follow your heart >>>>>

while today i'm living the life that i always dreamed of, up until a few years ago I was still trying to please others and do 'what i should' not what i wanted. i suffered from bout after bout of depression, until i finally realised the mistake that i was making.

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i'd spent my life trying to fit in, to be what i thought i should be, and often something different for each perosn i knew. that was a surefire recipe for disaster.

we only have one life, one chance to live our dreams and make ourselves happy. when a good friend told me to stop and think, hard, about what I wanted from this life, and to follow my dreams no matter how impossible they seem. i took her advice and realised what it was that made me happy - i started blogging, started putting myself out there, i set up an etsy shop, and {tried} to stop worrying what others thought about me. 

after a few months, i no longer had to try -  following my heart and being proud to be myself started to come naturally. today my life is a far cry from what it once was. i'll admit there are the odd times i doubt myself, but i can look back on all i have achieved in the past couple of years and just how far i have come.

three steps to get you started:

one sit down and write down all the things you'd like to do, how you'd like your life to be and how you want to spend your days

two make an action plan of how you're going to get from where you are now to where you want to be {remember - babysteps}

three believe in yourself - this is the most important - you have to truly believe that you can do it, otherwise anything you attempt will only be half-hearted

and don't forget:

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dreaming big

i've spent the past ten days or so soaking up the sunshine, living life and dreaming. i've been away from the computer for the majority of each day, and that's given me lots of time to think. i've been trying to figure out what it is i want, where i want to go and how i'm going to get there. business wise i have a few ideas and i feel like it's time to refocus a little.

a couple months back i was throwing myself into my little shop and working my ass off. while i love designing and creating jewellery, i find the selling side hard. i want to sell, but i don't want to push it down peoples throats. also, i found that too much time focusing on that side of things created a cranky mama.

i want to spend my days with my kiddos... not focusing on figures. i've been trying to figure out a better way to make things work. happiness to me is not selling a zillion pieces of jewellery.... it's not being uber rich{though a little extra moolah wouldn't be unappreciated!}. happiness is living this life of mine, spending my days crafting and learning along side my girls. taking them on adventures, creating, making, LIVING, spending time with friends, and enjoying the ride.

i figure that i have all that i need. i get to spend my days doing what i love most, with the people i love the most. i get to create and design the jewellery i love. and that is key. I LOVE MY LIFE.

i've made some decisions on how i want my shop to be - it will always be a love of mine, but i don't want it to rule my life, at least while my kiddos are little. you can lend me a hand by helping me clear out some of the current stock - enter bloglover for 50% off everything here

thanks for reading my rambles :) i'm focusing on being happy and the rest will surely follow!

♥♥ stay in touch! ♥♥ follow this blog ♥♥ twitter ♥♥ facebook ♥♥ shop ♥♥

the worst enemy to creativity is self doubt

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i love this quote. sitting at my work desk the other day i found myself struck by a huge, sudden case of self doubt. doubting my plans for my shop, doubting if it was even worth keeping up with, doubting my creativity. i've been fighting the feeling since, carrying on making new stock, setting my plans in place. but it's still there niggling at the back of my mind.

i've decided to focus just on jewellery, leave the other things for 'personal projects'. give myself 100% to one thing and allow that side to flourish. 

so - the shop will be shutting at the weekend for a week so i can make a few changes - until then all prices have been reduced by a furhter 40%!!! GO SHOP!!

in other news - i have almost finished my decluttering/tidying/moving spree around my house and man does it feel good!! so much stuff cleared out, things re-organised - i feel totally ready for a new year :)

AND miss kiki lost her first tooth - how cute is she with her gappy smile??

we've friends due round any minute - then tonight i'm planning on spending some much needed time in the Goddess Circle ♥♥♥

♥♥ stay in touch! ♥♥ follow this blog ♥♥ twitter ♥♥ facebook ♥♥ etsy ♥♥

Dreaming BIG

You might remember the review and giveaway I posted a couple of weeks ago for the 2012 Creating Your Goddess Year Workbook and Planner. Since then I've been working my way through it, realsing the present year that is now coming to an end and starting to dream big for next year.This is one of my favourite activites as the year draws to an end.This year particuarly it is really inspiring me, I was full of plans to make 2012 my best year ever and this is just the tool I need to helpe me focus on what I want to achieve.

