I've been catching up on all your comments for my last post and I am in awe of your words! You all have such good plans for living your lives to the fullest! I'm so inspired by all of you.

I did see several comments mentioning that like me, some of you want to break free from you cubicles and give your creative dreams a try....

So here is another Career & Life Transition interview to keep you motivated in your pursuits. This time, I'm proud to be featuring the adorable Stacy de La Rosa. Stacy and I worked in the same industry (visual effects for films) before her and I started our own businesses. And I must say that ever since she made her transition, she became a major force inspiring me to do the same. Then, I bought her necklace saying "Be the Change" and that was it! I felt empowered and called to take action!

Now is your turn.

Are you ready for sweet and wise Stacy?

Do you have your cup of coffee ready and a few minutes that can change your life?

Good for you. Here we go, then:

1. What do you do and how long have you been doing it?

Currently I am a jewelry designer for my little creative business called Bella Wish. But I am also an artist, amateur photographer, big time foodie and aspiring writer. I launched Bella Wish in September of 2008.

2. What did you do prior to what you do now, and when did you realize this is what you wanted to do?

Wow, I think the question for me is what didn't I do prior? I never had what one would call a career. I have always been more of a searcher and explorer, I was never happy trapped in a day job so I moved around a lot. When it came to jobs, I was very much a gypsy soul. For many years I was a digital artist for the film industry which I truly enjoyed. I think that is because working on a film is project based and when it's finished you can move on to something else; it appealed to the wrestless side of me. However, I have also worked as a marketing assistant, receptionist, recruiter, cocktail waitress, public speaker, mural painter, graphic designer, cake decorator & production assistant. I also designed technical manuals for the Navy and ran my own catering company for a short while. I am what you would call a jane of all trades.

I have known since high school that I wanted to be my own boss doing something creative, I just ignored the whispers for too many years. I let fear and lack of confidence stand in my way many times. Now that I am my own boss, it would be really difficult to go back to working for someone else. Working for myself is where I was meant to be, I have always known this deep down.

3. What steps did you take to make your transition?

Well, I had about 18 years worth of business plans that I had designed for my many dream businesses while I was working in jobs I had no passion for, so building a business plan was the easy part for me {wink}. But seriously, when I started my catering company, Clover & Sage, I honestly didn't do much of anything to prepare; it all happened so quickly. I catered one party for a friend and was hired for two more shortly after and it grew from there. It was very much on-the-job training and I am grateful for such a wonderful learning experience welcoming me to the world of self-employment. With Bella Wish however, I definitely took more time to research as I knew I would not have my day job to fall back on. I was ready to dive in by that point having already realized the water really is fine, I just wanted to take my time with this venture. From the initial concept to the day I launched Bella Wish was about ten months in total. When I gave birth to my daughter, I decided to take it more seriously so baby steps were key for me as I was tending to the needs of a newborn and didn't have the energy for much else. I made a list of everything I would need to do to launch and did one thing, no matter how tiny, each day to keep my momentum going. Eventually all those baby steps pay off if you are consistent. I am a huge fan of baby steps.

4. What previous life or work experience applies to what you do now?

It all applies. My degree is in graphic design so for what I do, it helps. A huge chunk of the fun for me is designing my marketing materials: packaging, etsy photographs, business cards, etc. I love presentation and knowing that when someone receives their Bella Wish necklace in the mail, it arrives as a gift for them, ready to unwrap. Attention to detail is important, that is the designer part of me. Since I am also working on launching a graphic design business as well, it certainly applies even more. Having also worked in marketing and customer service also helps with aspects of any business. In so far as life experience, I don't believe I would have ever been able to conceptualize what I wanted to do with Bella Wish had I not had certain life experiences. My degree works for the technical aspects of what I do, but the heart + soul of my business is drawn from things I have experienced, places I have traveled, people I have known, stories I have been inspired by... that you don't get with a degree.

5. Who or what inspired you to follow your dreams and pursue a transition?

My daughter, Isabella. I spent years being afraid and making excuses as to why I couldn't realize my dreams of running my own business, but when I found out I was going to have a daughter, something shifted. I realized if I were going to teach by example and encourage her to follow her own dreams in life, that she needed to see her mommy doing the same. I didn't have the option to not work, we need two incomes, but the thought of leaving her to work for someone else made me realize that I needed to take the leap and see if I would fly. I also credit many of the amazing women artists and entrepreneurs I have discovered, and connected with, through blogs. Reading their stories, and in some cases befriending them, inspired me to become a bit more fearless and bold.

6. What resources helped you with your transition?

It's not a business book, but "The Vein of Gold" by Julia Cameron helped me work through a lot of the crap I was holding onto oh-so-very tightly and allowed me to let go and create a space for my dreams. "The Boss of You" by Emira Mears and Lauren Bacon has been an invaluable resource for me. I read "The War of Art" by Steven Pressfield whenever I need a good kick in the rear. In so far as websites, early on Another Girl at Play was motivating and now I read Christine Kane's blog for jolts of wisdom. I also love Modish Biz Tips for fun tips and ideas.

