and it's sometimes ... Don't get easier. It gets harder in some way.

Lucy: 20:54                                           Yeah.

Kristina: 20:55                                      On a different level.

Lucy: 20:56                                           Yeah. I think as well, I would love to know what you think about this. I [00:21:00] wonder about confidence. I feel like I was more confident in some ways when I knew less. Now that I know what I do about running a business I second guess myself and I question myself and I feel like I say to myself more often these days, "That won't work, you can't do that" than I did then. You know? Do you feel like that, or no?

Kristina: 21:21                                      Yeah. Well, I think ... I mean, it's a natural thing when you have a lot more responsibility. You have a team to support and you have a family. So, that's completely natural. [00:21:30] One of the things that I have learned over the years is really to spend a lot of time on my own 'cause that's when I get the wisdom from within because I think we are so influenced by other people in terms of social media and when you have a big team, I feel like sometimes just to get some time and you know I do ... My morning ritual is to write. Often I process a lot of that in my morning pages to kind of really understand if I have something that I find difficult to [00:22:00] make a decision on I tend to write about it.

Lucy: 22:02                                           Yeah.

Kristina: 22:03                                      I'm sure that will be beneficial for you being a writer as well.

Lucy: 22:06                                           Yeah.

Kristina: 22:07                                      But yeah, spending a lot of time on my own, I find that it makes my decisions easier.

Lucy: 22:12                                           Yeah. I think that's really good advice.

Kristina: 22:13                                      Yeah. Yeah. Also, I mean, we're living a very full life compared to what we used to be because you never really are disconnected from the world. I mean, you can choose to be but it's harder and harder, especially as a business owner. You need to answer all the direct messages [00:22:30] and all the [inaudible 00:22:30].

Lucy: 22:30                                           Yeah. Yeah.

Kristina: 22:30                                      It's not easy, but it's an exciting life. I always try to say lucky me. I'm lucky that I get to do what I get to do. [inaudible 00:22:38].

Lucy: 22:38                                           Definitely. No, I feel exactly the same. So, I think ... Yeah, I definitely feel so, so lucky to do what I do. I think it's still a challenge even though it's a joyful challenge.

Kristina: 22:47                                      Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. So, you've become quite the design authority. I mean, I personally love everything that you do and I know that the whole kikki.K team does as well, but it must be difficult developing so content regularly [00:23:00] 'cause I feel like when I'm on your feed it's just new, fresh, and I'm always thinking, "How do you do it all?"

Lucy: 23:04                                           Yeah.

Kristina: 23:05                                      So, how do you manage to keep the content so fresh and relevant, and what learnings have you made along the way in terms of what works and what doesn't?

Lucy: 23:12                                           Yeah. One of the key learnings we've made is that we needed to lift the pace that we were generating content at. So, when I first started the site 10 years ago it was enough to post one really great piece of content every weekday. That was it. Five pieces of content a week.

Lucy: 23:29                                           Now, that feels [00:23:30] so outdated. I mean, every brand, including kikki.K is a content kind of making business now as well. So, you know, we're not alone as a content kind of channel. I guess every brand is a content channel. You know, Instagram and all the people you follow on Instagram are their own content channel so we're now kind of competing, not just with media, but with every piece of content that anyone could possibly be consuming. So, we really had to lift up the pace with which we're generating content without compromising on quality.

Lucy: 24:00                                           [00:24:00] So, we now post between three and five pieces of content a day, which is a lot. I think that's a good number for now. I mean, the other thing is, we always chase growth and with more content comes more readers. That's just a really straightforward formula. The more you post the more people come to your site. But at the same time I don't want to just become a content making machine. I still want there to be an editorial point of view and a sense of a quality and [00:24:30] I don't want it to just be a click bait thing. So, we've had to decide where we sit and we sit somewhere in the middle. We don't want to just generate content for no reason. We want it to really reflect our values, but we also do need to compete and ensure that people are feeling inspired and want to come to our site regularly and the audience has changed. Instagram has changed people's expectations for how often they're going to hear from you, from where they're going to hear from you, for when they're going to see your content. [00:25:00] So, I think we've learned to really listen to our audience and see where they are and what they're doing at different times of day and plan our content accordingly.

