Many of my clients are interested in taking a new creative direction with their lives. They want to tap into their inner creative and understand how to prioritize their creative and passion projects with making money for the life they want.  In today’s episode, I’m chatting with one of those clients, Annie Wong a.k.a. Headexplodie, a mixed media artist and storyteller who works in the mediums of sculptures, illustration, and stop motion animations. She’s sharing her path to becoming an artist, why she chose to start her own business, how she channels her inner creative child, and how she balances her art with owning a business.  In this episode, you’ll learn… [03:14] Annie’s story of how she met one of her heroes, Paul Reubens (Pee-wee Herman), and why Pee-wee’s Playhouse was influential to her work [09:03] How Annie describes her art and her business, her path to becoming an artist, why she chose the direction of starting her own business [16:10] Balancing your creativity with the need to make money, how to manage that tension (coaching has been helpful for her), and how to make the most of the ebbs and flows that allow for unencumbered creativity [23:53] Annie’s advice for anyone reviving a creative practice that has been dormant, how she practices self-compassion, and how progress (not outcomes or awards) motivates creativity [31:59] Why Annie decided to do coaching, the clarity she has found through coaching, and why aligned work is so important [43:26] Upcoming creative projects that Annie is excited about that we’ve developed through our coaching, how channeling her inner creative child helps her get out of being blocked or burned out, and how creativity is a source of healing [51:33] Following the energy you feel from being creative, and the importance of community to creative growth  If you want to find more creativity and focus that energy into something new, get a copy of my free change planner to help you figure out your next step. Get full show notes and the episode transcript: https://www.lisahoashi.com/leaplikeme/episode45