Author name: Joshua

Hey ! ​ Keeping it short and sweet this Tuesday! I am sure most of you would have heard me referring to this “secret project” that has been in the making over the past while. Well, since you are a loyal subscriber to this newsletter, you are about to be the first to hear about what exactly it is I have been so hush-hush about… Cue the drum roll… With the help of an incredible team of people, I have been creating something that will be relevant and useful to each and every one of you… an app!!! This app will be launching very soon. That is as much detail as I can go into currently. But, just know, a lot of work has been going on behind the scenes to create this for all of you! I cannot wait to share the information about this app entirely. So, hang tight until then, and keep your eyes peeled! ​ Catch you in the next one! Joshua 🙂

​Hey ! ​ Sorry for the late newsletter! The past few days have consisted of much travelling! But I am very happy to be home. After being in Ethiopia, I spent a few days on a safari in Kenya. I was surrounded by the most impeccable wildlife, and so overcome by the peace that being in nature brings. I had a lot of time to think amidst quiet moments throughout my time there. When considering what I could share with you all this Tuesday, I kept circling back to a rather simple (yet profound) thought… There is so much more power behind a simple act of kindness than I think most of us realise. When I say, “simple act,” I mean it quite literally. Something small. Something publicly unnoticed. Something seemingly insignificant. Have you ever asked your mother if you could peel an orange for her after watching her make her selection from the fruit bowl? Have you ever brought a colleague their favorite coffee order on a cold morning without being asked to do so? What about hand-picking someone a pretty flower and leaving it on their desk? Or writing someone a letter telling them you’re proud of them? When was the last time you complimented a stranger? The Ripple Effect Analogy time. Let’s say you are standing at the edge of a lake, holding a pebble in your hand. You have the power to decide whether or not to throw this pebble into the water. And so you decide to. The pebble flies through the air and breaks through the stillness of the lake. A ripple effect is created. This pebble represents a singular act of kindness. Once this kindness lands upon a person, a ripple effect of kindness can occur. Bceause the truth is, receiving kindness makes being kind more appealing. You tell a stranger they have a beautiful smile, and for the rest of the day all they feel like doing is smiling at those around them. And maybe even complimenting others too. This is how kindness travels. It is infectious. Win-Win situation When someone is kind to you, it feels amazing. But it works the other way around too. Try it. You’ll often find that giving out kindness makes you feel even better than receiving it 🙂 ​ Catch you in the next one! Joshua 🙂

Hey ! ​ We all know what trees are. We pass hundreds of them on a daily basis. They line the sides of our roads, they dwell in the gardens of our homes, they stretch out their arms and gift us with their shade. But here’s a question… Have you ever stopped in your tracks, looked at a tree in all its natural splendor and thought, “How old are you?” or, “How long have you been grounded in this exact spot in the Earth?” or, “How did you get here?” Now, I’m not saying I am a regular tree-conversationalist. Rather, that there is something admirable about the process of a tree’s growth. A sort of essence to be noticed about the journey from a tiny seed to a towering vessel: Patience. The seed does not become the tree overnight. It takes years of growing, changing and developing to reach its full height and size. We all start out as seeds Everyone knows what it’s like to have a long-term goal. Whether it be health or fitness-related, business-related, faith-related etc. I think, sometimes, many of us expect to reach these goals in a matter of days. And when a short time passes and we’re not where we’d like to be… we give up. The truth is, there is a real beauty in learning the life skill of patience. In teaching ourselves that we don’t have to arrive at our destinations immediately. In realising that we all start out as seeds. Each person, planted in a unique realm of life, ready to start the growing process. It won’t take a day. It won’t take ten days. Maybe even after a few months, you still won’t see the progress. We have to remember that progress is not always visible in the moment… That it may only become visible one day, when you look at yourself and realise that you did it. You became the tree. Concluding thoughts I have really had to nurture patience over the last year, regarding this “secret project” I have been working on (I promise you guys will hear about it soon). And I have learnt so much about what it means to practice waiting amidst the hard work – waiting to share with people, waiting on inspiration, waiting on the fruits of quiet labour. It has been a sweet journey. And yet, I still am a seed. ​ Catch you in the next one! Joshua 🙂

