“I am just as passionate about defending the right to practice a religion as I am to protect others from it. In America as it was conceived–a free nation of opportunity–no specific religion or set of spiritual beliefs is greater than another, and everyone has an equal right to practice their faith–provided it does not infringe upon the freedom of others.

We were born into an era where we inherited rights that a legacy of women fought hard for, to ensure we would have opportunities they never knew. And we bear a responsibility to their legacy. Have we completely lost reverence and acknowledgement of their sacrifices? The rage I feel in my bones is greater than myself–it’s ancestral, an ascending chorus of the brave women who came before me. We were entrusted to carry the torch forward to illuminate the path of a brighter future, to protect personal freedom–not incinerate all of the progress made….”

In this week’s open journal, I decided to do a video instead of my usual written chapter to summarize the latest happenings in my life. This week in particular is an eventful one, and I decided to focus my discussion around the current Etsy strike.

Diving in to this topic also opens a broader conversation around the emerging policies of large tech platforms that limit the earning potential of independent creators, and how to best navigate those changes to have a prosperous business.

“The creative process is a source of boundless fascination to me. It’s been a while since I felt a moment of stillness long enough to allow my thoughts to pour outward into words. And when I can create that pause, and be in an internal place for a beat, it feels amazing. I can only speculate, only imagine how this process must be for other writers. It’s not a feeling of being blocked, but a calling to express ideas and curiosities through other mediums that maps the span of time between my journal entries. I used to see it as an issue I had with consistency–but when I look into the reasons for this shift of focus more deeply, I realize that I’m always creating–it’s just not exclusively in the same form.”

In this week’s open journal, I catch up on the events of the past month and weeks to come. I share the experiences of two September road trips, to both the Rocky and Appalachian Mountains! An International Rock & Gem Show, a family wedding three years in the making…exciting adventure, beautiful people, and stunning scenery :)

In this week’s Open Journal, I took some time to reflect on experiences throughout my creative career that have taught me the importance of actively using my voice and trusting inner guidance. I dive into discussion around topics involving professional relationships, communication, and personal empowerment. My hope is to speak to those who are aspiring to create a living through their art, and to encourage them to confidently honor the value of their time and energy.

Of all the many beautiful, remarkable works of art I had seen that day, this became the one I wanted to take home. I chose one holding a tiny amethyst point. A bright smile lit her face when she saw me select this Kristomos. She felt this was particularly special because he was holding the crystal close to his heart. Her radiant warmth, generosity, and genuine love for creating have stayed with me ever since, and this tiny figure is a reminder of the infinite connection that is possible through being open in meeting others. It’s the people we encounter on every journey who really define our experiences, like the points of starlight that comprise a constellation.

On this week’s episode of Apostrophe Soul Radio, my dear friend and business partner Mary interviewed me about my experiences as a traveler, adventure-seeker, artist, and writer. And we had a blast with this conversation! Any time I have an opportunity to openly share my love for travel, my soul lights up. Her wonderful guidance, insightful questions, and genuine interest made this interview an absolute joy of an experience. Speaking to this love of travel led me to reflect back to where it all began—and I realized that we plant the seeds of our next adventure through the act of dreaming everyday. A desire to travel allows our imaginations to be free, wild, and limitless. In sharing my experiences with Mary, I vividly recalled the earliest origins of my passion for exploring the world.

Over time, I have learned the importance of supporting your outer world to reflect the highest expression of your inner world. And, to allow that to change and evolve over time, as you do. For a very dark and pivotal period of my earlier life, home was not a happy place in the traditional sense. I think this outer environment, at the time, was what motivated me to create a strong sense of home from within. Essentially, a place where I could let my guard down, exhale, listen, create, and be honest with myself. This manifested into many songs, drawings, late night drives, and dreams of travel.

Today, I awoke at sunrise and headed to the banks of Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve, to hang out with the deer and share reflections from the week. In this Open Journal, I talk about new discoveries, engaging with the magic of nature, and generating new growth through embracing what truly lights up your soul.

Today, I am celebrating!  I began an art series titled, “Sketch of the Day” a little over a month ago, and have stayed with this daily practice successfully.  In fact, it now feels awkward to go through a full day without drawing.  Most of the sketches so far have been pen and ink studies, though for a few of them I wrote inspirational quotes or played a musical sketch on piano.  The motivation behind starting “Sketch of the Day” was to build my consistency--to be engaged in creating something new, source daily inspiration, and develop my ability as an artist. 

For me, the connection between books and travel is inseparable. It is through books that I became emboldened to dream and imagine myself into other experiences. Places far beyond anything I had ever known. Seeing the artwork, reading the stories of others and their adventures abroad--these were the seeds that planted the beginning of my own journey as a traveler. I like to think of books as navigation tools, in opening doors within us and beyond us. They help us chart the course of our own journeys, and inspire us to take the next step.

What is a journal? To me, it’s a tool for expression that breaks through resistance. The kind of resistance we experience when launching into a big dream or idea. Through journaling, we can be vulnerable, bold, imaginative, and boundless. Honesty and clarity emerge with the practice of writing our stories. Through this act of reflection, a kind of revelation unfolds and we learn more about ourselves, on a deeper level. We become more familiar with what we truly want, and free to openly exercise our voice.

I am writing this at dawn, on Christmas Eve, in the epic year that has been 2020. The sky beyond my window is a deep blue, the tree branches bare and scraping the lightening sky. The world outside is shifting in a dance with the winter wind. I am wearing my favorite shawl, wrapped in the warmth of it, listening to a candle flicker in the background of my thoughts. The mug of tea I am holding always cools before I drink it when I find myself in this state of reflection. It goes without saying that this has been a year like no other—for the vast collective of the world and the deepest, imperceptible shifts within. I am holding on to this moment of peace, honoring the enveloping quiet of home. I feel the precipice, and the cliff is coming.