And the exciting news is...

When I hear people say things like, "You should do that when you're young, before you have to settle down and be responsible," I smile and nod, knowing the sort of world they're living in to make such a statement.

In my world 'settling down' doesn't exist because I know that change is constant. 

I also believe life is an adventure and you're NEVER too old for an adventure. 

And if you have children I see absolutely no reason why they wouldn't accompany you on adventures, as it will expand their minds and teach them to go beyond dreaming to actually achieving. 

And just because you're adventuring doesn't mean you shouldn't be responsible. 

Whether we like it or not we are responsible for ourselves and the impact we will have on everything around us. Having fun, exploring, and creating are not exclusive of being responsible.

I bang on about this a lot. I think it's the theme of my blog, if my blog actually has a theme considering all the tangents I go on: Life is uncertain. The only certainty is that each and every one of us will die. We don't know when that will be but it is an inevitability we all face. For that reason alone you should never settle down, never stop having adventures, never stop learning, never stop being curious.

You won't know the places you'll go if you feel like there's a point when things 'settle'.

I didn't settle for administration jobs in charity just because it was something I was good at. I didn't settle when I was offered a raise because more money meant nothing if the job didn't also feed my soul and use my creativity. I didn't settle just because financial stability provides me with a sense of security that is better for my mental health.

I stepped off the edge and I went after what I wanted and in just under seven months I went from a job that was demoralising and draining to being a professional Creative Polymath. I am a published author, a skilled graphic designer, and now, also, a Brand Development Manager.

Don't just follow your dreams. Turn them into goals and make them your reality.

'Possible' doesn't mean 'easy'

My dad sent me the link to Mr. MoneyMustache's genius money saving/making blog after a discussion about budgeting. Mr. MoneyMustache is a man after my own heart. He, like many bloggers I follow, admire and aspire to emulate, has a solid head on his shoulders and an ambitious outlook. He embraces the fact that life really truly is what you make it.


Recently he posted the first part of what will probably prove to be a very long series of blogs of the top 50 jobs you can get/make for yourself that will pay $50,000+. He had a lot of praise and back-up to what he put out there but he also had a lot of outrage. A lot of people saying he was a fool who had no idea what he was talking about and that many of his suggestions were fanciful or ridiculous.

People are complex creatures so there are many, many reasons for this sort of reaction.

A) A lot of people find it easier to tear someone down than to build themselves up. 

B) Some people interpreted what he posted as 'easy' ways to make money - despite the fact that he made no such utterance. 

C) Envy is a strange beast that, when let run wild, will reduce people to name calling because they don't recognise it as telling them to do their own work to finally do something different with their lives instead of just letting life happen to them all the time. 

Now, I'm not claiming to be an expert and all of this is based on my personal experience of the world so I am aware that my view is narrow and limited to me and me alone. People are like snowflakes. No two are alike. If that's a true thing about snowflakes, which I doubt.

I digress. 

Last year I was working on setting myself up as a life coach. Why? Because I wanted to have a successful, well-paid career doing something I actually love and care about. I was working as an administrator for a charity at the time and though I'm wickedly good at organising things, filling in databases, and sorting post - I don't enjoy it. I garner no satisfaction outside of the general sense of smugness that comes from making something work effectively.

It does not sustain me and so I began looking for something that does. The first thing I touched upon was life coaching. This was because I love helping people.

I love when I have a conversation with someone and afterwards they tell me:

"Because of you I have started painting again" 

or 

"Because of you I've decided to move to another country and finally do all the travelling I didn't do when I was younger because I felt pressured into getting a degree I didn't want" 

or 

"Because of you I have decided to start-up my own small business on the side and even if it doesn't go anywhere at least I can try and find out instead of wondering all the time." 

The problem with trying to 'sell' this skill was that I loved giving it away for free. I loved giving it away so much that I found myself stifled when I couldn't and wouldn't on the principle that I was 'trying to make a living'. There are a lot of life coaches out there and they make shedloads of money and have incredible careers of which I am envious. They all have a niche and their niche makes them saleable.

If I were to pick a niche my niche would be artists. Creative polymaths like myself. Writers, musicians, painters, sculptors, designers - trapped in retail or administration or something similar that does nothing to feed their creative soul.

The problem with this niche is that Creative polymaths don't recognise that's what they are and if you don't know what you are how can you seek someone to coach you in being that person? Well, you can't.

So I went back to the drawing board and thankfully, because of an incredible manager who knew exactly what being a manager is all about, I had all these design programmes on my computer and had been dabbling in design for months. And I love my artwork and I'm totally comfortable with selling it (Although I do sometimes like to give it away) and it's definitely something I'm well-suited to as a professional because I get great satisfaction in creating something with someone in mind, rather than creating what I'd like to make. Or rather, I like making the ideas of others a reality.

So six months ago I made a career switch. I quit a job and gave up all the security that comes with that to step off into the abyss and try my hand at freelance design. Within a month I had landed a steady three day a week, six month long contract as an in-house designer. And voila - I no longer dread being asked what I do for a living.

And here's the thing. One of my co-workers where I have this contract said, "I'd love to do what you're doing but you have to train for that."

