We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shadale Smith a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Shadale , 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?
I have always had a mentality of “why can’t I do it”? A lot of my optimism comes from mentors and watching them. If I see someone accomplish something, it lets me know, it can be done. I then think to myself, ” I should be able to do it too.” So, I keep going, move forward, and do what I have to do, rather big or small.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
My name is Shadale, I am an artist, a muralist, and mother. I have been into art for as long as I can remember, however became an artist/freelancer in 2017. Art has always been my way of expressing, so I knew I wanted a career doing something I loved to do. I am excited to share that I have recently revamped my brand and created LanaeBloom, in hopes of helping others to find ways to overcome, encourage, and persevere.
LanaeBloom was created to encourage others to use art to help with his or her mental well-being. It was birthed from my own experiences of a difficult time in my life. Realizing how much art helped me, it was placed on my heart to create for others. We’ve created different activities, such as coloring books, journals, and art kits that focus on nurturing your mind and realizing what is true about yourself.
LanaeBloom is all about overcoming, encouraging others, and persevering. I believe once we walk in purpose, we have to keep it going by sharing our stories, encouraging others, and being brave enough to push forward, Bloom!
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?
A few things that stuck with me were to trust the promise, remain focused on my why, and practice.
I learned to trust the promise. If something was placed on your heart to do, trust it. Allow things to go as they are. Keep going and trust it!
I had to remain focused on my why. I would encourage others to remind themselves of why YOU started, why YOU are doing it. Don’t let anyone or anything distract you, NOT EVEN YOURSELF! This one can be difficult, however, reminding myself of my WHY, helped me remember, I got out of my difficult time, and I am here to help others.
Lastly, practice your craft and surround yourself with mentors. We must surround ourselves with the right people or things to encourage us to keep going. Keep learning, improving, practicing, being more knowledgeable, educated, etc. Surrounding myself with mentors helped me gain more knowledge about my craft, helped me improve, and remain optimistic.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
The most impactful thing my mother did was having open conversations and encouraging us to explore activities that helped express emotions. Sibling rivalry was a thing..lol..and we’ll say often! We talked about our disagreements, sometimes wrote, in my case, I’d draw. This helped me recognize feelings and learn ways to express.
Artistic expression is something that has stuck with me, and it was a tool I had to use when she passed. The way my mother taught us how to handle emotions and the importance of self-expression had a huge impact on my life and has gotten me where I am today.
I am so grateful, and I thank her for her wisdom and teachings. Little did I know, I was being prepared to help others in the same way she helped me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lanaebloom.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/lanaebloom
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/shadale.smith.3
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmX94CKMPadZUpbz2JfbNFA
Image Credits
Feature Image- American Heart Association
