Take a creative leap on Instagram

Remember the golden days of Instagram, when it was all about community and connection? We’re aiming to revive that spirit with #CreativeLeapFebruary.

Join me, Sarah, from These Are The Days, and Anna from Studio Gently on a journey to rediscover the joy of Instagram with a slow, simple, sustainable challenge, one that will move you from doubting to doing.

This 29-day experience is about showing up and sharing, but we also want you to find what feels good, so we’ve woven in opportunities for rest and play because we know how vital balance is.

We begin on the 1st, and below you’ll find the prompts, each with a hint to help you prepare, plus some useful tips!

Challenge prompts

Here’s a peek at what we’ve got lined up:

1. PLAN – preview the prompt list and plan your approach
2. HELLO – introduce yourself, and tell us about your life and your work
3. MORNING – share your morning routine or any supportive rituals you follow
4. DREAM – tell us about your creative aspiration
5. THIS / THAT – watch out for Anna’s stories template so you can join in the fun
6. INSPIRE – tag one or more people in a post or story who are inspiring you
7. REST / PLAY – your chance to rest or show us how you invite play into your days
8. REPURPOSE – edit and share a well-received post from the past
9. WHY – share the purpose behind your business or creative endeavours
10. ENGAGE – spend 15 minutes connecting with your community
11. BOOK LOVER – keep your eyes peeled as it’s stories template time with Anna
12. SMALL – spotlight one or more small businesses you love to support
13. GATHER – use the new polling feature to collect feedback
14. REST / SMILE – time to rest or talk about who or what has made you smile
15. VIEW – tell us about (or show us) the view from where you work or create
16. LISTEN – recommend a favourite audiobook, podcast, playlist, or all three!
17. GIFS  – get to know each other using Anna’s latest stories template and GIFs
18. COLOUR – post about your favourite colour and why you’re drawn to it
19. STORY – share the origin story of your business or creative practice
20. PEERS – follow five of your peers and cheer them on
21. REST / PEEK – take a break or take us behind-the-scenes
22. SPACE – describe a space that sparks your creativity
23. NATURE – share your favourite spot in nature
24. MUSIC – watch out for Anna’s story template and share your favourite tunes
25. GLIMMER – tell us about a glimmer you’ve spotted this week
26. SPOTLIGHT – share a creation, product, or service of yours that you love
27. KINDNESS – support a fellow creative or business owner
28. REST / QUOTE – rest up or post your favourite creative quote
29. NEXT – reflect on your takeaways from the challenge

1. Staying true

When you’re crafting your captions and sharing your stories, be authentically you. Adapt the challenge to fit your style, whether it’s sticking to stories, trying a reel, or embracing detailed captions. And remember, the ordinary for you can be extraordinary for someone else.

2. Writing captions

If you’re stuck on a caption, picture chatting with a friend. What would you say about today’s topic? For more tips, check out writer Lindsay Johnstone on nurturing your inner writer, copywriter Michelle Gately on trusting the first draft, and a piece I wrote with advice on brand storytelling.

3. Using hashtags

We’d encourage you to research new hashtags ahead of time and mix up your hashtags each day. You don’t need a brand new set for each post. Just chop and change them to support the content you’re writing. Day one is all about making a plan, a perfect time to consider this.

4. Choosing images

Natural light and thoughtful composition can elevate your photos. Stay consistent with your colour scheme, whether it’s vibrant, pastel or moody, and consider editing (even with an Instagram filter) to enhance your images. But don’t stress over it – the key is to enjoy the process!

5. Creative spaces

Find or set up a space that inspires you. Whether it’s a particular room or a cosy corner with a cuppa and a candle, make sure you have time to create. You can read more about nurturing your environment in this collaborative piece about making space for creativity.

6. Hitting pause

Rest is vital, so we’ve included a rest day each week. Use them to recharge or join in with our simple, playful prompt. You can also dip in and out of the experience to suit you. That’s the beauty of this challenge – it’s a chance to fit social media around your wants and needs.

We’re excited to see how you get curious and creative and fall back in love with Instagram, and we can’t wait to see you for #CreativeLeapFebruary!

You might like to follow Sarah and Anna and tag us along with the hashtag. Enjoy!