"No," I said, giving her some totally free life coaching, "You don't. I'm totally self-taught. I use online courses through Lynda.com and I fund all my supplies myself. I wanted to be a designer so I made it happen."

Me doing an abseil earlier this year. Because I can. 

It's not been easy. It still isn't. I'm starting out in an extremely competitive market. I'm starting out in a world that, despite the possibility to make a career without a degree, still puts immense value on post-secondary qualifications regardless of whether they're even relevant to the role. I know there is a lot of work ahead of me and that it will be slow-going at times and there will be hurdles and growing-pains and so on.

But the point is, life is for living and living is the journey because the destination is death. Death is inevitable but when it's gonna happen is the unknown factor. Knowing that I could be dead tomorrow I simply ask myself what matters the most right here and right now.

Which is why I self-published and why I quit a job without having another one lined up and why I invest in a Lynda.com membership and make a point of completing two to four courses a month and why I've got the Creative Cloud and will switch to whatever might be the industry standard in the future to ensure I'm keeping up.

Anything is possible and it's true that there are an abundance of jobs out there that don't require four or even just two years of schooling for. There are jobs out there that don't require any schooling what-so-ever. But that doesn't mean getting them isn't going to be difficult. Not needing a degree to do something doesn't mean it will be 'easy'. If anything the work you have to put in is going to be that much more because you have to really prove your capabilities. You have to fight extra hard to do something for the love of it. 

But it's worth it. It is. Because at the end of the day I am able to say I am a published author and a graphic designer. I am an artist who paints, sculpts and makes costumes. I am an animator.

Which is saying, "I do not limit myself" 

Don't limit yourself and don't let anyone else limit you either. Be your own best friend. If you want it you will make it happen. 

Cheesy representation:
The Sky's the Limit! 

To be a polymath

I've got a beef. Not a big beef, just a little niggling, I-keep-thinking-about-it-and-want-to-get-it-off-my-chest beef.

I love to learn and I love trying new things. My skill levels vary across a multitude of areas - but all things which interest me or have interested me at some point.

At the moment I'm studying British Sign Language and Psychology - because I've wanted to learn sign language since I was about fourteen and because I read psychology text books for fun so I figured I may as well keep reading them and work towards a qualification at the same time.

I've also done a lot of different jobs. I've been the CEO of a not for profit organisation that I set up because I saw a clear gap in support for GBLQQTTI youth living in Calgary.

I've worked in administrative roles, done project management, and been a fundraiser. During all this time I've expressed my creative side in various ways. I sculpt, paint, and draw. I make costumes. I paint custom shoes. I've also been employed as an animator and gone on to do some animations as personal projects.

Since moving to London I've begun flexing my design muscles and this year I am officially a professional graphic designer, working as an artworker on the comms team at a charity and doing freelance logo design, among other things.

I am a writer and have been since I was physically capable of it. I've written several young adult novels and most recently wrote my very first non-fiction book. I learn by doing and decided I'd do my own layout and formatting of this book to build on my design skills and because it's something else I can add to my super fantastic list of life accomplishments.

Now here's my beef:
I tend to get called a 'Jack of All Trades'. That's fine, but the unspoken second half of that phrase is 'Master of None', which implies a certain failing on the part of the individual. Like, sure, you do a lot of stuff but you're not particularly good at anything.

This is a beef for me because I get told I shouldn't showcase so much of what I do. That I should only put one or two things out there. But all these things show the diversity of my skill, the flexibility of my style and the variety of ideas I have. It's also not to say I haven't mastered anything. The Miscellaneous Youth Network is a thriving organisation. I don't feel the need to still be involved or to set up another not for profit. I did it, successfully.

Sometimes it's not about reaching mastery. There's nothing wrong with dabbling just for the sake of trying something out. Or I have gotten the foundation in place so I can spend the rest of my life mastering it because some things change and grow so much and so fast that learning is constant. For example, my ongoing creative projects all feed into my design work - and anyone in the design industry will tell you it's always growing and changing. I am improving every day and I wouldn't have the flexibility that I have if I didn't explore multiple mediums.

I'm going to be 28 soon. As someone under thirty I realise I'm still considered utterly youthful and inexperienced. I know I have a lot to learn - but not because I'm young - because life is full of constant discovery. There is so much to do and learn and life is shorter than we realise. I want to be eighty and still have a lot to learn and still have the passion and drive to go do it.

Call me a Jack of all Trades if you like, but for me life would be utterly boring if I only got better at doing one thing. I like to think I'm a master of life and if life is about growing and doing and experiencing - then I figure I'm doing pretty damn good. 

All that being said, this past week I finished painting this spiffy pair of shoes:

Finished laying out the first draft of my book:

handed in my first psychology assignment three weeks early,
and completed four more briefs for my current clients.

As good a time as any

I met up for a hot beverage with a friend over the weekend. She's heading off to Australia in a few weeks on the same sort of two year visa I originally came to the UK on. We were chatting about her plans and how she was getting on with her last few weeks of work.

As she talked I was amazed at how similar it all sounded to me when I was getting ready to go. People commented on how brave I was (although I didn't feel it.) or they would play the nay-sayer, projecting their own fear of adventure onto me to downplay any sense of dissatisfaction they had for not taking a similar risk in their own lives.

