Do What You Love

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Today’s *shared stories* come from American photograher Kat Sloma and British artist Jane Hinchcliffe.

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Kat Sloma

You don’t have to do what love to make a living, but you need to do what you love to truly live.

A few years ago, I had a conversation with a good friend. She and I worked together at the large corporation where I’ve earned a living as an engineer for the last 19 years. She asked, “Do you want to stay working here forever?” I laughed and said, “I don’t know, I don’t have anything I’m passionate about. I don’t know what I’d rather do. I guess I’m here until they don’t want me anymore.”

Looking back, that conversation is a significant indicator of how I was living (or not living) my life. I was floating along, letting other people plot my course. I was expecting someone else to fulfill me. Was I alive or just going through the motions of life? I had given up my power. The power to choose, to decide, to own my life. I wasn’t even seeking to find what I would really love to do.

Since then, much has transpired. Layoffs at work made me realize I couldn’t float along any longer. Watching the same friend leave the company for something she truly loved forced me to acknowledge there are other ways to approach life. Such as, approaching life with intention. I was ripe for a change, so when the opportunity to live and work in Italy for two years came along, I took it. And it cracked me wide open.

I finally did the work I needed to do, digging through the hidden corners of my soul, to find what it is I love. I discovered I love to create. I love to capture the beauty of the world around me, through my camera lens, words, paint and pencils. I also discovered, more than anything else, I love to teach and encourage others to create too.

Today, I’m still at the same corporate job. It is still how I make my “living” and support my family. But I’ve found what I love to do as well. I’ve taken back my power and the ownership of my life’s happiness. Along this journey, I’ve found it is doing what I love that makes me truly alive.

[All images courtesy of Kat Sloma.  Kat is an artist and photographer with a passion for inspiring others to find their unique vision of the world. For the last two years, she has been living in Italy and traveling Europe with an eye to finding the beauty of the everyday, whilst also working in the corporate world. You can see more of her photographs, read about her creative journey and learn about her Find Your Eye photography e-courses on The Kat Eye View of the World.]

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Jane Hinchliffe

I was a dreamer, an insatiable romantic and a big thinker as a young girl…  My Granny lived 100 miles from us and so my parents and I made that journey many times throughout my childhood. This gave me oodles of dreaming/thinking time.  I always pictured myself as an adult living in the countryside, married to a loving husband and enjoying the chaos, laughter and fulfillment that having children would bring.  All of these things came true.  However, I always had the sense that there would be ‘something else’ wonderful occupying my waking hours. 

As a child, hours would fly by for me whenever I drew, painted, got sticky or tangled up in thread or wool.  Sometimes my Granny and I would go outdoors on a creative adventure.  We would pack a picnic, bring our sketchbooks, paint and other supplies, a couple good books and a cosy blanket.  These were truly magical expeditions…

Later, adulthood kicked in… I moved to the USA, got married young, worked full-time, and had a son. Responsibilities soon engulfed me and my connection with art and the passion I had felt for creativity, slowly ebbed away without me even realising it.  I had forgotten how precious and intrinsically part of me my creativity was. 

As time progressed, I used to feel envious of people who were doing what they loved…  Then I would ‘scold’ myself for not feeling grateful for my life as it was.  I felt something was missing from my life.  It seemed like a vital piece of the puzzle was just not fitting together.  Then after my first son was born, I started to suffer from depression and would see-saw between feeling sad, angry, resentful and utterly lost.  I never saw my life being mapped out like this when I was that little girl with curly hair, skinny legs, freckles and a sense of adventure.  Was this my destiny? 

For some years I lived a life that seemed as if I was just existing day to day.  Over time, I got help with the depression and was able to move beyond that long-term block.  Bit by bit, I started to open up to the magic of life again; the possibilities and preciousness of it all…  I re-married and we had two sons who are now six and eight.  When my middle child started school, this opened up a little more time for me to explore who and what I was about.  What was going to make my heart sing? 

I began to do some art/craft projects with my youngest son and something started to stir deep, deep inside.  It took a while to put my finger on what was awakening within but I instinctively knew this was important.  Then, slowly but surely, whilst helping my son create his little masterpieces, I began experimenting too.  I bought muslin and we did some stitching together and framed the results.  We did a bit of knitting, sewing, crochet, cooking, modeling with salt dough, clay, cake making, painting etc.  Then I started to look around my home and added little creative touches of love here and there.  I started to write poetry and write a journal.  Colours seemed to look so vibrant and fresh.  I was beginning to ‘really notice’ the beauty in nature, the everyday stuff and the people around me.  I was transformed… My soul felt alive and it felt marvellous!  A miracle! 

Then synchronicity leant a hand. Coincidentally, a friend who was a professional artist, was offering her studio and experience to help a few women paint. Very soon I was painting pictures I wanted to display with pride.  Memories and all sorts of ‘connections’ came flooding back from when I used to create art as a child.  The ‘old’ narrative in my mind’s eye was rekindled and renewed and it felt like I was being wrapped up in that cosy blanket that my Granny and I had used on our special picnics all those years ago.  I was remembering what I had treasured all along but had not allowed into my life since my childhood…  It was like meeting a long lost friend and it was beautiful, nurturing and healing all at once.  I had finally ‘come home’.

Now, I am passionate about helping other women find their creativity, passion, their very essence.  I believe we are all creative beings and that by tapping into our innate creativity we can re-discover our true selves.  It is for this reason and my life experiences, that I have a strong urge to help other women on their spiritual path. 

My artwork is very much driven by my gratitude for life, love and spirit.  My blog – Blank Canvas Waiting – is slowly being developed and reflects heartfelt truths, words of wisdom and positive, loving energy as well as information about my artwork and occasional free artwork to download and share with others.  I offer mentoring sessions via telephone or in person. 

Thank you for reading my story and may you weave magic into your everyday by ‘Doing What You Love’…  

[All images courtesy of Jane Hinchliffe.  Jane  is an artist, a life, spirituality & creativity mentor, and author of the blog Blank Canvas Waiting.  Jane is a devotee photographer, and is a passionate believer in the healing powers of creativity (for all), laughter, nature, a good book and a large mug of tea...   Find out more about Jane on her website.]

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