I first met the very lovely Jennifer Lee at Squam Art Workshops back in 2010. Jenn is a life and biz coach who’s been inspiring people with her right-brain approach to business for many years now. When biz stuff feels stuffy and intimidating I look to Jenn to show me how to infuse my creativity into the business systems I need to implement. Her first book, The Right-Brain Business Plan, turned the notion of the boring business plan on its head. Her newest book, Building Your Business the Right-Brain Way, guides the reader through the next phases of biz building, all with her solid biz expertise and delicious right-brain perspective. A business book filled with illustrations and creative exercises? Yes please!

Today Jenn’s kicking off a new series I’ll be running occasionally on the blog. Inspired by my own book, This I Know, I’m inviting the people who inspire me to answer the following questions: What are you most passionate about? What do know to be true?

Here’s what Jenn had to say…

I’ve always known that I’m creative. As a kid I loved to paint and draw and live in my imagination.

BUT it wasn’t until 10 years ago when I participated in an intensive leadership program, that I really, really got in my bones that creativity is much needed in the world and that creating beauty, meaning, and spaciousness is a tremendously valuable gift. Up until then, I thought that in order to succeed or be taken seriously I needed to be something I wasn’t. I thought that all leaders needed to be loud, fast, directive, demanding, masculine, and left-brained. And so, especially in the corporate world, I did what I could to fit in (and boy that certainly took its toll since I was everything opposite!).

I used to think that something was wrong with me for being so sensitive and quiet. I felt like people didn’t get me or overlooked me. Since I disregarded those creative, right-brain qualities in myself, I made it easier for people to disregard what I had to offer.

Now I know that my sensitivity helps me tap into my intuition and creativity; that it allows me to notice and deeply feel things that others may not quite yet see and to trust that I need to give voice to that.

Once I took the leap from corporate and started to step more into my softer, more right-brain style of leadership in my work and life, things began to shift. I began to slowly infuse more of my artistic side into my work and that’s when I started to attract more of my tribe and started to have more fun and more forward movement in my business.

Sure there are still people who don’t get me and even think the way I do business is silly, stupid, and cheesy (yep, I’ve got Amazon reviews to prove it!) but I know those folks are not my right peeps. What I do know is that my right-brain way of doing business resonates with those I’m most meant to serve and that I need to keep putting myself out there so that those creative souls know they are not alone. By showing up fully as my creative, authentic self, I give others permission to do the same.

The first guiding principle in my new book Building Your Business the Right-Brain Way is “Be uniquely you and embrace your creativity.”

For me “being uniquely me” means that:

I have colorful pictures in my business books.

I get so moved by emotion that I cry when I’m teaching on video or speaking on stage.

I have an entire wall covered in bright sticky notes to help me plan out my year.

I have funky, colorful hair.

I love to collage my business and life visions.

And more!

I’m still on a journey of becoming more and more of who I really am. And I know that with each step, I’m on the right path in my work and in my life.

How do you show up as uniquely you? How can you embrace more of your creativity in your work? What would be possible for you in your life or business if you owned more of who you really are?

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Jennifer Lee is the author of Building Your Business the Right-Brain Way and the bestseller The Right-Brain Business Plan, which has helped tens of thousands of entrepreneurs around the world launch their creative businesses. After spending 10 years climbing the corporate ladder and getting tired of living her dream “on-the-side,” she took the leap to pursue her passions full-time. Jennifer has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, U.S. News & World Report, Whole Living, Family Circle, and Cloth Paper Scissors Studios. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and sweet husky-lab mix.

Find out more about Jenn at http://www.rightbrainbusinessplan.com.

When Michelle and Jess asked me to be a contributor to their fabulous new book, The Declaration of You, I didn’t hesitate to say yes. These two ladies are so inspiring, both full of so much energy and creativity, you can’t help but feel more expanded after spending time in their company. The Declaration of You started life as an ecourse and they’ve channelled all the colour, juice and inspiration from the course into their book. I was canny enough to sign up for the first session and absolutely loved it, so I’m doubled excited to see it as hold-in-my-hands book :)

Here’s the official blurb about the book:

“Uncover your purpose in life! Through a series of creative, colorful exercises – questions to get the wheels turning and an encouraging kick in the pants – readers of The Declaration of You will get all the permission they’ve craved to step passionately into their lives, discover how they and their gifts are unique and uncover what they are meant to do! Each chapter begins with a Discovery (explaining what the reader can expect to achieve by the end of the chapter), followed by a series of list-making explorations that leads the reader to creating a Declaration for that chapter. “Make It” sections provide fun and crafty project ideas for applying what the reader is discovering in a tangible way, while ”Own It” sections offers inspiring interviews with successful creatives like Kari Chapin, Susannah Conway, Leonie Dawson, Jonathan Fields, Alexandra Franzen, Anahata Katkin, Natalia KW, Danielle LaPorte, Jennifer Lee, Kelly Rae Roberts, Andrea Scher, and Colleen Wainwright.”

