Let's be honest. At the very beginning of 2023, before starting Rainbow Sprink Shop, I was scared. Scared to see what I could become. Afraid of the discomfort if I were to try to put myself & my art out there for the world. I also didn't know how to prioritize my own happiness & hobbies. People told me I should sell my work. I wasn't ready because of fear. On January 17th '23 I found a new lease on life when I was driving & hit black ice going 45mph around a bend. After crashing head on into a pole, my new car was totaled and I was shook. Katy Perry sang "do you ever feel like a plastic bag drifting thru the wind wanting to start again" RIGHT as I lost control. Swear to god. I have dash cam footage. It was a sign. THAT was scary. It made so many other things seem so less scary. Things that were holding me back that were rooted in fear became so silly. Fear of failure, judgement, change, the unknown...you name it. Those things seemed to fall away after my life had flashed before my eyes. I felt I could do anything. I still do, thank god. Less than a month after my crash on Feb 12th, I jumped in & set the tone for 2023. I made my logo & began creating my website RainbowSprink.com from scratch. I made this lame office into the art studio of my dreams. I started my social media accounts & made new friends. I set goals of what I'd like to achieve & where I'd like to go. I was consistent & tried so many new things. I'm now addicted to leaning into my fears. I know that fear is an emotion that hides other more vulnerable emotions. When I see fear arise in me, I ask myself "what is the primary emotion behind this fear?" Judgement? Failure? Change? This year I DID experience being judged by people, I had setbacks, and change was constant. All the things I feared. Guess what?! I loved those moments of growth & challenge. I wasn't SO uncomfortable that I wanted to quit. I was having fun. I got to solve problems that were only my own. I did it for no one but myself. I let myself be "selfish" & make my own happiness instead of expecting others to provide it for me. Looking back, prioritizing myself & pushing past fear were the best decisions I have ever made. #artistsoftiktok #impostersyndrome #growthmindset