BOLDNESS + BRAVERY Page 17 of 18

You are your own muse

Posted on 2011-06-15 at 9:00 am.

Something Vivienne McMaster said in a recent lesson in her photography e-course ‘You are your own muse’ really struck me. She said that when you take self-portrait photos you have all the control. Kind of obvious, but I had never thought about it before. It’s a really powerful thought if you don’t normally like pictures taken of yourself. So with that in mind I have been experimenting.

Here are a couple from my recent trip to Greece – I loved the way the shadows from my floppy sun hat fell on my face.

What do you think about taking pictures of yourself? Have you taken any lately?

[Images edited and altered using Picnik and Camerabag]

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PS – Read my new interview with Vivienne HERE!

Dreams do come true! Mandy Saile and Helen Agarwal share their stories

Posted on 2011-04-18 at 8:00 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

This week we share the stories of Canadian artist Mandy Saile of Bijou’s Whimsy and ‘jack-of-all-creative-trades’ Helen Agarwal in the UK.

Mandy Saile

I am…

– A creative & inspired maker of whimsical things

– A gal who’s usually most comfortable around animals, or in rooms full of books

– A a self-confessed rabbit addict, animal lover and animal advocate

– Intensely sensitive, especially about animals

– Plagued by severe chronic and acute migraines which heavily affect my day to day life and creative business. But, I try to see them as positive in their own pain-riddled way, because the headaches and migraines really do force me to slow down and really take notice of the small simple beauties in life

– Slightly obsessive when it comes to my work – I am a workaholic when my head allows

– Hugely passionate, joyful and find some form of bliss in almost every single day because I am always acutely and nervously aware of how short life is

– Full of wanderlust and dream of great travel adventures but at the same time I’ve had a long-standing dream of opening a rabbit sanctuary for rescued test-lab rabbits…so I’ll have to find a way to do both

– Still finding my footing as an entrepreneur but have huge hopes, plans and dreams which I will stubbornly never give up on.

I am Mandy Saile of Bijou’s Whimsy, and this is my story…

I graduated from one of the best art schools around, the Ontario College of Art & Design with associate and honours standing in 1999. I minored in communication and design and majored in illustration. I’ve been an artist and have made the making of art a priority in my life since I was a kid. Lately however, I am realising that it’s not been that long since I’ve really been putting my artistic dreams out there to be answered or believing in the beauty of my own dreams.

In 2003, with the incredible support of my honey, I was ready to take the leap, pursue my own work, and I resigned from my beloved job as a gallery coordinator. A couple years of light-hearted attempts followed, when I thought I believed in myself, but looking back realise I didn’t. I was making tons of pictures, doing lots of work and building up my portfolio and style most definitely BUT I still lacked the courage and belief that I was truly good enough to make a living as an artist. I don’t think it was until I immersed myself in the online world, that I started to see all of the incredible opportunities available that could be mine.

Up until this point, my own dreams were not firmly set in my own heart as truly being possible. And, it’s really just in the last few days that I am starting to ease up on myself. For I am realising that I’ve not been giving it my all for THAT long, it just feels like I’ve been pursuing this art thing for a long time. Because though my dreams have long been big and lofty, I until recently didn’t realise the importance of courage, belief in oneself and the ability to accept abundance as being key factors in the road to success. I would say that it was in 2008 when I became more proactive; I started a blog, opened online shops and just started spreading my art around more and more and now I am really trying, NOW I feel like I am REALLY pursuing this art thing full time.

I can’t really think of a time when making art and being inspired by art was not a major part of my life. It was not however always a nurtured aspect of my life. Many people around me tried to persuade me that ‘art is not a steady or wise path’ , and even nowadays there are more naysayers than positive people around. I do often wonder where I would be now – whether I’d be much farther along the road of success – if my artistic nature and aspirations had been fully nurtured by others. But I’ve always been an artist and I always will be, regardless of where life takes me or how much money I make from it. Making images and being creativity is really just as necessary to me as air, food and shelter. Besides, my love and the rabbits, creativity and art makes up the rhythm of my heart beat.

With my art I want to create images that refresh the soul and fill the viewer with joy; I want to use a vibrant and rich colour palette to quench colour hungry eyes and hearts; I simply aspire to inspire and shed a bit of positivity into a world that is often negative; I want to show and speak of the strength, beauty and fragility of the human spirit, especially that of the female side; and I must create work that prompts reflection and brings attention to the beauty of animals and the need for their conservation & protection.

My perfect day doing what I love is one where I wake up refreshed with no head pain and the sun is streaming into the house basking everything in a golden light. Jazz is tinkling away in the background, and healthy happy rabbits are playing around my feet and napping all stretched out in the sunlight. It’s a day that feels full of promise and feels deeply positive in future plans, dreams and hopes. It’s a day where this soft blanket of peace falls over me because I know I am exactly what and where I should be in that day. It’s this incredibly intense knowledge that I am happy in my life because I could do this life, just as it is for the rest of time. It’s where the day feels long with oodles of time to snuggle rabbits, cook delicious meat-free meals, have plenty of time to read and to hang out with my spectacular honey. A day where I let assumptions, fears, doubts, pressures and expectation fall by the way side because instead I am welcoming in whimsy, abundance, light, luck and love. This is a perfect day for me.

