Meet Aly Spear

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Aly Spear. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Aly , thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?

“Oh, but I’m just not creative” is a phrase I have heard echoed thousands of times, yet I have never agreed with the sentiment. For creativity is not something outside of us, or a rare gift that only a few hold. Rather, it is intertwined with our very essence, into the fabric of our being, and I genuinely believe connecting with it is our birthright.

Yet, somewhere along the way, too many of us lose the map to our own internal compass of creativity.

And this isn’t just speculation, a study in the 1960’s proved just that. NASA commissioned Dr. George Land and Dr. Beth Jarman to develop a test to measure creativity in their scientists. However, Land and Jarman took it a step further and used the test to measure 1,600 children from the ages of 5-15.

At age 5: 98% were creative geniuses

At 10: only 30% were

By age 15: that number dropped to 12%

They went ahead and tested adults and found that only 2% scored in the creative genius category.

Isn’t it wild
how easy it is to forget your inner child.
Getting caught up in hustle and grind
and putting limits on the depth of your mind.
Leaning into the status quo
and loosing your creative mojo.
But don’t you know?
There is a different way.
When you realize and prioritize the importance of play.
Opening up your heart
and allowing yourself to fully start
following the path where your passions lead.
That is how your mind is freed
to lean into innovation and artistic flow
allowing your creativity to grow.
For creativity lives inside of us all
if only we listen for the call,
connecting to our soul
and letting our unique hearts take control.

For when you relinquish society’s expectations, you can let your true, unique essence shine through. Creativity is not limited to art or artists. It is available to everyone through the act of connecting to your inner child and allowing yourself to innovate freely. That is how I keep my creativity alive. And this outlook can be interwoven into every faucet of life. Being as simple as looking at your day and crafting your schedule in the most perfect, creative way. Or, it could even be looking at a study or research with a fresh set of eyes. Creativity can be found anywhere.

It is the ability to listen to the whispers and nudges we feel, while leaving judgement behind. When you connect to your innate creativity, the possibilities are endless. Inspiration is everywhere, you just have to open your mind and your heart to it.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I am, at my core, an artist. Since I was seven years old, I dreamed of being a writer and actress, and that passion has never wavered.

One of the most surreal moments of my career was when I booked my first feature film, “Divorce Bait”. When I purchased a ticket to my own movie, sat in a theater, and watched myself on the big screen, it felt like stepping into a dream. 

And that will always ring true. Yet, as I’ve grown, I’ve realized that being an artist isn’t just about one or two forms of expression—it’s the very essence of how I experience and interact with everyone and everything in my world. It’s the creative spirit that runs through my veins and shapes every part of my life. This has led me to want to share all the colors of my artistry and build a community where creativity is celebrated and nurtured.

For years, art was my lifeline, but something I often kept hidden. It took two decades of writing in secret before I finally opened up my journal of poetry to the world and published “Puzzle Pieces That Make Up A Life” 6 months ago. The fear of making my words public always left me paralyzed, unable to share—poetry felt like baring my soul. However, everything started to shift when I saw my words touch someone I cared for deeply who was going through a difficult time. It reignited my belief in the power of shared creativity and connection.

Now, I’m focused on building a creative community where people can honor their uniqueness and connect to their hearts—a space where everyone feels free to explore, express, and celebrate every shade of their creative selves. As I build this community, I strive for it to be a safe space where each person is encouraged to move in the way they are uniquely designed to, led by their own creative flow.

The more I lean into leading my life with artistry and embracing my own idiosyncrasies, the more joy I experience. For me, success comes not from pushing harder. It comes from listening to my intuition and structuring my life in complete harmony centered around the way I work best. I used to believe that hustling would bear the sweetest rewards, but I’ve learned that slowing down and honoring my natural rhythm brings far more fulfillment, flow, and oftentimes, even better opportunities.

A key way I nurture this flow is through my morning routine. I start my day in my little garden, grounding my feet in the grass and soaking up the sunshine. With my dog in my lap, I meditate, journal, and allow inspiration to take root before I open myself up to the outer world. I might jot down ideas for expanding my creative community, freewrite, or craft new poetry. These slow mornings allow me to move at my own pace, rather than the pace the world tells me I should.