Lucy: 25:09                                           As for how we find the content and how we generate it. We do have a team of freelancers as well as in house staff that write and photograph the content and we're just always on. Even when I'm not at work I'm reading something or seeing something on Instagram or going to an exhibition and I guess because I live my dream and I'm very passionate [00:25:30] still about what we do, I don't really ever switch off. I just actually recorded a podcast with a fantastic photographer called Kara Rosenlund and she said the same thing. She said, "When my eyes are open I'm working." Because she's a photographer and she's always seeing inspiration and I kind of feel the same. So, yeah. It's just I guess when you're passionate about your work you're always gathering ideas even when you're not at work.

Kristina:  25:52                                      Yeah. That is such a good point because obviously living your dream life is really part of what you do in your everyday, should reflect what [00:26:00] you love. So, I feel exactly the same. The books that I consume or the things that I go to always goes back to doing something for kikki.K that way. So, I completely get that. It's really nice and it's inspiring for our listeners to hear that.

Kristina: 26:15                                      So, on that note, do you have any advice for listeners who may be looking to grow a business out of their passion?

Lucy: 26:21                                           Yes. If you want to grow a business from something you're passionate about the number one thing is to do that thing. Most people currently have a day [00:26:30] job or another job and it seems obvious but if you want to be a writer you need to be writing now in every spare moment that you've got. You know? If you want to have a blog that's easy. It's a very easy ... There's not many barriers to entry for online publishing. You can start anytime and you don't need to quit your job to do it. I wouldn't advise you to quit your job to do it initially.

Lucy: 26:51                                           So, I think we live in a time where the great thing about where we're at, at the moment with online content and culture is that there's [00:27:00] a lot you can do without having to drop everything. You know? You can start an online shop. There's a lot that you can really jump into without having to make a huge commitment financially or otherwise. So, start. Just start is advice that you often give and I would say the same thing.

Lucy: 27:17                                           I think the other thing is ... Which I didn't do, is to really set some goals and make a plan and try and imagine where this business or where this project is going to be in a year from [00:27:30] now or two years from now, because I think my path was a little bit more meandering and I could've grown faster and probably been a little bit more strategic if I had planned from the outset rather than falling a little bit backwards into what is now The Design Files. So, I think ... I mean, I've been reading your book recently and it's so powerful. It's so simple but it's not enough to just think and wish. You have to, as you always say, put it to paper and really [00:28:00] set some goals. Every major achievement that I've had is one where I've actually written down and properly planned for that growth.

Lucy: 28:12                                           We have grown in some ways accidentally as well, but I can track the biggest commitments we've made and the biggest growth we've had, has always been around stuff that I've properly planned for and properly set goals for.

Kristina: 28:25                                      Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Lucy: 28:26                                           yeah.

Kristina: 28:26                                      I love that because, you know, my five questions. Like [00:28:30] if you couldn't fail, if you had all the money, the resources and the knowledge and the energy what would you do? I love that because it gets us away a little bit from where we are today in terms of really imaging what you could do. So, I do that for the business as well as my personal life and it's a really powerful thing to do. So, glad you brought that up because I feel like that's something that if everyone did that you will find you'd be getting closer to your dream life faster versus just going along ...

Lucy: 28:57                                           Definitely.

Kristina: 28:57                                      And thinking about it.

Lucy: 28:58                                           Yeah. It's not just about [00:29:00] doing that at the start. I mean, I'm 10 years into my business and those principles in your book are still so powerful. In fact, I've probably ... They're possibly even more powerful now because it's not about necessarily starting something new. It's about making the best of what you have right now and optimizing what you have right now.

Kristina: 29:18                                      Yeah.

Lucy: 29:18                                           Yeah.

Kristina: 29:18                                      Absolutely. Yeah. I love it. When you actually, you know, ask yourself, "What would I do if I couldn't fail?" Within your business, you'd come up with some amazing ideas that would've stopped you because you're often lacking [00:29:30] the budget or the resources or the knowledge. But if you actually just take that away for a moment and just imagine your business, if you couldn't fail, if you had all the money, the resources and the knowledge what would you actually do? It's super powerful.

