Fruition (The Birth of a Brand)

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Reinvention
Resurgence
Renaissance

Career burnout what not what I saw for myself in my future, but in a way, my burnout was bright. Instead of avoiding the fire that was igniting everything I had worked for up until this point, remaining directionless and in the dark, I leaned into its warmth.

Besides, the phoenix was reborn from its own flames, so why couldn't I?

Finding Rhythm —

Introspection is like opening a music box for the first time in decades and a familiar tune rushing out for air.

Re-tuning to your own melody brightens up the day, even if you need to use side jobs and penny-pinching as crutches in the meanwhile. I started saying "yes" to things that scared me - I currently teach after school art classes to elementary school children and deliver pizza on the weekends. Apparently, I love working with children and am considering teaching my own classes in the future! Delivering food helps pay the bills, leaving my time more open to create.

Finding Purpose —

Self-reflection is integral to laying down a path in an unfamiliar place.

The root cause of my inevitable crash was purpose. At its most basic, I knew that I wanted to be making an impact on people, but I struggled to figure out how to put my skill set to use.

In 2021, my family lost one of its greatest humanitarians, far too young. She inspired me endlessly and was an exemplary model of how one should treat others and how deeply we should care. She was also one of my biggest cheerleaders and supported my desire to get back to creating, even when I was full of doubt and self-depreciation.

It is in her memory that I've dedicated more of my life and time to better causes. I recognized that I am in a place of privilege in the world and could not, in good conscience, sit idly by.

Finding Inspiration —

Taking a moment to breathe lets you reconnect with the needs you forgot you had.

Obviously, many factors went into who I am today. Burnout and the loss of a cherished one had all but sunk me. In their wakes, I embarked on a trip and experienced a once-in-a-lifetime SOMETHING. In an effort to shock myself back to life (and maybe also desensitize myself to spiders), I took several planes to Australia and was floored, in awe of the nature, the people, and the lifestyle.

I played a game with strangers in the airport, giggling because we knew no words the other knew, listened to fauna I had never heard before, and felt support from groups of people who helped me get to my destination for no reason other than fun.

Someday, I’d like to go back. Someday, I’d like to build two houses and travel back and forth, building a community of creatives and networking across oceans. Someday, I will have opened my eyes to the true potential of a dynamic life.

Finding Joy —

Beginning a new journey is much easier when you know where you are going.

My goal is to actualize the world I have kept inside myself and let others step into it to see for themselves.

I dream of one day building my own house. It's been a dream of mine since I was fairly young, as it seemed like the ultimate goal of a creator - to live inside something I've made.

What if my house were on wheels and could be parked up to see the leaves change in the New England autumn months? Or pulled up to a dock, letting the lapping waves rock you to sleep? Maybe it should have a crow's nest where you could greet your visitors from afar? Maybe the ceiling reflects back the candles on the end table and the dining room looked as if it were underwater? What if I brought the night sky in and, when the lights were off, you could see the stars?

I want my home to be a magical place that feels like a cookie cutter had plucked up a piece of the Earth.

I want to be the mystic in the woods that helps when you have a problem, and moreover, I want to have the time
to do so.

One day, I will live in eternal summer.