Giving yourself permission to do what’s calling you
Esther Loopstra Esther Loopstra

Giving yourself permission to do what’s calling you

Most of us have grown up believing that we have to make a safe choice in order to survive. But what we don't realize is that when we choose what is actually calling us, we can thrive.

This is because just following what we should do shrinks our energy, our motivation, and our output. We become small and boring, actually! Following what lights us up, even though it may seem weird or like a long shot is what gives us energy, and motivation and makes us stand out!

Read More
Your art is a gift
Esther Loopstra Esther Loopstra

Your art is a gift

I had a couple of conversations recently that made me think. Why do we keep creating art when it’s so often not the easiest route? I made a short video about this that you can watch above.

To summarize… I think that all of us have two things that we want in life:

One of them is to uncover our most authentic self. Our what I call our core creative essence. This is who you are at your core. This is what people see when they look at your artwork because it comes through and it touches them. It's sparks, joy and connection to them. That's your essence.

Read More
What I learned during my two-week break from media
Esther Loopstra Esther Loopstra

What I learned during my two-week break from media

For much of this year, my mind has felt like a chaotic space. I've had trouble hearing from my intuition, my emotions have been running wild, and it's been a struggle to get in touch with my body.

So while on vacation in Los Angeles a few weeks ago, I spent a lot of quiet time at our Topanga Airbnb. Sitting on the swinging chair in the wild, sprawling, cactus garden watching the lizards and listening to the birds, I was still fighting my mind and wanting to plan my life out. But my inner voice began coming back to me.

I heard the words RADICAL ACCEPTANCE.

Read More
The first step to getting unstuck.
Esther Loopstra Esther Loopstra

The first step to getting unstuck.

Years ago when I was working as an illustrator, I got hired for what I thought was the best gig I'd ever had. It was the gig I'd been working towards for most of my career.

But during the job, I felt nothing but frustration, angst, stress, and annoyance. Afterward, when I actually saw the product I had worked so hard on, I felt defeated. I was supposed to feel proud and excited about this work but all I felt was annoyed and completely burnt out.

Read More