Lucy: 29:40                                           Yeah. Yeah.

Kristina: 29:40                                      I love that. So, at the end of each year I ask myself a lot of questions and I love to dream up the new year. So, I'm super excited about doing that.

Lucy: 29:49                                           Yes, I want to do that too.

Kristina: 29:49                                      Yes. In my book I talk a lot about the question of who, as in who can help. My experience is that one of the most important things people can do as they move [00:30:00] towards making their dreams happen is who can help me and who can I learn from and who has successfully done what I'm trying to do now? It's clear that it was a lot of passion and [inaudible 00:30:11] that led you to where you are today, but who else was in your support team to help you get to where you are today? Was there anyone in your journey that stood out as your mentor or someone you looked up to or helped you?

Lucy: 30:25                                           I actually hadn't sought out mentors until quite recently, until the last couple of years [00:30:30] of my career, which is probably to my detriment. It's been so powerful to have mentors. I have two now. I don't meet with them that regularly. Once every two months or even two to three months, but it's been really incredible and I feel like I should've done it much earlier.

Kristina: 30:46                                      Yeah.

Lucy: 30:46                                           So, one is a guy called Jeremy Wortsman. He has a business called The Jacky Winter Group, which is a creative agency. He's just ... I really value his advice because he is creative first and foremost, [00:31:00] like me, but he runs a really successful business and it's a creative business but he still I guess manages to balance business with creativity in a way that I really respect. It can be hard when you are creative first and foremost to think of your business in a commercial way, to make very dry business financial decisions and I look up to Jeremy and I really respect his advice. He has also been in business for 10 years like I have, so our businesses have grown side by side and I think [00:31:30] he really gets The Design Files and really admires what I've done too. Anyway, he's been fantastic. So, I just love having someone to chat to. When you're a solo business owner, I've got a great team but I can't talk to my team about some decisions. So, it's really powerful to get out of my office and to just have a coffee with someone who I really admire, who has done great things in their business and pick their brain. So, he's one person that has been really valuable.

Lucy: 31:54                                           I've just started meeting this other mentor recently who is really just a financial [00:32:00] mentor. That's new for me. I've never had a financial planner. That stuff to me is like boring and dry, but it's important. That's really been powerful because she is not creative at all and she really ... I don't turn to her for any creative advice at all. It's just here are our numbers. You know, this isn't working profitability wise or this cashflow issue is stressing me out and to kind of have someone just to talk to about those questions has been incredibly powerful. [00:32:30] So, even if you're a creative person and you have a business and you don't think that the financial side of it is important ... Yeah, it really is important. If you're serious about longevity in business you can't ignore the financial side. So, it really pays to have a financial advisor or a mentor. Or even just a great accountant that can help you make big decisions. Not just filing a tax return, but proper long term decisions. So, that's been quite powerful too.

Kristina: 32:55                                      Yeah.

Lucy: 32:56                                           Yeah.

Kristina: 32:56                                      Yeah. I love that because I really believe that [00:33:00] there is no such a thing as one mentor having it all. So, a creative mentor might not have the financial bit so you have to go ... It's similar to, you know, you have a friend like ... You know, you might have a creative friend and then you might have a party friend or whatever it is.

Lucy: 33:14                                           Yeah. Yeah.

Kristina: 33:15                                      They bring different things to you and I think mentors are very similar to that. I often get asked about mentors and I think a lot of people have this thing that you meet regularly and it's like set in stone, but I prefer the way that you're doing it as well in [00:33:30] terms of meeting different people for different reasons and sometimes it's just really to get out of your own mind. Isn't it? Have a coffee and get out of the office and think outside the square a little bit.

Lucy: 33:41                                           Totally.

Kristina: 33:41                                      So, I completely get it and I love that you're doing that.

Lucy: 33:45                                           Yeah. Just to have someone to hold you accountable as well when you know your next meeting is coming up and you kind of have to have something to say ... So, yeah, it's been really powerful for me.

Kristina: 33:54                                      Yeah.

Lucy: 33:54                                           Yeah.