Sounds pretty awesome, yes?

Our interview is featured in the Celebration chapter, and as a special treat the ladies are letting me share it in full here today. Enjoy!

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M&J: You mention in your book and on your website that the man you loved died unexpectedly of a heart attack in 2005. We wonder, how has this experience changed and defined the ways you celebrate in your life?

SC: Going through grief and bereavement changed every single part of my life. First I had to learn to live without the man I loved; then I had to learn how to make a new life for myself. One of the gifts that came out of that time was the understanding that life is short. It sounds like such a cliche, but you really do learn to appreciate LIFE when you’ve faced down death (or illness or any other truly life-changing situation). So these days I celebrate being ALIVE. I celebrate my family and the love we have for each other. I celebrate being an auntie and live for the sweet moments I share with my nephew. I’ve learned that every single day I have is a gift and because I don’t know what tomorrow may bring I try my best to live in the Right Now. Some days I manage to do this better than others, but when I remember to live as consciously as possible, even the small things like a really stellar cup of coffee are reason enough to celebrate.

Do you have any advice around how to keep celebration in your life during dark periods, while going through a traumatic event, or when it seems like “the cup is half empty”? Do you think celebrating is at all an important part of the healing process?

It’s very difficult to celebrate when you’re going through a dark time, mainly because you lack the energy needed to feel hopeful or optimistic. I’ve endured several periods of depression in my life, and one of the things that’s helped me crawl out the other side is practicing gratitude. A gratitude list is a tiny celebration written down on the page. It’s the recognition of what is good in your life, even if it’s just the toast you had for breakfast. When I’m in a bad place I try to make the effort to list five things I am grateful for before I go to sleep — sometimes this means I write the same things for days in a row, but at some point there is a shift. Looking for the good — and acknowledging it in written form — helps my brain switch into a different gear. So while I may not have the energy for a big celebration, I’m creating my own pathway back to being able to do that.

You run a wildly successful e-course called Unravelling, in which thousands of women have participated around the world. How have you celebrated its success?

In June 2012 my first book was published. It’s called This I Know: Notes on Unraveling the Heart and was partly inspired by my course. In July 2012 I went on a seven-city book tour across North America, meeting readers and doing book signings. One of the best parts of the tour was getting to meet women who have taken my class. Each book event turned into a mini celebration of my course, too. It was humbling and amazing to meet so many people who had been touched by the course. I can’t think of a better way to have celebrated the success of Unravelling!

In what ways do you make sure celebration is a part of your daily routine? (ie: do you schedule it in to your calendar, or is it more spontaneous?)

I would love to be able to schedule celebration in to my calendar — what a wonderful idea! —  but sadly that doesn’t happen. Instead, I just make sure I see my most important people as often as I can. That means booking in coffees and lunches with friends, weekends at my sister’s house to spend time with my nephew (he is a celebration in a 3-year-old’s body) and the occasional getaway somewhere new.

What is your personal declaration around celebration?

To me, celebration means appreciation, gratitude and love. I work really hard so I try to remember to treat myself once in a while, gifting myself with little presents to bring some extra sweetness into my day. It could be a caramel latte, a new book or the occasional scented candle. Sometimes a hot bath is all the celebration I need at the end of a long productive day.

This post is part of The Declaration of You’s Blog Lovin’ Tour, which I’m thrilled to participate in alongside over 200 other creative bloggers. Learn more – and join us! – by clicking here.

As an extra treat we’ve got one copy of the book to giveaway, so if you’d like to win it simply leave a comment below and I’ll draw/announce the winner’s name on Friday xo

Last summer I was lucky enough to spend some time with the luminous Rachel W Cole in Portland and San Francisco. I’d admired her blog for a while and wanted to see what this switched-on inspiring woman was like in real life — and she didn’t disappoint. Wise far beyond her years, Rachel is a life coach who helps guide women towards a pleasure-filled, nourishing, well-fed life. And I know I want a slice of that so I’m thrilled to share that Rachel’s coming to London in April as part of her Well-Fed Woman Retreatshop tour. I will be sitting in the front row — can you join us, too?

