"Humans are multi-faceted jewels. We can be many descriptions at once. We can switch hats from business professional, to family member, all the way to whimsy maker."
I have been creative for as long as I can remember. My mom would often find me, tucked away in some corner or self made fort. I would often be writing a story, making a new piece of art, or vividly playing in my whimsical imagination. That part of childhood never left me. It stayed with me every time my dad's job moved us from state to state. It stayed with me when I had to get my first job at 16. It stayed with me in cosmetology school. It stayed with me when I got married. It stayed with me when I made a big career change. It has stayed with me every single day, I am behind my keyboard, at my day job.
For years I would wake up, push that part of me further inside, tell myself, "Nah girl. You aren't an artist. You have a full-time job. You aren't even trained in the arts." So I tried to find other hobbies. I tried reading (which I do very much love to do), hiking, legos, baking, coloring, writing, journaling, stained glass, jewelry making, crocheting, sewing... Are you seeing a trend? Most still creative in their own way. For whatever reason I would start the new hobby, love it, and then self sabotage it. I'd start picking it apart. I'd tell myself no one will take me seriously since I don't do it every waking minute. That would do it! On to a new hobby.
Finally I found myself living in a zombie like state. I'd wake up in enough time to eat, put myself together, and go to work. I'd get off work and do housework while my husband cooked dinner. We'd eat and then watch TV. I'd sometimes fall asleep crying because something felt off. I felt empty. Truth is... I was off and I was empty. Why? I wasn't living my authentic life. I wasn't being me. I wasn't making my creative, playful, and curious child self proud. Little Bea would have been heartbroken to see what I had become.
One day, in August of 2017, The solar eclipse to be exact. I was standing outside, on my porch, watching it go by. I can't describe exactly what happened to me. A shift to put it simply. It's like I eclipsed as a person. I knew something amazing had just happened. Something so beautiful. So real. Somehow the zombie-fog cleared away. Life was suddenly vivid, again. This experience made me realize how beautiful life is; but how beautiful our short lives can be.
I could have stayed inside and continued working. I could have ignored this amazing event and deemed it silly. For whatever reason I took the time to watch it! I will remember it forever. Soon after I started reading a lot of self-help books. I took every personality test there was to take. I listened to tons of podcasts. I learned so many things about myself I never knew. The biggest thing I learned was that I NEED to be creative. I NEED to be Playful. I NEED to be curious. I HAVE to be in order to truly live. Game Changer.
By New Years of 2018 I dedicated my weekends to all of my favorite things. Sometimes it was making jewelry, decorating a cake, making and trading ATCs, art journaling, BUJO-ing, coloring, photography with my iPhone, having tea parties with loved ones... you name it. I was doing it and having the most whimsical weekends.
I truly embraced that I am a slinger of paint, a "real" creative, a baker, a reader, a craft supply tinkerer, I am a wife, I am a friend, and I am also a business professional. I CAN be every one of those things. So can you! We are all multi-faceted jewels.
Ummm... but I don't do these things every day? No. I don't. I do them on the weekends. Doesn't matter. We can do what makes us happy, and make our inner child giggle, whenever we can squeeze it in, and still get to use the label. The most important part is that we don't fight it. That we own it and do it. That we be whimsical. No one can take that away from us!
I'm betting a good chunk of my story sounds familiar. That's because in this big crazy world there are a lot of 9-to-5ers who are bursting to have fun. One of my very best friends is a pharmacy technician, by day, and a chronic colorer by night. Another good friend is an accountant by day, and a frenzy crocheter, on her lunch breaks. One more, even thought there are loads more, is a doodle machine teacher while her students are doing study hall.
No matter what you do professionally. No matter what you do in life. Parent or not a parent...
You and I are creatives. We are Whimsy Makers and I am so pleased that you are here!