Kristina: 33:55                                      Great thanks for sharing that. So, following on that, I'm such a believer in getting inspiration [00:34:00] from other people. Who would you say inspires you?

Lucy: 34:03                                           One person that really inspires me at the moment is an international publisher called Leandra Medine. She has a website called Man Repeller. I don't know if you know it.

Kristina: 34:14                                      No, I don't.

Lucy: 34:14                                           It's a really great fashion blog. What I love about her website, she's in New York, she's got millions of viewers or readers but what I love about what she's done is she has built a website or a blog in a similar way to me. It [00:34:30] started very much as a personal project for her and now it's a really big company with a lot of influence in America and internationally. I really admire her because it hasn't lost her voice and a sense of independence even as it's grown and become a much bigger company with much bigger projects and incredible partners.

Lucy: 34:52                                           So, I look to her because I like to think that we can continue to grow but not lose I guess the values [00:35:00] that are part of the business now and that I started with. So, I really admire her publication and I would love to meet her one day because I feel like I could have a lot to learn from a company like hers.

Kristina: 35:12                                      Yeah. Yeah. That's great. Thank you. You know, in the book we have 101 people to meet. So, make sure you put that on that list.

Lucy: 35:20                                           I will. I will. I mean, there are many other people I admire. I mean, I admire her and people in publishing 'cause I'm in publishing and online publishing especially. I also admire people in retail. [00:35:30] I don't know why. Maybe I'm destined hopefully to end up with some kind of retail or online retail offering, but I really admire ... As you know, I really admire Jo Horgan from Mecca, what she's done with that business. Especially as a woman, as an Australian business, as a business that she funded herself. All those things I really find incredibly inspiring. So, yeah. There are lots of people. I usually tend to look towards women for some reason in business, and women who are very independent [00:36:00] and who run a business I guess or who started a business on their own.

Kristina: 36:04                                      Yeah.

Lucy: 36:04                                           Yeah.

Kristina: 36:05                                      Yeah. Love that. Thanks for sharing. Love Jo as well. She's an inspiration for all of us. Definitely. So, a big crazy dream of mine is to inspire 101 million people around the world to write down three carefully considered dreams on paper and start chasing them. So, it struck me a couple years ago that so few people take time out to dream. To really imagine the future they want to have and then chase it.

Kristina: 36:30                                      [00:36:30] What three dreams would you write down if you knew that anything was possible and you couldn't possibly fail to achieve it?

Lucy: 36:37                                           Three dreams. Work wise for my business I would love to have offices across Australia. So, right now we're in Melbourne and we're very Melbourne centric and we do have occasional contributors from other states, but it seems to me like Sydney is an obvious place to have a second office and potentially Brisbane and other cities as well, so that we can really grow [00:37:00] and reach more people and have more of an impact. So, I would love to grow to have offices in other cities.

Kristina: 37:07                                      Yeah. Great.

Lucy: 37:09                                           On a personal level, I feel so lucky that my husband I built our dream house a couple of years ago and so we're living in a home that I love and that was a huge goal for me. Obviously we're very focused on beautiful homes in my work, so it's been a passion of mine to have a home that we could kind of design ourselves [00:37:30] and make beautiful. We've done that. It's not quite finished in every possible way, but we've built this beautiful home and we're very lucky to live in that home. The next stretch goal I guess for me in that realm would be I would love to one day have a holiday shack or a holiday house or just somewhere to get away on weekends. I honestly don't know how that will be possible financially but I guess I've gotta do what you do and put it out there into the world and try and make that happen. So, I'm 38 now. [00:38:00] I'm going to be 40 in two years.

Lucy: 38:00                                           So I feel like this is a good time to start thinking, okay, what are my 40s gonna look like? And hopefully that could be part of that. I guess that the last room would be about myself and a more personal thing. I have a young daughter, Minnie, she's about to turn three. I, like you, have a lot going on. I work full-time, and more. And I am in her life, obviously, all the time. [00:38:30] But I do feel like I could work a bit more on the balance of being a mum, being there for her, and having work complement that and not overtake that at times. So I do really want to get to a place where I can ... I'm not sure what it looks like. I need to really do the work to find out what it looks like, but I would love to be able when she's in primary school, to pick her up from school a couple of days a week and make it work so that I can be a parent as well as be a business owner, and not feel that I am failing [00:39:00] at either.