To give you a taste of what Ms Cole is all about I asked her a few questions for the Creative Life interview series. Friends, it’s my great pleasure to introduce you to the lovely Rachel Cole…

Rachel, tell us a bit about your path into coaching…

My mother will tell you that I was always a coach. It’s not that I was always telling others what to do, but rather I was always interested in the deeper, more personal aspects of a person’s life and how they could find happiness. At parent/teacher conferences my teachers would report that I was “familiar” with them, asking about their personal lives – not your typical peer- or self-focused student.

My path towards coaching went something like this….

Majored in Political Science when I really should have been Psychology major. Developed anorexia in college. Recovered. Became fascinated with everything having to do with feeding ourselves. Was hired by the college post-graduation as a Disordered Eating Prevention & Education head for the Student Wellness Center.  Spent a year developing campus-wide educational programs and working with the counseling team on the treatment side of things. Realized I was hungry to learn more and headed back to graduate school.

I toyed with becoming a therapist, but ultimately felt more called to health education. Became frustrated that traditional Health Education masters programs quantified health in ways that I didn’t – namely by weight.

Found an awesome program in Holistic Health Education and moved to California. During that program, I took a seminar in Life Coaching and fell in love with it. I filed it away to be my second career because at the time, I was working in the sustainable food world in San Francisco and having a good run at it.

Ultimately, though, I left the food world in 2010 and started my Life Coaching certification.

This version of the story is from 30,000 feet. Get closer and you’ll see even more twists and turns. In the end, I’ve never been more at home in (or more grateful for) my work in the world.

What does being well-fed mean to you personally?

Being well-fed means that I welcome my hungers as wise allies, seeking to be in deep communion with them, and treat feeding myself as a sacred and powerful act of service. A world full of well-fed women would be a much more vital world than the one we’re living in today.  This is my life’s work.

You’re bringing your Well-Fed retreatshop to London in April (yay!) — can you tell us more about what we’ll do on the day? What will participants come away with?

I mentioned above that you’d get to see more twists and turns in my story if you got closer up. Well, you’ll get that at the Retreatshop. I share my story and the pull out the core lessons that form the basis for my teachings today. I offer individual attention helping everyone get really clear on their hungers and through a range of thought-provoking, soul-stirring, fun and restorative activities we work with our hungers, how we relate to them, and what gets in the way of feeding them. Shifts are guaranteed to happen. We’ll have time to talk and share stories and I do a lot of answering “but” questions. Questions like “But what if I don’t know what I’m hungry for?” or “But what if my partner is hungry for something that I’m not?” or “But what if it’s not possible to have what I’m hungry for?”

We laugh. We listen. We inquire. We share. We feast. The whole day is magic.

If you had a look at what past attendees said about attending, I think you’d get a good sense of the takeaways.

How do you personally deal with creative blocks and down days? Tell us about your self-care practices…

I surrender to it. I try to never muscle through anything in my life. Long ago I embraced the idea that you can catch more flies with honey. Ease and softness are my ‘weapons’ of choice.

I tune out what others are doing so I don’t fall into a well of comparison and despair.

I follow where my flow wants to lead, even if that’s mopping the floors or cutting my toenails.

I trust. I release as many ‘should’s as I can. I practice self-kindness in how I speak to myself, in how I choose to spend my time, and how I move through a block.

What and who inspires you – could you share some links and recommendations?

Who
Geneen Roth
Brene Brown
Anna Guest-Jelley
India Arie
Alex Franzen
Jenna Lyons & J.Crew
Cheri Huber
Elizabeth Lesser
Grandma Lo-Fi

What
Kindness
Dogs
Pinterest
Uplifting Art
California
Ottolenghi Cookbooks
My parent’s collection of American Baskets
Somatica Therapy
This Modern Love article

What is the message you want to share with the world?

Trust and feed your truest hungers. The world is crying out for well-fed women.

What are you working on next?

In September I’m co-leading my first overnight retreat with one of my sources for inspiration, Anna Guest-Jelley. Details about the retreat will be released soon, but I can tell you that it’s called Wise Body, Wise Hungers: Yoga & Coming Home to Your Desires and it will be held at Green Gulch Zen Center in California.

You’re having a dinner party and can invite six famous people from the past or present – who would you choose and why?

