Inspiring Birds

Let this bird inspire you. . .

2007-11-30T09:45:00.001-07:00

Are you living out your dreams – your heart's desire? When was the last time you thought about that childhood dream that you tucked away into the folds of your every day clothes, but that you still hold close and still hold dear?

Today is a very special Tuesday. I am so thankful to be given the opportunity to share with you someone who is making so many of her heart's desires a reality in more ways than one. She has an inspiring story about how she overcame obstacles and faced life head-on with her dreams, her family and as a result is making those desires a REALITY in her life.

As I usher in the second ever INSPIRING BIRD interview, let me introduce you to a creative bird who is talented and driven – a visionary and someone who is allowing the possibility of creativity to enhance every part of her life. . .

Everyone, I would like you to meet:
Susan Fedore!

After 14 years working in design in the apparel industry, Susan is pursuing the craft of design with a more hands-on approach and has started her own clothing line: .:UNA:. Read and hear in the interview and podcast attached below, how her dreams, choices and drive have landed her in the middle of this exciting endeavor. . .and be inspired!

Susan, tell us about .:UNA:. and your role in the company. . .
The name Una, in Latin, means “in one, together”… in essence it is an assortment of “ones” that encompass things that inspire me – intricate vintage trims (cotton laces, buttons), as well as various graphic images. I work mostly with knits, due to the forgiving nature of the fabric. In a lot of ways it’s an exercise or study (in much the same way a painter might take a subject and explore it). When I sent out my introduction e-mail for Una, it was in the form of a birth announcement… the idea of having my own label has been gestating for an incredibly long time. In fact, Una is my third (and final) attempt to get my own label off of the ground. The two other attempts were made in the midst of 40+ hour workweeks and trying to devote as much time as I could to my young daughter. At the time, I was really struggling for balance, focus, and freedom to create on my terms and on my own timeline…. And I would get really frustrated that I couldn’t pour more of myself into each – the first priority being my little girl.

As for my role in the company, I’ve dubbed myself “Head Girl” – a little more tongue-in-cheek. It’s really more of a co-operative. I’ve had the opportunity to enlist the expertise of several talented individuals that I have either worked with in my past professional life, or sought out because I needed to learn more skills to make Una a reality. One of the most rewarding aspects of this venture has been working with these individuals that I adore and respect. I am constantly struck by the encouragement and generosity (of self and talent) of others….

Have you always had this dream? When did you recognize this dream within you?
I think if we all look back on what we wanted to be when we were young, and where we actually ended up, it doesn’t always correspond. At the age of five, I was convinced that I was a princess who had been adopted by a nice, working-class couple, and would resume my royal life at the age of 16. My dreams went from princess… to ballerina… to veterinarian… to lawyer (fighting for the rights of others!)… but all the while, I was very particular about my ensembles…. My mom always let me select my clothing and dress myself. (Which would explain the black fishnet stockings, red patent leather shoes, and purple fur coat at age four….) Then, as a young teenager, I discovered Vogue, Taxi, Donna… it was a whole new world… (at that time, Seattle was a lot more “back-woods” than it is today). I began experimenting with making my own clothes or customizing them. During high school I took sewing, and a pilot class of “Fashion Merchandising and Design”, and from that point on I knew that I wanted to pursue a career of designing clothing. I remember the sheer joy of my first job in the industry as a “Technical Engineer” (creating specs for garments)… Every single day I would marvel that they were actually paying me to be there. It is a tremendous gift when you can make a living doing something you truly love.

What was the scariest thing you encountered along the way to making .:UNA:. a reality?
The scariest thing for me is losing my anonymity. After designing for large apparel companies for 14 years, you get accustomed to the many layers that separate the designer from the end-consumer. On top of that, you are designing items for a distinct customer that you, yourself, may not personally wear. With my own label, I have to put my personal aesthetic out there, and there’s an underlying fear of rejection…. But I recognize (and embrace) that not everyone is going to like my point of view. My audience is quite small, and if there is a handful that appreciates it, then that’s enough. (And because my production is so small, it works out nicely.)

