Christina Bradley 00:21
Hi, Kia. Welcome to the podcast. It's so lovely to have you here.
Kia Cannons 01:50
Hey, Christina. lovely to be here.
Christina Bradley 01:53
Thank you. And we're just gonna dive right in today, because we've got so many questions. I'm so excited to be speaking to you. Now, you are a columnist for psychologies magazine. And you've got your own podcast, the happiness hack. And I would love to talk to you to start with about the relationship between happiness and creativity. Because I feel like the two are very interlinked. But I think you're probably better positioned to talk about this than me.
Kia Cannons 02:20
Oh, wow. I mean, yeah, I completely agree that they are so links totally interlinked. In fact, what I have found, from the moment that I gave myself permission, which was, you know, quite a journey in itself, to step into the world of creativity and do it myself, I discovered that, really, in order to be happy, you have to be authentically expressing yourself. And that therefore goes hand in hand with creativity. If you are expressing yourself authentically, and it's coming out in your creativity, you're going to get this incredible access to perhaps a happiness that you've never experienced before. I certainly hadn't.
Christina Bradley 03:01
I love that I think and I think that's so true as well, because you're absolutely right. Creativity, I guess, at its essence is all about actually being able to authentically express yourself. So if you are able to do that, yeah, I can totally see how that how the two are linked. But you mentioned something that I also think is interesting, in terms of permission. So let's talk a little bit about permission and creativity. Because in my mind, and also, personally speaking as well, I can see how being able to give yourself permission to be creative, can actually be people's first sort of stumbling block when it comes to accessing their creativity. And I wonder if you can speak to that a little bit, because I know it took you some time to really step into your creative shoes and own it.
Christina Bradley 03:43
Oh, it really did. Yes. I mean, for me, it all kind of my my challenge with stepping into my creativity started as young as about 13 years old, I kind of what age it is that you choose your GCSE options in the UK. But it's around about that age that you choose your options as it were at school. And I put ups down. And you know, just completely just thinking, Oh, I'm so excited. You know, definitely, obviously, I'll take art. And then the art teacher came and found me and showed me You know, my list of options that I'd written down and said, Okay, I see that you've put art on here. And you can't draw so you'll have to do outrageous. Oh, it was I mean, it's just crazy. How then as a, you know, a young teenager, I just went, Oh, somebody in authority has told me I'm not good enough. How embarrassing. And I just shut the door on creativity. And I literally put on all the locks and just thought I never going there again. The only thing was is that of course what I what I've since discovered all these years later is that I am almost pure creativity. dyslexic. I am you know, I'm an intuitive artist. You know, my whole everything. My whole life is infused with creativity. So I am. You know, that call and that inner authenticity coming back to that again, and the thing that would really, you know, deliver that happiness, I didn't just ignore it. But, you know, I ran away from it. Yet, I was also running around in circles in my life, because I had no idea what to do with my life. Because I suppose when you cut off the one thing that you're here for, you'll just get to spend your whole life going, I don't know what I should do with my life. And I just tried, you know, everything that I could I've got a CV as long as you know. And, and so it came then until I had it years later, when my youngest son was about to start preschool. So this goes from like, age 13, to I don't know what that would be about age 35, I suddenly realised I can't go back and do a job that I hate anymore. It already made me really sick. I have an autoimmune disease now, which I'm reversing, which is great. But you know, my doctor thinks it does come from stress over years and years and years. And a lot of that stress came from trying to be something that I naturally wasn't I was being a PA doing admin, you know, good, not only sort of trying to be something that you that you weren't, but actually stopping yourself from being who you really are.
Christina Bradley 06:16
You can totally see how that can turn inwards. And make sure I've heard that correctly, then. So it was from the time you were 13. till about you were 35.
Kia Cannons 06:25
Yeah,
Christina Bradley 06:26
Basically, you we're sort of rejecting your creativity, and you just packed it away.
