It's a total delight to bring you another interview with an inspiring woman for my Live Your Best Life series. Living your best life isn't about having it all figured out or having a perfect life (nobody has that). It's about making a contribution to the world in a way that works for you, being true to yourself and focusing on being the best version of yourself each day, however that may be.

Xanthe Berkeley is one of my favourite people to follow on Instagram, her mini Monday movies are a must-see and I learned so much when I took her Make Films e-course last year. Here Xanthe shares with us how she sees the idea of living your best life…

Welcome, Xanthe! Tell us a little about yourself, what your life is like and the path you took to get to where you are today.
My life is full of raising two teenage boys with my husband and running a creative business – teaching my online courses, photographing people & families and shooting films & stop motions for fun and for brands. Every day brings something new.

My path to get here has been a long one... art college, working in the art department on films and commercials, working in PR for a record label, living in Asia, full time mama, and then nurturing an online creative life, which started as a blogger and wedding photographer and has now become a job creating photos and films I love. I've always taken photos and shot video/film to document my life. I love that I now get to do it as part of my business.

What inspirational quotes or mantras hold meaning for you?
“I’m too busy working my own grass to notice if yours is greener.” Comparison is something we all do from time to time. But it’s important to remember we’re all at different stages of our journey. I try to not watch what people doing similar work are doing or compare their opportunities to mine – less scrolling, more creating!

Yep, we all compare, even th0ugh we know it's not good for us! So, how do you recognise when life's getting on top of you?
When I'm juggling too much and I feel like I'm not going to get things finished.

And what do you do to get back to how you want to feel?
I try to get enough sleep, I find tiredness can make things feel more overwhelming that they actually are. But mostly I only feel better once projects are done, so it's about working efficiently till it's completed. If I need to take a break from a stressful day, I hop on my bike and get outside, I find it gives me time to think and relax.

What plans, hopes and dreams do you have for the future?
I hope to carry on creating in the way I've been working for the past few years. I love the variety of work I do, the clients I work for and the people I teach. I love how each week is different and you never know what's around the corner… one email can change everything!

And finally, Xanthe, what does living your best life mean to you?
To be doing what I love, feeling healthy and happy alongside my lovely family and friends. To trust my instincts when it comes to making decisions… my body is pretty good at letting me know if something is exciting or if I should say no. Also, to make the most of this life and be grateful for even the little things, even when a day has been difficult or upsetting, you can find something that happened to be grateful for. It’s a good daily practice that has taught me so much.

Xanthe is a professional photographer, film maker and visual story-teller. A wide variety of projects keeps her photography and film business busy. From guiding and inspiring others, through her online film courses, creating films and social media content for brands, to lifestyle portrait photography. She has taught workshops, hosted various retreats and led photo and video walks in London and the US. Xanthe hangs out the most on Instagram and you can also find her on Twitter. Check out her website and her online courses here.