In Pursuit of Creative Living

I’ve come to appreciate that true art must allow a glimpse into the heart of its author. It must unfold those parts of ourselves that are neatly tucked away; it must tug at the strings of vulnerability. Risking always, for that small possibility that it may also touch the heart of another. Revealing and unpicking the seams of perception, offering the purity of a heart willing to risk rejection, willing to be hurt, in the loyal pursuit of their craft.

Behind every entrepreneur or creative is a deeply complex story that has brought them here. That has embedded such a deep devotion for their craft that becomes their oxygen, their safe haven, and their place of solace.

For me, it’s given me the chance to be selfish, to do exactly what I want to without being tugged in multiple directions. It offers a boundary, a space of solitude and deep creativity. It’s the place I get to know myself, the place I get to experiment with ideas, to try something, then try it again.

The past few years of my life have been spent in a deeply entrepreneurial space, learning about things outside of my comfort zone. I’ve always had a head for ideas, but the more grounded elements of money, business, and structure have required me to work on what didn’t come so naturally. It’s required understanding a world that I’d previously shied away from - meetings with agendas, pitching ideas, and reading a plethora of business and finance books. I realised a long time ago that if I didn’t want to be a struggling artist, then I’d need to get a handle on these areas. I love being in my feminine energy, playful, soft, and creative, but to be a truly rounded and empowered woman, it meant getting the ‘masculine’ areas in check.

One of the main things that I’ve come to understand is the deeply intertwined nature of artists and entrepreneurs. Successful entrepreneurs are those who have always felt this incessant pull to create but are also able to leverage their understanding of business and human psychology. I came to understand many years ago that the vision I had for my life was completely different from the majority of people around me. I knew that staying true to this vision would be an uphill struggle; it would come with a barrage of projections, judgments, and rejections. I knew that it would be the road less travelled and yet for me there was no other way I could live my life. Creativity asks that you choose it over everything else. First, it will nudge, and then it becomes progressively more insistent. Understand early that few will understand your devotion to its path - it will require relenting courage and patience.

In those early days of entrepreneurship, there’s an onslaught of resistance to push through - let’s be clear, generally you leaving the confines of the 9-5 will make other people feel unsettled. There’ll be passive-aggressive undertones; people will unconsciously put their anxieties onto you. Their fears will be triggered, and they’ll be mad that you don’t set an alarm; they’ll be mad that you can pop out during the day. Visualise daily, give yourself the encouragement that you need and keep holding on.

What people don’t see is the extreme amount of work happening behind the scenes to get your dream off the ground. The endless pitches, the setbacks, the big wins that may seem small but make your creative heart sing. The working weekends to deliver something you’re proud of. If you see life differently to those around you, you’ll see life as a blank canvas ready to be artfully and thoughtfully filled.

In those early days, simply stay in your lane and let people think what they want to. Keep following your heart and the dreams you’ve been given - always growing, always learning and devoted to the journey.

With love

Julia x