Kia Cannons 06:31
And that's it. I don't have any. So I'm gonna just do something else. That duration of time, that judging the time it was out in small ways. So like, when my husband and I got married, I made these incredible invitations, the sort of fold out tag books, I kind of got a bit into dabbling into scrapbooking, which is kind of like this lovely American memory keepsake thing. Yeah. So it was leaking out a little bit there. And and everybody said to me, I don't get it. You're like the most creative person. I know. I had so many people say that to me, but I still just thought but I'm not allowed, you know, I'm not good enough. So that's ridiculous. And so I was doing little things on the side. But yeah, but just thought, as a career. And as anything I could take seriously, you know, that's off the table. And, and then the big part of giving myself permission was that moment when my youngest, had started preschool. And I suddenly had one at school, one at preschool, and I had more hours than was needed to clean the house and keep on top of everything. And I thought, you know, it was fine. Well, I just had, you know, the one at school and a baby at home. But now, I actually, I don't need two and a half full days to myself. So I could go back to work. Only thing is like, I literally, it made me so ill I can't face don't want to go back to that. No. And you know, when I'm not prepared to say like, what am I going to do. And my was I was in a baby group with a friend in a community centre. And she happened to say, oh, there's an art exhibition here, we have a quick look around. So we just wandered in. And I saw all this abstract art on the walls. And I literally got, I can almost feel emotional now. But I literally felt like I'd come home. And I looked at this art and just thought, that's in me, I can feel it's in me, and I know that I can. I hope I know. I can do that. Yeah, it was beautiful. So you walked out and I'm saying this to my friend. She's such a great cheerleader. You know, any listeners listening? If you have cheerleaders in your life, friends that believe in you listen to them, because yeah, I think they're a better judge. Yeah. And I do think they're there for a reason, I think everyone in your life is there for a reason. And perhaps, you know, they're there to be a signpost for you. Because then this friend then amazingly walked over and picked up the catalogue for this venue. And in it, it had all these art classes. And so she just passed on to me as if you should look at that here. Because we just had this conversation. So I had a look and there was a messy drawing class and it was you know, it was just sort of saying all the right things and I just found myself for the first time thinking maybe I use the time when my son is at preschool for that and in fact at that point, he was only there two mornings a week so it wasn't like I could go back and do any proper sort of work you know, there's no job in the world but I used to work in that would have somebody for two hours and impossible and so I thought well maybe I could you know spend the morning doing that and spend another morning maybe going to the gym and start looking after myself what wasn't until this class was going to be ages wave or something like four months before it was going to start a cannot believe I waited until the morning that it started to give myself permission to go even though everyone my mom, my husband, my friends doesn't care why you're not doing this. It's it's perfectly placed inside the time that you've got. It's local. Like why would you not do it? And it was because back then we were a single income family. We have two small children. My husband had his own business, and it just felt like spending I think I remember being like 112 pounds, that felt like the most most outrageous thing, it felt like it spending millions because it was the first time because that's another piece of art around this is that, you know, I'd been a mum at that point for, I don't know, five years. So I really had fallen into the just do everything for everyone else. And there is a time for that where you are the nurturer that has to be there. And certainly as I was being a full time Mum, and it just felt like how can I give myself permission to spend money on myself and do something for me? So that was a big piece. Now I look back at it and think that's hilarious, but it was that big of a deal. Just too crazy. And how did you take that step then where you just finally went? No, no, I'm going to do this. Again. It is thanks to my family and my friends who just kept saying, I don't know why you're not doing we're all saying you should do my you know, my husband's like, of course, you should do this. That makes total sense. No brainer. Yeah, no brainer. And I even had to phone me it's like a big deal of phoning speak to the teacher beforehand, because I really wanted her reassurance not so much reassurance, but I wanted to check that I wasn't going to be told to paint or draw or something in a certain way I was, you know, letting her know, I'm not good enough.
Christina Bradley 11:14
And it's maybe as well, it's that thing about protecting yourself is you know, and I've done that with my writing as well, where I've given it to someone to read and I've gone but don't worry if you don't like it, because it's really not very good anyway. And Is that a thing about like, if I already put the kind of I don't know, the disclaimer out there on my creative work, then it's fine, because I'm protected from your criticism or your you know, negative feedback in a way.
Kia Cannons 11:37
And I think it's really important that you know that people listen to this, if you're feeling like you're in that place of I'm not good enough. Yes, I, you know, I have, I can see parts of myself in that story. You know, what I would love to share is that this is part of the process. And if you have the courage to go through that excruciating discomfort of putting yourself into a creative space, amongst other creatives, perhaps, or your own practice, and just having a go, you will get through that. And now, you know, to be on this other side where I absolutely identify as a creative, you know, people get in touch with me all the time about my artistic things that I do you know, whether it's, you know, do you want gallery representation? Can you paint at this event? Can I buy your art, even though I don't even do so much of that anymore, it is a complete part of what I what I do what my persona is. So you will move through it. It's it's about? Well, one, like you said, giving yourself permission, like it just started with giving myself permission to go to an art class. Yeah. And then it's courage to keep taking the steps out and putting yourself out there. And you were saying before about how you know, and I can really identify with this as well, one of the big things that you did that was really sort of nauseating and very scary was change your Instagram profile and actually put the you are an artist and actually claim that for yourself. And that felt like a an important step, but a terrifying one.