The process of creating this company has been really organic. In the beginning, I read books, and wrote a simple business plan, but nothing really prepares you until you get into the thick of it. That would be the second scariest aspect – taking the first step and committing to it. I’ve encountered a lot of challenges along the way, but I have to maintain faith in my path and keep a positive outlook. My hope and desire is for Una to grow, but even it if doesn’t, I will cherish having this time to learn more about hands-on design… ultimately it’s a an opportunity for personal growth, and the flexibility enables me to spend more time with my daughter. The past few months have been the best I’ve had in years!

What finally gave you the courage to just do it? Everyone has dreams, but not everyone makes their dreams a reality or knows how to - what allowed you to make it real in your life?
The courage was actually borne out of desperation, and has taken me years to build. The past few years have been a little rough on my body – I was in a car accident in 2004, which required months of intensive chiropractic care. Then at the beginning of 2005, I contracted a serious illness, from which took me a year to regain my health. All the while, I was working and trying to be a good parent. It’s hard to maintain a positive outlook when you’re suffering… but the suffering is a blessing. It forces you to stop and really consider your priorities. In fact, it takes you to a whole new level of perspective and gratitude. At the end of 2006, I had officially hit a breaking point in my career. I was running ragged from stress, and my health was taking a downward spiral… My spirit was screaming for mercy and I craved balance. When I left my job, I gave myself a couple of months to just “be”. I explored other options outside of design, but ultimately decided to pursue it in the way that I am now. To afford this, we were fortunate to have a fair amount of equity in our home, so we sold it without any regrets.

What is your ultimate dream?
This is a big one, and I’ve got a few, so I thought I’d break it down a bit:
For Una, I would like to continue to build my line, piece by piece, and keep it relatively small. Getting the merchandise out there is secondary to the intent. It’s really just about small-scale crafting and connecting with the community. Originally, I wanted to create a design co-operative under the name “No Mass”, a movement of sorts, for independent designers and artists… but it’s already going on out there, and I am just now realizing the extent of it. I’m excited to become a part of it.

On a broader level, I would love to see a more peaceful world and to have honor and accountability restored within our nation. I am taking more time to increase my participation in different causes, like the environment, or the war in Iraq….. and more recently to speak out against the military threat against the monks in Burma. It’s heartbreaking to see a peaceful protest end in gunfire. Never underestimate the power of one… especially when the effect begins to multiply!

On a spiritual level, (it sounds a little lofty), but I would like to achieve enlightenment. At this point in my life, I don’t even know what that would look like. In the meantime, I am grateful for the opportunity to have more time with my family, explore my craft, build a small company, and live in the moment.

How does your creative life enhance the other parts of your life?
So far, it has taken me to various countries, introduced me to incredible and inspiring people, and taught me some invaluable lessons through experiences and interactions. It has given me strength and wisdom, and has certainly shaped who I am today.

In general, I find that it simply brightens my mood and energizes my soul to have time to focus on creating things…. that positive energy filters into my everyday interactions. Not just with my family and friends, but with strangers. Smiles and laughter are contagious, and one of my goals is to spread joy and enthusiasm whenever and wherever possible!

My creative life also shapes the way I parent – and I really enjoy fostering my daughter’s creativity and imagination, because ultimately I think it will help her face, question, and resolve various challenges throughout her life.

Click here to listen to the rest of the interview!
INSPIRING BIRD PODCAST 2

As you listen to the podcast to hear more about Susan, .:UNA:. and what Susan is so blessed to have in her life, get a sneek "peep" at what she is currently working on next for .:UNA:.

WWW.UNA-SHOP.COM

So beautiful. . .thank you so much, Susan.

My hope is that you have been inspired today to think about your own childhood dreams and what you can begin doing this day to help make them more of a reality in your every day life.

