❤️ The 40 Year Old Rebrand - Part 3

Oh look! Another 4 months have gone by... but I am back for another instalment of The 40 Year Old Rebrand. 

In this final chapter of the 40-year-old rebrand, I’m sharing what happened after the wobble, after the pause, and after the shoulder injury that forced me to stop everything. Because as it turns out, slowing down wasn’t me losing momentum. It was me finding myself again.

This episode isn’t about colour palettes or logos. It’s about identity. Alignment. Quiet growth. It’s about the version of you that emerges when life makes you sit still long enough to finally hear her.

I chat about:

•  how my health crash reshaped my priorities,
•  why peace now feels more like progress than excitement ever did,
•  what slowing down did for my creativity,
•  and the tiny internal shifts that ended up becoming the real “rebrand.”

If you’re in a season of questioning, recalibrating, or gently pulling your energy back from the world so you can breathe again… this one is for you.

Because evolving doesn’t always look dramatic. Sometimes it looks like softer mornings, better boundaries, deeper clarity, and the quiet confidence that you’re allowed to take your time.

You’re not behind.
You’re becoming.

x Morgan

Connect with me:

• Follow The Fearless Designer on Instagram
  @the.fearless.designer
  
  
• Head to The Fearless Designer Website for more info
  www.thefearlessdesigner.com.au

Transcript

Hello. Hello. Welcome back to the Fearless Designer podcast. If you've been here for a while, you'll know that earlier this year I started sharing a really personal little series called the 40 Year Old Rebrand. And if you're new to the podcast and this is your first ever episode, I would highly recommend you go back to April and listen to part one. And this kind of part one chapter was all about what the heck is happening. The milestone of turning 40 really stirred something up in me. I was wobbly, I was questioning everything.

I was feeling really off. And then a few months later I recorded a part two and this was, I think the overall theme was pausing. I had sustained a shoulder injury which, you know, I was forced to rest and exhale and kind of just take in where I was at and just sit because I couldn't design, I couldn't use my arm, I was really struggling. So I wanted to come today and share part three of this 40 year old rebrand series. It will be the final part. It is what's happened after the big life rebrand and I'm guessing it's, it's more a really deep breath in and less fireworks and excitement and energy and. But I feel like I really wanted to share it with you guys. So I'm not going to wrap everything up in a neat little bow, but this episode does feel like a chapter closing and the moment where kind of questions from those early episodes start to really make sense to me.

Where right now. Hello and welcome to the Fearless Designer podcast. I'm your host, Morgan MacDonald, aka the fearless designer, and I'm here to help you embrace your fears, level up your visual brand, and take your business to fearless new heights. For two decades, I've worked with business owners just like you, designing brands that are bold, consistent and authentic. I've lived a profesh corporate life as a graphic designer and I've also spent the last 13 years running my own brand and graphic design business. So whether you're running a six or seven figure business, craving a brand refresh, or just ready to add a little more wow to your visuals, I got you. Each week we'll dive into fearless brand strategies, design tips that you actually can use, live brand audits, and interviews with fellow business owners who have dared to do things differently. So if you're ready to stop playing small, take control of your brand and lead with confidence, you're in the right place.

Lets go. So since I recorded the last episode, life has slowed down in the best possible way. I've been giving myself permission to Focus on something that I'd had ignored for such a long time, and that was me. I had kind of put all of my worth and joy and outcome and energy into what I was doing. And I've kind of lost track of who I am. And in saying that my health had slipped, I. And my mind has slipped and I've kind of lost track of who Morgan is. So I've not started a, you know, new year, new me kind of, you know, mentality, but I have really been working in a quiet way on making things consistent and really focusing on things that make an actual difference.

So one of those things was I started moving my body again, but it's really gentle. I am incredibly low iron and I've had an iron infusion to try and know, get on top of that. But it means I can't, you know, run into the gym and lift heavy weights and push myself and run myself into the ground because I'm already, I'm already physically on the ground. So I haven't been punishing myself. I've been working very slowly, focusing on grounding and just not punishing my body. So that has been such an important part. It also really helps with building iron stores and absorption and it's something I'm continuing to work on. I haven't got it nailed, but at the moment it feels really, really good.

So I'm leaning into that. I have also started really focusing on my sleep. Yes, I'm one of those middle aged people that's just obsessed with sleep. But sleeping, drinking water and really scheduling my appointments that I'd been putting off because I had a meeting or I was too busy or couldn't be bothered. You know, there was, there was one morning recently that I didn't open my laptop or my computer or sit on my computer until after lunch. And that's wild for me. Old Morgan would have been riddled with guilt, convinced I was behind. But you know, that morning I just took it easy.

I went for a walk, I enjoyed a breakfast, I was present. When I was eating, I sat down and at the end of that my mind was clear. And it's a small thing, but it's proof that slowing down doesn't mean I'm losing momentum. And that's something else that's shifted too. I've been, I've just been working so closely on understanding that I don't have to go like 100 kilometers an hour. I've also started working more closely with my husband. And this has been a real unexpected joy. We've approached things so differently in the past, but at the moment, we are collaborating on a massive project and it's felt so great, it's made it feel light, and it's reminded me of how much I love building things together for our family instead of, like, you know, career wise being on two different paths.

So I feel like that opportunity has come to the surface since I slowed down and basically took a breath. I've also continued to keep working with amazing clients that I absolutely love and that completely understand who I am as a designer. These are the kind of clients that make me feel excited to open a project file. It makes me excited to help and guide their branding. And it's so full of meaning and trust. It's calm, it's purposeful, and it is exactly where I need to be right now. Whether I transition out of this or build more of this, who knows? Right now, I do not need to make that decision. And as I've been in this slower season, a few truths have really landed for me, and I want to share them with you.