Lucy: 39:01                                           So right now, I have a lot of help. And I kind of feel like I haven't quite perfected what it looks like to have that balance perfect. So that's a bit of a challenge that I really wanna tackle.

Kristina: 39:14                                      Yeah. It's such a good one. In my book, I have the chapter "Life is Short" and I'm referencing Bronnie Ware who is the palliative caretaker in Australia who interviewed people who were dying about their regrets. And one of their most common regrets is people wish they lived [00:39:30] a life true to themself. But I feel that you're really doing that, and I feel like I'm doing that too. The one that really gets me of the regrets is, I think, the last one, which is I wish I didn't work so much. So I look at that all the time to remind me that there is much more to life than work, but it's a hard one when you have your own business. And also when you love what you do, because it's not like you wanna avoid it, because you love it. So it's a really nice balance that you need to find. And I think [00:40:00] designing your life and designing your week is a really powerful exercise to do part of that.

Lucy: 40:07                                           It really is. I can't believe more people don't do it. It's true what you say. It's so easy, and it's like a no-brainer, but I would say it would be so rare for people to actually look at their week and go, "Do I really wanna be doing all those things? What's my dream week look like?" I think it's so unusual for anyone to ask themselves that question.

Kristina: 40:25                                      Yeah. And it's also a process. It's not like you can do everything at [00:40:30] once. And that's why I think [Jamey 00:40:32] is so powerful, because he can dream up your week, and then you can say, "Well, okay, I'm gonna do one thing out of this to start with." And then it might snowball. So I used to have Fridays with Tiffany. And when she started school, I had that time. And now I, on Fridays, try to meet with an inspiring person when I'm here. So I'm traveling a lot, so it doesn't always happen. But I love that, because then I'm thinking, "Oh, who do I want to meet this Friday?" And it could be a friend that I already know, and it could be someone on my list that I might be able to get to somehow. [00:41:00] And that only came about because I was thinking, "If I could do anything on Friday, what would I actually do?" And being inspired by other people is really, for me, really important.

Kristina: 41:10                                      So you're an incredible inspiration to so many of us, and have achieved so much with the Design Files brand, blog, podcasts, exhibition, events, and so much more. Inspiring millions of people on a daily basis, which is just so incredibly amazing. But I'm sure our listeners would love to know what's next for you, [00:41:30] as a person.

Lucy: 41:31                                           What's next for Lucy the person? Yeah, it's hard to separate myself from my brand and my business, because I think of my work very much as an extension of me, personally. What's next? Well, we're nearing the end of 2018, so I am looking towards 2019 and goal setting for next year. I have this big dream that I really do want to somehow build a retail element to what we do. I'm terrified of it. [00:42:00] I'm terrified of the idea of anything bricks and mortar. I think it's really scary time for bricks-and-mortar shops. Especially if you're starting out. So I probably won't start there, but it would make sense to start with an online offering. And to bring all the design and home wares brands that we work with and that we promote into some kind of online retail offering.

Lucy: 42:21                                           I do feel that there's a gap there. There aren't many gaps left, but there does seem to be a gap for a one-stop-shop in Australia for things for the [00:42:30] home. Because I think that right now, if you wanna buy big things like furniture, and art, and stuff, you really have to go individually to all different retailers to find that stuff.

Lucy: 42:39                                           I feel like we could build something in that space, but I'm really terrified, to be honest, of having a totally new facet to my business that I completely don't know anything about. And so I would love to work on that and to see if there's a way that we can build something that kinda fills that gap and takes the Design Files to the next level. So I need to do what Kristina Karlsson would do and find the who, [00:43:00] and really do some work on that to see if I can make that a reality.

Lucy: 43:05                                           From a personal level, I have some goals about wellness and fitness, at the moment. I have been neglecting myself, what I eat. I haven't done much exercise in the last couple of years, since I've had a toddler. And I really am feeling it now. And I think, again, with 40 on the horizon in a couple of years, I'm conscious that I need to prioritize those things. So I really wanna build [00:43:30] some goals around feeling well and feeling fit. So I'm hoping that 2019 is the year that I do that.