Love,
*jodi

The Power of a Blessing (Part I). . .

2007-11-30T09:44:00.001-07:00

As I have been meeting and talking with my beautiful friends and mentors on the idea of a blessing, I asked the same questions of each wise bird. . .what is a blessing? and in what ways are blessings powerful?

Each of their answers reminded me of truth I've learned about blessings in the experiences of my own life – some, very recent experiences. And some of their answers allowed me to discover new truths that I hope I will be able to internalize and apply to my life from here on out. I can't wait to share all of it with you.

With all these inspirations and stories I have collected, I've decided to divide "The Power of a Blessing" post into three parts. Today I am introducing the series with Darlin' Bird's first ever, one of many to come, INSPIRING BIRD interviews!

The intention of these INSPIRING BIRD interviews is to introduce you to a creative soul that will no doubt inspire. . .and, hopefully, encourage each of us to discover, or rediscover, or even just remind us of the creative potential we all have to live out our hearts' desires,
this day.

So, let me introduce to you. . .
Brenda Pettinger!

Brenda has been a darling friend of mine for more than 13 years. She is a writer, an artist, a teacher, an observer and lover of good, a friend, a sister and an inspiration.

In the interview below, I was so struck with Brenda's answer to the question about how and when it was that she realized her heart's desire. Plus, click on the link at the end of this post entitled "Inspiring Bird Podcast 1" to hear Brenda's inspiring piece she wrote based on an assignment she gives to her students at BSU, (see "This I Believe" on NPR's site). Also, hear how Brenda defines a blessing and in what way she, specifically, has been blessed. It's so powerful.

Read and hear all the good.
May you be inspired. . .and blessed this day.

Out of all the things in your life you are working to accomplish, what is one of the deepest, creative desires of your heart? Said another way, what would you want most to accomplish if you knew you were guaranteed to succeed and there was no possibility of failure?
I’ve always wanted to write a book (what writer doesn’t?). I’ve always wanted to write a book in the same way that some people want to run a marathon or climb Everest or swim the English Channel. There are certain goals that require hard work, a learning curve, preparation, discipline, and their realization is not for glory or recognition (my goal isn’t to win any prizes or be on Oprah or even to publish a novel—it’s to write one, even if no one ever reads it). The process of it is daunting and the culmination of the task is so monumental, how could you not feel like you’ve accomplished an amazing feat? I want to write a novel in the same way some people want to sky dive or BASE jump or run with the bulls in Pamplona. Because doing something that risky is a rush and it’s a practice in vulnerability and it gives you a different perspective on the world. And in the end, maybe it makes you a better person. Isn’t that the nature of our heart’s desires—to offer us a corridor into that place where the best, most purest form of our self lives? I want to get to her.

What has happened in your life to help you identify that desire? When did you recognize in yourself that this was a passion of yours and what helped to identify that passion in yourself?
One day when I was in grade school I was hanging out in my room, reading books. I had this cool bedroom with a graduated ceiling, so above my closet was another huge storage closet, and I would climb up there where there were a few boxes and an extra mattress, and I would read or draw or write. And I wrote this poem from the perspective a little girl who sees this really saddened clown in the park. It was your basic, grade school poem, metered, rhymed. It was my first poem. I showed it to my dad, who was an English professor and a writer, and I told him I wrote it. And he said, You mean you read it somewhere and you wrote it down? No, I wrote it myself, I told him, and I remember how surprised he was. Then, of course, he and my mom encouraged me to write more poems, which I did, and they were equally elementary—certainly I was no literary prodigy—but in the least, they revealed a certain level of creativity and observative inclination. Around that time, there was a Young Writer’s Contest that was held each year in our valley, and I entered each year and was recognized each year in my age category. (I haven’t thought about all this in years!) It’s so important for children to be praised and honored for their creative gifts—and encouraged even beyond that, on a daily basis, by parents, family, teachers, strangers. I’m so blessed to have had people in my life who always believed (and still believe) that I am a better writer than I think I am.