[All images courtesy of Mandy Saile]

Find out more about Mandy on her website Bijou’s Whimsy, on her blog, or in her Etsy shop.

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Helen Agarwal

If you’d told the small girl who liked ‘making things’ that one day she’d have a studio – a whole building of her own – and that in it she would craft lovely things and show other people how to do the same…. she would have thought it too good to be true.

And my path to doing what I love has been as much about blasting apart the ‘too good to be true’ myth as it has about actually creating the dream. I’ve had to learn that we can have what we want….our wildest dreams, our deepest desires. They’re not pie in the sky; they’re put inside us for a very good reason. Because that’s who we’re meant to be.

It hasn’t been a straightforward journey. Nor a quick one. It’s encompassed ten years of illness and a move to another continent that I fought against tooth and nail. There were years of trying to figure out the road ahead before I took so much as a single step; years of going it alone; and years more of playing small. Ultimately, it took three years of solitude in order to get in touch with what I really wanted, establish new mindsets and put the basics of life in order.

I could write reams about the lessons learned along the way; and about the things – and the people – that have helped me get this far. But the biggest boost of all – the life-changing turning point – came when I went to Squam Art Workshops in the summer of 2009. I finally found my tribe…. and discovered the existence of the online creative community (how had I missed that one?!). That virtual – yet very real – world of connections has catapulted me forward to places I never dreamed of venturing. There’s so much inspiration, so much support out there. We are living in extraordinary times and I’m thrilled to be a part of them.

These days I don’t go it alone. I share the journey with friends; share my art with the world. I write and talk and teach and offer retreats so that others will be inspired to live their creative dreams, too.

And I keep showing up. Bottom line is, I’ve learned that you get to do what you love by doing what you love. So these days, there’s no more hanging back. No more dithering. I just do stuff. I let my inclination and gut feeling lead me. I say yes to whatever opportunity presents itself. And the consequence is that the road rises up to meet me. One bizarre circumstance leads to another. And I suddenly find myself places I never expected to be. But loving the journey!

So what exactly do I do?

Well, I write a blog. Take an inordinate number of photographs. I’m currently working on one book and have been asked to contribute to another. I’ll soon be running my first retreat here in the Pennines and I’m also going into business with a local holiday company. I’m designing a wedding, selling skirts, teaching regular piano classes and occasional craft workshops. Oh, and I travel a lot!

Friends comment on how opportunities fall effortlessly into my lap these days. They want to know how it happens. I say:
* Believe the creative life you yearn for is possible. Your dreams aren’t too big. They’re probably way too small.
* Just keep showing up. If you don’t know where to start, do SOMETHING. You don’t have to know where it’s going. But action creates momentum.
* Say yes to any opportunity that comes your way that sounds appealing. Even if it’s scary. Even if you don’t feel qualified.
* You don’t have to opt for just one passion. Or one expression of art. (Believing this one kept me in a place of stagnation for YEARS!)
* Don’t worry about finding your voice. Just do what comes naturally. Do the obvious thing. (Your obvious is totally different from the next person’s.)
* This journey has everything to do with mindset and attitude. Pay attention to those.
* Let go of perfectionism. It’ll kill the joy and halt the momentum. Practise imperfection!
* It’s more than okay – it’s actually necessary – to enjoy yourself! That’s usually when you’re most truly you and can be of most service to others.
* Dare to call yourself an artist. Claim the title. Others will treat you like one and you’ll step into those shoes.
* Connect with others. There’s a world of support and inspiration out there. Tap into it.
* Everyone’s journey will look different; will be unique. So don’t worry there isn’t room for you. Or that it’s been done before. Your journey – if authentic – will be beautiful and wholly your own.
* Let the future unfold. You don’t have to have it all figured out before you start Just accept what comes and see where it takes you. It’ll be far more exciting than anything you could have planned, anyway!

[All images courtesy of Helen Agarwall]

Helen is a writer, photographer, musician, textile artist and jack-of-all-creative-trades whose life and work are rooted in the landscape of the Pennine hills in Yorkshire. For more information visit her website, Instagram (dixonhillgirl) or connect on Twitter @dixonhillgirl.

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Would you like to share your story on Do What You Love? Please read this and contact me for more details.

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Registration for the Do What You Love retreat closes at 5pm UK time on Wednesday 27 April, so if you want to make a last minute booking please do so now!

Don’t miss this opportunity to get creatively inspired, relax in a stunning environment, meet a new community of lovely like-minded people and start or grow your creative business.

This is the ONLY Do What You Love retreat this year. Yorkshire Dales, England (May 11-15 2011) Register now!

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Finding the courage to do what you love: two inspirational ladies share their stories

Posted on 2011-04-11 at 8:00 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

This week we share the stories of artists Brenda Mangalore of Sashe Studio in Australia, and Luisa of Happy Serendipity in Germany.

Brenda Mangalore

My story isn’t the usual tale of realising how much I hated my job and finding the courage to quit in pursuit of doing what I loved.