Kristina: 43:38                                      Good one. That's a good one, now, for all our listeners to be inspired by that. Because I think it's so important to do what you do and to ... for all of us who wanna do big things, we need to be well. And one of my big dreams is to be living to 120. So I'm always thinking about what do I need to do to live to 120. So that always inspires me to [00:44:00] live a healthier life and be fitter. And I have a thing that I wanna be fitter on each birthday.

Lucy: 44:06                                           Than you were on the birthday before? I love that!

Kristina: 44:08                                      Yeah. But I'm not sure if it's gonna happen this year. But it's a really good one, 'cause it always makes you wanna do more, and do better things that are more better for you.

Lucy: 44:19                                           Yeah. I was really inspired when I met you and you told me that you weren't gonna drink alcohol this year, as well. Again, I just feel like sometimes things like having a wine after work, [00:44:30] it doesn't always serve me. I feel like my brain gets a bit foggy, and I can't do good thinking when I've had a wine or two. So, yeah, I've been inspired by that with you. And I've thought maybe 2019 is my year of not drinking. We'll see.

Kristina: 44:43                                      Yeah. It's a journey. It's not for everyone, and I'm sure a lot of listeners would think that that's the most crazy thing to even talk about. But it's been really a insightful year with not drinking any alcohol. And I haven't had any alcohol for probably 15 months now. And I'm [00:45:00] a wine lover. And I'm not saying that I will never drink again, but it's been really good to just take a break and really ... 'cause you know, wine is so good for us busy people who want to put the day behind, and have a glass of wine, and really relax. And I so get that. But it obvious it probably is not the most healthy way of doing that. There's other ways of doing that. Meditation, or do yoga, or walk, or ... So taking the wine away just gives you that opportunity to do other things.

Kristina: 45:30                                      [00:45:30] And I know you are still serve like a kombucha, or mineral water, or non-alcoholic beer in a wine glass to kinda feel like you're still having that. Because sometimes it's just that ritual at night to wind down, but there's other ways of doing that. So, maybe.

Lucy: 45:44                                           No, I really think it's just the discipline as well. I mean, it may not be wine for everyone, but whether it be the way you eat, or yeah, just the way you choose to spend your day, I think practicing discipline is a good thing in general.

Kristina: 45:56                                      Yeah. And I think it's obviously not wine for everyone. It could [00:46:00] be being on the phone, or watching too much television, or it could be whatever. I always think every year, I never wanna live the same year every year, so I always try to think if I could add something positive into my life, what would that be? Or if I can remove something, and there's a lot of things that we do on autopilot. Especially with the devices that we are all very addicted to. So maybe there's different things to do every year to kind of live a different [00:46:30] life.

Lucy: 46:31                                           I totally agree. Yeah.

Kristina: 46:32                                      Yeah. Fun. So I'd love to finish off by asking a few quick questions that I know our listeners would love to hear you answer. Do you have any particular morning routine to set you up for a productive day?

Lucy: 46:43                                           No. I'm hopeless at this. I am not gonna have a good answer for this question. I have a toddler at home, and it is a race to get out of the door, and I am always a little bit late for work, which I hate. So I really have to work on that. But no, I don't really have a morning ritual. I don't even have breakfast. I do [00:47:00] all of that at work, because I just find that getting out of the door is the focus when I wake up. So unfortunately not.

Kristina: 47:06                                      And I think that's a really good answer. Because there is a lot of people who will really relate to that. So I think that's really good to hear that. I love the quote, and I'm not sure who said it, but you can do anything in life. I really, truly believe that we can, as humans, do anything we really want to do. But not everything at the same time. So when you do have a toddler, your morning routine is not gonna be perfect. So there is a time [00:47:30] for everything, and I think I'm sure when once you ... the toddler age is a difficult one, of course. So that will come, I'm sure.

Lucy: 47:38                                           Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Kristina: 47:39                                      So, do you have a favorite kikki.K product?