Christina Bradley 13:00
And I think that that's, that's part of this sort of putting yourself out of your comfort zone. And almost I don't necessarily like this expression, but fake it until you make it and sometimes I think you actually need to do that you need to act and where you want to be.
Kia Cannons 13:12
Yeah, that's what works for me. I mean, I've now got to a point because I then fell into the world of mindset and personal growth, that now I would be able to just do that anyway and not have that imposter syndrome because I know how to deal with that. But most people don't know how to deal with that I find the majority of women that I coach are really struggling with imposter syndrome. And I really was at the beginning. And so yes, that was I absolutely just made the decision that only you know, I realised the only way that I am going to move into this world and get to see what my potential is like, Can I actually create paintings? Will people actually like them? Will anybody want to buy them from me? Heck Can I make a creative career for myself? And I just I think it was that you know that Pinnacle point of I I cannot go and do something that I hated because it made me so ill I also cannot think about moving into work that might take me away from my children if they hate that work like that. For me I just something switched in my brain and when I I think this is what you have to do you have to reach a point of I am not going to accept that any longer. And life does it for you in many ways and you know life taught me that through my health and you know, my mental health I was really really struggling and I you know, I'd cry in the bath on a Sunday night before going to work before I had my children decided to be a full time mum whilst they were tiny. And I just thought I can't go back. I can't put myself in that situation of on a Sunday night feeling so anxious. No.
Christina Bradley 14:46
It's awful.
Kia Cannons 14:48
Yeah, yeah, they feel that. So yeah, so I made that choice of the only way I'm going to move forward is to fake it till you make it. So I'm going to say I'm an artist before I feel comfortable saying I'm going Artists, because how the heck is even going to know that I have up for sale? And but they can approach me for based inquiries. salutely Yeah, I'm not saying it. And so yeah, I had to put it on there. And then when I would see different friends for not such close friends of mine, but friends of friends, you know, people in my my sort of world have acquaintances who were established artists, I was feeling awful, I was feeling like such an imposter that I just decided this isn't their life, it's my life. And I am unwilling, that was the word I was looking for before, you've got to become unwilling to live by the paradigm that you've created for yourself, which for me, was, I'm not a creative, I have to do work that I hate. And I have to just keep going. And I suddenly when I'm unwilling to live by that anymore, so I'm going to stop caring what people think about me. I'm going to stop trying to fit in and be what I think people want me to be, and be what I think society thinks I should be. I'm just going to try being myself. And it's like, boom, the doors open, and life met me there.
Christina Bradley 16:02
Oh, my God, I love that. That's given me shivers is listening to you. Because I just think that that, I think it's so true. But I also think it's so difficult to actually make that leap and have those balls to kind of really go, No, I am unwilling to do this. And so that means I have to put myself in all these sort of scary situations.
Kia Cannons 16:21
Yeah. Yeah, that's it, you have to accept that I don't think enough people talk about or certainly, I didn't see enough conversations that were letting me know, it's gonna be scary as hell, but it's worth it. Yeah, cuz you just see all and I know that, you know, my Instagram journey, you know, people have watched me from 12 followers going, Oh, I'm an artist to now having a an audience of engaged people that you know, what, to what I'm offering them and are interested in my journey. And, and I've lost my train of thought, This always happens, because I'm dyslexic. Where was I going with that?
Christina Bradley 16:56
Well, don't worry, if you if you can't get it back, if you can't get it back, I've actually got something else, which you segwayed into rather beautifully. They're great, if it's okay with you, for you to share your story about the fact that you are dyslexic, and the success that you've had with a book that you put out there. And I'm making up your own rules, because I think it follows on quite nicely about how actually, you've got to sort of be unwilling to accept the constraints of society or that you've put yourself under and break the rules and do it your own way. And I think that's a beautiful illustration of that. So if you'd be willing to share it, that would be wonderful.
