The Art of Attention: Julianne Fraser on Living a Creative Life

Learning how to live a creative life isn’t about waiting for inspiration to strike—it’s about actively cultivating it. Creativity isn’t a rare gift reserved for the lucky few. It’s a muscle that strengthens with use. But in a world of endless scrolling and repetitive aesthetics (-core trends, we see you), it’s easy to fall into passive consumption.

True inspiration, however, exists beyond the algorithm. It’s found in the texture of a fabric swatch, the unexpected notes of a new wine, or the way music transforms a space. The art of attention—of seeking, sensing, and fully engaging with the world—is what fuels originality. And for Julianne Fraser, founder of Dialogue NYC, a digital brand marketing consultancy, it’s the foundation of both her personal and professional life.

How to Live a Creative Life: Simple Habits for Everyday Inspiration

Julianne has built a career helping brands capture attention in an increasingly distracted world. But her approach to creativity isn’t just about marketing—it’s a way of life. She believes that to create meaningful work, we have to step away from the noise, reclaim our time, and intentionally shape the inputs that inspire us. Creativity is a practice that demands both boundaries and curiosity. From putting away her phone in the evenings to designing her daughter’s nursery entirely from offline references—every action follows an intention. Because when we allow ourselves to explore beyond the trends, we make space for ideas that are entirely our own.

Whether you’re looking to infuse more creativity into your career, your home, or your everyday rituals, my conversation with Julianne offers a compelling case for slowing down, paying attention, and letting inspiration meet you in unexpected places.

How do you define creativity as a daily practice? What inspired you to adopt this philosophy?

A passage from Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act stuck with me:

“Living life as an artist is a practice. You are either engaging in the practice or you’re not.”

He emphasizes the significance of curating our cultural palette by immersing ourselves in experiences that refine our senses. This month for instance, I selected the fabric for my new couch by feeling each swatch [of] a Kavdrat/Raf Simons collection, I tasted three new wines curated by the Depanneur Wine Club, I spent an afternoon at the Ojas listening room at USM and lost myself listening to a record on their unparalleled sound system. These offline moments sparked new creativity within me.

If the only point of reference we have is the homogenous echo chamber of social media, our inspiration is sure to dry up. It’s by seeking inspiration offline that we’re able to show up more creatively and inspire others online.

In a world filled with digital distractions, how can we cut through the noise to foster deeper, more meaningful connections both online and offline?

We must reclaim our social algorithms, curating our feeds and managing our habits to foster creativity, not dull it. I’ve slowly watched as fashion has become homogenous, makeup styles the same, cookie-cutter home designs, cut and paste recipes—so much sameness driven by a powerful and addictive algorithm.

Mindless scrolling is so damaging to our creativity. It’s too easy to fall prey to the echo chamber of social media. When I get home from work, I put away my phone and do my best to be fully present with my family. Whether creatively plating a new dinner recipe, playing tea time with my toddler, or flipping through a design magazine with a glass of wine once everyone’s asleep, it’s that clearly defined split between life “online” and “off,” which helps preserve my creativity. 

Collaboration is essential to my creativity. 

I’ve also been reminded of the power of community and connection while navigating this year’s tumultuous start. Whenever I feel creatively stuck, I schedule a plethora of coffees and lunches with those who inspire me. Each meeting feels like an instant shot of energy, sparking new ideas or opportunities for me to consider. Collaboration is essential to my creativity. 

What advice do you have for someone looking to make creativity a core part of their lifestyle in 2025?

Boundaries are essential to preserving creativity. For example, when designing my daughter’s nursery, I challenged myself to pull inspiration from offline sources only. It became a really fun challenge. I watched old films, flipped through Milk Magazine and took notes from the homes of my French in-laws. I resisted my social media algorithm to dream of something truly unique—a quirky vision of hot pink and fiery red. With my vision in mind, I then turned to Pinterest and Instagram to find up-and-coming artists to help bring my vision to life. I controlled my use of social media, not the other way around.

Other ways you can challenge yourself with creative boundaries might be to try recipes passed down from past generations, rather than those found on Instagram or Bon Appétit. You can go “shopping” in your wardrobe, imagining new outfits with your existing clothing. You can plug your phone in at night in another room, falling asleep to a great book or magazine, rather than mindlessly scrolling. Make boundaries a fun challenge, not a punishment! 

Dialogue NYC focuses on helping brands establish a presence in the spaces where people are paying attention. What lessons from your work can people apply to their own lives to become more intentional?

I believe my success as a marketer has come from my ability to merge creativity and strategy in all that I do. There was a time during Covid confinements where I noticed my creativity dwindling while staring at a screen for hours. My husband convinced me to sign up for a three-week intensive French cooking course at Ferrandi in Paris, which totally blew my mind and taught me so much. As specialists in online marketing, I realized how important it is for my team and I to seek inspiration offline.

Our best digital campaigns are formed with references from film, art, literature, music, dance, cooking, and nature. 

Once I wrapped the course, filled full with personal inspiration and passion, I decided to implement monthly “Creative Mornings” for my team at Dialogue. I encourage them to seek inspiration offline, whether at a morning matinee or by reading The New York Times from front to back. The only rule being that they have to leave their phones at home. It’s been incredible to see the unique ideas that have formed in our team brainstorms after one of those mornings.

It’s clear to me that influencer marketing is entering a creativity crisis, overcome by a sea of mundane #ads. By protecting and prioritizing creativity in our work, we will break through the social noise and inspire others. We are all creatives in one way or another, regardless of our jobs. My brother is an engineer and also a talented music producer. One of my best friends is a Hedgefund Managing Director and also has an incredible eye for interior design. If we nurture the creativity that’s within all of us, we are sure to live more fulfilling and inspirational lives.

Creativity is a core value in my family. My husband has a background in branding and we share a combined passion for interior design, fashion, food, and travel. Together, we challenge each other to seek offline inspiration, whether by watching every Oscar nominated film each season, hosting four-course dinner parties for our friends, or browsing interior design concept shops.

This joint passion has seeped into the way we raise our two daughters as well. Having a three-year-old toddler at home has challenged me to unlock corners of my imagination I haven’t touched in decades. My daughter’s limitless imagination inspires me greatly, so I lean into it—narrating princess fairytales at bedtime, staging a professional test kitchen at dinner, or navigating underwater adventures during bath time. Time with my girls has inspired a playful approach to my work, forcing me to think outside of the expected box. 

Looking ahead, how do you see the role of creativity evolving in both personal and professional spaces, particularly in a world that increasingly values mindfulness and intentional living?

I’ve often thought about how my hobbies and passions could turn into side hustles, which seems to be a trap many of us fall into in a world where productivity and monetization are valued above all else. I offered interior design consulting to a handful of clients during Covid. I considered launching a ticketed supper series. But I quickly realized that my hobbies should remain just that—hobbies. Elements outside of my work that fuel my fire and inspire me to do more creative and intentional work at Dialogue. I think it’s essential to remind ourselves to strike a balance between work and play, and protect the parts of your life that you do simply for fun.