Coffee Cherries & Contemplation

The musings of a creative entrepreneur. 

This morning I happened across a question in an online group about taking time off from our businesses. 

I pondered the question for a few moments and this came through;

My life & business is so interwoven that I don’t really think of taking “time off”.

Each moment of life holds a potential discovery or contemplation that shows up in my business in one way or another. 

For example, in this moment I’m quite relaxed in my living room eating cherries, drinking coffee yet I’m connecting with others, collecting thoughts, entertaining new perspectives and I’m about to go into my journal. I feel a blog emerging today from this energy which I’ll likely polish and post tomorrow…all the while the colors of cherries and coffee has my designing mind swirling together some rich images of a possible new garment/decor line…aaahhh the life of a multi-passionate creative. My “time off” might only be while I sleep. 

This brings my mind to a curious notion - are some people part time entrepreneurs?

Perhaps there are some who went into business to have mostly freedom and very little work. 

I realize that I’m looking through the lens of the meaningful work I do today. There are obviously businesses that you do not want to be mentally connected to at all times. I still own one of those as well…a story for another day. 

The entrepreneurial life I speak of now is one of a soul led visionary. 

The one who has reached a point where they are so fueled by the purpose of their work, they no longer can put it aside. 

It doesn’t matter if they still work a job or have achieved complete freedom of time, the drive flows through their veins…the vision must come to be. 

I’ve walked this path a great deal of my life. The creative flow started in my childhood as one who drew constantly, whether on proper drawing paper or the restaurant placemats that were a thing in the 70s. 

I should thank my parents for taking me along on their coffee shop marathons as this surely was a time my artistic skill was tuned as I learned to self direct my attention for hours at a time.

My environment was often my inspiration as I recall sketching characters from my outings as well as TV shows of the era such as Star Trek, Bionic Woman, Greatest American Hero and others in the pad I kept close. 

Years later, as I developed my fashion business, this creative flow moved me. Visions of new designs often danced in my mind as did enticing color combinations which I brought forth onto my silk paintings. 

Nature frequently presented her inspirational tapestry, whether on a coastal road trip as I gazed upon the roadside landscape of succulents and stone or while enjoying an evening walk where the sky moved color as if it were a magical canvas shifting hues by the second. 

I was intoxicated by these spurs of creative activation. I had to paint my interpretation of the visuals shown to me. 

Time was a concept I paid little mind to when creating an inspired piece or collection. I recall preparing for fashion shows or sales trips where days and nights were spent in the zone of this wild woman spinning magic in her studio, foregoing showers, meals and invitations to go elsewhere. 

Today I am witness to a multitude of professions in which I feel a similar energy. 

The soul led creator never truly takes time off from their business. 

Yes, of course there might be breaks from the physical activities yet the imagination requires no vacation. It is the dutiful wizard, creating endlessly for you. The infinite queue of ideas is there for you to choose from. 

Your heart and intuition are your guides in selecting what will be brought to life. 

As a multi-passionate with a highly active imagination, I am prone to overwhelm. Oftentimes, I feel the sorcerer’s apprentice has stepped in for my wizard creating such a wild mess of ideas, I can exhaust myself in the untangling. This is when I must lean back and allow my trusty guides to assist. 

Some questions to ponder:

Is anything time sensitive? 

What is most relevant (to my business, to my audience)?

What would most benefit my clients right now?

What do I feel most excited about?

Are there things that would be quick to do that give me a great sense of accomplishment? 

Taking a little time to bounce these questions off the ideas, serves me well in overcoming confusion and repelling stagnation. 

I know many creatives that get stuck in their own creative goo. 

It’s curious to consider how too many ideas can contradict movement yet it is a frustrating truth for a multitude of entrepreneurs. 

This conversation wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t give mention to the other predator who thrives alongside of overwhelm. 

Fear. 

Oh yes. This bloodsucker of perceived ginormous proportion, will happily come in and feast upon you as you are falling into that tar pit of stagnancy. 

What will others think if I..

What if I don’t do it well

I think she is better at it

I don’t think I’m trained enough, educated enough, pretty enough, smart enough, good enough

What if I screw up and make a fool of myself 

Soon fear has left a crumpled shell of you hiding in the corner for just the very thought of someone seeing your weaknesses scares the living shit out of you..

I know this feeling all too well. 

And I also know that if we tap deep into our purpose while calling on our guides to lead, we can march straight on pushing fear out of our way, realizing we had full power over it all the while. 

I believe we can build this muscle so when we recognize the familiar “what if” thoughts drifting in, we can actually thank them for reminding us how very strong and purposeful we are. 

We can then boogie on down our yellow brick road of life, meeting serendipitous friends and opportunities along the way. 

Our visions are presented to us for a reason.

I don’t like to keep mine in the queue for too long. I love bringing things to fruition. Some things come through beautifully, others are a messy birth, requiring more attention and there are the ones in which a collaboration is necessary to fully achieve life. 

At times I have been a lone wolf on my creative journey. In recent years, I’ve found having a network of like minded creators to tap into is a priceless source of energy and motivation. 

The profound effect of a collective consciousness is unparalleled. 

I find sanctuary in a circle of soul sisters who share valuable insights and different perspectives. 

I encourage you to seek a creative community that feels aligned to you. 

You’re most welcome to come inside my network. Sample the waters and find purposeful connection. 

Rebel Unicorn: The Ultimate Creative Collective of Limitless Potential

As I was digging deep - visioning, imagining and weaving together the values, beliefs, feelings and intentions that make up my brand, I realized this was much larger and more powerful than one.

Rebel Unicorn is a force. A movement. An energy.

It’s a collective - a community of soul led humans who are using their magical abilities to create and live magnificent lives.

We are creatives - designers, writers, artists, entrepreneurs, healers, coaches and all sorts of inspired souls who acknowledge the power of collective energy to elevate one another and the whole.