7. Can you walk us through a day in your current work & life routine?

A typical day would be waking up with my daughter after Jimmy has left for work. She and I will go out on our deck and say good morning to the world, turn on some music, eat breakfast and play. Often times when she naps is when I will get some work-related things done such as returning emails, packaging orders, making phonecalls... and if I am lucky take a shower. Of course there are those days when I just take a nap with her and those days are delicious. Afternoons are dedicated to outdoors and playtime. Isabella and I will go to the post office to mail orders, then either go to the park, take long walks, eat frozen yogurt or meet friends, It's our time together and means the world to me. I am often inspired during these afternoon playtime hours so I always carry a notebook to jot down ideas. I try and usually have a camera with me as well. When my husband comes home, we have dinner and then he has his playtime with Isabella until she goes to bed and that is when I start my workday. I work until around 2:00 am most nights. I very recently put myself on a schedule where during the week I handle most of my administrative tasks so I can dedicate the weekend to the creative side of my business: making necklaces, writing, photography etc. I just started this new schedule and it is working well so far. For me, separating the creative from the administrative works and I can focus on the two sides more easily.

8. What are the most rewarding aspects of having gone through with your transition? Is there anything you miss from your previous occupation(s)?

I love being available to my daughter, it is a true blessing. Working from home, for myself, is my dream come true. Creating my own schedule and designing how my day will go means everything to me. It provides a certain sense of freedom. I remember turning the idea of Bella Wish around in my mind, and now to see it as my reality is completely rewarding. Connecting with people from all over the globe who have purchased a necklace and then have written me to tell me what it means to them is something I wasn't expecting when I first started this venture, but helps me to understand that art truly does matter. Each time someone reaches out to me with their own story, it inspires me and gives me hope. I live for these exchanges. All of those sweet emails go into a file called YUMMY to pour through on those days when I am missing that steady paycheck that usually comes along with being employed by someone else.

9. What have been the biggest challenges in your transition? How did you (or are you) overcome(ing) them?

There are many: While still in the brainstorm stages of Bella Wish I felt that everything needed to be perfect and that if it wasn't, there was just no way I was going to ever launch. I struggled with this idea of perfection for years with other ideas I had; striving for perfection is an effective way to keep us from following our dreams. When I finally realized these crazy thoughts had been holding me back, I knew I had to let it go. I then looked at my calendar and set a date to launch my business and made a deal with myself that it wasn't perfection, but action that mattered. That particular obstacle I was able to overcome. Other challenges include finding a balance between work/life, time management, lack of time, fear of putting my art out there and having it be rejected, money. I have yet to overcome these particular challenges and welcome any help in these areas.

10. How do you define success, and what/ who has contributed for making yours, a successful transition?

For me success is simply defined as the fact that I no longer use an alarm clock to get me to work on time. My husband, Jimmy, has been the key for my successful transition. Without his support, both emotionally and financially, I know I wouldn't have been able to do this the way I have. I am grateful for him every moment of every day.

11. What goals do you have for the future? Where/How do you see yourself 5 years from now?

My ultimate goal is to be able to support my family financially with my creative endeavors and continue to learn and grow as an artist. I have many ideas still for Bella Wish, it's just a matter of finding time to nurture them, perhaps in five years? {wink} I also have a few projects I am working on as I write this that are unrelated to Bella Wish, and am excited to see how they will unfold. I see myself writing a lot more and hopefully inspiring others to leap in the process. In five years, my hope is to have achieved this... and more.

12. What advice would you give to yourself when you were still just wishing for a transition? Would you like to share anything else or give any other advice for others wishing to make a transition and follow their dreams?

I would have advised myself to be smarter with money. I would have advised myself to spend less and save more. I know this might not be something people want to hear, but I would have also thought twice about pursuing my graphic design degree. I absolutely believe in higher education and I understand that degrees are vital for career paths such as doctors, lawyers, architects, etc... but not necessarily artists. Ours is a different journey. In so far as giving advice, I tend to shy away from doing so unless directly asked, but what I hear a lot from others wishing for their own transition is the fear hiding behind a thick curtain of excuses... the "I would {insert dream here} if only this, this and this..." Because I did this for years, I now recognize it as the gremlins speaking and while I know we all have our own gremlins to conquer, I would just like to remind us all to always trust the voice that challenges those gremlins. The one that encourages you to be bold and brave in your dreams. Find that voice and then tell the world about your dream... that is when those who can help you in your transition will be sent your way.

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Thank you, Stacy!!! It's such a honor for me to have you here :)

I'm now coveting that necklace that says Unlock your dream!!!

Here are all the ways to find Stacy online: website, shop and blog.

Enjoy!