Glimmers of Creativity in Loss

The life of a creative means ebbs and flows of inspiration.

As most of you know, walking through the sudden grief and loss of a beloved fur-kid after 16 years has been, to put it plainly, a wave we didn't expect to ride this year.

The heartache has forced me to honor quieter moments. 
And in those moments I also can't help but feel a deeper gratitude and appreciation when creativity still shows a glimmer of its presence - a sweet reassurance that invites me to not only stay but to remember there is inspiration everywhere - even in grief.

One of the things I committed to this year was to remember the days when I'd create for fun and to experiment without a much of a plan and team up with others who were down to also try something out.
And so this recent creative endeavor took me to explore an empty garage in downtown San Jose with stylist Abby Young of Abby Young Styling. 

The image above is just a sneak peak and I can't wait to share the rest with you all soon!

Celebrating Women in Business | Anne Brinkman

"Dreams and reality are opposites. Action synthesizes them."

-Assata Shakur

I just love the opportunity to promote and talk about women in business in the Bay Area. And to be invited to play a small role in helping establish their brand by making sure they have professional headshots, well, that’s even better! Anne Brinkman is the founder/owner of BetterYour.Life and I had the privilege of not only helping her create her business headshots but also feature her in today’s “Celebrating Women in Business” spotlight.

Images by Heartbox Photography

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Can you share a little bit about you and your business?

“I run a life coaching business - I coach people who have visions of their success but are struggling to get there.”

What has your journey looked like personally/professionally to get to where you are now?

“I appreciate the opportunity to explore different careers.  I spent many years as a software engineer, some as a computer lab teacher, some in software training and consulting, and exploratory jobs doing kitchen prep and bakery work.  Every where I worked has contributed to me in some way and the role I now have as a coach.”

What do you enjoy about what you do? What are some of the challenges?

“I love to connect closely with people, to understand their motivations, and to help them find their blocks and get past them.  The biggest challenge is that I need to spend time on myself as well, to get past my own blocks.”

Knowing what you know now, what would you tell your 18 year old self?

“Stop caring about what other people think.  Just start learning and practicing the things you want to get better at and time will do its thing.”  

What do you appreciate most about your life now/what are you most proud of?

“That I have not held back in trying new careers or felt tied to a career ladder.  That I've followed interests I've had despite needing to start over.” 

Who inspires you and why?

“People who have dreamed big and really made it happen, through belief and persistence.  Richard Branson, Oprah Winfrey, Steph Curry, Jose Andres, etc!”

A fun or surprising fact about yourself?

“I love learning and would be a full time student, time and money permitting. I run a lot (slowly) and have completed over 20 1/2 marathons (and one marathon)!”