Renaissance or Reset?

This issue’s theme of renaissance feels beautifully timed. We’ve made it through Winter - the longest, darkest month of the year, where good intentions are forged with enthusiasm. Whether your resolutions are still standing proudly or have been utterly abandoned, this is the point when the idea of beginning again starts to feel possible. Not a dramatic overhaul, just a fresh way of looking at what already exists.

I sometimes feel like the poster girl for reinvention! I’ve written before about the twists and turns that have led me to where I am today, and I suspect that anyone who’s lived a few decades will recognise the same truth: some changes arrive uninvited, abrupt and occasionally uncomfortable, while others are consciously chosen in the hope that a new direction will bring greater fulfilment.

I’m wary of talking about “finding happiness” as an end goal. It suggests a permanent state that simply doesn’t exist. We can’t be happy all the time, but we can notice happiness when it appears - fleeting, unannounced and often surprisingly ordinary. More importantly, we can create conditions for growth, purpose and, with a fair wind, a sense of calm and contentment that steadies us even when life feels busy.

Nearly two years ago, I hit a big bump in my personal road, a moment that was both difficult and transformative. Alongside the emotional upheaval came an unexpected gift: headspace. I chose to use it productively, throwing myself into my professional life and saying yes to opportunities that genuinely sparked my curiosity - including writing for this gorgeous magazine.

I spent time examining my brand and thinking about how it could evolve without losing its integrity. I’ve always been a collaborator at heart, so I sought out like-minded creatives to develop new products together. Collaboration keeps work fresh, challenging and joyful - a reminder that reinvention doesn’t have to happen in isolation.

Public speaking also became a larger part of my working life. I’ve always loved the immediacy of it: the exchange of ideas, the real-time reactions, the conversations that unfold when people feel encouraged to participate. Scotland’s Home of the Year allows us to reach a wonderfully broad audience, and the feedback is extraordinary, but nothing quite compares to being in a room with people, responding to what matters to them in that moment. Whether I’m talking to roomfuls of lawyers, whisky enthusiasts or interiors devotees, the discussion is always different, and always enriching.

Last year was busy, busier than I’d anticipated, largely by my own design. With new projects gathering momentum, and a couple of unexpected epiphanies, I found myself in familiar territory: productive, energised and a bit overloaded. It prompted a realisation that my personal renaissance now isn’t about doing more. If anything, it’s about doing slightly less, but doing it better.

So this year, my personal renaissance isn’t about doing more. I have ideas in abundance so that’s not the problem. It’s about balance. How do I include everything, and everyone I love without flirting dangerously with burnout? I don’t have a tidy answer yet, but I’m asking better questions. What are my priorities now? Where does my energy really belong? How can I streamline what I sometimes think of as my gloriously varied life?

In the past, I’ve been adept at simply “keeping going” without pausing to assess the cost. That approach can lead to overload and blurred priorities. Looking after our mental health isn’t indulgent; it’s fundamental. It allows us to be better friends, parents, partners and colleagues but it requires courage. Courage to ask difficult questions and to make decisions that may feel uncomfortable at first.

Sir Alex Ferguson was once asked the secret of his success and replied that you simply have to “keep making decisions”. I find that rather reassuring. Because stagnation often comes not from choosing the wrong path, but from choosing nothing at all. Renaissance doesn’t arrive fully formed - it emerges through a series of thoughtful, deliberate choices. Small decisions, made consistently, that gently move us forward.

And that, to me, is what a personal renaissance truly looks like, but refreshing your home with sustainable colourful Scottish products might help!