Meet Saphyre Garrett

We were lucky to catch up with Saphyre Garrett recently and have shared our conversation below.

Saphyre, thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?

My optimism comes from my belief that life will never end in darkness for me. I am destined for beautiful, amazing things in this world, I just need to work a bit to get there. I feel like there is always the potential for beauty in the world, and that’s the energy I try to give out to myself and those around me.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

Most simply put, I am a creator who uses various mediums; my current two are cooking (gluten and dairy free meals), and crocheting (bags, clothes, hats, and more). I also love painting, baking, and making body care products like deodorants and body butters. I’d eventually love to add sewing, jewelry making, and candle making. Although creating is my main focus, I also am trying to become more open and aware about my own invisible illnesses and their effects on my daily life, because there was a time when I thought my diagnosis meant the end of all my goals and dreams, and I want to help change that narrative.

Phyre Creations is what I’ve named my overall brand. What got me fully into creating has actually been the development and effect of my chronic illnesses over the last decade of my life. Living with my sjogrens, fibromyalgia, and POTS, forces me to slow down sometimes in life. Instead of focusing on all that I felt I could no longer do, I decided to start focusing on what I could do, which led to me exploring more of my creative side. It has also taught me that strength comes in many forms, and that I have so much of it.

Professionally, I am working on promoting myself more. I want to show more of my process when it comes to creating freehanded crochet items, I want to post more cooking videos with the ingredients and instructions already included as to help out others who are stuck on ideas. I want to show that although I’m getting all of these things done, I am still struggling daily with my invisible illnesses, and if it takes me longer to complete some things, that’s okay too, because listening to your body is so important. I want Phyre Creations to become a small hub of all things authentic to who I am, and hopefully, become something that can help out others too.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I believe that my adaptability is a trait that has been very impactful in my personal journey. My plans for my life had involved working in the medical field from kindergarten-age until I was 17, a little less than 2 years into my first diagnosis, and applying to colleges for business management instead, because that felt more feasible at the time. After I stopped feeling well enough on the daily basis to get to campus, I easily switched to virtual classes. When I stopped being about to stand long enough to prep and cook a meal, I started bringing chairs into the kitchen with me. I started doing my nephew’s hair while sitting in a chair or on the floor, because that works better with my body. My ability to adapt and adjust to a new normal has kept me levelheaded through the toughest of situations.

For anyone looking to improve this skill, I’d recommend reminding yourself during those tough moments to take a breath, and remind yourself that you cannot control everything. Sometimes things happen and all we can do is adjust. Don’t wallow in the past, pivot for the future and learn to find joy in the present.

My resilience is another thing that has been very impactful in my journey, because it has shown me that I am so much stronger than I ever thought. To experience physical pain of varying degrees on the daily, and still get up with a smile, still aim to bring joy to others, and still try everything despite it all, I can never say I am not strong. I don’t believe I will ever fail, because I have proved to myself time and time again that regardless of whatever gets thrown at me, I will find my way through.

I think the best way to build up your resilience is to build up your relationship with yourself. I feel stronger and more powerful the more I learn about who I am, and what my purpose may be in the world.

My ability to create in multiple forms, plus my patience in discovering more, is the reason why I’m here writing this now. To be creative is one thing, but to have the patience to push yourself beyond previously-thought boundaries and explore new paths is another, slightly less traveled, road. I knew I could help cook in the kitchen, but without my patience and belief in myself, I may not have ever decided to take up baking on my own, and would’ve never known how much I love it. Or with crocheting, if I would’ve given up on myself after a day or two of straight failing in the beginning, I would’ve never gotten to explore so much of my creative side now, or gotten to the point of selling custom items to others.

Again, believing in yourself will become easier once you figure out who you are. Try new hobbies, explore new locations, go where you feel happy, and do what makes you feel like you can finally breathe. Learning yourself is a process, but it can be so rewarding.

What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?

My biggest area of growth this past year has been over my belief in myself and my capabilities. I thought that I had a pretty good relationship with myself until I got a therapist that made me realize that I didn’t feel as comfortable, capable, or connected to myself as I’d hoped. Working through my own fears of failure, self isolation tendencies, and internalized ableism that I didn’t even realize I had, has helped me develop a stronger connection to myself, and has started to build up a confidence that I didn’t realize was missing.

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Saphyre Garrett

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