I think it’s so important to fill your own cup before you can give to anyone else. If you want to be the best version of yourself and be able to give to others in a patient, caring and loving way, you need to put on your oxygen mask first!

Last week I filled up my cup by attending an event with Megan Morton ‘The Journey So Far’, hosted by the League of Extraordinary Women at Brisbane Showroom.

Megan is a worldwide acclaimed stylist ‘house whisperer’, teacher, author, entrepreneur and leader. Her work has been featured in glossy magazines like Vogue and Vanity Fair. I love hearing from people outside my photography industry, so I was looking forward to a fresh perspective from Megan!

5 Things I learnt from Megan Morton.

1. It is possible to be inspired by people who aren’t on Instagram.

As part of her presentation, Megan referenced her inspirations who aren’t on Instagram. This struck a cord with me! If you limit your influences to who you follow on Instagram, social media that is supposed to make the world larger, actually does the opposite. Megan has inspired me to look beyond my screen, visit the library, and dig around a little more for inspiration.

2. Be deliberate with what you choose to fill your world, and eyes with.

Megan talked about the ‘slippery slope’ of Instagram, how she is more of an analog person – preferring to meet and be inspired by others, face to face. “We’re sold gorgeous, but it’s so hard to achieve and maintain.” Megan has a slight loathing of Pinterest, because she maintains a love of the creative process, the craft, the curation of ideas. “When we use Pinterest, we’re digitally ‘taking’, we have no ownership.” “Pinterest is highly seductive, but dangerous” Megan warns.

3. When women are making, communities thrive.

Going back to her love of the slow process, Megan is an author of 3 books and loves the process of crafting. Giving things life and air. “Businesses are meant to thrive”.

4. It is possible to be successful in business, and be a great Mum.

Megan has 3 children, she had her first two “Irish Twins” 13 months apart (!) and in the midst of Mum life with small children, she decided “If I don’t plant a seed now for my business, I’ll be lost by the time they go to school.”

5. When working with a client, you need to take yourself out of the equation.

I thought this was a very powerful statement, especially in the creative industry. There’s lots of talk at the moment about staying true to yourself, your vision, and only creating when you feel inspired to do so, or when the project completely aligns with your brand. While I agree these things are important, it’s equally important to remember we are service providers to our clients. If we don’t have clients, we’re not in business – we have a hobby. When we have clients that trust us, we also need to be able to listen and respect the needs of what our client wants. At the end of the day – we are there to serve our clients the best way we can.