If you are looking for some guideance in dreaming big, this planner is for you - here's some of what you get inside:

• A monthly calendar
• A look at the year past
• Creating affirmations for your new year
• Creating a list of things to do when everything sucks
• Art therapy techniques to help you work out what works in your schedule & what doesn’t
• Creative projects to help you dream bigger
• Deciding on a powerful theme for your year
• Making new year habits that sustain, nourish & inspire you
• Making goals in every part of your life
• How to make those goals actually happen & make your big dreams become true.

 

One of my favourite parts of the planner is the '100 things to do in 2012' section - I love dreaming up fun, silly, creative, big or whimsical things to put in here {and I've had some great input from my twitter and facebook friends too!} Here's the first page of mine:

p.s SORRY for my terrible writing :/

if you have any suggestions to add please leave me a comment!

This year I've also gone one step further - I've joined the Goddess Circle - a sacred circle of women online, helping each other to be the goddess you truly are. In Goddess Leonie's words:

The Goddess Circle is more than a virtual women’s group — it gives you access to every product, program, guidebook and e-course I’ve ever created. My life’s work. Delivered to you. With love & luminous blessings for the adventure of (your) lifetime.

As a Goddess sister in the Circle, you’ll receive audio meditations to soothe your soul. Illustrated workbooks to create clarity & intention around difficult decisions. E-courses to supercharge your creativity, expand your business & wrangle your fears. Guidelines to get your house decluttered & in your inner world order. Cleanses to bring your body into health & radiance. Everything you need to live, work, play & create like the Goddess you’re becoming.

I have been thinking about this step for a while, and right now it feels like the right thing to do. I am so excited to start on this new journey for a fantastic 2012.

There are several fantastic e-courses {all of which are included in the goddess circle membership} that you can buy seperatley too - visit the Goddess Shop to investigate!

♥♥ stay in touch! ♥♥ follow this blog ♥♥ twitter ♥♥ facebook ♥♥ etsy ♥♥

Living Life Your Way.... Interview with Giulia from Another Diamond Day

 Hey! Tell us a little about yourself.

My name is Giulia and I blog over Another Diamond Day. I am Italian and have been living in the UK for 4 years. I am currently living in London with my boyfriend Nick. Nick and I met 7 years ago while I was an exchange year student at Cardiff University here in UK. We moved to London from Cardiff, Wales, one year ago. We mainly decided to move to London to have a new adventure as we were quite fed up with our lives in Cardiff. Coming from a small village in north Italy I find London extremely fascinating and inspiring. I write alot about our little adventures in this big city on my blog. I also like writing about traveling, art and music. I love blogging because it connects me with interesting and stimulating people I would otherwise never have met. I hope to know you through this interview as well. Please come and visit me! 

Is the life you lead now the life you've always dreamt of?

Yes and No! Yes because since I was little I have been daydreaming of living in London and being independent enough to travel and see as much world as possible. Nick and I managed to save enough money to have a road trip in Iceland this summer and I have just come back from a weekend in Paris where I met my sister and her family! On the other hand, I have always been frustrated with my jobs. My work experience combines different type of office work which doesn’t reflect my personality. I consider myself a creative and passionate person who hates routines and schematic work. At some point in life, I felt pretty frustrated and angry with myself for not being able to find a job I like due to lack of experience and school diplomas but now I have learnt not to be so hard on myself and try to do whatever I like in my spare time. It does not matter if my paintings or photography are not my full-time job, what it’s important is that I feel happy, satisfied and I enjoy myself! 

When you have faced difficulties, what has been your inspiration to keep going?

My family, Nick and my closest friends: these people are the biggest source of inspiration during my difficult times. Also the idea that everything happens for a reason and that these big challenges will always teach me something important making me wiser and stronger! A very good friend of mine used to reassure me saying;" Giulia remember, in life when you feel that you have reached the very bottom you don't have to panic! You cannot go further down than that, you just have to find your way to the top again!".

Fear affects us all at some point. What part has fear played in your life and how have you overcome it?

