YOU’RE NOT CRAZY FOR SEEKING A CREATIVE PATH.

Despite what society says, the creative path is a valid choice. The burning desires of your heart are not frivolous or childish. And no, your intuition isn’t lying to you and neither is your vision for a creative life “a silly fairytale.”

Your heart wants to create.

THAT’S WHY you constantly hear your heart (even if it’s just a whisper) begging you to do something more fulfilling with your life

THAT’S WHY you’re tired of generic, surface level creative advice and want to get to the heart of what’s really holding you back so you can finally move forward

THAT’S WHY you keep on searching for somebody who GETS IT, someone who knows this isn’t a game to you or just some means to an end.

YOU ARE AN AWAKENED CREATOR

You are meant to be fulfilled in your creative process, doing what you absolutely love everyday, and sharing your joy confidently with the world. Your creative dream (however strange it seems to others) is your soul’s truest destiny and your heart’s sacred contribution to raising the consciousness of this planet.

You can take your heART from a whisper to a bullhorn by connecting with the part of your soul that KNOWS creativity is your calling!

I know the pain of feeling completely cut off from what you love doing.

I was busy climbing up ladders in the wrong careers, amassing debt for college programs that bored me to tears, and slowly dying inside despite having everything that was supposed to make me happy.

When I reconnected with my heart on an energetic level and recommitted to my creative purpose, all rooted by a deeper knowing that this wasn’t just “something I wanted to do” but this was WHO I AM, that’s when I found real, authentic fulfillment and began manifesting my creative dreams.

Awakened Creators is a BIG part of that dream and my mission as its founder is to guide you back home to your heart, to your art, to YOU.

There’s nothing more fulfilling than living an authentic life

A life that honors your creative spirit and protects your heart’s desires as sacred and worthy.

You don’t need to just “suck it up” and learn to love a job you hate or follow some generic advice to “create everyday.”

You need an iron-clad connection to your heart’s calling, so you can hear it even in the strongest of inner storms.

And like a lighthouse, guiding you toward your creative destiny, when you have that solid foundation of really knowing that you are creative for a reason, there is nothing that will stop you.

I’m ready to help you build that sacred foundation. Are you?

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Color Drenched Dreams | Interview w/ Artist Gillian Keller of Enlightenment Barbie

“Do anything, do something, do the first crazy thing that comes to mind.” Today’s Awakened Creator Spotlight is on Gillian Keller, an Artist, whose creations pour from deep wells of colorful visions and psychedelic wisdom. Connect with her on Instagram: @enlightenmentbarbie or www.enlightenmentbarbie.com Here is Gillian in her own words on her creative journey and what it means to be an Awakened Creator. Tell us about your authentic creative expression. What do you love to create and why? I work in so many mediums! Painting, collage, photography, and digital art are my main focuses as a professional artist, but recently I’ve been designing wearable art in the form of kimonos and outfits… and soon, I’ll be coming out with coats! Everything I make is colorful, spirited, bright, psychedelic… Basically I do my best to put my soul and my color drenched dreams into physical form. Why? I can’t help it! I think the one thing I am here to do is create. It brings me joy to create. And the things I create bring joy to others, which is a beautiful bonus. My mind gets filled with ideas and new ways to express them- if I didn’t create in some way, I might explode! Creating art is my celebration of life. But I mean, I also create in the way I move through the world, the people I meet and how I interact with them, the foods I cook, the environments I create- I think everyone’s life is inherently creative. We get to pick up our proverbial paint brushes and make marks across the canvas of reality that we walk through. Basically reality seems like a big interactive art performance to me! What most often gets in your way as a creator and how do you stay in alignment and flow? Probably my own mind, actually. Especially the tendencies of my personality towards perfectionism and self judgment. If I am focused too much on perfecting a piece, or executing a particular element of a piece in the ideal or perfect way, I freeze and overthink my process, causing doubt and overly critical thinking, which halts all creative flow. And often the thing I’m trying to do turns out worse than it would have, if I had just flowed with it! Recently I taught myself a really simple practice, for when I run into that potentially perfectionist moment in the studio- I tell myself, “Don’t think, just do.” And I try to take one deep breath, and draw myself back into the quality of play and imagination I embodied when I was a kid- and then, I just DO. Do anything, do something, do the first crazy thing that comes to my mind. It feels ridiculous at first! But, what ends up happening is a very spontaneous kind of, yeah, childlike creativity that feels free and loose, and results in the creation of something that is novel and unexpected. Way cooler than what the perfectionist would have come up with! Similarly, the self judgment piece can hinder my flow- I often have so many ideas that I wish there were two of me, just so I could get more done. And I can tend to judge myself on the amount of great things I’ve managed to produce in my life, as compared to the amount of great ideas in my head that have never entered the physical world! But I remind myself that I am only one human, at least in this physical incarnation, and I kinda have to be okay with that! This same issue can cause me to become really obsessed with being prolific, even when I don’t feel very good- and when I push and push and push- it causes me to burn out. Within the last few years, I have challenged myself to be okay with doing less, rather than more. Even FORCE myself to do less! Because ultimately I want my creative process to feel like a natural element of my life, not something that my life force is forcing! Haha. If you could offer words of wisdom or support to your fellow creators, what would you say? You’re not what you created yesterday. What I mean is that you’re not limited to the version of yourself that you hold in your awareness. Often times we go through the motions, living out our lives based on the specific person and personality that we have decided we are- based on life experiences, our reactions to them, our decisions and opinions, our styles and portfolios, etc… We can very easily pigeon-hole ourselves into a curated human being that others expect from us, and even that WE expect from us. If you ever feel sort of stuck, or blocked, or claustrophobic- my best advice is to say “fuck it” and let the imaginary walls down for a minute– see what happens when you approach each new day as a brand new being- try drawing from the vast ocean of everything, rather than the limited “self” that you think you’re supposed to be. Because really, we ARE that vast ocean of everything, and always have access to it. A good friend of mine told me that anything I make is still my work, no matter what it looks like or how it’s made. Don’t be captive to expectations, and allow yourself to BE the experiment of life! What does being an Awakened Creator mean to you? Well, for me, the reason I was able to start making the kind of audacious art that I make now stemmed from a crazy spiritual ZAP that happened to me, out of nowhere, back in 2013. I called it the Big Zing, because that’s what it felt like. It stripped all fear from me, and all I was left with was pure radiance. Which I guess you could say, gave me the courage to create with wildness… to go on a quest to make beautiful things until I die. Ultimately as the years…

