Welcome to Issue 76 of Writing and Other Stuff, a newsletter by me, Kim Scaravelli. Every second Wednesday, I share brand voice tips, plus insights on content creation and nurturing a creative mindset. Not a subscriber? Sign up now!

Everything Everywhere All at Once was a brilliant movie. But it's a terrible mantra for your work life!

Had a lovely call with a super interesting entrepreneur who does high-end, B2B consulting work. When I asked how they wanted to be perceived by clients and prospects, I got quite a list.

They wanted to come across as warm and friendly, but also professional. Confident and efficient, but also creative and flexible. Affordable, but also incredibly valuable.

🤯 Wow.

Humans are complex creatures, and we can definitely throw more than one vibe into the universe. But it may not be possible - or advisable - to try and throw out all the vibes at once.

When you try to be all things to all people, you inevitably lose clarity. Their image of you becomes foggy. Forgettable. Kind of interchangeable with other options. And that’s the opposite of what you want.

You can be warm and wise. Practical and creative. Efficient and adaptable. In fact, most of us need to bring more than one strength to the table.

But you do need to make choices.

You have to decide how you most want to be experienced - and commit to showing up that way, consistently.

Because in the end...

Trying to be everything blurs your edges. And great brand voices have clear edges.

Cool Quote

"You can’t be everything to everyone. If you decide to go north, you can’t go south at the same time."
– Jann Arden (Canadian singer, songwriter, author)

Something To Try

Imagine a client just finished working with you. They’re filling out a quick feedback form. There's no room for comments - and they can only check ONE box.

Which of these would you MOST want them to choose?

◻️ They were warm, personal, and made everything easy.
◻️ They really listened. I got exactly what I needed.
◻️ They were fast, efficient, and reliable.
◻️ They made me feel confident and capable.
◻️ I was blown away by their creativity and fresh ideas.
◻️ They challenged me (in a good way). I grew from working with them.

All of these statements are flattering. All of them have professional value. And obviously, you don’t want to suck at any of them.

But the statement you MOST want them to choose?

That’s the area where it will be easiest - and most satisfying - for you to shine, because it’s the one you value most.

📌 FYI: In order, here are the personal attributes associated with each statement:
Approachable, attentive, hard-working, empowering, imaginative, bold.

Stuff Worth Sharing

Someone on Instagram asked where I get the 🕯️candles that pop up in my Stories and posts. Since I love to promote local products, I'm giving a well-deserved shoutout to one of my favourite candle makers: Circle + Wick.

This small biz is based right here in 🇨🇦 Halifax, Nova Scotia, and was founded by two women (which I also love). Their candles last forever, smell heavenly, and are made with soy wax and phthalate-free fragrance oils. I’m not 100% sure what phthalates are, but they sound like something I’d rather avoid - so yay for that.

If there’s something in your office that would add to the vibe in my space, please tell me about it! I’m especially on the hunt for:
✨ a moderately-sized salt lamp
✨ a lightweight wall tapestry (5x5)
✨ names of plants that can survive someone who forgets to water them

Bonus points if it’s made in Canada, but I’m open to global good vibes! (Okay, maybe not the USA. Love my American friends dearly… but you know what I mean. 😕)

For the Word Nerds

På stell (pronounced “poh stell.”, rhymes with “go bell”)

This 🇳🇴 Norwegian phrase loosely means “in order.” But it’s about more than just being tidy or organized. When someone is described this way, it means they’re pulled together in a quiet, confident way. Not flashy. Not trying too hard. Just… solid.

They know who they are. They show up with intention. And people trust them, because their energy feels clear.

Let's spring clean our mindset and throw out the pressure to be everything to everyone (because it’s both exhausting and impossible). Instead, let’s be på stell - 😌 grounded in our strengths and easy to trust.