Sunday, January 26, 2025

One of the most common conversations I have with my students centers around the idea of commitment. Whether they’re diving into creative exploration, personal growth, or breaking through a fear that’s kept them stuck, the first step is often a clear commitment: showing up consistently, even when it’s uncomfortable or inconvenient.

But over the years, I’ve realized that while commitment is essential for achieving results, it’s not the thing that truly transforms us. What I ask of my students—and of myself—is something deeper: devotion.

Commitment will get you results. Devotion will give those results meaning.

In my twenties, I committed to becoming a professional designer. I was self-taught, so becoming a pro took a huge level of commitment—not just to learning the craft but also to understanding the business side of making a living from it. Sure, I was creating art, but it was for clients, and it came out of a commitment to providing excellent service and meeting their expectations.

Looking back, a lot of that commitment came from a place of fear. Fear of failure. Fear of not being good enough. Fear of not living up to my potential. My commitment was fueled by this inner pressure to prove something—to myself and to the world.

Fast forward to my forties, when I returned to art after stepping away from my design firm. This time, something had shifted. I wasn’t creating out of fear or obligation. I wasn’t doing it to prove anything. I was doing it because I loved it. I had discovered what it felt like to create from a place of devotion—to pour my heart into my work not because I had to, but because I got to.

When it was time for me to shift into a new professional path as a coach and a spiritual teacher, I made a conscious decision to do things differently. I didn’t want my work to come from a place of obligation or fear anymore. I wanted to devote myself to the work—not just commit to it. Devotion, for me, meant bringing my whole heart and soul into what I do. It meant honoring the deeper meaning behind my work and allowing it to be a sacred offering, rather than a box I needed to check.

This shift—from commitment to devotion—changed everything. It deepened my relationship with the work and the people I serve. It wasn’t just about achieving goals or meeting expectations. It became about creating something meaningful, something that felt like an extension of who I truly am.

Commitment Gets You There. Devotion Keeps You Grounded.

In personal growth work, commitment is essential. It’s the foundation. You need to show up, again and again, to see any kind of progress. You need to face your fears, hold yourself accountable, and stick with the process even when it feels challenging.

But if commitment is the foundation, devotion is the fire that keeps it alive. Devotion brings a sense of purpose and meaning to the work. It transforms a routine into a ritual. It turns discipline into desire.

For example, in my Creative High Growth program, I ask participants to commit to the work. That means showing up for the sessions, doing the writing assignments, and completing the exercises. Commitment creates the structure—the container for growth.

But what truly transforms people is when they go beyond commitment and step into devotion. When they approach the work not just as a checklist to complete but as a sacred practice. When they bring their whole heart into the process.

Devotion makes the work personal. It’s about deepening your relationship with yourself and honoring your journey.

The Difference Between Commitment and Devotion

Here’s how I see the distinction:

• Commitment is about keeping a promise. Devotion is about keeping the faith.

• Commitment is about discipline. Devotion is about love.

• Commitment is what you do. Devotion is how you feel while doing it.

One is not better than the other. They’re both necessary. But devotion adds soul to the equation.

Devotion in Action

I see this all the time in the creative process. For instance, someone might commit to writing a book by setting a goal to write 1,000 words a day. That’s a great start. But if they approach it with devotion—writing because they feel called to tell a story, because they love the act of writing, because it brings them closer to their truth—the experience becomes transformative.

It’s the same with personal growth work. You might commit to journaling every morning because you know it’s good for you. But when you approach it with devotion—seeing it as a way to connect with your inner voice, to uncover insights, to honor your journey—it becomes more than a habit. It becomes a sacred practice.

My Challenge to You

Where in your life are you operating from commitment? And where can you invite more devotion?

Take a moment to reflect on an area where you’ve been showing up consistently. Maybe it’s your work, your relationships, your creative practice, or even your self-care routine. Ask yourself:

• Am I doing this because I feel I should, or because I love to?

• How can I bring more heart, more presence, and more meaning into this?

The magic happens when we pair commitment with devotion. Commitment builds the container. Devotion fills it with light. Together, they create a practice that is both transformative and sustainable.