The more I lean into this way of living, the more magic I see in my life. I also see that reflected in the lives of others who embrace their own creative paths. For me, creativity will always be my compass, guiding me towards my true north. I hope to help others connect to their own true north as well, building a supportive community where we all learn to honor the artist within.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

The three most essential pieces that have shaped my journey are prioritizing growth, honoring my heart, and building community.

In this ever-evolving journey we call life, reality often unfolds in ways we never imagined. Embracing each situation as an opportunity for growth and transformation can be a profound catalyst. If the definition of “insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results”, then perhaps the definition of genius is recognizing your patterns and evolving with them. Growth, much like change, isn’t always comfortable— it can remind us of the “growing pains” we endured physically and emotionally in our adolescence. Yet, if where you are now is not serving you, what better place is there to go than somewhere that will? 

And, as you take that step into the unknown, it is essential to honor your heart and yourself. This has been one of the most powerful lessons I’ve learned. For years, I heard the saying, “you can’t pour from an empty cup,” but it wasn’t until I prioritized filling my own inner well that I truly understood that. Honoring my heart means honoring my empathy and care for others, but it also means honoring my own needs—resting when necessary and saying no to what doesn’t align. A challenging lesson I have learned many times over is that helping others at the cost of yourself, doesn’t serve anyone. Yet, leading from a place of love and authenticity serves everyone. So, I have delved deep into my heart and understood the pillars that make me who I am. By defining and living by my core values—honoring my heart, love, creativity, empathy, art, growth, and community—my world has continued to blossom.

Finally, community. With every passing year, I value it more and more. The love and connection we share with others is priceless, and there is no better teacher than those we surround ourselves with. They say you are the sum total of those you spend the most time with, so building or immersing yourself in a community that nurtures you can reshape the very fabric of your reality. Prioritizing strong relationships and connection is essential for happiness. For, there is no better gift than giving and receiving love, wisdom, and sharing the journey of life with others.

My advice for cultivating these values—growth, honoring your heart, and community—is to start small. Begin by listening to what matters most to you and your heart. Listing out the values you hold dear can be helpful! Then, seek out communities that feel like home, where you can grow while receiving love and support. Whether big or small, the right community is one that aligns with who you really are. Throughout that process, look at small ways you can continue to create the life you yearn for. Small steps over time make for big leaps.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

Collaboration and community go hand in hand. Art is meant to be shared, co-created, and collectively celebrated. Through collaboration, the most awe-inspiring pieces are often born—combining the unique genius of many minds to transcend boundaries and limitations. We all have our own strengths, and when these come together, something truly ethereal can emerge. More than that, collaboration offers a support system that solo artists can really benefit from. There’s a reason we’ve all heard of the “struggling artist.” But, what if, through community, a new story could be written—one where artists thrive, uplifted by those around them.

While competition exists in the artistic world, does it have to be such a defining part of the experience? I’m always looking for fellow artists to collaborate with, because the more I lean into community, the more the “struggling artist” narrative fades away. As I continue building my creative community, I plan to host workshops, intention setting sessions, and events centered around living authentically and artistically. I’ll also be launching a virtual bimonthly meetup—a safe space for artists to come as they are, discuss their challenges, gain inspiration, and connect with like-minded creatives. This artistic haven will celebrate everyone’s inner essence and highlight the power that comes from true community support. Together, we can shift the narrative from the struggling artist to the supported artist.

If this sounds like your kind of tribe, connect with me on social media—I’d love to chat more and see what we can create!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.liveauthenticaly.com/
• Instagram: @alymspear https://www.instagram.com/alymspear/profilecard/?igsh=MWQ1ZGUxMzBkMA==
• Youtube: @alyspear https://youtube.com/@alyspear?si=rOzQe2Qkt_8dEU1p
• Other: TikTok: @alyspear
  https://www.tiktok.com/@alyspear?_t=8qCa6y3tzJO&_r=1