Fear affects my life very much as I have been suffering of anxiety disorders and panic attacks for quite a while now! I am still learning on how to overcome my anxiety and I still haven't found the answer. I have been taking medication for a while and I have now decided to quit. I am seeing a counselor once a week now as well. What I am realising is that I have always looked for help outside of myself: Meds and people. I used to get frustrated with them if they weren't able to fix my problem 100%. I basically ignored myself and my human weaknesses as well as my strengths. I think that every person has a source of strength deep inside. Some people have it naturally and others have it hidden somewhere and the journey to find it can take years or a life time. I am looking for my source of strength and I can tell you that there are days when I can feel it . I am learning that I have to believe in myself, love myself and accepting myself for what I am and probably in this way I will feel my strength more often! People who love me will always try to help me in difficult situations but I have to learn to rely deeply on myself as no-one else can ever know me as much as I know myself.

What advice would you offer on following your heart and living your dreams?

To be patient and carry on doing whatever makes you happy! Our dreams won't come true easily. They will always challenge us! So we need to persist and show our passion for them.

What do you think are the three most important things you need to lead a happy and radiant life?

• Love yourself! We all need to understand who we are and what we want from our life. I think that if we are not 100% honest with ourselves, we won't ever be able to make anyone else happy. We need to look after our body and our soul properly and find our own balance.

• Have dreams! Have something to look forward to! Get satisfaction from something you have done!

• Surround yourselves with good people! Yes I have learned that I need to get rid of those people who have played a negative part in my life whom criticisms towards me were just to boost their own egos! Surround yourself with people who respect you and accept you for what you are.

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This is to be the last in my series of 'Living Life Your Way Interviews.... the first one was published in October 2010, and since then I've featured some inspirational interviews with many amazing women. I never expected when I published the first one for the series to run for as long as it has - I'm so thankful to all who took part! You can check out all the previous interviews HERE

Living Life Your Way.... Interview with Thursday from My Girl Thursday

I've been working hard the last few months at overcoming my fears and following my dreams. So I'm running a series of interview with inspiring people to see what part fear has played in their life and how they've overcome it to live life their way...

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*Hey! Tell us a little about yourself.

Hello friend. My name is Thursday. I'm a compulsive crafter, lifelong thrifter, hideaway hermit, baker extraordinaire and mama to a seriously blissed out one year old. I own and operate a handmade business and blog by the name of My Girl Thursday.

*Is the life you lead now the life you've always dreamt of?

Well, I guess that would depend on which dream we're talking about. I can't flap my wings and fly so I guess some of my dreams are a bust, but for the most part I live a very blessed life. My partner and I both work from home. He runs a Chinese medicine practice and I have my blog and shop. We have a hilarious daughter, Georgia, and she is the best part of every single day. Yes, I would say our life is pretty dreamy!

*When you have faced difficulties, what has been your inspiration to keep going?

For sure I have! Actually, most often my biggest difficulty is overcoming all the nonsense that I've created in my mind. When it comes to my creative life I sometimes catch myself comparing myself to other creative ladies. I'll get bummed out that my stuff doesn't look like theirs, my writing doesn't sound like my photos aren't as pretty as theirs. Instead of admiring their work and finding inspiration from their story I fall into a pit of envy. That sort of thinking can spiral out of control rather quickly and end in rash decisions. Now when I find myself doing this I take a step back and take a break from what I'm doing. Often times it stems from frustration - from working too much or not being able to get through a new project. The truth is that I love the things I make, I love my style and I've worked very hard to get where I'm at now.

 

*Fear affects us all at some point. What part has fear played in your life and how have you overcome it?

Unfortunately fear has played a leading role in my life. I have been dealing with social anxiety since my first handshake (okay, earlier). For a very long time I allowed it dictate my life. No social events, very few friends, and definitely nothing that could possibly be judged harshly by others. It was horrible. As soon as I would step into a social situation I would hear people thinking terrible things about me - "she is so stupid." "what is she wearing?" "why would she say that?" All these things may as well have been said aloud, because I was hearing them so clearly they felt real.


A couple years ago I took part in a social anxiety support group (yea, I know the idea is kind of funny) and I found that to be really helpful. I was also on a range of anxiety and depression medications for many years as well. But what has helped me the most is actively seeking out happiness - not settling for what is easy or good enough. So while I happily spend some of my time dreaming of a better life, I also spend a great deal of time setting goals and taking action. It's incredibly satisfying setting aside self doubt and just making your dreams happen.