Kia Cannons 17:28
Oh, yes. It's such a good story. So yes, like I've mentioned, I'm dyslexic, and I had fallen into obviously, this art, I just put it on Instagram. And then suddenly, I had 10,000 followers, and people were buying my art. And I'm thinking, This is crazy. And I really do think again, it's just that piece of I was courageous to go towards what I was curious about, and passionate about. And I just think that well, Julia Cameron puts it really beautifully. Who won't be artists away? Yeah. And she said, You know, it's, I won't get it exactly right. But it's something about when you take one step forward, like your dreams, take one step one step further towards you. Yes.Yeah. And when you start, this is the thing, when you start to actually have the courage to make these bold moves, then life in my experience does support you, and then you get your evidence that you're safe to do it. And it works. And that's a really, really interesting piece. But yes, the story about the the writing is amazing. So I knew from tiny, probably about age five that I wanted to be a writer, and I wanted to write books, but because I was dyslexic. I mean, I didn't find that out until my university years all the way along, I had struggled with English, my creative writing was amazing literature, you know, not so great. So I already decided I wasn't good enough. And then when I found that I was dyslexic, that was another door that I shared, but I always want to do and I in fact, when I picked up psychologies magazine, the very first edition they ever did nearly 15 years ago, and I remember being in my local Aster, I just got married, I was like, 25, or something. And, and I saw this magazine, and I just thought this literally, I don't know, it feels like it's an extension of myself. I feel like I need to contribute to this some way this. This was like written for me. But at the same time, I almost feel I could write it. And I just thought one day, My dream is to be a common economist for psychologies. But I just let that dream go, I believed it would happen. I had no idea how it would happen. And I would just went on with my life. And so as I was just having all this success with my art on Instagram, I had so many artists say to me, how are you doing it? You know, just send me a DM saying, look, I joined around the same time as you did. And I've seen the success you've had, like, I don't get it. Like I don't get what I'm not doing. And I just felt this responsibility to pass on what I knew. And I was actually going through a really, really challenging time in my life. I had crazy chronic pain, after well from 10 weeks pregnant with my second child. And at that point, it escalated to the point that I couldn't walk for nine months. It was oh my god, right. That was right when he was actually starting school. And so I was having to go to a specialist physio an hour away from home every week to, to, you know, get treatment to be able to hopefully walk again, which I am not when I'm pretty much back to normal. So it was all good. But what I'd have to get there so early because this specialist was so you know, it's sort of only dealt with celebrities and athletes and things. And I was private and cost so much money that I was unwilling to be even a minute late for this treatment. And so I would get there two hours beforehand for an hour, and I thought, yeah, it's, you know, I just could not be late. So I use the time there's a coffee shop just opposite to just sit and write down everything that I had tried to do an Instagram, everything I tried to do to market my artwork, and to finally get on paper while on a computer what I had done, and then suddenly I realised this could be an ebook. Why don't I just you know, you know, release it to these these, you know, my Instagram audience? Yeah, all the people that are asking these questions, let's see. And then right when I was about to publish it only on Etsy, and I'm just selling it myself, um, I just had that imposter syndrome come in of, but it will be terribly written here. My sentences Go on, like, you know, without full stops sort of four times as long as they should. And it makes total sense in my mind, but it probably doesn't read very well for the people. And I thought about getting a ghostwriter. And then I suddenly thought, look, you know, I was at a point where there was no way I could afford to do a ghostwriter. You know, this is just a little random thing I was doing on the side. So Seriously, why don't I just put it out? And I also thought, why don't I just be really upfront and just say, guys, I'm dyslexic, you'll need to excuse the typos and the things I get wrong, and put it on the audience that you need to excuse it. I am telling you, it's there. I'm gonna change and I'm not gonna apologise for it and apologise. Yes. key thing? And it was Yes. super scary to be like, is this allowed? Can people talk like, this isn't okay, but I did it. And what I cannot get over, is that really was a critical moment. Again, it's always linked to when you are wildly courageous, and you are bold, and you do something that is horribly uncomfortable. It's as if life I don't know, it just kind of clicks into, like, the next level. Yeah, you've experienced a literal shift. And so suddenly, within a very short space of time, I'd sold over 10,000 pounds worth of these amazing, because of course, it wasn't, you know, I didn't go through publisher, I just did it myself. So I've been 100% of the profits. So I don't know, 700 of them or something. And but what really got me above that, which was just fun, was the feedback. Nearly, you know, out of all these five star reviews, the thing that came up over and over and over again, was, it was so well written there and thought, I think the rules of life are completely different to what I've been told, I think, anything I want to do, I can be anything I feel led to be, and it's not a made up thing. I'm not kidding myself. If it's in you, it's for you. That is what life has taught me. And if you have the audacity, and the passion and the courage and the boldness, to take a step in that direction, life will support you. And like that, where did all these people come from that wanted to buy this book? Where did all these reviews come from? It was you know, so then, of course, that gave me more courage. And so now I sit here, I still can't believe I get to say this as a columnist for psychology, psychologies. You know, it's just and what the things that I often think, I don't have permission to do or I'm not going to be good at turned out to be the things that people keep telling me on my biggest strength strengths.