Mostly through my college years as an English major, the majority of my writing moved from creative to critical—essays, literary criticism, just a different beast. Weeks after I finished my Master’s program, I was invited to participate in a writer’s workshop led by Terry Tempest Williams. It was the perfect setting (Idaho wilderness) and the perfect assignment (animal tracks) and the perfect sized group (small enough that we each had one-on-one time with Terry). When it was my turn to read to her what I had written (it was just the two of us)—I will never forget this—she just looked at me with tears in her eyes and said, Whatever you’re planning to do with your life right now, if it doesn’t involve writing, stop it. You should be writing—that’s all you should be doing. That was a surreal moment for me—because again, someone (and not just someone, an amazing woman and a talented writer) had this incredible belief in my gifts. At that time she was on the editorial board of a regional literary publication out of Missoula, and she took the piece that I had written and she personally submitted it, and it was the first piece of writing I had published.

What things in your life are you actively doing to help manifest this passion in your life today?
A little over a year ago, I began a huge writing project—something that will take me years to complete. And it’s totally for me. My heart’s desire. And it’s been incredibly rewarding and frustrating and energizing. I’m having to do a lot of research on several different subjects. I’m reading newspapers from the early 1900s, learning about mining equipment and processes from that time period, brushing up on my Native American mythology, looking into natural medicine. It’s fun. I love it. I’m not the most disciplined writer—my schedule is so insane, it’s not feasible to carve out writing time every single day. But I get snippets in here and there and when I take days off, it’s to go on a writing binge. My manuscript is getting progressively thicker. I’m loving the process. I wish it could move at a quicker pace, and I’m trying to make some adjustments in my working life that might reduce my income, but will give me so much more time to chase my heart’s desire. It takes sacrifice, but I think when we honor our gifts there are other rewards for us.

How do you overcome obstacles or avoid distractions that would or could keep you from manifesting the desire of your heart in your life?
Unfortunately, I struggle with this (distractions!)—I think everyone does. For years after college, my focus turned to teaching, which I love. But it’s time consuming, and my writing sort of slipped away for a number of years. I shouldn’t say I stopped writing altogether, because I often write with my students—as they’re working on an assignment, I’ll do the same. But working a piece all the way through to something that is polished and complete—the scope of that process was often interrupted (usually by a hundred student essays to grade). The point is: my writing wasn’t a priority. Just now, I’m thinking back to what Terry said to me—I haven’t thought about that in a very long time. She was warning me against the distraction, and I didn’t take her advice very well. I’m moving in a better direction now, I think. At least I’m more focused on the goal and am more aware of honoring the promises I’ve made to myself to manifest that desire.

From where do you draw your inspiration and motivation for making this desire of the heart a reality in your life?
Well, if we’re talking specifically about my current project, one of my main inspirations is my great-grandmother, because she’s the model for one of the main characters. I was so blessed to know my great-grandmother—she died when I was a teenager. She was a feisty little Irish woman, the life of the party—there were so many wonderful things about her. I don’t know if I was too young or if it wasn’t talked about or if I was just not paying attention, but it wasn’t until after she died that I learned about her unusual childhood. I can’t say that I’m writing her story, because I’m not, but I do talk to her often about her story and mine and I know she’s whispering in my ear when I sleep. In general, though, I find inspiration EVERYWHERE: in nature, in music lyrics, in painting, in reading, on the news, in dreams, in people-watching, in beautiful photographs, in cooking . . . in meditation and prayer. I think it’s important to speak your desires into God's ear — but it’s also important to be able quiet yourself enough to hear the answers, the direction, to be still enough to feel the pull of creative energy. I love the practice of listening. We should listen more.

Click here to hear the interview continue!
INSPIRING BIRD PODCAST 1

::::::: Hear All Good, See All Good, Say All Good, and Do All Good :::::::