*What advice would you offer on following your heart and living your dreams?

First you have you decide what it is that you really want in life. Remember, just because anything is possible doesn't mean that everything is possible (or even necessary). Once you've decided your goals I find it helpful to create smaller steps that will help you move towards your main objective. I have found that this make the process a lot less intimidating, more measurable and it totally helps me keep my head in the game.

If you blog and you're comfortable sharing this process with your readers I would totally suggest doing so. Once I announce a goal to my audience I can't get it out of my head. For me it brings a whole new degree of accountability.

And perhaps the most important part is to be realistic when you are deciding on your goals. Do you want an uber-successful handmade business that will rake in hundreds of thousands? Then keep it real and understand that that level of success is not going to happen immediately. This may sound like common sense but it's probably the part I struggle with the most. Success is not an overnight thing. I believe it comes from building meaningful connections one by one.

*What do you think are the three most important things you need to lead a happy and radiant life?

Lists - they make my world go round.
Rituals. Something to keep you sane, something to look forward to.
A laughing family. It's always a good sign.

Living Life Your Way.... Interview with Stephanie Violet

I've been working hard the last few months at overcoming my fears and following my dreams. So I'm running a series of interview with inspiring people to see what part fear has played in their life and how they've overcome it to live life their way...

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Hey! Tell us a little about yourself.

Hi! I’m Stephanie Violet and I have a little blog called The Quiet Lifeof Violet. I’m 26 years old, married to my dreamy high school sweetheart and I’m Mom to our first child. I’m currently building a company that hand-makes good-for you bath products, with an emphasis on organic ingredients and pregnancy-safe products. We live in Northern California, about 50 minutes from our hometown where we met 10 years ago. We’re so in love!

Is the life you lead now the life you've always dreamt of?

Growing up, I never really dreamed of a certain type of life. I have always had artistic inclinations and love being surrounded by creative people, so in that sense, yup! I knew I’d be married, but I never really knew what “being married” meant and boy, it’s amazing. Getting to see the person who makes me feel whole everyday is just such a treat and I’m so, so thankful!

When you have faced difficulties, what has been your inspiration to keep going?

I have face difficulties in my life. I’ve had cancer four times, lost my right leg, my right lung, part of my left lung and a part of my digestive system. It’s been rough and so very hard on my poor little heart, but my soul is strong and I’m still here!

Honestly, when I had cancer the first time at age 11, I didn’t understand it. If you’ve never been around death or suffering, you just don’t understand it at that age. I knew that my parents were upset and that just killed me inside, so I tried to do whatever they told me to do.

When you’re an adult, cancer is MUCH different. It’s a total mind-swirl, LETTING yourself get so sick and making yourself go back to the place where you know you will feel like total crap. Everyone around you is sad and hurting and you know that it’s because of you and that a heavy burden to carry, even though you know you didn’t do anything to carry such weight. I had a really hard time getting myself to keep going during second bout with cancer and chemo, at age 21. I knew that I didn’t want to die, but I certainly didn’t enjoy the surgery, doctor’s visits and chemo. My family got me through again… and my future child. My Mom and I had a serious talk one day and I told her that I would do it for my boy. I even named him. When ever I was thinking of quitting, she would remind me that it was about more than just me. I had to fight for him.

I’m so glad that I did.

Fear affects us all at some point. What part has fear played in your life and how have you overcome it?

Fear is in my life constantly. I worry about every little cough or ache. I worry hard-core before each scan. The time after getting a scan and before the doctor reveals the results is kind of like standing at a fork in the road. THE road. What ever the results say, which I have no control over, will form and shape the rest of my life I’ve been VERY lucky for the past (almost!) three years. And now, I’ve got this beautiful boy, MY boy, THE boy, growing inside of me, who ads a whole ‘nother layer of worry and fear to my world.

How do I deal with it?

It’s a delicate balance of accepting, embracing and calming the fear. I never deny the fact (to others or myself) that I’m scared, never push it away. It’s there, it’s a part of me and this life that I love and want to continue living so much. After accepting it, I really cherish the fact that the fear lets me live so deeply! Without this fear, these trials that I’ve been put through, a whole layer of my appreciation for life would be missing. When you realize just how amazing, beautiful and special everything is, only then can you really appreciate it all.

What advice would you offer on following your heart and living your dreams?