Christina Bradley 23:55
And it also just goes to show doesn't it that if you had decided, actually, when you were sat there about to publish it on Etsy and thinking, actually, you know what, I'm not going to do this because I'm dyslexic. And it's embarrassing, and, you know, people will judge me or whatever was going through your mind, and you hadn't done that. Like, can you imagine what it would have been such a waste? And I think that's such a great story. I mean, it's such a great story, but it's also such a great example of actually how you can limit yourself so much by your missile these opportunities that you don't even know might happen.
Kia Cannons 24:28
If you if you just don't give yourself permission to just go for it. And and also, I think the fact that actually, you know, you get to write your own rulebook, like it doesn't need to be dictated by somebody else you can, you can make your own up. Yeah, I have. That is just all that life is teaching me and in fact, you know, what I do now is pretty different to what I was doing with the art, you know, I do art now, just when I want to, it's kind of my way to warm up in the morning. And I don't even do that every single day. And it's my sideline because as I referred to earlier, onwent through, since, you know, getting into the art and everything, which is only about four years ago. And I then a couple of years in went through this incredible kind of awakening, of waking up to life, and to self development and that kind of thing and personal growth. And I suddenly realised, oh, my goodness, you know, permission is like such a big thing here as well. I've created this incredible audience who are really interested in my art, and they really want to know about my Instagram marketing, which felt really natural and great to do. When I was doing that at the time, it was like, What else would I ever want to do. But then suddenly, I realised, oh, my goodness, I want to pivot yet again, for the millionth time. And what I want to teach these wonderful women who are who are here, and listening to me every day is not so much. You know, the Instagram marketing and art kind of stuff. I want to teach them how to think and how to use their brains and their mindset to be truly authentically happy, and to create their own freedom and do what they love as well. And so I then had to give myself permission to go, I have created this incredible audience. And now I'm going to pivot and talk about something else, which might turn off some of that audience, I have to listen to what I call like your inner compass, that longing inside you that that kind of this is what I want to do. And I had to move into the world of I still don't know kind of what it is that I do, I sometimes call myself a do what you love coach. Sometimes I'm like, Oh, is it coaching? It's more teaching, I'm am I an empowerment teacher. But I had to move into that and give myself permission to do that as well. That was really hard. And like we talked about, just before we hit the record button, I cannot get over how I have never felt as creative as I do now, even though I'm not actually picking up a paintbrush and using the traditional tools for creativity, I find that amazing. I do.
Christina Bradley 26:57
And I'm so pleased you mentioned that because again, what we were talking about just before we hit record was how Actually, it's almost as if creativity itself needs the good old rebrand, because people have got such I think that I've misunderstood what creativity actually is. And and it's because they're looking at the sort of the traditional forms and thinking, Well, you know, it's about being an artist or being a writer or, you know, something that's more I would say about the craft of creativity, rather than the essence of it. And, and I love that because actually, you know, what you're talking about is that creativity is something that's in all of us, isn't it? And the more you do it, once you can find it, the more you can actually access it and utilise it, the more the creativity sort of feeds itself. I think that's just uh, yeah, I mean, that's amazing.
Kia Cannons 27:42
Yeah, I just find it incredible. And what what life has taught me with that is that it's all about tapping into what is inside you that wants to come out. And I think so many of us have literally kind of blocked off that that kind of that communication, whatever the word is. I don't know. But I think it is communication. I think that is it. Even yourself. Yes. You know, it's as if that line, that's the word, I'm looking for the line of communication, which tells you what you want to do, which tells you what you're curious about. You have just blocked it unlocked it Yeah. Because you've been told this is, this is how you do life, you create a sensible career for yourself, you're not allowed to like it, you know, it's not well, it's not that you're not allowed to, you have to do it, even if you don't like it. We don't work isn't meant to be fun. It's meant to pay. Yes, and phonies, for hobbies. And we're told all of this. So when we get out in a longing start to crop up, we just stuffed them down because our brain literally thinks Danger Zone. I've been conditioned and brainwashed to think that that's that's not a good idea. And yet, I you know, I've tried it, and it made me ill. And it was just constantly hitting brick wall after brick wall after brick wall. And I really do think that when you are pushing for something that you think is the right idea, and life keeps tripping you up. When you keep hitting a wall. It's life. You're literally but knocking into a big sort of arrow sign going no, it's that way. It's the other way. Turn around. You're going in the wrong direction. Yeah, exactly. And, and so now, you know i i for years I've been working on. I mean, this is what I teach women mostly is how to figure out what you want to do with your life because it was a 15 year. You know, it was more than a challenge. It was debilitating. You know, I couldn't go anywhere without talking to people and saying, Do you know you want to do with your life? Have you got anything for me? Can we talk about this? We know what we're watching on the TV. Can we talk about the big stuff here because I haven't got there and soul destroying to not know how to pick and choose. And you know