Stitching Love & Joy into Fashion | Interview w/ Dressmaker Emma of Pin Clothing

“To be able to express your personality with what you make and to be able to share that joy with others is an invaluable experience on which I thrive.” Today’s Awakened Creator Spotlight is on Emma, a dressmaker whose 15 year devotion to fashion that is fun, colorful and fearless has added tremendous joy to the world. Connect with Emma on her website at www.pinclothing.co.uk or Instagram @pinclothing.co.uk Here is Emma in her own words on the creative journey and what it means to be an Awakened Creator. Tell us about your authentic creative expression. What do you love to create and why? I make clothes because I want to be different, I don’t want to wear what’s in fashion or what the celebrities are wearing, I just want to wear clothes that are comfortable and that make me smile, simple. Pin Clothing is an indie fashion brand that makes easy to wear, bright, fun clothing for the child at heart. Ever found an amazing garment but it’s in the kids section? Well Pin Clothing aims to fill that ‘dress like a children’s TV presenter’ gap in the fashion market. I love anything with a bright colour and a quirky print, the more random the better! I actively seek out the most amazing fabrics, sourcing pieces from all over the UK and Europe. If the fabric looks like I could find it made up as something on the high street – then it’s a no from me! Pin Clothing is all designed, cut, sewn, marketed, packaged, and even dropped off to the post box by myself! I’m a self taught dress maker and I work from my studio in the heart of Northampton, and have been doing so for the last 15 years. I pride myself on the quality of my work and I’d never let something out into the wild that I wouldn’t be proud to wear myself. What most often gets in your way as a creator and how do you stay in alignment and flow? As a creator, one of the biggest hurdles I face is staying focused on a single project for long stretches. I suspect this is from a long awaited ADHD diagnosis, my mind is constantly buzzing with new ideas, and sometimes a stray piece of fabric or interesting idea can pull me away from the task at hand. Another hurdle I sometimes encounter is translating those bursts of inspiration into finished products. While the initial spark might be strong, keeping myself organized and on track can be a challenge. Prioritizing tasks, setting realistic deadlines, and managing my time effectively are all areas I’m actively working on improving. It can be frustrating at times, but I’m learning strategies to avoid creative chaos and ensure my projects see the light of day. What I rely on most to keep myself on track is a weekly schedule, which I would prepare the week before, with set time frames for certain tasks. The satisfaction of ticking tasks off of my schedule keeps me on track! If you could offer words of wisdom or support to your fellow creators, what would you say? Embrace the spark, wrestle the chaos! ADHD can bring a constant stream of ideas, but struggle with focus. See this as a double-edged sword! Capture those sparks with quick notes throughout the day, then at the end of the day, come back to them to make a proper plan for those ideas rather than instantly getting distracted by them throughout the day. Finished is better than perfect: Don’t get bogged down in the pursuit of perfection. Sometimes the best way to move forward is to simply get that idea out of your head and into the real world! You can always work on it more later. Find your tribe: Surround yourself with other creative minds who understand your struggles and celebrate your successes. An accountability partner or supportive community can offer invaluable encouragement and keep you motivated. I’m so lucky that I work from a studio inside an old shoe factory that’s also filled with other lovely creatives that we can bounce ideas off of, or connect over shared issues we face as creatives. Before this I was also a member of various local groups who would meet up regularly to network and share ideas! What does being an Awakened Creator mean to you? It’s the joy of taking something raw, plain and uninspiring and turning it into something beautiful and useful. To be able to express your personality with what you make and to be able to share that joy with others is an invaluable experience on which I thrive upon. Want to connect with Emma? Check out Emma’s colorful and fearless fashions on: Instagram: @pinclothing.co.uk Website: Pin Clothing Do you have the desire to align with your authentic creative expression? If you want to feel free to create from the heart, my HeART Alignment Creative Ritual guide will show you a pathway home. I will personally guide you (with quick video lessons) through a simple yet powerful creative ritual that will bring your heART back online so you can start creating from that space again. Access the HeART Alignment Creative Ritual guide for free.