Accept your life! Acknowledge the hard things and learn to work with them. Don’t be afraid to be different. Be respectful of others. Remind yourself that you ARE worth it and that you ARE good enough. Don’t be afraid to tell someone that you love them. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. Pause each day and pick out three things that you’re thankful for – if one of the three includes a person, don’t hesitate to tell them. Love hard. 

Living Life Your Way.... Interview with Amanda from Mannarhea

I've been working hard the last few months at overcoming my fears and following my dreams. So I'm running a series of interview with inspiring people to see what part fear has played in their life and how they've overcome it to live life their way...

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Hey! Tell us a little about yourself.

Hi! I’m Amanda and I blog at mannarhea.blogspot.com. I mostly blog about my day to day adventures and struggles. I collect vintage yearbooks and art work which I display on the blog as well. Lately, I’ve been struggling to gain more self confidence. In an effort to do that I’ve made myself start wearing dresses and other outfits that I normally would not be comfortable in. I blog about my struggle with this too. I just recently started blogging so it’s only just now taking off.

I live in Atlanta, Georgia and go to college full time. I also have a part-time job at an Apple speciality store. My time is kind of limited but blogging has really helped me manage a little better. My life is slowly becoming what I want it to be.

Is the life you lead now the life you've always dreamt of?

Not even close. When I was little I wanted to be a teacher, or a writer. I also wanted to be married by 21. I thought 21 was an old age and wanted to live my life with my husband as long as possible. My dream was to have a 70^th wedding anniversary. I thought I’d be graduated from college by 21 and ready to settle down. Little did young Amanda know, life throws curve balls.

I’ve struggled to get my life together. There have been times where it is soaring perfectly. I have been the poster child for success. Then it crumbled down around me. I’ve never been the type to be completely satisfied with my life, always seeming to search for more. After a few years of this I am finally becoming comfortable in my life and who I am. I found a hobby I love. I have a great support system. Everything is slowly falling into place.

When you have faced difficulties, what has been your inspiration to keep going?

My mother is the strongest person I know. I’ve seen how she deals with the trials of life and it inspires me to be just as strong. I focus on the fact that things will get better, one day. No matter how bad my day is, I know a good one is around the corner. It doesn’t always help. I have my days where I let the hurt swell larger and larger inside of me. But I usually only allow myself a short amount of time for that. As silly as this sounds, I’m also inspired by my future children to face my difficulties head on. I want my children to have a strong mother, like I did.

Fear affects us all at some point. What part has fear played in your life and how have you overcome it?

I have really irrational fears. I’m not afraid of spiders or rabid animals. I’m afraid of my family dying in car accidents or plane crashes. If someone I love goes out of town, I google plane crashes if I haven’t heard from them that they arrived safely. I’m afraid of people coming up to me at night while I’m outside my house and shooting me or breaking in and killing me. I also have fears that I will always be alone and won’t succeed.

I overcome these fears by living day by day. I try not to plan too far into the future, as the anxiety of it will start to weight on me. I talk to my closest friends and family often and never forget to mention my love for them. I use to plan things to the infinite degree. I noticed when I stopped and just lived life, a lot of my fears went away. There really is something to “living in the moment.”

What advice would you offer on following your heart and living your dreams?

Never let fear get the best of you to do just that. Settling will never make you as happy as you could be if you work hard for what you want. Life can be a serious struggle sometimes but you’re strong enough. I don’t care who you are, you’re strong enough to make it through. You’re strong enough to follow your dreams. No dream is too big or too small.

I have dreams of being a cake decorator and opening my own business making awesome cakes. I’m not on my way to doing this by any means but a hobby of mine is to make cute little cakes for people for their birthdays. It makes me feel like I’m practicing for that day my husband tells me, “I make enough money for you do what you always dreamed.” That is when I will blog for living and bake cakes out of my house. You’ll see me one day.

  
What do you think are the three most important things you need to lead a happy and radiant life?

Support from those you love.

Confidence in yourself and your abilities.

The ability to be open minded. Not only about other people but also yourself and the decisions you make in life.

Living Life Your Way.... Interview with Melanie Reller

I've been working hard the last few months at overcoming my fears and following my dreams. So I'm running a series of interview with inspiring people to see what part fear has played in their life and how they've overcome it to live life their way...