that's one of the big problems is that we think we've got to pick the axe, put it on the map and go straight there. And you know what i found Is that that is not the way at all. And so when I was doing all this work that has turned into the work now that I teach, one of the things was to look at, you know, what really lights me up and gets me excited without trying to turn it into would be, that's the job you would have to do with it, you know, just what are the things. And for me, I always came back to I love researching. I love gathering lots of facts and data and evidence and anecdotal things and experiences. And then I love to put that into a concept. And then I love to then deliver it in terms of an easy process to follow. And so little did I know that when I tapped into my zone of genius, which appears to be communicating big ideas, and inspiring people and encouraging and motivating people to make change in their life, you know, I didn't see that as a skill before, because I'm so close to myself. But as we all are, right, you don't know, just naturally, you know, we don't even know. And when I married that with, well, I really because life has taught me you cannot do what you hate. You have to do what you love when I'm married that with this belief and this ethos that I don't want any woman doing what she hates anymore. I want to support every woman that I can, who is seeking these tools to do what they love. And then I married that with what I'm really curious to do is actually be able to research all these topics about self development, and knowing yourself and managing your mindset. So you actually can create the results you want in your life. I want to play with that and create a lovely workbooks and master classes. And then there you go, I found what was in the intersection of those things. And it became what my business is now my membership where I teach women how to do that. So my belief just makes me get up every day. And like everyday, I get to help them and do what they love. And then I get to do all this research and everything. juicy. Isn't is so juicy. I just wish we were told that at school, I Oh, gosh. So do I would that be Yeah, yeah, you know, all you have to do is tap into who you really are and what lights you up, and the digital world that we live in now, I think anybody can jump into a creative role we were told before and it's understandable, you know, pre internet, there wasn't much evidence around us, that told us that you can survive as a creative and you can thrive even. But now and I think particularly now, you know, when we get into when we finally get into the other side of this pandemic, you know, we have moved so much online that I think it's just a fantastic opportunity for people to just like, as I did with my first little ebook, just dipped my toe in the water, and went, Wow, wow, snowballs, yeah, exactly. Hey, could have ideas, and they just need to just, you know, just do it in a small way and see what happens.
Christina Bradley 32:46
And that's it, isn't it, it can be a sort of a small step. It doesn't have to be I'm going to leave my job. And I'm going to, you know, become a writer, it can be baby steps, as you were sort of saying with your ugly book, you know, it can start small, it didn't end small, but it can start that way. And you can just test it, and play and also change your mind. I think that's the other thing. I think it can end up being people are so desperate to find. What's my thing? That there's too much pressure on that. Because what if that isn't the right thing? What held me back?
Kia Cannons 33:15
Yeah, for so many years, I kept thinking I had this. I did Elise, you'd have diagrams and tables that have all these different 15 years that people used to talk to a wedding planner or Christmas, Christmas present designer, I don't know decoration. I've everything shop merchandise, it's funny enough creative things. And then other things, you know, I want to be a dietitian for a while. And all across the top of them down this the other columns would be all the things I wanted out of my life. I didn't want to work on the weekend. So wedding planner got struck off. And yeah, that seems like a very methodical way of approaching it. That that was what I used to be doing. When I should have been doing my work as a PA, I bring up my little spreadsheet. But you know, I have an eye over this document for so many years. And what I find amazing is that what I've ended up doing was not on the on the list wasn't even in my couldn't have conceived no becoming an Instagram marketing person. It didn't even exist at that point. No, I think you're right, a huge part of this is going I'm going to allow myself to pivot you will do something for a while. And then life will open up and you'll sort of see a new horizon and go well, that's not possible for me. Now I know. I'm aware of this. Now I'm interested in that. Yeah. And again, we've been brainwashed to think that changing your mind is flaky. And I think women get a particularly bad rap.
Christina Bradley 34:03
I agree. I agree. And it actually it does it. I think it's I think it's a great thing. And personally I have I mean I feel like my entire career has just been so many zigzags. I mean I started out by being an actress, and then I moved into Show producing. And then I moved into writing. And I've set up businesses along the way. And at the time, I remember every time I've, I've sort of changed tact, I've sort of thought, Gosh, I feel really embarrassed because I've sort of said this. And now I'm doing this. And I feel flaky and inconsistent. And I mean, the reality was, nobody was watching me anyway. So it really didn't matter. Right? in my, in my mind, I was like, God, this is just, oh, it just looks so bad. But I know I don't want to be doing this anymore. So I'm going to do it anyway. And it's so interesting, because now I look back, there is such a clear red thread that links everything together. And one step was required for the next step, and the next step and the next step. And it's absolutely okay. In fact, I would say it's more than okay. It's how it's meant to be to keep using one to pivot to the next and the next. It's not meant to be a straight line, at least I don't think it is. And I don't think it's very much fun if it's a straight line.
