We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sally Station. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sally below.
Hi Sally, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
I get my resilience from pursuing an idea or goal and coming out on the other side in one piece. I may have encountered obstacles along the way, but I have been fortunate in that the majority of my adventures have been positive experiences that have resulted in wonderful friendships, interesting new challenges, and a sense of being capable and worthy.
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’ve worked as a freelance musician and translator for over 40 years, combining the skills required by both to earn a living doing things I love to do. A 63, I’ve begun to look for ways to continue doing the things I love without expending the same amount of (waning) energy. Also, I’m tiring of urban life and am interested in leaving the big city to pursue new adventures in a rural setting. There is always a place for music, no matter where you live, and a translator can work from just about anywhere these days, so I am no longer limited to city living. My curiosity about possible communities where I might be able to live and work led me to Artesumapaz, a foundation based in Colombia whose mission is to nurture the creation of and the connection with art and culture in Colombia, through respect for and inspiration in natural resources and community. We have already set up a successful artists’ residency program and are forming an intentional community that will give me a chance to practice what I’ve been preaching for years about abandoning old consumer habits, living sustainably, and sharing my privileges and blessings with others. The Foundation’s very existence depends on members’ willingness and ability to think differently and work with others to help make our little corner of the world more sustainable and accessible to a wider range of humans, flora and fauna, but it’s a lot of work and requires adopting new habits and mindsets, which is always challenging. However, I am surrounded by artists as I do this work, a group of humans I feel comfortable with and that generally welcomes a challenge, so I feel like I’m in the right place.
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?
One of my most important/helpful skills has been KNOWING HOW TO TYPE. While uncertain of which road to take, but needing employment, I was always able to get temporary secretarial jobs because I was a good typist.
I think my genuine interest in the unknown (whether people, places, or things) has pushed me onward always and provided opportunities for wonder and delight and a constant source of inspiration.
My musician’s “ear” seems to have made it easier for me to learn and master several languages, which in turn provided me with another source of income (as a translator). Being able to work independently and make my own hours meant I could continue to work and earn BOTH as a musician and a translator, which has been important as I wouldn’t want to have to give up either.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
I think the most impactful thing my parents did for me was to make sure I had a relationship with the written word. They read to us constantly as young children, and modeled this value by reading a lot themselves. They took us to the library and “let us loose”, encouraging us to explore through books. Reading has been a constant source of solace, information, recreation and conversation. And good reading comprehension skills are important, no matter what path you choose and how/where you read.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.artesumapaz.org; xumapaz.com
- Instagram: sallystation
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/xumapaz