We were lucky to catch up with Amber August recently and have shared our conversation below.
Amber , appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
I do so by prioritizing that part of me. When I’m experiencing a busy week, I try not to let the fun and random story ideas or snippets of a song pass me by. Whatever I come up with, even if it’s brief and unformed, I make sure to write it down, to acknowledge its existence.
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?
I am a Production Manager for a newspaper by day, and a freelance singer and host of the LoveGroove Festival by night. I’ve always crafted stories and melodies as a child, but didn’t pursue my art professionally until a few years ago. I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to have performed at festivals, in partnership with CenterStage Baltimore, and through Sofar Baltimore. In fact, I have a show on October 14th through Sofar if you would like to experience the magic for yourself.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Definitely consistency, courage, and authenticity. Without fail, I’ve been called to show up time and time again for myself in spaces where I doubt I belong and be vulnerable and true to who I am through my craft. With that being said, the best advice that I can pass along is to not count yourself out. Take the scary leap of faith and if you happen to fall, get up and acknowledge the fact that for a second you did indeed fly. Then try again. Nothing beats failure but a try, as cliche as it is. You just have to keep evolving.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
I read Shonda Rhimes’ book, The Year of Yes, years ago but it has stuck with me ever since. I think about how transformative showing up for yourself can be, especially when making the toughest decisions within love and life. The biggest takeaways from that reading would be that your life is your own, you are the only one truly in control of it, and that change doesn’t come by accident. It is a very purposeful and powerful thing.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.amberxaugust.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/amberxaugust?igshid=NzZlODBkYWE4Ng==
Image Credits
Brandon Campbell Amber Campbell-Wheeler