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Hey! Tell us a little about yourself.

 

My name is Melanie. I'm 29 years old, and have a habit of making lists.
I enjoy:
my kids
photography
my husband
gardening
making things
and finding vintage decor and other fun items at thrift stores and yard sales.

And I realize that makes me sound kind of old and boring, but trust me... my life is anything but.

Is the life you lead now, the life you've always dreamt of?

 

YES! Minus the millionaire part. I get to be a stay at home mom. I have my own etsy business and get to be a portrait and wedding photographer. I get to be the artist I've always wanted to be, and don't have to conform to society with a 9-5 job. I have a husband that does that for me and NEVER complains.

When you have faced difficulties, what has been your inspiration to keep going?

There have been times when I'm not sure how I'm going to keep going, and sometimes I just had the desire to throw the blankets over my head and hope that everything would just go away. It was during those dark times when I'd simply take things 1 minute at a time. And I mean that literally. First I'd put my feet on the floor and get out of bed, then I'd shower, then I'd focus on the next task at hand and the next one after that. And pretty soon I had made it through another day. These were the times after I left my son's father and was trying to do it all on my own, support a child, work, go to school. It was hard. It was lonely. And I never want to do it again. But I did it. And I knew that someday all my hard work would pay off. And guess what? It has!

Fear affects us all at some point. What part has fear played in your life and how have you overcome it?

I am deeply motivated by fear. Fear of the unknown is always something that this control freak just can't handle. I like things in an order, I like to know what's coming next and I like to do it in a repeat, scheduled manner. Photography and art are the only places where I feel like I can let go of some of that control. I have to remind myself daily that it's just "life" and that I can't control everything and that I need to let go of some of the control and trust that God and my family will not lead me someplace that I don't want to be.

What advice would you offer on following your heart and living your dreams?

I was just having a conversation the other day with a complete stranger at a wedding that I photographed that told me how she was so inspired just by watching me shoot. She said she had seen my work and it was so evident that I was passionate about what I do. And she said that it was amazing. Find inspiration in the simple things. Take compliments with humility and take critism with a grain of salt. There's only 2 people in this world that you need to answer too; your family and God. If you're making both of those happy then you need to keep pushing forward.

What do you think are the three most important things you need to lead a happy and radiant life?

This was a hard question for me to answer. I had to walk away and come back a while later. The things needed for me to lead a happy and radiant life are constantly changing. Sometimes I need to be surrounded by family and loved ones; other times I need a break. Sometimes I need peace, solitude, a quiet evening and a glass of wine; other times I need Jason to bounce ideas and frustrations off of. Sometimes I need a little online shopping. Sometimes I need some thrifting or yard sales. It just varies all the time. And so I guess what I need is change and a fresh outlook. But only on my schedule. ;-)

BLOG / ETSY / TWITTER

Living Life Your Way.... Interview with Tricia from Mama Marchands Musings

Hey! Tell us a little about yourself.

Hi, there! I’m Tricia and I blog at mama marchand’s musings. You can also find me tweeting (a lot) @mamamarchand. I’m a part-time working mama who is head over heels for the hubs and loves being a new(ish) mama to our daughter, little N.

I started my blog three years ago, before I really knew what blogging even was. I just knew I wanted to write! It picked up speed in 2009 when we found out we were pregnant with our daughter, as a way to keep long distance friends & family updated on our life. Now? It’s a huge passion of mine and gives me my own space to muse about marriage, mamahood & lessons I’m learning in this crazy life.

I love all things handmade, cupcakes, organizing (it’s an addiction, really), coffee (a necessity), thrifting & shopping for deals, and blogging (of course). I’m planning to open my own etsy shop in a few months and am so excited!

Is the life you lead now the life you've always dreamt of?

Wowza! This is a tough question and the honest answer is NO. I had a much different plan for my life (as God chuckles) before I met the hubs. It included moving to Colorado after college graduation, getting my dream job, learning how to ski, and breathing in crisp mountain air every day. Instead, I live in the DC metro area, fight road rage daily, and am learning how to sew (again). Quite a difference, huh? But, I’ve learned that the life I used to dream of isn’t the life that I would have loved. I am deeply in love with my husband and over the moon for our daughter and I wouldn’t want to change that for anything!