So this week, I invite you to experiment with devotion. Whatever you’re committed to, bring a little more love into the process. Find the joy. Reconnect with your why. And watch how it transforms not just what you do, but who you are becoming in the process.

And if you'd like to share with me what that was like for you, I'm here to listen. 

Here’s to showing up—with discipline and with heart.

Be. Love. 

"Detachment"

2015

24 x 24" 

Acrylic on Canvas

This painting was created in Santa Fe, New Mexico, years before I even had a clue that this place would one day become my home. This painting helped heal my heart after a divorce from an eighteen year marriage. It was done in one sitting and took four hours to complete. It was made in complete silence. It hangs in my studio. It brings me joy. 

When I turned 43, I experienced something that completely changed my life: I became financially free.

Now, when I say “financially free,” I don’t mean I won the lottery or retired with millions in the bank. Financial freedom, for me, wasn’t about how much money I had—it was about no longer being imprisoned by my fears about money. The anxiety of never having enough. The pressure to constantly prove my worth through work. The sleepless nights worrying about bills or an uncertain future.

At 43, something shifted. I stopped living in fear of money and started living in partnership with it. It wasn’t just a practical shift—it was an emotional and spiritual one. And that’s when I began coaching others, teaching them how to arrive at this same place of freedom.

The truth is, money is so much more than dollars and cents. It’s tied to our self-worth, our values, and our deepest fears. For many of us, our relationship with money is fraught with challenges. We’re afraid to look at it, talk about it, or even dream about what’s possible with it. But the good news is: that relationship can change.

This is why I want to open a conversation about money with you.

What’s Your Biggest Challenge with Money?

I have a lot to share about how to heal our relationship with money, but I also want to hear from you. I want this to be a dialogue, not just a monologue.

So, let me ask you: 

What’s the biggest challenge you face when it comes to money?

Maybe it’s fear of never having enough. Or the guilt that comes with spending. Or feeling stuck in a job you hate because you don’t think you have other options. Maybe it’s something else entirely.

Whatever it is, I’d love to know. Your answers will help inspire future newsletters and guide the conversations I create around this topic.

If you feel called to share, click the link below to send me an email with your response. Your insights will remain confidential unless you give me explicit permission to share them anonymously in a future issue.

Why This Matters

Talking about money can feel scary, vulnerable, or even taboo. But in my experience, the more we shine a light on our money challenges, the more power we have to transform them.

This is the work I’ve devoted myself to over the past decade: helping people shift from scarcity to abundance. From fear to empowerment. From financial survival to financial freedom—whatever that means for you.

This is just the beginning of our conversation. I can’t wait to hear from you and explore this topic together in the weeks to come.

David Lynch

1946 - 2025

This week, we lost one of the most influential creative minds of our time—David Lynch. As a filmmaker, artist, and storyteller, his work was a deep well of mystery, emotion, and exploration, leaving an indelible mark on the art world and beyond.

David’s influence on me as an artist is profound. His willingness to embrace the strange, the surreal, and the undefinable gave me permission to approach my own work with more freedom and curiosity. He taught me that art doesn’t need to make sense to everyone—it just needs to feel true.

But David’s influence didn’t stop with his art. He also introduced me to Transcendental Meditation, a practice that has transformed my life and my creative journey. He was a passionate advocate for meditation as a way to access deeper levels of consciousness and creativity, and his words on this subject continue to resonate with me:

“Ideas are like fish. If you want to catch little fish, you can stay in the shallow water. But if you want to catch the big fish, you’ve got to go deeper.”

David’s work reminds us that the art of life is not just about creating but about exploring the depths of our own inner world.

To honor his legacy, I invite you to explore his wisdom and creativity in a masterclass he shared on the art of life. It’s a beautiful window into his mind and the philosophies that shaped him.

Thank you, David, for the gifts you gave us. Your vision, courage, and devotion to art will continue to inspire generations to come.

Thank you for taking the time to read and reflect with me. If this newsletter sparked something meaningful for you, I invite you to share it with someone special—it’s a beautiful way to keep the conversation going.

7:05 am

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