toth shop trends: april 2025
- mary johnson
- Apr 11
- 4 min read
welcome to the april edition of toth shop trends, and my (it’s me, mary) inaugural time in the driver’s seat. In case you missed it, toth shop passes the trends to whomever’s birthday it is to share special items that are on our respective minds and hearts for our birthday month. and april is my birthday month!
this month is a big one for me. it’s my birthday and my daughter’s birthday (she’ll be turning 8; i’ll be turning one year older 😉). it’s also when spring kicks into high gear. the trees and flowers are coming back to life in an explosion of color. the pollen is demolishing our sinuses, and the days are (finally) long again.
it’s funny because it’s the same world we’ve always inhabited, and yet somehow it’s not at all. the sidewalks are crowded with joggers and dog walkers. the parks are overflowing with children and families. and it’s now 1,000x easier to get a spot inside a restaurant than outside. our perspective on life has shifted – dramatically – all because of a few more hours in the day and a few more degrees of warmth.
but here’s the fascinating thing about perspective – you can make a shift without waiting for the seasons to change. so this month, that’s what i’ll be talking about – ways to shift how you show up, in work and in life.
xx,
mary
let's talk manifestation.
“the ability to manifest is fundamentally based in neuroscience.”
i start with this quote from dr. jim doty – a stanford neurosurgeon, neuroscientist, and expert on manifestation and visualization – for all those out there who may see the word “manifest” and keep scrolling, thinking this is way too “woo” for you.
the truth is, manifestation is real – and not in a spiritual, hippy dippy sort of way. in the real, backed-by-stanford-scientists kind of way.
dr. doty was a guest on the mel robbins podcast last year, and it’s well worth a listen. here are a few highlights.
manifesting is about training your brain to go after what you want.
it can (and should) be a daily practice, allowing you to focus your time and energy on what you want and away from what you don’t.
SURPRISE: you’re already doing it – even if you don’t realize it. the stories you’re telling yourself are guiding your decisions, whether they’re good for you or not.
the question is, how can you change your thoughts to shift the way you show up, every single day?
spoiler alert: i’m fully bought in. every day, i write down what i want for my day and my big-picture life. i read it to myself quietly and then out loud. then i close my eyes and imagine it happening. the results have been profound, in small ways and big ones. if you decide to give it a try, i hope you’ll let me know how it goes.
culture by design, not default.
got 3 minutes? i promise they will be well spent here.
in this clip, simon sinek digs into some of the challenges of building strong company culture. more often than not, he says, the secret lies in shifting your perspective, and it’s as simple as listening to the needs of your team and responding, even if it means getting a little uncomfortable.
think strategically, not tactically.
toth shop redesigned our website a few months back, and in the process of admiring its great beauty, I found this gem nestled into the toth shop website: “the average copywriter works tactically – they want to write your piece and move on. that’s not us. we get to know you, your business, and the organization’s overarching goal or vision, so that our storytelling elevates your bigger picture. your business strategy and goals drive our work.”
as someone on the inside, i can vouch that this is 100% true. we think strategically, not tactically, because we want to do work that makes a difference in your business.
but don’t take it from me. here are 10 years of testimonials to back me up.
great read.
the customer question.
you think you know your business because you’re in it every single day.
in truth, that’s the worst place to be if you want to understand how your business and brand are being seen. you’re in the weeds. you have pride of ownership (whether you’re the owner or not). and it clouds your vision.
our friend and client, anna stallmann, recently wrote on linkedIn about the value of getting a content audit for your business. “if you don’t understand how your potential clients truly perceive your brand, how can you market to them?” she writes. “the clarity that comes from an honest, external review is invaluable.”
if you’re not up for an audit, consider creating a customer questionnaire or survey, a focus group, or even a personal board of directors.
the point is: get a different perspective. it has the power to change your business for the better.
the little things.
i love it when my house smells good. and yet, when I’m working from home, i almost never light a candle.
it takes 2 seconds – 10 if i can’t find the lighter. and yet most days, i feel like i just don’t have the time. it feels indulgent to take a few extra seconds purely for my own enjoyment. so I skip it, in favor of getting down to business.
but here’s the thing – if we take time for the little things, the big things feel easier, lighter, less overwhelming. and it doesn’t have to be a candle. you could take a walk for 10 minutes instead of scrolling on your phone. you could go out to lunch instead of staying in. you could call a friend instead of texting.
challenge: today (and maybe every day after that), what will you do that’s just for you?
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