Welcome, I’m so glad you’re here.
Hi, I’m Angie. I’m a registered nurse, certified IIN health coach, calligraphy artist, and calligraphy workshop facilitator.
I have a great appreciation for all the beauty around me; both in art, & in nature.
As a child and young adult, I was always very creative and expressive. I taught myself calligraphy from a kit that my sisters bought me as a Birthday gift when I turned 12 years old. I enjoyed drawing, painting, singing, acting, and public speaking. In my early 20s, I began my career as a Registered Nurse because it was a “practical” career choice. Eventually, I got married & had 2 amazing children. Sadly, I became so busy with my family and job, that I placed my creativity as the lowest priority in my life. At the time, I hadn’t realized what a big mistake this would be. By denying myself this part of me, I was killing off a part of me that so desperately needed to be expressed. Little by little, my energy, happiness & zest for life dwindled until one day my body could no longer take it.
A few years back, I was diagnosed with the Chronic Autoimmune condition, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Among many other symptoms, I was exhausted, depressed, and couldn’t follow or participate in a group conversation if my life depended on it. The most frightening of all my symptoms were the episodes of debilitating brain fog that I experienced. In the past, I was the life of the party, the conversation starter, & a confident public speaker. Now, I couldn’t find the words in my brain’s filing cabinet for things as simple as the words car, dog & even chocolate!
I researched everything about Hashimoto’s, found the right team of people to help me, & did everything in my power to help myself heal. I took some extreme measures & changed my diet, exercise, and lifestyle. Although I did make many gains with these interventions, the greatest gains by far came when I allowed myself to explore the artist inside me that I had abandoned many years ago. I finally gave myself permission to honor my deepest desires, and so, I set out on a creative healing journey.
When I was really sick, and feeling zapped of all energy, creativity didn’t even seem like a possibility because I was in survival mode. But, I found that when I began to do even little things, like doodle, color & journal, it actually brought me back to life. In fact, I believe the reason I became so sick in the first place was that I refused to allow myself the creative self-care that I desperately needed. As I started to feel better, I created more, and the more I created, the better I felt”.
Being diagnosed Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis was the wake-up call that I needed to put creativity back on my list of priorities. I decided that it was time to finally find my way back to me. I was terrified, & I wasn’t sure what I would find. I wasn’t sure if my old dreams were relevant to my future fulfillment. The hardest part for me was to just start, to turn off those voices that said “you aren’t an artist, you aren’t good enough”, & to give myself permission to just be a kid again. I began by following amazing & inspiring artists online…taking their courses & feeding that part of me that needed so desperately to be expressed. I have made great healing gains on my creative journey and I know you can too.