I left a ‘dream job’ as a graphic designer to pursue my hidden real desire of being a professional fine artist. I realised that you can be so close to your real dream (I was being creative after all!) and yet, by not being honest about what you really love, you’ll be just as unhappy as someone who really hated their job.

Battling my fear of failure in pursuit of something so ‘fanciful’ (fanciful = unrealistic & likely to fail) as being a fine artist, I discovered the world of design in high school and thought my dreams had come true! Here was a vocation that was employable PLUS it was creative. It was a lot of hard work but I persevered and pushed through the difficulties. I had to learn how to handle the doubts from well-meaning relatives and friends which only added to the fears. Thank goodness for the stubbornness of youth! I kept the momentum despite the scary by just moving forward, one step at a time.

I did get into university, even more amazingly I landed my dream job! Working in a fun creative studio designing greeting cards and paper products. I had achieved my goal, proved to myself and my very worried family that I could get a J-O-B doing something creative. This grew my faith in the inevitable success that comes when you pursue your goal with all you have, pushing through the fear.

Four years passed by and my yearning to be a visual fine artist continued to pester me. I knew, that deep down I wasn’t really happy. Something was missing. I battled with my inner fear & love-of-security monsters yelling at me, “It’s your dream job! You have travel opportunities like you wanted! You get to make pretty things and be creative all day! There are people who are stuck in boring jobs they hate! You don’t HATE your job! How can you DARE ask for more!”

I envied the stories I found online of artists leaving their jobs and starting their art-life. I realised I had a dream job, but it wasn’t MY dream job. I loved what I did but I wasn’t doing what I truly loved. I was so close to being what I dreamed to be and yet it felt so far away.

Fortunately, my dear husband patiently listened to my laments about wanting more. My sad realisation that on sick days I was glad I was ill and didn’t have to face work. My guilt at realising I fought so hard for this designer life and I didn’t want it anymore. He encouraged me with his full support to grasp at my dream and make it a reality. So mid-2010 I decided I would.

(Brenda next to her painting at her first group art show – “living her dream”)

I wish I could say “I’m living my happily ever after”. In a way I am, but I’m also at the beginning of a new story. Now when I read those blogs about artists and their life, I feel like I’m reading my own future diary but I still have to LIVE in the present. I’m being a full-time artist now! That isn’t to say all is sunshine and rainbows. The fear monsters still screams occasionally, my days are filled with learning to listen to both my monsters and faith. To be a beginner again means learning to be humble, being willing to fail. I realise I’ve had to change my lifestyle too, budget-wise as well as learning the difference in managing myself as a business owner vs being an employee. Learning to be kind to myself when I fail; learning to pick myself up and keep moving forward. Accepting baby steps instead of jumping to the happy ending; learning to celebrate those small steps too. Learning about all the knowledge I didn’t know I didn’t know to live an artist’s life and business, but it all began with making that choice to actively DO what I love. That has made all the difference.

In hindsight, I am grateful for the detours of my life. I think I needed to build up that faith in myself to pursue my journey now. I’ve also realised, I’m happy to make financial and time sacrifices, because I no longer needed shopping sprees or mindless hours of TV to anaesthetize myself from my unhappiness. I’m finding peaceful joy in the simpler things, because now I’m moving in the right direction towards a more meaningful, bigger picture.

I believe that we all have a life dream, an inner flame. We were created to pursue this dream, to do what we love. I also believe there will be a lot of hard work, tears and fears along the way — there is no rainbow without the rain! You just have to keep moving forward towards that life, even when you can’t SEE the light at the end of the tunnel. Have faith in the divine to partner with you to achieve what you were created to do! There will most likely never be a perfect time, or some heavenly sign to tell you when to start doing what you love. You just have to choose to begin. That will make all the difference!

[All images courtesy of Brenda Mangalore.]

Brenda Mangalore is an Artist, Designer, Dreamer, Doodler, Durian lover and Jelly’s mum. Sashé Studio is her online home where she shares her journey of creating this artist-life and business. You can join her in the Sashé Studio Society for exclusive news and goodies or find her on Facebook or Twitter.]

Luisa

Hello everyone. I’m Luisa and I blog on Happy Serendipity. I’m honored to be invited to tell my story here on Do What You Love. I’m currently taking the Do What You Love E-course which I so enjoy, and since I’m talking about what I love doing today here it is actually good exercise for me to find out – while writing this post – if I’m already there where I want to be.

I think I’m already doing a lot of things that I really love. Loving from the deep down bottom of my heart. For me doing what I love doesn’t only consists of actually “making” or “doing” things. On the one hand I DO have a great life which allows me to be creative and spontaneous. On the other hand I have a consistent job that feeds me well and that allows me to live in a dream apartment together with my partner. I am so grateful for being able to do all of those things that make me happy everyday.