Lucy: 47:43                                           I was given, I think by your team, a beautiful, gold ballpoint pen which I use all the time. And I just love having one favorite pen that's in your handbag that you can just be a bit more mindful about what you're writing rather than just a throwaway random note. So [00:48:00] I find that having one beautiful favorite pen is a good thought-starter for when you're about to write something down, because you're a bit more considerate. So yes, I do have my favorite kikki.K pen in my handbag.

Kristina: 48:12                                      Listen, I think [inaudible 00:48:14] it has come up quite a few times, and it's my favorite pen as well. So I give it a lot, and I absolutely love the pen. And I feel like you don't need a lot of pens if you have a really good one. And then it's refillable, so I always have a few refills in my bag.

Lucy: 48:26                                           Yeah.

Kristina: 48:26                                      So when you run out, you can always refill it and start using [00:48:30] it again.

Lucy: 48:30                                           Yeah, definitely. And yeah, it's good not to have disposable things. Like, I feel like if you have a cheap pen, you just lose it all the time, you need to keep replacing it. I feel like it's nice to have one great thing that serves you well, that you rely on, and you're not constantly replacing.

Kristina: 48:44                                      Yeah.

Lucy: 48:44                                           Yeah.

Kristina: 48:44                                      And are you, talking about pen, you obviously use paper as well, are you a list maker?

Lucy: 48:50                                           Yes. I'm definitely a list maker. I have notebooks by my bed all the time. Although I'm a bit random with it. I have all different notebooks, and I'm always writing in one and then not [00:49:00] knowing where I've put my list for certain things. So I could be a bit better at organizing things in one place so I can find it and revisit more regularly. 'Cause I do find that I'm really good at writing lists and writing goals, but I'm not always good at following up regularly and holding myself accountable regularly to notes and goals that I've made. So that's something I could work on. But yeah, I do. I write a lot of things on paper, and a lot of lists, and I find it really helpful to empty my brain that way.

Kristina: 49:29                                      Yeah. Absolutely. [00:49:30] And we have a really good product to help you with the notes, 'cause I hear that a lot. So we have a planner. I love putting tabs that are suitable for me, so I can show you that. 'Cause I think that is really good. And I love that also, because I like a tidy list. I don't want to have lots of ... if I tick it off, I wanna almost get it out of my way. I love the ticking it off, but then once that done, I want to have new, tidy lists so I could show you what we use for that. So the planner is really good for that, 'cause it's [00:50:00] always ... you can redo it and freshen up, and make you feel like you are on top of things.

Lucy: 50:06                                           Yeah, that sounds really good.

Kristina: 50:08                                      So you mentioned a couple of books already, but what's your favorite book and why?

Lucy: 50:11                                           I'm not just saying this, I have actually been reading "Your Dream Life Starts Here", and it's really powerful. Again, being at home with a young child, I used to read before I went to bed. And now I flop into bed and I'm exhausted, so I haven't been reading as much as I used to. [00:50:30] But I really do love your book, and I'm not just saying that, because I feel like you can take bite-sized amounts away from it, and then pop back into it, and you don't need to read it all in one go and it doesn't matter where you pick it up and where you open a page, there's always something to take away from it. So I've been really enjoying the book.

Lucy: 50:49                                           I did just read Emma Isaacs book, "Winging It" which was really powerful as well. And so refreshing, because I kind of always assume that business leaders, [00:51:00] and women in business are very corporate types, and I'm not like that. And I kinda assume that Emma would be like that. But it's great to hear that she's not like that at all, and she's really created something through passion and through determination, and not necessarily through her background experience. So I was really refreshed to hear a story that really resonated in that way. So her book is really inspiring.

Kristina: 51:23                                      Yeah. Yeah. And she's an up and coming guest on this podcast. I can't wait to share that with everyone. But she is [00:51:30] incredible. I always look at her thinking "How does she do it all?"

Lucy: 51:34                                           I know. With five children, as well. It's incredible. Yeah, no, I was really inspired. I think just real stories of people just doing things through real self-belief and hard work, and not necessarily having the experience, or having the background, or having studied something. I think it's really inspiring to hear people that just get things done out of their own determination.