Kia Cannons 35:51
No, I completely agree, I think there are a small proportion of the population that know what they want to be when they're a child or when they go to school or university. And then they get on that straight line, and they get there. And they are extraordinarily happy doing it. I think a lot of people do that, whether they're happy or not, I think there's a huge chunk of that aren't and can't let themselves move. But there is there is a small amount of the population that have the kind of brain that works that way. Yeah. But I actually from my experience, the people that I coach, and help and speak to, and I meet very few people where that works for them. And I completely agree that it's necessary, it was 100% necessary for me to just purely do art, for me to embody being a creative and discover what it's like to intuitively create, to be able to tap into my, my soul, really, and to see what wants to come out and have a methodology to get that out. And then that, of course, brought the audience and the people and it switched on that part of my brain that realised I think I'm, I think a bit of a teacher, I think all I want to do is help and teach. It's some it's, it's an unconscious desire and impulse. So like you say, I can see the thread through all of my stuff as well. And yeah, all tells me it's 100% necessary to pivot if you feel led to its absolutely, absolutely.
Christina Bradley 37:19
I'm conscious of time. But I do have a couple more questions, because I think it's really important. You talked about that, that line of communication, and actually being able to sort of tap into yourself. And and, and I would say that sort of being able to listen to your intuition. And what that's telling you. And I think that that's why people become blocked, because they can't actually tap into that. And I know you actually run a workshop about this helping people sort of really be able to sort of tap into that. And I'm just wondering whether there's anything you can sort of share with people who, who are sort of listening to this and going, Yes, that's me. But I don't, I can't like tap into this sort of inner wisdom or knowing or how can people get, because for me, I think actually, that's is about being able to tap into your creativity, actually, and harness that and sort of remove that block to be able to access it. But I'm just wondering whether you've got anything that you can share that can really help people start being able to drop into themselves and listen.
Kia Cannons 38:21
Absolutely. I mean, this is, again, a big part of what I teach. And, and there are many, many different methodologies that I teach and that I use. The one that started me off that I would recommend people start off with is circling back to the artists way, again, is to get themselves that artists way by Julia Cameron. In that book, if, if listeners haven't heard of this, you are taught a very simple practice of writing what Julia Cameron calls morning pages. Yeah, yeah. And so that's where it began with me. I. And I mean, I have spoken to so many people who have done this, and definitely not everybody has had this experience, or people are quite a few people say they don't have much of this, but they have it sometimes. But it just came through hugely for me. So as I was writing, it's all it is. You just when you wake up, you write three pages of whatever's in your head. But I'm very quickly moved from writing down like anything sometimes it was silly, like oranges, bacon, the wall needs painting anything. Yeah. am I writing what's in my head? I don't know what's in there, too, when wisdom started coming through the path.
Christina Bradley 39:28
Yeah, it's amazing. Yeah, yeah, because I do I do, actually. Most days. I'm not gonna say every day, but I love morning pages for exactly that reason. I feel like I can tap into like a wiser part of myself that I can't actually ordinarily access than the stuff that comes up onto the page. And what happens is, well, sorry, I just totally railroaded you. But what happens to me is the fact that the language that I'm using changes and it suddenly stops being I and it goes to you and it's like I'm being told what to do. It's incredible. Is it
Kia Cannons 40:00
Yeah, hello again, we should be taught this, you know, we shouldn't have to just find it if we're lucky, we should be taught this earlier. Yeah, I mean, this is it. And what happened when I started writing this morning pages, and this incredible loving voice kind of came through the writing in a different way? I remember it said some, what was it, you know, draw a line around yourself and mark your boundaries. And I was like, whoa, whoa. It was and it was on what wasn't it like dress your soul in silk. I mean, just like, these are incredible things that were just telling me bring your creativity out of you. And so as I started to write this morning pages and get this connection with this inner voice that was kind of just yet just giving me love and guidance and wisdom, then other rather, incredible things started to happen. And I mean, it just goes, so many different avenues. I mean, one of them was that I had a dream. And in this dream, I'm in this strange place. And it looks like I'm moving out of a flat, I look completely different. And I wake up, and I think that I'm actually floating on the ceiling, I literally had that moment of going, Oh, my gosh, it's happened. It is true that crazy things like floating in your sleep can happen. And of course, open my eyes, I'm in my bed, and it's all but I had this absolute and utter knowing almost a voice inside saying go downstairs and write down everything that you saw in the dream. So I write down everything that I saw in the dream. And I