(Found inspiration via Pinterest)

When it comes to really doing what I love I can say that I would love to turn my passion into a full-time occupation. I have a very dearly relationship with a sewing machine. Since some years I sew almost every day. It’s like an addiction to me. I sit by the machine and turn nothing into something, fully concentrated, dedicating all my heart and thoughts and love into every single piece. When I’m into a project that takes all my time and creativity there is nothing else that I can think of in that time. And then I saw this quote “Never give up on something you can’t go a day without thinking about” and it hit me. I opened an Etsy shop end of last year and that was big step towards my dream. ALL summer I’ve sat day and night to get the first pieces done, I photographed, wrote descriptions and thought of how to let people know I’m out there, too. That was my first step and I was so proud of myself. I remember my first sale and I literally jumped through the roof.

(Some of Luisa’s lovely sewn creations)

And now I’m there with all my dreams and plans and a bunch of ideas that are coming out of my ears already but I’m totally stuck. Even terrified. The thought of quitting my day job, loosing the security of a monthly paycheck, my retirement pays and a steady day scare me. I don’t doubt my talent or my passion or that I could be so much more than a worker in an office but I just can’t do this right now. To be honest, I’m not brave enough. And I have not yet found a solution for this.

So what I do is keep on doing what I’m doing. I feel very blessed about everything I’ve accomplished by now and I reached the point where I can tell myself that it’s ok to still wait a little bit longer. I gave myself this year 2011 to find out what I really truly want. That’s a big thing to figure out. Throwing out wishes to the universe not knowing what the real wish is is just wrong. Until then I keep on sewing and blogging and just do what I love.

HA! See?! There we have it. I’m already doing what I love BUT there is so much more in store for me. And I’m really looking forward on working on my dream and to fight my way through my future.

[Images courtesy of Luisa]

Find out more about Luisa on her blog Happy Serendipity or on Twitter.

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Would you like to share your story on Do What You Love? Maybe you have some good advice on how we can all be more brave? If so I’d love to hear from you so please read this and contact me for more details.

Finding the courage to follow your heart: Erin Wigger and Louise Gale share their stories

Posted on 2011-03-14 at 8:00 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

This week we share two stories from New York City – photojournalist Erin Wigger and Louise Gale, a British artist living in the US*.

* Since this post was published Louise has moved to Spain.

Erin Wagger

To do what I love means that I live with passion, purpose and a good amount of self-sacrifice. It means that every day I wake up and choose to live my life as a storyteller. I am a photographer and I tell life stories, death stories and everything in between.

I studied abroad for my sophomore year in Jerusalem, Israel and a friend’s father hooked me up with the number for the Associated Press office in town. I cold-called the editor and asked if he needed an intern. “I will clean your toilets or anything you need”, I remember telling him. I didn’t have a portfolio, or even any pictures to show, just hubris and the vague, unshakeable idea that this was the place for me. I now think he just wanted a cute young thing around the office, but it didn’t matter because I was in.

My first day on the job I photographed a demonstration in Bethlehem. Tear gas, rubber bullets and rocks. That was my first glimpse into real journalism. As I ran directly into the tear gas I remember thinking that this was the only thing I ever wanted to do. I decided right there to become a photojournalist. I spent the rest of the year photographing major events in Israel. I skipped class to go to demonstrations in Hebron and Ramallah. I talked my way into private Christmas services at the Church of the Nativity and took one of the only pictures of Yasser Arafat at a Christian mass. I was fearless and on fire. I failed most of my classes that year and never got a better education.

I went to school for photography, which isn’t for everyone, but I knew I needed to learn how to see. Anyone can press a button on a camera, but I wanted to know about who had come before me and find my place.

Now I freelance as a photographer in New York City, the most competitive place in this industry. It hasn’t been easy to survive. I do personal projects that make me no money and pray that they get noticed. But I still live for that thrill of meeting someone new and hearing their story. I am granted the gift of curiosity and this life enables me to indulge in it. I started photographing weddings and realized that there were stories there too, amazing ones that needed to be told truly.

I’ve had many crises of faith. Photojournalism is not a life that can be lived halfway. You will never be rich with money, but you will meet the most incredible people and be a small part of their lives. You will be a voice for them. I’ve backed away from my dream many, many times. I have been scared at the depth of my ambition. I want to tell big stories that matter and that’s what keeps me striving even when the going is rough.

(All images courtesy of Erin Wigger)

Find out more about Erin and her work on her website.

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Louise Gale

(Photo courtesy of Louise Gale)

I love that I can be creative everyday. I love that I go to bed at night contented and full of gratitude. I love waking up, excited to see what the day will bring. I love the connections I have made with other creative souls out there and the strong bonds that are forming. I love that I am listening to the universe and myself, and that I feel aligned and on the path I am meant to be on. There are so many things I am happy about in this present time of my life that I can honestly say I am doing what I love.

‘Burst’

My website was born to enable me to dream more, be inspired and inspire others, start creating art again and ultimately create the life I was born to live. It has done just that and I am so proud to say that I am now helping others dream big through my e-courses, and inspiring them with stories of serendipity and the universe. Through creating and exhibiting art, and through the life I am living, a wonderful community is forming, made up of people who support each other to explore and grow.

‘Green life or grey life?’