Kristina: 51:55                                      Yeah. Absolutely, yeah. She's an incredible woman. As you are for all [00:52:00] of us, so the one last question I have for you before finishing up is if you could go back to your younger self, say when you were in your late teens, what advice would you give yourself knowing what you know now? Such a powerful question.

Lucy: 52:14                                           My advice to my younger self would be to make a plan. I know that seems obvious, but especially for people in a creative field, it's very common for your career to evolve and change along the way. And that's fine. Mine has, and my business [00:52:30] has evolved a lot too in a non-strategic way. But ten years into my business, I really understand now the value of planning in advance. And it's okay for the plans to change, but you are very unlikely to achieve something if you haven't set out to achieve it.

Lucy: 52:45                                           So I think it's about taking time to really think about where you wanna be, and where you want your business to be, and planning for growth, and not expecting it to happen by accident. I don't think that you have to [00:53:00] have conventional success. I don't think it's necessarily about planning to make a certain amount of money, or planning to have a certain scale business. I think it's just about having a vision at the start for where you're headed. I think there's really nothing more powerful than that.

Kristina: 53:16                                      That's such a good way of ending, because I truly believe in that as well. Planning is so powerful, and before the planning, I love the dreaming side, of course.

Lucy: 53:28                                           Yeah.

Kristina: 53:28                                      Being a dreamer, but actually really taking [00:53:30] some time out, and really think about what you wanna achieve. And realizing also that life is short. We cannot forget about that. Which is sad, because I think if we know that ... we all know that, but if we are really keeping that in mind, that life is going to be short, why not create your dream life, whatever that means to different people. I think that's a very powerful way to end. So thank you so much, and thank you for being such an inspiration for so many of us. For what you did put out to the world, and I love being inspired, and being a design [00:54:00] lover as well. I think you do such a good job and encourage everyone who's listening to jump onto your blog and be inspired of everything that has to do with design, and interior, and sometimes really beautiful food as well, which really inspires me.

Lucy: 54:12                                           Yes, that's true. Yeah, yeah. Well thank you, that's really high praise. You know, I'm a huge, huge fan of yours and of kikki.K, so it's really an honor to be here, so thanks for having me.

Kristina: 54:20                                      No, thank you!

Kristina: 54:23                                      Wow, what a lovely conversation that was. I absolutely hearing Lucy's story, and I hope you enjoyed hearing [00:54:30] her thoughts on her career, and taking the lead to start something you're passionate about as much as I did.

Kristina: 54:36                                      One of the most inspiring lessons I took from her story was about choosing to follower her heart and jump out of her comfort zone. Lucy was able to create the incredible business we know as the Design Files today. I also really related to a lot of the challenges she mentioned around growing a business and staying true to your values. But also the importance of goal setting and connecting with people who have strength in areas that [00:55:00] can help you.

Kristina: 55:01                                      Like Lucy, I truly believe life is too short not to follow your passions and dreams, which is why you'll find helpful chapters in my new book devoted to finding and following your passions, considering what your dream week or dream year might look like, who can help you, and also how you can create a realistic road map for creating your own dream life, whatever that might look like. It's well worth reading and exploring for yourself.

Kristina: 55:26                                     I hope this episode has left you feeling inspired [00:55:30] and empowered to follow your own passions and start working on creating your own dream life. If you haven't got a copy yet, I encourage you to get hold of my book, "Your Dream Life Starts Here", and the Dream Life Journal I have created to go with it. It's a great starting point if you want guidance on your journey of uncovering and chasing your dreams.

Kristina: 55:50                                      Another great place to start is to check out my 101 Dreams Audio Guide and kikki-k.com/dreamlife. This is [00:56:00] a really powerful step-by-step exercise to help you on your dreaming journey. I've helped thousands of people around the world with this exercise, and I think you'll find it a great use of your time.

Kristina: 56:11                                      If you love this episode and found it useful, be sure to subscribe. And please help us spread this inspiring message to even more people by posting about it on social media with the hashtag #101milliondreamers. You can also leave us a review to help us inspire even more people. I would really appreciate your support with my big, [00:56:30] crazy dream to inspire 101 million people to write down three dreams on paper, and go and chase them.

Kristina: 56:36                                      Until next time, don't forget to dream big and chase your dreams.