​Hey ! ​ Another quick one from me this Tuesday! I am going to be traveling to Ethiopia this Wednesday, and then to Kenya thereafter! The travel bug has really bitten me. Super stoked for all the footage I’ll be able to get on these upcoming trips! On another note Over the past few months, I have been creating and filming a “Back to Basics” filmmaking course that I’ll be releasing soon. This course will take you from knowing absolutely nothing about filmmaking, to establishing a firm foundation and acquiring the steadfast, basic knowledge needed to progress within the field. I have also been working on something else special. It’s a project I cannot wait to share with you all. But you’ll have to wait just a little longer. I can’t spill the beans about it just yet. So stay tuned, and have an awesome Tuesday. Thought for the day: When was the last time you did something for the first time? ​ Catch you in the next one! Joshua 🙂

​Over the past year, I have traveled to various places, such as Ethiopia, Burundi, Tanzania and India. Upon arriving back home from each trip, I have felt my eyes opening more and more to how blessed I truly am. I was thinking about how many people I encountered throughout my travels who were not familiar with the reality of things such as clean drinking water, running tap water, warm beds, proper clothing, safe housing, a substantial amount of food, accessible transportation… The list unfortunately goes on. Being privileged enough to return home every time to all of these things so easily at my disposal has been like a knock to my system. If I’m thirsty, I don’t have to walk for hours with a bucket to the nearest water source. Rather, I can stand up and walk eleven steps to a kitchen tap that pours out drinkable water. When the day ends and I grow hungry, I don’t have to worry about when next I will be able to get my hands on something to eat. Instead, I can open up a fridge and take out food. Ordinary When considering all of this, I thought about the fact that each and every person has their own version of what is ‘ordinary’ to them and in their life. We all experience different norms. To some, being readily able to afford a tertiary education is a norm. To others, needing to take out a student loan is a norm. And to many, neither are available options. Everyone has their own realities. This leads me to my main point: No matter what you may think of your situation, there is always something to be grateful for. What you have, someone else somewhere is praying for  Integrating gratitude I would really like to encourage you all this week… Be intentional in seeking out each and every thing you can be grateful for. Big and small. But especially the small things – food, a device from which to listen to music, closed shoes, a toothbrush, a hairbrush etc etc. Heightening your awareness to these details within your life can seriously shift your perspectives. What are you grateful for today? ​ Catch you in the next one! Joshua 🙂

I want to chat about procrastination. Don’t exit yet. Stay with me now. The truth is, we all procrastinate. Trying to deny that fact is pointless. Although I realise the levels of extremity regarding this differ from person to person, I would like to share something that has really assisted me in overcoming the urges to put off tasks in general. Getting practical I write myself up a daily “to-do list.” On each day’s list, I highlight three tasks that I absolutely have to get done. I consider these three tasks as fully compulsory before I go to bed that day. Non-negotiables. It may sound too simple, but this has helped me to complete many more tasks in the long run. I think we can often become stressed about deadlines, and in turn overwhelm ourselves with a list of too many things to get done in one day. We can become more prone to ignoring every task altogether as a result. Whereas, honing your focus in one three tasks daily seems more achievable to the brain. By completing these tasks, you’ll find you’ll frequently be left with time to tick off more activities. So, I’d reckon it’s a pretty good place to start. One last thing On a recent “Diary Of A CEO” podcast, they talk about the concept of “noise vs signal” within your life. The “noise” refers to distracting or irrelevant aspects of life, whereas the “signal” refers to valuable information and tasks. Here, light is shed on the importance of being able to discern the “noise” from the “signal” in your every day… Is your life filled with more noise? Or more signal? Once you realise the answer to this question, you’ll be able to prioritise the right three tasks every day, ensuring that they all fall under “signal.” Try it! ​ Catch you in the next one! Joshua 🙂