When I think of all the significant moments and scary decisions in my life, they have led me here, to do what I do, to the people I have met and the person I am. Growing up in the UK, my parents taught me “to go against the grain” and not always follow the crowd. My art teacher at school told me I wasn’t good enough – and that taught me “to try it anyway” (and guess what? I got in to art school!). Not having a job in a creative field right away taught me I could still be creative. The numerous jobs I had taught me it’s good to try new things and go back to your passion when the time is right. Living in Australia and travelling to far away lands taught me to be adventurous, face my fears and be a free spirit. There are many other life lessons have brought me to where I am now.

‘Botanical garden’

The greatest lesson in my life so far is to trust myself, my instincts and my intuition, and that positive thinking and determination will lead me to where I am meant to go. Being able to be creative every day saved me through the tough times of working in a windowless office and enabled me to actually realise, I COULD turn my dreams into reality.

May 1st 2011 marks my one year anniversary of this new life. The corporate life that brought me to America back in 2004 seems so far away now. I am also about to embark on training for my Life Coaching Certificate and I can’t wait to continue to help others follow their dreams.

‘Out of this world’

For more information about Louise, visit her website, or connect on Facebook.

[All images courtesy of Louise Gale]

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Would you like to share your story on Do What You Love? Please read this and contact me for more details.

Finding your purpose: three inspiring women share their stories

Posted on 2011-03-07 at 9:00 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

Today’s *shared stories* come from artists Jan Avellana of Hazelnut Cottage, from Hawaii, and Liv Lane and Bonnie Rose Kempenich in the US.

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Jan Avellana

“Doing what you love” is so closely tied into my vocation. After two degrees, a career in graphic design and a stint as an elementary school teacher, I became a first time mother. Taking my maternity leave I was such a relief! I was beyond miserable—no career ever seemed to fit and I was wading through depression, desperately seeking answers to what was wrong with me.

Today, doing what I love means I spend late nights in the studio pursuing my growing passion for mixed-media art and then, even after just a few hours of sleep, looking forward to spending my day with my family and my art. I not only love my life, I love my work! It has taken me my entire adult life to get to this place of joy.

I think I realized way back in design school during college that I wanted to be an artist. However, it wasn’t until a decade later that I re-discovered my creative passions. I was so filled with dread at the thought of going back to my 9-5 job and having to leave my two babies in someone else’s care. One night, I happened to stumble upon Etsy and the indie artist community. It was then that I knew I had found my tribe! I started out in 2007 with a line of hand-stamped silver jewelry. It has taken me a long time to understand and accept that I am a mixed-media artist and that connecting deeply with others through my work is integral to my sanity; it is indeed my God-given purpose!

After realizing that I was an indie artist, I opened up an Etsy shop under the name of Hazelnut Cottage. I began blogging. And slowly, slowly, found myself digging up long-abandoned dreams of being a mixed-media artist and a writer. About six months ago, I began playing in the studio; painting, creating collage and tiny clay pieces in earnest. I am currently making the transition from jewelry designer to mixed-media artist and hope to begin introducing a new line of paintings I am working on, soon!

Along the way I have had to sacrifice sleep! I opened up my Etsy shop when my youngest son was just about three months old, so there have been many sleepless nights. Now that I am transitioning from making jewelry (my current day job) to offering my mixed-media works for sale, there has been less income from my jewelry line. My family and I have also made lots of financial sacrifices now that much of my energy and time is now devoted to developing a body of mixed-media work.

With hindsight, I wish I had known myself better, sooner. I wish I had discovered and embraced my artistic loves at a much younger age. If anything, my sometimes tortured experience now compels me to encourage other artists—especially emerging artists—with the kind of support I wish I had back then, and still need today.

Now I have so many big art dreams! First and foremost, I want to develop a strong artistic style and a body of work that feels uniquely my own. I’ve been exploring in the studio quite a bit, but I have yet to settle on any particular style or media. My focus right now is to faithfully show up in the studio and guard against discouragement by quieting my inner critic and allowing myself to have fun making lots and lots of art!

[Images courtesy of Jan Avellana] Find out more about Jan over on her blog, or see her lovely creations in her Etsy shop, Hazlenut Cottage.

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Liv Lane

[Photo credit: Amy Zellmer for Savvy.MN]

I have a brand new light. Not in my house, but in my spirit. When I write or speak about getting unstuck and finding your passion, I often share how I went from living in the dark – the result of postpartum depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – to learning how to shine again from the inside out. Our lights may flicker and dim at certain points in our lives, but I believe it’s always possible to feel illuminated again – even brighter than before.

When my son was two, I took him to a music class. On the first day, we all sat in a circle – toddlers in their parents’ laps – and the teacher asked us to each share something we loved to do. As parents and kids shared their favorite pastimes, I started to panic. I couldn’t think of anything I enjoyed doing. My mind raced, my heart pounded. When it was our turn to share, my little boy blurted out, “play trucks!” And all I could utter was, “Me too. I like to play trucks, too.” That experience was a warning sign for me that something was wrong. You’d think it would have been the awareness that I’d pinpointed which bridges in town would be easiest to drive off or that I sobbed at the drop of a hat. But it was the realization that I no longer liked to do ANYTHING that caught my attention.

