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Face To Face
Thoughts Into Action May The Thoughts Be With You is a positive brand that was borne out of turbulent times, but now Charlotte Reed’s soulful messages and simple illustrations are very much a force for good. With a film optioned based on Charlotte’s story, a range of cards and calendars officially launching from Danilo at PG Live, a second book in the offing, plus all her work as a ambassador of MIND, there is a lot of ‘doing’ as well as thinking going on. PG greatly enjoyed talking to the inspirational woman whose approach to self-help is now helping millions of others. PG Live is always a very jolly affair, with lots of banter, frivolity and camaraderie. And with its wide customer base and increasingly broad product portfolio, and popular team, the Danilo stand is always busy and noisy. And this year is a special one for the publisher as it celebrates its 40th anniversary, so it has some unexpected treats in store. May The Thoughts Be With You is one of those. Amplifying the publisher’s push into
more on-trend adult concepts, its May the Thoughts Be With You collection of greeting cards and calendars reflects the growing appreciation of wellbeing, mindfulness and uplifting positive support. While the names of key characters such as ‘The Shoeless Guru’ and ‘Happy Hippy’ will bring a smile to the face, the story behind the range, based on the illustrations and thoughts of Charlotte Reed, warms the soul and no mistake.
“Back in 2008 I started to suffer from depression,” Charlotte explains. “Things got pretty bad but I was adamant I didn't want to take medication. Instead I tried other things like CBT, psychotherapy and acupuncture. I also completely changed my diet and started exercising.” It was at this time that she also had another idea: “To write a little positive message to myself every morning to try and change my outlook on life.” She suffered with the depression for two years “so by the time I'd recovered I'd written loads of thoughts,” explains Charlotte. Encouraged by friends to progress her messages so that they could be published in a book, Charlotte went for it. “I realised a book would look a lot more appealing if the thoughts had illustrated characters to go with them, but I couldn't afford an illustrator so I had to create them myself. It was a great learning experience having no training whatsoever.”
Left: The Shoeless Guru and The Happy Hippy are two of Charlotte’s popular characters which impart words of wisdom. Inset: Charlotte Reed in her studio.
PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
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