One Friday in April—Friday the 13th, to be precise—graphic designer Jennifer Sukis did something a lot of creative people people would long to do: She took off in search of inspiration. Grabbed a notebook, packed some camping gear, said goodbye to friends and walked away (gulp!) from a good job. She set off on a 41-day journey to interview five people who had reinvented themselves, in order to build lives of purpose. She hoped to learn from those folks about how to live in a way that’s true and meaningful and fulfilling.
I interviewed Jennifer just before she hit the road, and crafted a profile about her and her trip for HOWdesign.com. Here’s an excerpt from the story; you can read the full article here.
Her plan was to listen and absorb life lessons—and then turn those words of wisdom into a documentary film and book. Friends and connections contributed nearly $4,000 via Kickstarter to fund Sukis’s trip and project. As she wrote on her Kickstarter page, “I’m fascinated by those who can live in the present, who can take smiling leaps into an abyss and who are motivated enough to create momentum behind their imagination. And because, really, what’s more important than being able to look back and say, ‘Yep, that was a terrifying, exhilarating, incredible adventure, and I’m so thankful I found the courage to be brave.’”
What would it take for you to be that kind of brave? What’s holding you back, in life or in creative pursuits? What’s stopping you—or any of us?