I know it sounds crazy, but it felt like I had joy amnesia. So, with help from my therapist, I began to discover the pastimes that made my heart skip a beat – some new, some old. I experimented with different activities, expanded my social circle, and gave myself permission to back out of the things that didn’t thrill me (sorry, neighborhood Bunco ladies!). Eventually, I began to notice the pastimes that illuminated true happiness within me: writing, broadcasting, taking photographs, antiquing, doodling, scrapbooking. Those were so much fun for me that I’d lose track of time.

Eventually, those hobbies not only brought joy back into my personal life, but some of them worked their way into my professional life. My corporate job no longer felt right; it stressed me out and didn’t fulfill me. So, my husband and I devised a plan that allowed me to leave the daily grind behind and work for myself – writing, blogging, picture-taking, speaking, and broadcasting about healing, happiness and the beauty in every day. I officially launched my one-woman company, Choosing Beauty, and threw an Independence Day party for myself on 7/7/07. I felt so free and energized!

My heart was so full that I never imagined there might be even more waiting for me around the bend. But now I have another twinkle in my eye: I’ve given birth to the artist within. Until 2010, I’d never been brave enough to call myself an artist. I loved making handmade treasures for loved ones and spent countless hours fawning over Etsy shops. But I never dreamed of creating my own. I was too worried that I wouldn’t measure up to professional artists or that people wouldn’t like my work.

Those fears flew out the window in the spring of 2010 when I discovered mixed media collage – a medium that lets me blend my writing, photography, and love of all things beautiful. On a whim, I signed up for Kelly Rae Roberts’ inaugural Flying Lessons e-course and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Through that class, I discovered an online community of amazing creative spirits and dream cheerleaders who rooted for me as I embraced my art. Suddenly, what others thought of my creations didn’t matter anymore. I felt too fulfilled and fired up to care.

[Image courtesy of Liv Lane]

I turned our dining room into my art studio (we call it the “dudio”) and I launched my Etsy shop in late August 2010. My husband worried that opening a shop and making money from my art might diminish the joy I get out of creating it. But the opposite has been true. Knowing my artwork touches others while providing a source of income inspires me to create from the heart. It helps put food on the table and it feeds my soul.

You know how a room changes so dramatically when you add a new light fixture? The whole space shines in a new way. Today, each facet of the work I do adds new dimension to my life and illuminates my path. I feel so blessed. Those dark days, when I couldn’t think of a single passion, now seem light years away. I am doing what I love and allowing myself to shine from the inside out.

Liv Lane is an artist, writer, radio host, and speaker dedicated to illuminating the magic in each day. She is also the creator of The Feel Good Deal of the Day – a weekday email featuring discounts on uplifting, creative resources and products. Find Liv at her Choosing Beauty blog and on Twitter (@choosingbeauty).

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Bonita Rose (Bonnie Rose) Kempenich

I am doing what I love every day and feel so so blessed with the life I am now living. I truly do. I’m a 49 year old mother of two beautiful young women, now living in Fargo with my husband, Greg and our dog Angel. My daughters live about 4 hours north of us up in Canada. I see them often in the school year and over holidays and breaks. Being a noncustodial parent, especially a mother can often be so hard. I find not many people can understand how I feel every day. And that’s okay. It takes a lot to walk a mile in my shoes, it really does.

And honestly, I’ve learned most are just too busy traveling on their own journeys in this life to figure out what they love. Each of our journeys is so so different. One thing I’ve learned is that art truly saves. It saves me every day. Every day.

Years ago, while living through the midst of an ugly divorce and custody battle, and having to deal with mediators and supervised visitation and all of that, I clung to my art, my crafting, my hobbies. It is what kept me alive during this time. It gave me hope for better days ahead. It sprinkled my days with joy when back then, joy was oh so very hard to come by.
Art has saved me over and over again.

There was a time when I thought to myself, why bother? Why me? So many people out there are making art, creating beautiful work, have gorgeous websites, why me? Why should I even try to do anything? It’s so easy to feel you aren’t valued. You aren’t worthy. You’re not good enough.

It’s a constant fight as a creative soul.
As a human being, I struggle daily with those thoughts.
Daily.

One thing I’ve realized in my life – through the challenging times, and even now, during times of comfort, is that people that take the time to show you love and support are the people that truly matter. They help you get to the other side. They uplift you when you so so need it. They whisper in your ear, things you can barely believe about yourself. You want to believe these things. So slowly, with every passing day, you grow stronger. You start to believe again. You start to look in the mirror and finally, you see all the possibilities.

Doing what you love.
It’s so different for each of us.
It truly is.
We all bring different talents and passions and our life stories to the table. We all have something to contribute. To give. To make this world a better place. We all have a way to inspire others. Every single one of us.

I chose the word COURAGEOUS as my word this year, and so far, it has steered me towards so many wonderful possibilities. So so many. I am currently developing my own website which will be unveiled at BonitaRose.com in the coming months – along with a shiny new blog and an Etsy shop makeover! I’m excited about the future, about what is to come!

