Meet Innovative Woman Jean Kathryn Carlson, founder of and Vibrant Living Alchemy and Lifelong Dreamer, Learner And Joyful Lover Of Life.
1. How/why did you begin your business?
In 2009 I was at a crossroads in life. My successful business as an educational sales consultant and my long term marriage were no longer feeding my soul. It was time to choose a life that was satisfying. I had heard myself say for decades that I wanted to be a dream worker and storyteller and decided to begin the journey towards making that dream a reality. Yet I also knew that I didn’t want to end up somewhere down the line with another serious case of burn out so I began a quest to find a way to live into a thriving business from a new place; one which included self-care, playfulness and simply having fun in the thriving business equation. I knew that if I tapped into the wisdom of my dreams and the wisdom of my body I would find my way.
2. What has been your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?
Daring to live the dream of birthing Vibrant Living Alchemy has been the greatest personal development path I could have imagined. Dealing with my inner gremlins, those fearful, doubting and judging voices within has undoubtedly been my greatest challenge. This has been such a powerful challenge that I wrote about it in one of my co-authored books, On the Wings of Faith. There are many tools I’ve developed to overcome those naysayers within. One of the best tools is to take inspired action steps every day towards the dream. Nothing quells the inner doubter quite so effectively as taking inspired action steps.
Equally challenging has been my habit over a lifetime of playing small and staying invisible. As women we have been conditioned over centuries to be responsible and keep quiet in the background. As an entrepreneur with an important message continuing to hide out was no longer serving me. I have found that when I surround myself with like minded entrepreneurial women I receive the encouragement and soul nourishment I need to step up and choose to be seen and heard.
3. How do you define SUCCESS?
Success is knowing that contentment and happiness are not based on circumstances. When I can choose to be grateful for everything that is in the moment I have liberated myself from being dependent upon what is going on around me to feel good. One life practice I have established over the years is to experience the joy of nature and the joy of magical interactions that come my way and bring a smile to my face. When I am walking in the woods and pause to appreciate the exquisite light on the leaves or enjoy a brief and delightful interaction with a person on the street, I feel successful. When my work is not flowing, when I’ve experienced rejection, the best thing for me to do is take a walk around the block, immerse myself in the outdoors and remind myself of what success really is. Then I return with a fresh perspective and am able to be present for whatever creative task awaits me.
4. If there was one thing you wish you knew before you began your business, what would that be?
I would love to have known that the way I do business is a choice. In other words, I can choose to see it all as super serious, having to be super responsible and do the hard work or I can choose to liberate myself from the heavy feelings and inner tensions and feel the satisfaction of creating my own unique path to thriving entreprneurship. In my Law of Attraction Life Coach certification program I came across a guiding principle that turned my world around. The basis of life is freedom, the purpose of life is joy, the outcome is growth. The more I choose to enjoy myself and have fun with my business, the more enjoyable and fun opportunities come my way.
I also wish I had known that success is a team sport. Until recently I didn’t realize how much unnecessary pressure I was putting on myself thinking that I needed to do it all. Now, by expanding my vision to include team support, my load is lightened, and I get to connect with other brilliant people and enjoy the beauty of their work.
5. What makes you an innovative woman?
As I reflected on this question I turned to my dictionary and found this: To innovate is to introduce or bring in something as new. Breathing new life into my life is what I have been about over the last five years. I have chosen to “do” business from a place of “being”. I have chosen to integrate work and play so that I can work at play and play at work. I am super excited about bringing the subject of dreams and the invisible realms into the conversation of business. Putting dreams on my team, that is, paying attention to my nighttime dreams as well as the synchronicities that come my way in the day, has supported me in revealing and releasing patterns that are no longer serving me in business or in life. One of the fresh perspectives I bring to my coaching business is this: It is the alchemical combination of waking and nighttime dreams, essential oils and other modalities that creates the magical shift for clients when they spend time with me. What I know for sure is that the power of the wisdom that comes from our inner landscape and our physical bodies is much greater than the power of the conscious mind alone. Bringing this conversation to entrepreneurial women is one of my callings.