:: Jimmy Fallon – for the laughs and to play board games with.
:: Wendell Berry – for, among other things, leading grace.
:: Bill Cunningham – for his commentary on the night’s fashion and overall adorableness.
:: Julia Child – for her majesty and because she’d cook something delicious.
:: Brene Brown – for her Texan drawl, belly laughter-inducing stories, and brilliant heart.
:: Amanda De Cadenet – to take amazing portraits of us (you know, just me and the gang) and ask great questions.

Not famous additions:
:: My parents and sister – because they taught me the joys of a well-thrown dinner party.
:: My Nana – who is no longer with us, but would make the absolute best tamales.

This party would be awesome.

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Isn’t she delicious? Thank you so much for sharing with us today, Rachel!

You can sign up for The Well-Fed Woman Retreatshops over here

It’s been a while since I’ve shared a Creative Life interview here so we’re back with a bang with Ms Tammy Strobel. I was lucky enough to spend some time with Tammy while I was in Portland in July and she really is such a sweetheart! You might have heard of Tammy thanks to the amazing tiny house she lives in with her husband, Logan. They’ve downsized their life to the absolute essentials and now live in a purpose-built house that’s just 128 square feet. Her first book, You Can Buy Happiness (and it’s Cheap), launches this week and it’s a pleasure to be able to introduce her to you all…

SC: How did this path begin for you?

TS: About seven years ago I took a life changing trip to Mexico. At the time I was volunteering with the Mexico Solidarity Network and I was unhappy with my career and huge mound of debt. After visiting Mexico and seeing so much poverty, I realized how trivial my problems were back home with drama at work and feelings of inadequacy in my culture. When I got back, I knew I had to make some serious life changes, but I didn’t know where to start.

Logan was the one who suggested that we downsize our lives by moving into a smaller apartment. He thought it would be a great way to save money and simplify our lives. Initially, when Logan suggested the idea of scaling back I didn’t want anything to do with it! After many bargaining conversations, I finally agreed to downsize to a smaller apartment. Once I jumped on the simplicity bandwagon I had more time, less stress in my life, and I became hooked on this lifestyle.

You and your husband live in your amazing tiny house — what convinced you that this was where and how you wanted to live?

I remember the moment very precisely because it left such an impression on me. It was December 31st, 2006, New Years eve, and it was a cold, windy evening in Davis, California. Logan and I were snuggled up and warm, wrapped up in the covers of our bed; he was surfing the Internet and I was reading a vampire novel (I’m a huge fan of young adult fiction).

Logan was reading about a naturalist named Dick Proenneke and his cabin in the woods when he stumbled across a related You Tube video featuring Dee Williams and her little house.  Dee and her little house seemed to symbolize an ideal that was simple, free, and happy. As soon as I watched the video, I knew that I wanted to buy a little house because they were so cute and affordable!

“Living with less is a life philosophy; it’s not about the number of things you own.” I love this! For someone reading this interview who’d like to downsize their possessions but might be feeling daunted, where would you advise them to start?

Choose a small section of your home to tackle first. For example, when I began culling through my stuff I started with my closet. Each day, I took an hour to pull out clothes that I no longer wore and by the end of the week I had five, 30 gallon, black garbage bags filled with clothing that I donated to Goodwill!

Alternatively, you could give away ten to twenty belongings a week. This strategy isn’t as overwhelming and by slowly culling through your stuff, your clutter will disappear. Remember that this isn’t a race or a competition. If you keep clearing the clutter, you’ll end up with a beautiful home; a sanctuary that’s restful and relaxing, rather than overflowing with stuff.

Could you describe a typical day for you in (and out!) of the tiny house?

My husband, Logan, and I typically get up at 6.30 or 7a.m., make coffee and play with our kittens. Then we’ll make a small breakfast and Logan will pedal off to work. I usually stay home in the morning and write and spend my afternoons in a cafe drinking drinking coffee and writing in my journal. Other days, I spend my afternoons walking around taking photos. I try to keep my days open because I enjoy spontaneous get-togethers with friends and I need large blocks of time for writing. If I don’t have the time and space to write and think, nothing gets done. In between writing and taking photos, I check my email and make time for reading too.

Typically, Logan gets home from the lab around 6.30 and we’ll make a yummy dinner together. I’ve been off sugar for a few months and it’s renewed my interest in cooking real food. Lately, we’ve been going to bed early and reading. I love snuggling in our little loft. It makes me happy.