Don’t get me wrong. All I really want to do is inspire. To share my creativity and my passions with all of you. I don’t look at blog statistics. I am not one to worry about how many comments I receive on my blog. I write, I share because it’s what I want to do. I want to inspire plain and simple. With lots of bold bold color! I’m doing what I love and right now, I feel so blessed to have a supportive tribe that loves me and supports me in my journey. Love to all of you that truly believe in me. People can make such a difference.

[All images courtesy of Bonnie Rose Kempenich.]

Find out more about Bonnie Rose on her blog, see her work in her Etsy shop or connect on Facebook or Twitter. Bonnie Rose also runs a self-paced e-course, Color Your World 2.0. The classroom opens on April 1st – you can register here.

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Would you like to share your story on Do What You Love? Please see here and contact me for more details.

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Unleash the creative in you: TJ Goerlitz and Andrea Schroeder share their stories

Posted on 2011-02-21 at 9:00 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

Are you doing what you love?

In this weekly series, we highlight stories of people who are determined to do just that. Some stories talk of triumph, others despair. They all involve bravery, belief, courage and hope. They are real stories about real people chasing their dreams, and making choices and sacrifices which allow them to do what they love, for life. Every Monday this will become a space for sharing those stories. It takes courage to share, and I hope you will read them, relate to them, be inspired by them, and leave a comment about them.

The stories shared here are our shared stories. “Tread softly, because you tread on my dreams…” WB Yeats

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Today’s stories are from TJ Goerlitz of Studio Mailbox, an American artist living in Germany, and creative dream coach Andrea Schroeder of ABCcreativity.

TJ is an American artist living in Germany. Even though TJ is married to a German national and settled in the country, she still finds that the feeling of being a ‘foreigner’ still influences her life and art.

Andrea Schroeder is a creative dream coach, healer, artist and all around magic-maker. Her mission is “to help remind you that you are a creative genius and that you can create and do “anything”. For more see her website ABCcreativity.

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Tari ‘TJ’ Goerlitz

Doing what I love means exploring my surroundings and then expressing my reaction to it through photography, blogging and artwork.

Studio Mailbox was born on leap year 2008 after I moved to Germany and my attempts to build a website were an epic failure. Blogging was a way that I could have an internet presence and be able to administer it myself.

Over time the site has given me a huge sense of accomplishment. It’s a record of my creative adventures as a foreigner. Now it’s grown into something that needs to be managed and hopefully in time will become a platform for generating income.

The most important thing to me is creating a style that’s original and recognizable. When I started blogging, I only used my own photography and artwork. It never even occurred to me to go find imagery somewhere on the web. It’s been a ton of work but the end result is a site that’s truly mine both in stories and content.

In hindsight, I wish I would have known sooner how important it is to connect with others online. A huge mistake I made in the beginning was to neglect linking and interacting with other artists. I just didn’t understand how the whole blogosphere worked. Not knowing the etiquette made me feel very vulnerable and insecure. Germany is quite a way behind the curve when it comes to blogging. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was actually blazing a trail by German standards!

One of my biggest worries is somehow creating a controversial on-line presence that will hinder my chances at future employment or opportunities. What I’m slowly learning is that surrounding yourself with a tribe of like-minded people is your best defence. That way when you do mess up most people will hopefully display compassion and support you.

I have lots of dreams but the ones I’m currently chasing are avenues to exhibit artwork in Germany as well as investigating publishing and licensing opportunities.

Because I’m creating work in response to German culture, I worry about offending people. Sometimes it’s tricky to know how to speak my truth. Although I’ve experienced a lot of pain as a foreigner, I’ve experienced even more love. I’m nuts for all things alpine. I swoon over traditional clothing. Don’t even mention German hats! It would be so meaningful to me if I could use my foreign eyes to create the kind of designs that Germans could be proud of.

If I could ask one thing of the universe to help me along my way, I’d ask for a creative mentor. I’ve been out here alone in my wacky creative brain long enough.

All images courtesy of TJ Goerlitz. For more information see TJ’s website, Studio Mailbox, or connect on Facebook

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Andrea Schroeder

I am doing what I love. It is the most soul satisfying, glee-inducing thing EVER.

I have been doing what I love for some time. Well, I always have been, in a way, anyway. I mean through being a “starving artist” or juggling a job and my creative life – I’ve always found a way to be doing what I love, in the best way I could at the time.

But seven months ago I came to a point where I needed something different. I knew I needed to quit my part time job and have the thing I love be the way I live. I set a clear intention to leave my job in six months.

And those six months were a bumpy ride.

I started to examine everything about my work. I had been doing my art, as well as leading Creativity Workshops, Healing Meditation Circles and working with clients one on one for years already but everything about it was set up to be part time, to fit around my job. I had to look honestly at what needed to change for me to be able to make the income I wanted to have. I had to look at what I needed to learn and where I needed to grow to be able to create and sustain the kind of business I wanted to have.

The more I learned about business the more exciting it got, seeing how I can fit everything I love into one beautiful sparkling entity.

