When I first set out on this new creative path of mine I had a pretty good idea of which direction I was headed. I had been dreaming and scheming for years about my creative abilities and what I could do with them. It was just a matter of rolling up my sleeves and making them happen. But a funny thing happened as I started to offer workshops and create events that expressed my long-held vision, some things weren't working out, others failed outright, and I also dabbled in taking advantage of opportunities that came along that were never part of my original plan. I learned pretty quickly to keep an open mind and to remain flexible. I leaned in to my curiosity and tried a lot of different things. Some I loved, others, meh, not as much, but I learned a whole heck of a lot by trying them out. I gave myself permission to try all the things, but to pay close attention to when something really got me excited.
From the get-go there were several pieces to my plan, it's always been made up of all the parts of me, a variety of creative outlets that I love, and that I feel compliment each other pretty well. Also? It's a sure fire way to make sure I don't get bored. Some folks might prefer to do just one thing and to stick to that, but for me I knew I'd need several ways to express myself to keep inspired and engaged. Making and selling my artwork, teaching in-person workshops and classes, and creating online courses have all been what I originally set out to do. Two other pieces of my entrepreneur puzzle are to work with women one-on-one to encourage them along their own creative paths and to hold creative retreats in other countries. I haven't rolled those out yet but they are things that have definitely been part of my vision for my new work life. And I so appreciate you all for going along on this ride with me, not always knowing where I'm even going some of the time, yet still offering me so much encouragement and support along the way!
So you see where this is going right? Hang on! Pivot! Lol. In the past couple weeks, I've had some amazingly insightful conversations that made me realize something super important. That idea of retreats in other countries? Turns out they feel so much more important to me than anything else I've ever dreamt up, I can't believe I didn't see this coming.
Now, I spent five years of my life living, working, and traveling overseas in my early twenties. I LOVED being in places where people were speaking other languages around me, and trying new foods, and seeing the world from different perspectives, and having my own upbringing and assumptions about how one does life held up for review. Was it always fun and easy? No, of course not, it takes a lot of courage to step into the unknown, it takes a lot of humility to change ones assumptions about life, and it takes a LOT of humor to try to make oneself understood in another language. I didn't always succeed at all that, but I for sure learned a lot about myself in the process. But even after I returned to the US, I made sure to stay connected to people and perspectives that broadened my way of seeing the world, I continued visiting new places and countries, I began studying two other languages, and I've returned to and stayed connected to the countries I used to live in.
And that part of me is still very much alive and well and just itching for more of all of that! When I read travel stories or memoirs of folks from other countries, when I see my friends traveling or moving abroad, when I see women I've admired for years offering artistic retreats in far flung places, I get this feeling, it's so deep and so profound, I know I need to be doing something similar. It's in my bones. (And for you astro geeks, it's in my natal chart too ~ four planets in the house of travel and higher education!) I dream of it. I lose sleep over it. I ache for it. It's so crazy. I continue to feel an overwhelming and intense desire to get myself on an airplane and get myself out there somehow.
So what jumped out at me these past couple weeks is that the idea of doing retreats myself in other countries, it shouldn't be just one piece of my puzzle, one part of my plan, it needs to be at the absolute center! All the other pieces need to feed this one thing. I feel like my whole life up to this point has been leading me to this. It's mind blowing that I didn't see it sooner. But there you have it.
What would these retreats involve you may ask? Well you can be sure there would be artistic and introspective activities focused on diving into your creative path ~ either helping you to find one or expand the one you're already on. There would be quiet reflective time perfectly balanced with connecting with others in deep and meaningful ways, delicious food ~ of course, and time to get to know the surrounding area, culture, and people. But there's a couple other things as well that I need to mention.
The core of my creative path, the very foundation of why I do what I do, is to be of service to others in tandem with my creative expression. I deeply believe that the artists and creative types of this world have what it takes to see beyond our current reality, to envision a world that is so much more colorful, alive, fun, loving, compassionate, and just. The dreamers are the ones who can imagine a world quite different than the messed up one we're living in right now. And I want to support them in any way I can! I know all too well what it's like to be discouraged in pursuing an artist's life, in daring to hope for a better world, in wanting community and connection and caring for others to be at the heart and center of who we are as humans. From the beginning I've woven into my workshops, e-books, and online courses the opportunity to figure out just what it means to give back, to discover what you're passionate about, and how to get started in combining your individual creative expression with bringing about change for the good of all. So you can bet any retreats I do would include this introspective component as well.
And finally, one thing I learned pretty quickly when travelling is that I have had quite the privilege to even be doing any of this. So many people will never have the financial ability to do what I've done; having a US passport has allowed me the ability to travel to so many countries that is denied to others; and being white has afforded me an ease in many places that a person of color will not experience. These are things I absolutely do not take for granted. And when I travel, I know that I'm a guest, a visitor, and that as much as I learn about myself in all my travels, the people who live there are under no obligation to provide me with that experience. They are not players in my drama, these other countries do do not exist simply so I can have a great time and grow and learn as a person. For me, travel is about connection, it is about reciprocity, it's about forming relationships, it's about creating mutually beneficial experiences, it's about creating a way to foster greater understanding and caring for each other on a global level. At least that's my hope, I may not always succeed in it, but its always my intention.
As I start thinking about offering creative retreats, I take all of this into consideration. There's no way I could offer anything less. And when deciding to put retreats at the forefront and center of what I do, I get so stinkin' excited! There's so much to learn, but it turns I've already got some smaller scale retreats under my belt. About ten years ago, for a few years in a row, I organized long weekend get-aways for my group of girlfriends: there were creative activities, yummy meals, time to relax, and time to connect and bond, all in lovely settings along the coast of northern California. Seems like I was getting myself ready for this new central focus way back then.
The other parts of me, of what I've been doing and offering so far? They aren't going anywhere, they're just getting shifted around, making room for the thing that makes me most excited and they will get wrapped into this central idea of creating retreats. So now that I have the vision, it's a matter of making it happen. Fortunately, as many of you know, I have an overabundance of risk-taking abilities at my core, it's who I am. The only daunting part is knowing where to begin!
So, if you love to travel or have always wanted to; if you want to explore what a creative path would look like for you; if you're on a creative or artistic path and would love a deep dive to take it to the next level; if you want to be surrounded by supportive, creative, and inspiring women; if you yearn to be of service, to dream into being a better way of doing life; if you want to learn about other ways of living, of experiencing this world; if you want to build connection and relationships that extend around the world; if you want to transform yourself and this planet ... then stick around, because things are about to get real.
Never miss a post!
Did you know you can subscribe to my blog? Â
I promised when I set up this new artistic life of mine that I wouldn't flood your inboxes. But if you'd like, you can receive the latest blog post ~ every Monday ~ directly to your inbox. This is separate from my Newsletter, which goes out only once a month.
If you know you want to be a more creative person but just aren't sure where to begin, this online self-paced course is for you, The Portal to Creativity. The activities invite you to be curious, to start reflecting on who you are, and to find out more about what moves you in life. It's a chance to get to know yourself better. By the end you'll have a clearer direction of where to start your creative path, and know yourself even better too.
Comments