Reclaiming Sunday: What I’m Learning About Space, Stillness, and Studio Rhythms
(aka “The Zoom Call That Changed Everything)
A few weeks ago I was sitting in my home office, staring at my computer screen during what I thought would be a routine brand strategy session. The irony wasn’t lost on me—here I was, a brand strategist, booking my own session with another designer because something felt… off.
I’d been operating in this weird fog all year. My messaging felt disconnected. Content felt forced. I wasn’t attracting the right clients. But I couldn’t put my finger on what was wrong.
Then she said it: “Shannon, you’re sitting on a gold mine; you just don’t realize it. You’ve been running a brand like a Monday when what you built is supposed to FEEL like Sunday.”
Pause.
I literally felt the air shift in that moment.
As we kept talking, she dropped another truth bomb: “Your business name is your mission statement.”
We went back to the meaning of Sunday: space, stillness, rhythm. The meaning of “Muse”: inspiration, creativity, play.
She gave me permission to be playful and reminded me that my audience isn’t chasing financial ROI; they’re after TIME ROI.
Everything clicked.
I realized I’d been trying to squeeze Sunday Muse into an editorial box that every other designer was using. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t ME.
And sitting there, having someone else do this deep work for me, I thought, “This must be what it feels like for my clients.”
The relief was massive. Like I could finally breathe again. Like I could see through the clouds that had been hanging over my brand all year.
I was excited about my business again because I remembered: I could just stop trying to be someone else and be ME.
What I’m realizing now
Now I’m in the throes of recalibrating—slowly, intentionally.
Repositioning my brand, reworking my copy, refining my identity. Being more intentional about my marketing efforts.
Am I embarrassed that I just did a rebrand a year ago? A little.
But here’s what I’m learning: The beautiful thing about our brands is that they’re evolving.
I’ve worked with clients who’ve shifted twice in one year. The reality is… it happens. This is what growth looks like.
How this is changing my studio rhythm
I’m still figuring out what this looks like practically, but I know I want my offers to feel like Sundays: restorative, playful, with just a little prep. I want the client experience to be easier, simpler. Less Monday hustle, more Sunday ease.
Sundays are about restoration and play…a little prep, sure. And I want all of that to show in my work. I’m figuring out ways to make things easier and simpler - keeping client communication streamlined without all the extra technology. Making the whole experience feel restorative but also playful and fun.
A soft reflection
Maybe that’s the most Sunday thing of all - giving ourselves permission to evolve, to recalibrate, to find our rhythm again when we’ve lost it.
Because sometimes we need someone else to remind us who we really are.
Ready to recalibrate?
Want to walk through this recalibration season with me? I’m sharing more about finding space, stillness, and sustainable studio rhythms in my newsletter. Subscribe here to keep learning together as we figure out what it means to build businesses that feel like home.