Of course there is also the FOMO Factor. FOMO = Fear Of Missing Out. As she's getting ready to leave a lot of turmoil is happening in my friend's family and she knows she could put her plans on hold in order to be there for them. When my date to fly was approaching I got the news that my Aunt was pregnant and I remember thinking I couldn't possibly go to London now - I'd miss out on watching my cousin in the first few months of his life!

As we talked about the inevitable FOMO that you can expect to experience when you leave behind friends and family for your own adventures, I felt a sense of growing realisation.

I have long been an advocate and believer in doing what you love, doing it well, and letting money or whatever you define as 'success' follow. I believe it, but it wasn't until I was sitting there across from someone who, when I first met them I would never have believed would take the initiative to fly halfway around the world, that I really accepted what this meant.

We can plan and prepare or follow guidelines or rules or 'schemes' until we're blue in the face, but eventually something is going to give. Something is going to mean we have to take the plunge and just do all those things we're always saying we would do if we had the time or money or training. 

As of right now I am self employed. I have been saying I've wanted it for so long and always thinking there was something I had to do to get there. All I ever had to do was stop working for other people and know that I can rely on myself to make my own income. I'm a talented, creative and imaginative person. I have skills that I can market and a passion for developing more. 

I could wait until I have enough money saved or the right business plan written or a big contract lined up, but it's too easy to fall into a trap of not knowing what is 'enough', what is 'right' or what is 'big'.

FOMO is just one of those things that we can use to justify holding ourselves back. Ultimately, though, it's your life. Basing your life on what other people hope or want for you, and especially what they expect from you, isn't going to help you realise your own dreams.

In short, all the excuses in the world aren't going to stop me from living my dream right now. I'm no longer going to say I'm 'setting myself up' to be self employed or that I'm 'working towards it'. When people ask me what I do I can tell them:

I'm a Creative Specialist. I do graphic design and I'm publishing a book this year. I'm self employed and yes, I'd love to do some work for you. What did you have in mind? 

Living the Life you Love III

When Kaitlyn asked guest bloggers to write a post on “Living the Life you Love”, it occurred to me that while I’m not necessarily living the life I love, I am loving the life I live.

Loving everyday life, complete with work, chores, traffic and all the other myriad of annoyances isn’t necessarily something that comes naturally.  It is easy to love a special dinner, or a holiday, but how do you love a life where 95% of the time it is more about doing the washing and putting the garbage out?  I’m lucky enough to be a happy, cheerful, optimistic person, but I’ve had some tough times and I’m well aware how easy it is to become bogged down by the mundane and difficult aspects of life.

Over the past decade, I’ve learned a lot about myself but the key realisation has been that I am responsible for my life and that I can choose to be happy.

I was a bit of a failure at being a teenager.  In years when I should have been partying, having my first boyfriends, developing as an independent person, I was studying, reading, hanging out with my (admittedly awesome) parents, generally living in my own head.  As I moved into adulthood I continued that way, waiting for life to start, imagining the brilliant things that could be happening.  I had a fabulous life in my head but a pretty boring one in reality.

It never quite occurred to me that I needed to do something to get that fabulous life.  Even as an intelligent woman, I assumed a great life would just happen by itself.  Prince Charming would swoop in and sweep me off my feet (luckily being able to find me in my bedroom) and other people would instruct me how to live a full, exciting life.  I was mired in a comfort zone, where I felt safe, but not particularly happy and definitely not fulfilled.

There were two great turning points in my life and both of them were active decisions that I made. I had wanted to dance pretty much my whole life but somehow had always found reasons not to.  Finally, I decided to do it and it changed my life.  Dancing made me fit and strong.  It improved my confidence, my posture and my social life, as I discovered some of the most amazing friendships I could imagine.  It made me happy.  Even at my saddest, I cannot be sad on a dance floor.  But most importantly it made me realise if I wanted something in my life, I had to take the steps necessary to make it happen.

The second came after one of those days where I just felt happy for no reason.  It was a normal work day and yet I floated through it in a bubble of happiness the way you sometimes do.  As I drove home that night I wanted the feeling to last, so I made a commitment to pay more attention to the ‘good’ stuff.  As with dancing, I made an active decision to focus on happy things. To document them, I started my blog.  Every day for a year I found a happy moment to write about.  It wasn’t an easy year; I got very sick, had work issues, and a close family friend was diagnosed with and died of cancer.  But even on the worst, sickest, saddest day, there was something good and noticing it made all the difference.  To this day, I seek out good things, and I pay attention to them, so that I can blog about it later.

None of us get sunshine and roses every day.  I don’t claim to be perpetually happy – there is many a day when tears are shed or I just feel down.  But what I have created for myself is a life where those days are the slim minority and where happiness is my focus.

For me, learning to love the life I live has been about learning to spot the ray of light that makes it through the clouds and focusing on it instead of the gloom.  There is light and happiness in every day, it is up to us to find it.

To read more of Lisa's blog (Which is very fabulous indeed!) visit:

 http://blithemoments.blogspot.com/