At the same time, the more I learned and grew my business – the louder my fears became. The parts of me that really like the comfort and safety of income and benefits let me know they were not happy with my choice. Self doubt began to creep in. Sure, I put on great events and make art that inspires people – but can I really produce enough for it to be a full time job? Can I really make enough money to pay the mortgage and insurance and keep the car running and and and and and…

And then, if that wasn’t enough I did have people questioning me “Are you sure you can really make enough money?” “Isn’t this too big a risk?” , “I can’t believe you are quitting your job! You’re so lucky to have it!”

My intuition was always clear. YES. You are ready. This is the time. You can do it. You have everything you need. Oh. But you do have to deal with these pesky fears. There is no other way to get there.

So my time became stretched by learning about business, applying my new learnings to my ever-growing business, doing the work of running a business, interacting with fears – both mine and the fears of the people around me and going to work.

Looking back I’m not really sure how I did all of that. But I had that clear intuitive knowing. I was ready. It was time. And there was a lot of crap to move through in order to get there and the best way to move through, for me, for that time, was to just plow through and not stop no matter what.

And that’s what I did.

I left my job a month ago.

I do the things I love as my full time work. I live my creative dreams and I get to help others do the same. This is the best!

Andrea’s studio

[All photo credits: Andrea Schroeder]

For more information about Andrea visit her website, or connect on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

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Would you like to have your story published on Do What You Love? See here for more details of how to get involved and share your story with the world.

Do What You Love e-course featuring Kanya King, founder of the MOBO Awards

Posted on 2011-02-11 at 11:00 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

I am so excited about the stellar line-up of inspiring people whose interviews will feature in the upcoming Do What You Love ecourse. If you haven’t signed up already, register now! Class starts on March 14 and this is not to be missed. Over the next couple of weeks I will introduce the incredibly inspiring people who are going to share their thoughts, insights and advice in a series of juicy interviews for the Do What You Love e-course.

Today I am excited to announce that we will have an exclusive interview with Kanya King MBE, founder and CEO of the MOBO Awards. Join us in class to hear Kanya talk about identifying your passion, pursuing your vision, sticking with it despite challenges and setbacks, and finding a support network . Class runs for six weeks. Register now!

About the e-course

This online adventure will take you step-by-step on a path to discovering your true passion, and finding a way to make it a greater part of your everyday life.

In six weeks you will expand your comfort zone, nurture your playful spirit and use this to feed your creative soul. You will travel this path with a community of like-minded people from across the world, sharing your stories, forging new connections, and inspiring each other.

Based on the principle that adventure fuels creativity, a rich combination of thought-provoking posts, juicy interviews and stories will be shared, along with journal prompts, photo exercises, tools to help you on your path and fun weekly missions.

If you throw yourself into it, you will emerge more confident, more curious and much more likely to end up doing what you love.

Do What You Love. Register now!

Do What You Love – the e-course

Posted on 2011-02-02 at 5:00 pm.

Written by Beth Kempton

Can you honestly say you are you doing what you love? Wouldn’t you like to be able to say that, and mean it?

This online adventure will take you step-by-step on a path to discovering your true passion, and finding a way to make it a greater part of your everyday life.

Based on the principle that adventure fuels creativity, a rich combination of thought-provoking posts and stories will be shared, along with journal prompts, photo exercises, tools to help you on your path and fun weekly missions.

And we have an incredible line up of interviews for you – some really amazing people will share their stories along the way, to challenge and inspire you. (Stay tuned for the interview line-up announcements here soon – they will blow your socks off!)

If you throw yourself into it, you will emerge more confident, more curious and much more likely to end up doing what you love.

This will be like no other class you have ever taken. Can you afford not to join us?

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Sign up here for the Spring 2011 edition of the Do What You Love e-course which will run six weeks Monday March 14 to Saturday April 23 2011. We have curious souls signed up from three continents across the world and an AMAZING line-up of interviews (to be announced soon). Join us for this adventure.

Why do you need this right now?

Share your story on Do What You Love

Posted on 2011-01-28 at 9:00 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

Are you doing what you love?

Whether the answer (right now) is yes or no, we all have a story to tell.

In celebration of the Do What You Love e-course launch, I am putting out a call for guest posts for this blog. It attracts four-figure weekly traffic, and I want to open up that platform to share your stories with the world.

I am starting a new series shortly, capturing the essence of what it means to do what you love, warts and all, and I’d love it if you would be part of that.

What’s your story? Are you doing what you love? If so, what changes or sacrifices have you had to make along the way to get there?

If you aren’t (yet) doing what you love but want to, what obstacles are standing in your way, and how are you tackling them?

Please contact me if you are interested in having your story highlighted, and sending more readers to your part of the blog world.

You never know, your story may end up in the book proposal I am secretly working on…

(PS If you have no idea what you love, it might be an idea to sign up for the Do What You Love e-course!)

To tweet or not to tweet

Posted on 2010-12-14 at 2:13 pm.

Written by Beth Kempton

So tell me, is it worth it?

Is Twitter all it is cracked up to be?

As I decide whether or not to open myself up to yet another social media channel,

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Are you on Twitter?

Why?

What do you like about it?

Any advice for a newbie?