When I was 8 years old I had very bad depression.
There was one day my father asked me what was wrong and I said "It's just so hard to be ME." A very profound statement from an 8-year-old.

But it was true. From a very very young age, I felt like everyone around me wanted me to be what THEY wanted. Which left very little room for me to discover WHO I ACTUALLY WAS and EXPRESS THAT. I was a natural people pleaser so I took on all of these other identities and buried my ESSENCE somewhere deep inside of me.

Then for most of my life, I would do things to ABANDON MYSELF. Like going to a party when I wanted to stay home or doing things for others when I really needed to take care of myself.

But when I started my art journey, abandoning myself BECAME A REALLY BIG PROBLEM.

• I thought more about what OTHER PEOPLE WOULD BUY than what lights me up

• I took on projects and clients that felt like a "NO" and it never turned out well

• I didn't know what I REALLY WANTED TO DO so I did EVERYTHING

• I procrastinated on the work that ACTUALLY MADE ME HAPPY

• I didn't want to share too much about myself and my work

This lack of focus took a toll on my business and art. I struggled to find work, and was burning out doing work I hated. But what was really hard was that I JUST FELT SAD AND DEPRESSED because I knew I wasn't following my CREATIVE CALLING.

I wasn't listening to my intuition trying to guide me to what is really calling me.

Then I hired my coach who asked me to really GO DEEPER into WHO I AM. 'What do I ACTUALLY WANT TO DO?' Not 'What makes the most sense?'
I began using a sketchbook to create work that I LOVED, started painting and eventually began deeply listening to my intuition. At first it felt wrong to be listening to myself - but the more I did, the more it felt VERY VERY RIGHT. Like I should have been doing this all along.

Then the most interesting thing happened.

THINGS BEGAN WORKING OUT FOR ME. My ideal clients started finding me. I had so much work that I had to turn people away. I was EXCITED about what I was creating and the connections I was making with people. I found my FOCUS AND MY PEOPLE.

I see this all the time with my clients too. They are trying so hard to fit themselves in to whatever they think they NEED TO BE to sell their work or they are confused about what they WANT to make because of all of the SHOULDS in their mind.

Once they step into their AUTHENTICITY and stop abandoning themselves, opportunities arrive one after another.

So why do we abandon ourselves? Because we've told ourselves from a very young age that it's not safe to be our whole, weird, unique, authentic self or that we cannot possibly be loved (or paid) for that. But I'm here to tell you that the little nudge inside of you is the ACTUAL TRUTH, and EVERYTHING in the universe is conspiring to get you to a place where you will listen to it!

Are you at a place in your creative journey where you are ready to say 'YES' to your Creative Calling and stop abandoning yourself? I'm opening up spots in my 6 month 1:1 Coaching Package just for you! If you are interested, schedule a FREE connection call - let's chat.