Super quick one from me this Tuesday, as I’m currently traveling back home from India! Firstly, the promised update: My luggage made its way back to me eventually! What a relief! A thought as I return home I am super excited to share more with you about the time I spent in India. But, for now, I cannot stress enough how incredible it has been to witness first-hand a completely foreign cultural environment. From the people, to the food, to the conversations, to the general atmosphere of the place. It has all shaken me. In the best way. I feel an eagerness stirring up within me to actively seek out more of this. To chase this cultural exposure. I think everyone should be doing this from time to time. You’d be surprised at the doors that can open for you and the connections you can create along the way. ​ Catch you in the next one! Joshua 🙂

Sorry for the late newsletter! I’ve been in India! I arrived in this extraordinary country only a few days ago, and what an experience already. I kicked off my trip over here with the realization that my luggage had in fact not followed me to India. Somewhere along the line, it decided to go on an independent journey. Still hasn’t found its way back to me lol. Nevertheless, there is always a plan to be made! So let’s wait and see how long it takes before it really starts to miss me and returns 😉 Will keep you in the loop. Something my time here has shown me so far It wasn’t until leaving my daily normalities and landing up all the way across the world that I realized how comfortable I had become within my routine back home. As someone who really loves routine, I had gotten so used to doing the same things over and over. But being situated in an unfamiliar environment these past couple of days has seriously revealed to me the importance of removing yourself from routine every now and then. By doing this, you’re gifting yourself with the chance to recharge and find rest in other activities. Spend a weekend away, go on a roadtrip, go camping, go hiking, visit old friends, do something you have never done. Let this be your sign. It’s okay to break that routine sometimes. Be intentional. You’ll thank yourself. ​So, what I’m basically saying, is book a flight to India. Jokes. Traveling far is not the only way to go about taking a break from routine – although it is a great way to do so! Alternatively, there are so many small things one can do to reset and shake off any stresses associated with frequent work and routine. Catch you in the next one! Joshua 🙂

I have chatted to so many filmmakers, creatives or entrepreneurs who are keen to get out there and make a living off of their passion, but struggle initially when it comes to finding clients who are “willing to pay.” Using filmmaking as today’s example, it can be difficult in the beginning to figure out your monetary “worth” as a creator – especially with little to no client work experience under your belt. So, how can one go about this? What I did… When I first started out as a solo filmmaker, I actually did free work. I know that can sound super uninviting to an ambitious entrepreneur, but hear me out… I did one free wedding video for a friend. And from this single experience, I gained four paid wedding jobs. These came from pure exposure. People I had met at the wedding I filmed for free, contacted me afterwards with paid job offers. Beyond the fact that through these I was able to earn money, I was also provided with the opportunity to learn more about filming weddings in particular, which strengthened my skills altogether and led me into an ever-expanding pool of client connections. My point: I am not saying you should go and do a bunch of free work! It is also vital to know your worth, have confidence in your abilities and therefore not sell yourself short! But, this takes experience. And time. What if you are one free job away from finding your feet when it comes to paid client work? Consider it. It worked out pretty well for me. Maybe it can for you too. Happy Tuesday. ​ Catch you in the next one! Joshua 🙂

Over the past weekend, I celebrated my 23rd birthday. I spent the evening surrounded by family and close friends. Now, it’s one thing to know in your head that you have incredible people in your life, but it is a whole other thing to look around and see all of those people filling up the space of one room. Taking in the sight of everyone around me over the weekend, I became overwhelmed with the following truth: Community is one of the most important things a person can have. 5 closest friends phenomenon A mentor once told me something that really stuck. He said that your five closest friends will ultimately be the ones who have the biggest influence in shaping who you become. I sat with this, and considered how vital it truly is to ensure that you flank yourself with the right people – the type of friends who support you, who are not afraid to call you out when you’re doing something wrong, who encourage you, who push you closer to the better version of yourself. The people who speak life, into your life. And give it extra meaning. These people. They’re the ones we should keep around. The ones we should make time for. The ones who act as the glue that holds a community together. Even more than looking for these types of friends… we should BE these types of friends. Thought for the day Think about your life right now. Think about who these friends are. When was the last time you phoned some of them and told them how much you value them? When was the last time you shot them a message, checking up on them, or telling them you love them? I am learning that sometimes people just need to hear that they are appreciated. That they are a part of someone’s “five closest friends.” Be the friend who shows up. Catch you in the next one! Joshua 🙂