Meet Samantha Briggs

We were lucky to catch up with Samantha Briggs recently and have shared our conversation below.

Samantha, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

Finding my purpose was such a long process.

Around the age of 22, I was already feeling the burnout of an office job. I was bored. I felt like I was meant for something more. The routine was uncomfortable, and I found myself distracted most of the time. This went on for 8 years. There was a constant roller coaster of emotions trying to figure out why I wasn’t happy. Was it my work? Was it my partner? Was it my family? Was it me? I was tired of always asking myself, “What can I do to make this feeling go away? How can I do more of what I love and what I am meant to do?” Something was missing and I felt lost.

When I turned 30, I found myself single again. Many things fell apart, but because so much was cut out, new fresh pieces began growing. Like a plant, when you cut off the dead pieces of the plant, it begins to grow beautiful new leaves because the energy can be focused on fresh growth. I began to look within. Where could I improve? I tended to some health issues I was facing. I learned how to prioritize my time. I learned how to become more of a minimalist. I got more exercise, and dove into correcting my unhealthy behaviors. I started shifting my mindset and my daily habits. I would never move forward in a direction that felt good until I could master myself. This was the one thing I could have some control over, RIGHT NOW.

I developed the understanding that life isn’t just THIS or THAT. It’s not black and white. Life is colorful and can be this, that, some of those, and these! I was thinking in black and white and that needed to change. I could maximize my day and fill it with more than just what I HAD TO DO. I could arrange my day to focus on what I love to do. I changed the story from, “I have to go to the office all day” to, “I get to do my favorite things when I wake up and then go help my friends at the office for a bit and return to my beautiful life.” My focus was what I wanted to do before the office and after the office; Not just, THE OFFICE. The story I had been telling myself was being rewritten. I wanted to be the main character and create my reality. I stopped focusing on what wasn’t enjoyable and began to focus on what I wanted more of. Waking up early to paint, to make tea, to relax, or do yoga. Heading to the office was a small thing now and my plans were laid out based on, “WHAT SHOULD I DO WHEN I GET HOME” making that more important and intentional.

I committed myself to do something every single day that brought me joy and share it with the world. A very powerful quote that stuck with me was, “If you do anything well enough, someone will pay you to do it.” This opened my eyes and I began investing in my hobbies and permitted myself to do them alongside my 9-5 job.
I would schedule my days with things that would push my goals and dreams further into action and reality. I started to plan my day around what I wanted to do. I would create appointments for myself such as starting a new painting and taking photos to post online. I would feel excited to get home and work on my projects.

I had so many hobbies, but I started with painting. Being present and practicing one thing at a time naturally led me to more of what I wanted. My focus was to paint consistently, learn as much about painting as I can, and do it every day. The discovery along the way is the whole point. This helped me slow down and live more in the moment. I was being more present. It felt simple and enjoyable because all I needed to do was paint and share it with the world. I had a plan!

I started to realize how shifting my focus and paying more attention to the beautiful things around me was changing my life. I wanted to encourage others to do the same. I hope to share my experience and inspire others. Not only do I sell my art and services, but I get to set an example of how being your most joyful, relaxed, and coachable self, you can change your life for the better. There is healing in practicing the art of discovery, joy, and simple things. There is a purpose behind my art that I did not realize when I began painting. A purpose I couldn’t have imagined without just getting in and doing the work. It was something that had to unfold naturally. I hope to serve others by creating beautiful art that will bring them joy and help them shift their mindset to focus on the beauty and joys in life. To surround yourself with things that make you smile and take you back to a special place in time.

I now make jewelry, paint home décor and interiors, take photos, and create videos! Over the last 8 years, I have slowly grown my purpose into many avenues and still have my office job. I have never felt more alive and full of purpose!