As I write these words, we’re still living in Portland, Oregon. We’re moving back to Northern, California soon. So I’m sure our daily routine will change. I’m looking forward to the new adventure and change.

“Money can buy happiness, but it depends on how you spend it” — I’d love you to elaborate a bit more on this, Tammy.

After your basic needs are meet, money can buy happiness. Researchers have shown that spending money on experiences, like vacations, a lovely dinner with your partner, or a coffee date will make you happier than buying a new shirt, a brand new car or even a big new house. In short, humans adapt very quickly to new things in their lives, so happiness from buying new stuff wears off quickly.

However, spending money on experiences typically produces more — and longer lasting — satisfaction because joyful memories continue to nourish our feelings of well-being. Instead of buying new stuff, happiness research shows that you can be happier by helping others, donating to charities, and buying a few small pleasures that make for a memorable experience.

Your first book is about to be born into the world — could you share with us your experience of writing a book?

Writing my book was an incredibly rewarding and challenging experience. There were times when my words seemed to flow out of my pen and into my journal and other times when I wanted to delete my entire manuscript.

The book writing process taught me that I’m a non-linear writer. I write content in small segments in my journal and then transcribe my words onto the computer screen. I discovered that writing in my journal first is the way to go, otherwise I edit myself too much, forget my subject, and I end up totally frustrated.

Finally, writing this book reminded me that we all have stories to tell. During the writing process, I constantly questioned my value a writer and there were times when my inner critic made me cry. But, I kept reminding myself that we all have stories to tell. Sharing my experiences — and writing from the my heart — is one way that I’ve helped readers and myself too.

What and who inspires you – could you share some links with us?

Last week, I rediscovered a fun app for my iPhone called FlipBoard. I’m loving all the photography articles that it’s led me to. It’s so much fun and it’s been feeding my Friday link round-up with all kinds of goodies.

I’m also an avid reader. Lately, I’ve been into young adult fiction and memoirs. Right now I’m reading Torch, a novel by Cheryl Strayed. Her writing on love and loss is inspiring, authentic, and thought provoking. You can check out my book list here.

Finally, I adore Instagram. I love photography and I’m fascinated by how people see the world through their camera lens.

What are you working on next?

I’m working on a couple of projects. My fall writing course starts on October 1st and I’m super excited about teaching it again. I’m also developing a photography ecourse and working with my business partner Courtney on Your Lovely Life. We’re planning on releasing another ecourse in November!

I’ve been working on a new book idea too. But the concept isn’t flushed out yet. My dad recently passed away and I think the book will be about grief. But the more I write about the topic, it’s turning into something a book that’s focused on love, loss, and hope. If all goes well, I’ll send my book proposal off to my agent by the end of the year.

You’re having a dinner party and can invite six famous people from the past or present – who would you choose and why?

1. Logan, my husband, because a party wouldn’t be the same without him. And he needs to be present so that I don’t make an ass of myself.

2. Cheryl Strayed, the author of Wild and Torch. Her thoughts on love and loss are powerful. I’d love to talk with her one on one.

3. Maya Angelou’s writing has touched me so deeply and I love her voice. It’s so soothing.

4. Angela Davis’s book, Women, Race, and Class, was assigned reading in a college course. I devoured the book and was blown away by her words and perspective on life.

5. I had the opportunity to see Anne Lamott speak in Portland last year and I loved her talk. She is hilarious and her book Bird by Bird is something that I re-read at least once a year.

6. Dee Williams is an obvious choice on this list for me. Dee is a constant source of inspiration, she’s a talented writer, and good friend. Dee would ease the awkwardness of strangers at a dinner party and I think she and Anne would spend the whole evening making jokes.

Tammy Strobel is a writer, photographer, and tiny house enthusiast. She created her blog, RowdyKittens.com, to share her story of embracing simplicity. Since then, her story has been featured in the New York Times, The Today Show, USA Today, CNN, MSNBC, and in a variety of other media outlets. Tammy’s new book is called, You Can Buy Happiness (and it’s Cheap).

Connect with Tammy on her blog | on Twitter | on Instagram

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Thank you so much, Tammy! Are you guys feeling inspired to downsize? I know I am :)

We have THREE copies of Tammy’s book to giveaway! To be in with a chance to win one, simply leave a comment on this post sharing something that brings you happiness. The giveaway closes on Friday 21st and I’ll announce the winners in my SFTW post

Lots more Creative Life interviews over here