Archetypes: The Explorer

In my June 26th blog post, I introduced us to the Museum of Pop Culture's Queen Within show. Today, we will explore the second archetype they discuss - the Explorer.

 She is a pioneer, adventurer, and a rebel. She's all over challenges and rejects authority. Her strengths are determination and independence, and her fears are conventionality, inner emptiness and boredom.

In this exhibit, the Explorer woman rebelled against the rigid framework of beauty and consumerism. She wore clothes that paid attention to issues of gender, race, and disability.

She is symbolized by the planets, the moon, the egg, the night, and the turtle.

What do you wear that expresses your inner Explorer? What makes you feel strong and determined?

How you can get out of your way and write already.

The Shanameh,the world's longest epic poem by a single author.

I meet many people who want to write. They yearn to express their thoughts, feelings, knowledge, and opinions. Yet, something holds them back. Here's a few ways to get out of your own way and write already.

1.  Keep it secret, keep it safe.  Too many of us show our work to the wrong people, too soon. When your work is in a beginning place, it is like a delicate seedling. It needs encouragement (sunshine), kindness (water), and the proper nutrition (feedback). Your first draft is not the right time to show it to that certain someone whose respect you have been wishing for.  At first, treat your writing and dreaming like a precious, radical secret. Later on, when you become a sturdy tree, you can open it up for more critical input.
2. Tell the truth. If someone had wanted you to write nice
   things about them, they would have behaved better. Naturally, change their details, change their names, change the planet, if you want, but those evil teachers, horrible bullies, and nasty parents are your characters. Use them.
3. Lower the stakes. Don't try to write a book that people will study for the ages (for some reason, men get caught up in this trap more than women). Focus on getting words on paper by any means you need, like hand writing, keyboarding, or by making something up on your Facebook page during your break time. Make it fun, make it whimsical, make it crude, if that is your personality type.
4. Fake yourself out. You don't need hours of uninterrupted time to write well. Set a timer for 9 or 13 or 20 minutes and write stuff down, even if it's, "I don't know what to say, I don't know what to say, I don't know what to say." 
5. Surround yourself with other writers, especially fun, generous, and enthusiastic ones. Look for people who believe that a rising tide lifts all boats, who care about your success, and believe in celebrating all milestones, especially rejections. Do I even need to say that you need to be one of these people, too?

And when you are ready, edit the hell out of that manuscript and publish it!

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Come read my books!

Women Entrepreneurs: Natasha Lakos

Natasha Lakos

I don't spend much time talking about being an entrepreneur. It's time to turn that around!

Last year, I was honored to meet Natasha Lakos of Natasha Lakos Creative. 

She graciously allowed me to interview her! Thank you, Natasha!

1.Name of Business: Natasha Lakos Creative

What I do: I'm a Creative Director and Graphic Designer. I craft couture identities for exceptional clients - working 1:1 with heart-based entrepreneurs who are changing the world.

2. Aspects of my job that people don't see:

The very left-brained wrangling of ideas, details and deadlines that brings creativity and good design into reality. At times it can feel like herding cats! It's a good thing love is in the details.

3. Who inspires me on rough days:

If I'm having a rough day I honestly don't look to anyone else. I take it as a sign that I need a

pattern interrupt...I need to focus my attention elsewhere - on getting inspired creatively, on moving my body, on being in nature, on my friends / family. I usually take it as a cue to rest or focus elsewhere for a while. And when things have gotten really rough in the past I've learned that it's a sign I'm on the wrong track. Which means it's time to re-evaluate what I'm doing and implement a plan to get me through the rough patch and back in alignment. A talk with my coach, the lovely Sherold Barr, always does the trick.

4. Current projects:
I just had 3 clients launch new websites (yay!), I'm tying up a couple of other VIP design projects, and coming off of a major online launch with a retainer client of mine.
New in the works is a redo of my own site natashalakos.com, and content development for IDENTITY, a playbook I'm creating that will help passionate business owners identify what makes them unique, and help them express that online (you can learn more here).

You can also get my 5 Secrets to Uncovering Your Visual Identity, for free, here!

Here is some praise for Natasha's work:

“Working with Natasha has been dreamy. She’s creative, elegant, timely, professional, and perceptive. Not only do I adore the final visual product, the process has been wonderful, as well. Natasha is deeply nurturing of her clients while remaining sophisticated and on task. This is quite a rare combination and I’m grateful for it.”

Kate Northrup
ENTREPRENEUR, SPEAKER, AUTHOR, KATENORTHRUP.COM