The Value of Authentic Creation | Interview w/ Cosmic Antenna Brittney Monster

“I am creating to set an example for others to show up authentically and to feel empowered through their own visions.” Today’s Awakened Creator Spotlight is on Brittney Monster, a Visual Artist, Poet, & Cosmic Antenna whose creations reflect the integration of shadow and lifelong journey to wholeness. Connect with Brittney Monster on Instagram: @brittneymonster and www.brittneymonster.com Here are Brittney Monster’s own words on the creative journey and what it means to be an Awakened Creator. Tell us about your authentic creative expression. What do you love to create and why? My expression has evolved in so many ways over the last few years! I love to paint images from mythology, meditations and dreams with acrylics. With my small gouache and ink illustrations, I tap into a lighter, fun side of illustration. In my digital art, I get to enjoy collaborating with other people to make their visions come to life for their brands. Additionally, I am part of a writing group that explores ways to play with our creativity using poetry, visualization practices and sketchbooking. Juggling these forms of expression keeps me motivated, inspired and balanced in my production! Ultimately, I feel I am creating to set an example for others to show up authentically and to feel empowered through their own visions. What most often gets in your way as a creator and how do you stay in alignment and flow? When I focus on an outcome or transactional expectation, I start procrastinating. I’ll clean the entire house, make up more chores to take me away from the project, and have emotional breakdowns. The key to balancing lies in creating without expectation, staying on course with my “Mission”, pushing through the pressure and remembering to play. Facing the Unknown with excitement, rather than fear. Practices that I actively nourish and cultivate, such as sweat lodges, moon phase rituals, monthly astrology check ins, community weaving, strength training, yoga… these consistent things get me back on track when I really derail. The art moniker I’ve chosen – “Brittney Monster”- is very much me and my shadow, integrating. If you could offer words of wisdom or support to your fellow creators, what would you say? Never underestimate the power of your stories. The things you create have exceptional value. The joys of touching another’s heart while their journey seems dark outweigh the doubt, embarrassment and frustrations of your breakthroughs. What does being an Awakened Creator mean to you? Creating with an awareness and responsibility to bring chaos into form. Want to connect with Brittney Monster? Check out Brittney Monster’s authentic creations on: Instagram: @brittneymonster Website: www.brittneymonster.com Do you have the desire to align with your authentic creative expression? If you want to feel free to create from the heart like our featured Creator, my HeART Alignment Creative Ritual guide will show you a pathway home. I will personally guide you (with quick video lessons) through a simple yet powerful creative ritual that will bring your heART back online so you can start creating from that space again. Access the HeART Alignment Creative Ritual guide for free.

You are Creative for a Reason