When you have faced difficulties, what has been your inspiration to keep going?

My faith, my husband, my little girl, and knowing that the particular trial I am facing with strengthen me and will prepare me for a larger challenge in the future. The hubs and I have experienced some pretty difficult “mountains” in our life together and we’ve conquered them. We are better people for it!

Fear affects us all at some point. What part has fear played in your life and how have you overcome it?

Unfortunately, fear has played a large part in my life. To most, I’m usually cool, calm & mostly collected on the outside but there have been poignant moments where fear has consumed me from the inside ... fear of the future, finances, fertility, and the list goes on. The last hurdle we faced was a BIG one and I overcame it by trusting completely that there was a bigger reason for it in our life then just something to cause heartache and stress. By the grace of God, we made it through!

What advice would you offer on following your heart and living your dreams?

As I get more involved in the handmade community, I realize that it is filled with people who planned carefully and then threw caution to the wind and followed their hearts. They are now successful, self-employed, creative geniuses who are living their dreams. So, DO IT. Do it NOW. Follow your passion!

What do you think are the three most important things you need to lead a happy and radiant life?

For me, it’s my faith, the love, support & encouragement of the people who are most important to me, and doing something every day that I love.

Living Life Your Way.... Interview with Jamie from

Hey! Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m a ballerina. A black belt. A magician’s assistant. A vintage shop owner. A mother. A wife. A vagabond at heart. I believe in true love. I believe in reincarnation. I believe in euphoria. I believe in the stars mirrored in my baby’s eyes.

Is the life you lead now the life you've always dreamt of?

I always dreamed of being my mother...the gypsy, the wild card, the force of nature who brought entire civilizations down to their knees in complete awe. I dreamed of a life that allowed freedom, nurtured passion, and brought an endless parade of dreamers and misfits into my path. The life I dreamt of was an ever-changing kaleidoscope of color, of light, of bare feet, of mermaid hair, of open fields, and a heart seeped in love. I dreamt of being everywhere, doing everything...freedom was in options. I dreamed of traveling, of living in a sanctuary 100 years old, of tall grass and honeybees. The life I lead now is the ultimate convergence of all the shattered images I’d dreamed of for so long. I found love in my husband, light in my son...sanctuary in my home, freedom in the way we live our lives together.

Fear affects us all at some point. What part has fear played in your life and how have you overcome it?

There have been unspeakable difficulties in my past, terror and horror and gut-wrenching pain. Through all of that, for as long as I can remember, I found refuge in the person - in the entire world - I’d created in my head. I was my own sanctuary and I knew myself intimately. At a young age I looked in the mirror, into the depths of my own eyes and decided that the person inside would not be defined by the tragedies of those around me. I wouldn’t succumb to the chaos. I dug my heels down to the center of the earth and let the storms rage around me. I would be safe inside my head where I was untouchable, unbreakable. I liked myself too much to let it take me.

But I was caught off guard. I realized one day, quite abruptly, that I feared letting others down...I was so wrapped up in protecting myself from the world and people around me, I had forgotten to protect myself from me. I had developed a warped, distorted version of what was expected of me and projected it onto everything I did, everything I touched. Desperate, I started making decisions based only on solely what made me happy and my world quite literally exploded around me. I didn’t recognize myself. I no longer recognized my life. So I went back to the sanctuary I’d spent a lifetime building inside my head and before long I rediscovered the soul inside. I no longer feared displeasing others to make myself happy and make the best decisions for me.

What do you think are the three most important things you need to lead a happy and radiant life?

* Disconnect and follow your instincts. Don’t let society dictate decisions in your life...who you need to marry, where you need to live, or what you need to look like. You know what’s best for you...not your neighbors. Too many people get caught up in the hollow existence of the fabled American Dream. Spontaneity and experiences are what real dreams are made of.

* Consider your own happiness before anyone else’s. If you aren’t happy, you are dooming yourself and everyone around you to a lifetime of misery.

* Appreciate every second of every day. The color of a blade of grass, the out of tone piano key that rings in your ears. A baby’s hand wrapped around yours...a forehead kiss from someone you love. Concern yourself more with the little things around you and worry less about money and the what-ifs you can’t control. If you can find happiness and beauty in the world around you, and be content with your life at every stage, money and stress can’t control you. And that’s where you find freedom.

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