Alchemy Collaborative

🌒🌓🌔Some goals/intentions for 2022🌖🌗🌘⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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- Adjust to my new full-time role as a project manager while selectively working with dreamy 1:1 clients through Alchemy⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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- Research ways that I can empower creative business owners through digital products⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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- Continue to read more books⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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- Continue to use positive affirmations and seek community to feel more comfortable being my authentic self⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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- Give back to the rare disease / disabled community through volunteering⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I'm curious, what are some of your goals for this year?

Alchemy Collaborative is getting a ✨new look✨ as the new year rolls in. In the meantime, I hope you have an equally restful + joyful holiday! Put your feet up. Sip some 'nog. Take a social media break. We'll see you again in 2022.

Does anyone else cringe or roll their eyes involuntarily anytime the terms "target audience," "buyer persona," or "avatar" is brought up? No? Just me? I don't know why, but the terms have always felt kind of... corporate. Impersonal. It didn't really click for me for the longest time. Then I read some books and connected with other business owners who helped me realize that maybe I was just framing it in my head all wrong.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Once I started thinking of my ideal client as the hero of their own story–that's when it all came together.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I like to read, a lot. I also love to write fiction stories and develop characters, and when I started to see my ideal client through this lens, it became SO much clearer to me who I was interested in working with and what their needs are.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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So, I present to you a free workbook that outlines exactly how to clarify who your ideal client is, what their story looks like, and how ✨you✨ are going to step in to give them what they need.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Click the link in my bio to snag it!

Step one of relaunching Alchemy Collaborative: round out my portfolio with projects that I'm proud of.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The past year has been one of growth for me. Slow, root-spreading growth. As an artist, a business owner, and (most importantly) as a human being. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Have I arrived? Definitely not. But part of being a business owner and creative is embracing possibility. For a lot of us, optimism is like plant food for our little brainchildren. So I'm gonna keep choosing to pursue the dream. You in?

June is Migraine & Headache Awareness Month!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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As a designer who is also a health advocate, it's important to me to use whatever platform I can to bring awareness and educate others on the lesser-known side of an otherwise common condition.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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As you may know by now, my journey to becoming a designer began in 2019 when I developed a disabling neurological condition. I have no shame, and I don't want any undue sympathy by sharing this. But what I do want is to see change happen for this small corner of society.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Migraine is a complex neurological event that is fairly common and usually results in a severe headache. Most people are not aware that there is more than one type of migraine–including a rare form of this condition that can cause various non-pain symptoms on a huge spectrum between "just annoying" and "requiring hospitalization." Most often these symptoms appear like a stroke, seizure, or other neurological condition, and patients often go misdiagnosed for many years. The symptoms are unique to each individual, and are part of the everyday reality for around 30,000 people in the United States, including myself. This highly unpredictable and misunderstood condition is called hemiplegic (or complex) migraine.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Why is it misunderstood? In part, stigma. Migraine is often characterized as a headache (which is only one symptom) rather than a complex medical condition that can manifest in disabling ways. This rare disease is often misunderstood by professionals in the medical community due to a lack of research, awareness, and compassion.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It is one of my biggest hopes to see migraine research expand and move towards better treatments and testing in the future.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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If you want to learn more or get involved in some way, head to www.americanmigrainefoundation.org.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I have a disability. And I have no shame over it. I have a rare disease. And I don't want to be pitied for it. The world has dealt me a hard hand. But I refuse to give in and give up.

My story is not going to look the same as many others. I won't be able to thrive on "busy," juggle multiple hats without faltering, or strive for the most "productive" lifestyle. And you know what? That's effing okay. I'm honestly grateful for my struggles, because they have forced me to slow down and examine my life from a humble place. I feel like I've been trapped in some ways and freed in others.

If you're struggling today with whatever the world is handing you, I want you to know that you don't have to give in or give up. You have the choice to slow down, take a step back, and thrive in whatever way is best for you - not the way the world would have you think is best. I'm in your corner.
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