Because, you know, it's not until they slap you in the face that you realize that, oh, actually, I'm in a lesson at the moment. So lesson one for me was alignment feels much quieter than excitement. So when you're aligned, it doesn't often feel like, you know, adrenaline and those butterflies in your tummy and fireworks. It feels like peace. So for so long now, I kind of thought of excitement meant progress, the constant buzz, the chase, the next big thing. But for me now, peace feels like progress. It was that moment where you make a decision and you just don't second guess it for the next three days. That's alignment.

And I feel like that's been such an important step forward for me. So lesson two is. It's also one that I've shared in many episodes around branding is you don't need to burn it all down to evolve. So in my 30s, I thought that change had to look really dramatic, like a new logo, new business name, a big public announcement, you know, yelling it from the rooftops. But now I feel like the real rebrand happens really quietly. It's in the small boundaries that you set. It's the pace you choose. It's the moments where you stop saying yes to things that drain you.

And sometimes the most powerful rebrand is invisible to everyone else, but it's felt and seen so deeply by you. Lesson three, Fear doesn't disappear. It just changes shape. It's still there, it's still in the background, but it shows up differently. These days, my fear sounds more like curiosity instead of what if I fail? It's kind of like, what if it actually works? That tiny reframe has changed everything for me. I feel like the fear used to really freeze. Like I would freeze and it would take me out of the game. But now it fuels me.

Lesson four is rest isn't wasted time. I feel like I need to say that again. Rest isn't wasted time. This one was the biggest and hardest lesson that I realised and it wasn't until my shoulder was injured, which I have now learned is a symptom of perimenopause, which I am enjoying the throes of right now. So when I injured that shoulder, I couldn't design and I was completely useless for, for like three weeks. It was so bad. But every idea I've had since, the good ones, the creative ones, the big picture ones, they came from a space of stillness. They came from a space of me, you know, sitting there having that mental, you know, creative shower where those ideas come.

I learned that rest isn't the reward after hard work. It is part of the work itself. And lesson five, your brand grows when you do. Every time I evolve personally, the fearless design has evolved with me. It's never about the logo or the strategy. It's about self awareness. When you grow, your brand can't help but shift too. So looking back on this whole 40 year old rebrand journey, it actually hasn't been about business at all.

It's been about identity, it's been about peeling back layers and remembering who the heck I actually am without all of the noise that was going, going on in the background of doing your brand. Whether it's your business, your personal brand, or, you know, it could even be you and your energy that you carry in a room, it is always an extension of you. And when it starts to feel off, it's not always because of your visuals. And they don't need updating. If that's feeling off, it's because sometimes you actually need the work, the updating, the upgrading. So for me, that refresh looked like slower mornings, less scrolling, more meaningful conversations instead of strategic. It looked like choosing projects that made me feel really proud instead of busy. And it looked like me saying yes to things that felt really nourishing and no to things that made me feel uncomfortable.

And funnily enough, that that mindset really spilled into my design work. I've noticed I'm creating more thoughtful, intentional brands for my clients now because I'm approaching everything with less Pressure and more presence. And it's really, it's like slowing down sharpened my vision. So what's ahead for me? Look, I don't have a five year plan right now, and that's huge for me. I don't have like a lists going. I don't have, you know, a product stack I'm working towards. But what I do have is a really clear sense of peace. Right now, I'm content in creating my own at my own pace, working with clients who light me up and enjoying the rhythm of partnership with my husband.

I'm spending a lot more time outside the studio, walking, resting, gardening, picking up dog poo, you know, actually living. And somehow that's made my creative work feel stronger and more aligned than ever. And I just. The fearless designer isn't disappearing. She's evolving. And she's evolving really quietly. And who knows, maybe that's. That's what fearlessness really looks like.

Not constant motion, but really calm certainty. And before I wrap up, I want to leave you with a few little reflections and questions that you may even want to jot down later. Does your current version of success still fit? Where could you create more space to breathe? And what would it look like for you to evolve gently, not dramatically? And if you're walking or driving right now, maybe just take a breath and ask yourself, what's feeling aligned lately? What's feeling heavy? You don't have to fix it. I'm not saying you need to fix it, but just notice it. Sometimes that's where your own rebrand really starts. It's just in the noticing. So thank you, truly, for being part of this journey with me, from every DM to every message to every person that's come up and said, I listened to that episode. I really do, truly, thank you.

I appreciate hearing your reactions. This has been a massive, massive thing for me to share intimate thoughts and kind of freakouts that I've been having. And this podcast has been such a huge part of my own rebrand. And sharing this season with you has been one of the most grounding and affirming experiences of my career. So if you are in that transition period right now, please remember, you are absolutely not behind. You are becoming, and you are allowed to pause. I'll still be here, still creating, still designing, still branding, and still cheering you on. So maybe things might be just a little quiet for now, but that's okay.

So I look forward to coming back and chatting to you really soon and. Yeah, goodbye. And that's it for today's episode of the Fearless Designer Podcast. I hope you're feeling really inspired, fired up and ready to go. Make some bold moves with your brand. If you love today's episode, don't forget to hit the subscribe button so that you never miss a dose of fearless branding goodness. And if you're feeling extra generous, drop us a review. It just helps more fearless legends like you find this podcast.

If you've got any ideas or questions for future EPS, please slide into my DMs or send me an email. I would love to hear from you. And until next time, keep being bold, keep being fearless. And remember, your brand is your superpower. So go out there and dare to be different. Bye.