All those years of wondering and thinking of what I could do drove me a little crazy. Investing in my mindset, my health, my wellness, and my joy is what led me to a beautiful reality. The truth is we can create any life we desire. We can shape and shift the views we have, the thoughts we think, and the path we walk down. We have a choice. The choice becomes clear when your mind is clear and less distracted. I encourage anyone who is looking for their purpose to clear their mind and take walks in nature. Eat cleaner, meditate, and focus on the beauty in your life and how you can create more of it. Slow down, get centered, and self-develop. Pick one thing you can focus on and permit yourself to show up every day. Everything else will come to you organically.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

Hi, I am Samantha Briggs, and for as long as I can remember, it has always been my dream to be an artist. I finally permitted myself to follow my heart about 8 years ago. It began with painting furniture and home decor items. I’ve since added making jewelry, doing a little photography, and creating videos!

My main focus is my online shop where I sell Furniture, Artwork, and some accessories and jewelry! I also consistently provide custom services, such as interior painting and photography.

What started as a hobby became a full-blown dream come true. I still utilize my experience in bookkeeping and office management while doing everything I love and living more authentically.

It’s magical to realize we can create a reality that feels rich and fulfilling. We don’t have to follow what others consider a successful path. We can create our own! I offer bookkeeping services and create beautiful art for my online shop. This is such a wonderful way to satisfy my creativity and my intellect. I found this is a good balance and keeps me interested.

I have recently begun painting with watercolors and I sell my framed original artwork. I have also begun hand-sewing purse charms! These are things I did as a child and having the ability to share them with the world as an adult is a dream come true.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

If I had to choose the top three most important skills, knowledge, or qualities that were most impactful in my journey I would have to say, Momentum, Consistency, and Grace.

Starting out I just needed to get the ball rolling as they say. I needed to act and realize I had been thinking, planning, and dreaming enough. I remember asking my cousin, Ariana Thrasher, what advice would you give an aspiring artist? She told me, “Find the masters in that field and study what they do.” This was such simple yet powerful words of advice. The artists I looked up to were showing up every day and sharing their journey with everyone. I also heard someone say, “If you want to be a runner, act like a runner.” I knew I needed to act like an artist. Act like a business owner. What would they do? They would take care of their body. They would have a routine. They would show up! At some point, we have to just pick up the brush and paint. I didn’t need to keep spinning my wheels looking for the answers. I needed to just start something even if it wasn’t perfect and even if I didn’t know where it would lead me. Once I got going and started painting and sharing photos, I set up an Etsy Shop.

Getting that momentum going quickly led me to the next point which is consistency. I had to keep going. I needed to show up every day in some way to keep me on track. A full-time artist would be doing something for their business every day. A business owner would show up consistently because they must. I knew that if people saw me showing up they would believe me and I would too.

With anything in life, we will forever be learning and discovering. We must have GRACE for our mistakes, our ignorance, our failures, and our misunderstandings. I am practicing grace every day. I know that there will be times when I learn things the hard way. These times are the most memorable and important to my journey. It’s ok to not be perfect and understanding, how you respond to your mistakes will define you. Learn how to fail gracefully and be kind to yourself and others. It can feel scary to own a business or meet the expectations of others, but ultimately we will never truly feel joy until we face those fears and realize life is about allowing yourself to feel deeply and serve others. It’s worth the uncomfortable moments. There will be highs and lows and if you are brave enough to feel, and take a leap of faith, you will be blessed with great joy and wisdom.

What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?

My biggest area of growth in the past year has been finding the confidence to show up in person and invest in my dream. I did a big giveaway last fall and committed to making a weekly live video choosing a winner. I sourced prizes to give away and collaborated with other small business owners. This was the first time I showed up and worked with others in a big way. I was able to get new email subscribers and also promote my business and others as well. It took courage to go live and chat with people online. This is not something I would normally do. My Mother-In-Love, Kay Briggs encouraged me to do this, and I am so grateful. It unlocked a new level of comfort in me and my business. I also began doing pop-ups for local markets this past spring. Showing up in person with a booth was something I hadn’t done before with Decorating The Shack. This really opened my eyes and gave me the opportunity to talk about my brand and learn what others are looking for and what they love about my shop. My confidence grew by facing some uncomfortable moments. I now do not fear going live and talking to people or showing up in person. This is something I feel will really take my business and dreams to the next level. I plan on growing in these areas and look forward to this next year and what’s in store!

Contact Info:

Image Credits

My Sweet Pea Photography

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