drew it, I think these three long windows and everything, and and then took the kids to school, drove to my art studio, which was a friend's kind of like sort of shed in her garden. And as I'm walking up the driveway, I've no I'm sorry, it was before that was as I was shutting my boot, I just had this thought this thought came into my head of this boot is gonna be full of beanbags when you leave. And I thought that's weird. So I have absolutely no intention of taking anything out of my studio. So I get into my studio. And you know, I'm starting to access this, this inner, whatever it is that we're talking about, through these morning pages, this inner connection with a higher being or power or something. Yeah, you know, everyone I speak to has the same like, you know, struggle for the language to use to describe what you experience. And I walked in, and I just just literally felt like I was being told, you're going to create a sacred space to paint and I thought I should move everything around in the studio. So I have these two sort of sides, I moved everything. And I really kind of created what felt like a sacred space of paint. And as I was doing, I was thinking, you know what, I don't need all these old sketchbooks, you know that they're not me, I'm in fact, and I had this sort of real feeling of, I only want to have stuff in my studio, that's going to fully inspire me. And suddenly, I was there all day, it got to something like two o'clock. And I suddenly looked around, and I realised what I'd seen in my dream was what I was stood in all the BIM bags, I had from so much stuff away, just been in this sort of place. And then I even realised that there were three long windows in the shed that make sense, it was just crazy. And so that's just one of what has happened since then, of many, many, many ways that I receive this sort of inner guidance really tap into so we're talking about tapping into your intuition and that kind of thing. Yeah, yeah. So then, after that, I started painting, instead of going, what should I do? I would come to my studio, and I'd stand there. And I would just think, what what needs to come out? You know, what's coming through what
Christina Bradley 41:11
Oh, I love that. That's such a great way of looking at it, isn't it right, sort of reversing around rather than Yeah, I haven't heard that.
Kia Cannons 43:45
I mean, the paintings that I started to create, I'd started painting with my eyes closed, I started just hovering my hands over the paints and just thinking, what do I feel drawn to. So that's a little thing, just starting to get that connection with your body and start to feel tingles in your fingertips. And, and what I found is that if I really concentrate on sort of that, that heart centre, that space in the middle of your chest and think, what do I need to do next? Or what, what's the choice here, I let that guide me almost like can have like a physical almost like magnetic feeling of, you know, moving towards the colours or the paints or what have you. And so now, whenever I need to write anything, I don't use my brain. Initially, I go and lay down and I just empty my mind. And I just ask for guidance. And I just say, like, I'm here, I'm open, I'm ready to receive, what should I do? What is the answer to this thing? And I check in with that higher intelligence or whatever it is before and then I cannot get over how I can think I've got no clue what to do, how to approach this talk I've been asked to do or what have you. And I literally it gets funny, because I think I'm looking forward down lie down for at least 10 minutes. Within 30 seconds. I'm like, Oh, it's come. I've got the idea. It's just arrived. I just again, I would love for us to be taught that we've got the answers inside inside of us as we tap into them, whatever it whatever it is, however you describe it.
Christina Bradley 45:14
And I think a big part of that as well is, is actually then being able to trust that guidance and take those steps and be brave enough, it kind of brings it all together. Because, you know, I'm sure people listening are thinking, Well, actually, I have had that, but then I thought it was silly, and I haven't done anything with it, or I didn't recognise or I didn't pay enough attention to then act on it. And I think, you know, hearing it is one part of the puzzle, the next step is, is trusting it. And then the next one is actually doing something with it and being brave enough and courageous enough to take that next step.
Kia Cannons 45:45
Yes, exactly, our brains will want to shut all of that down, because the brains job is to keep us safe and keep us alive. It does that by making sure while trying to keep us making decisions that keep us comfortable, and keep everything familiar. So the second that you go and want to do something different, your brain wants to shut that down, and you know, and put you off. And so instinctively, you will feel like you've got to ignore those pings. But you know, one of the biggest practices that I did, which enabled me to go beyond the write writing these morning pages, was I just noticed that I had the same dream over and over and over for about two years. And it was simply just me skipping through my old town centre, where I grew up in Newport in Wales and South Wales. And I would be skipping along sometimes holding my mom's hand and I'd always zigzag it's a big wide pedestrian space. And my dream, I would just have it, you know, several times a week for years. And it was just that tiny bit of me zigzagging. And so when I got into this, the artists way and writing these warning pages and tapping into, you know, that was one example of so many of weird things that you can't quite explain happy. Yeah. It then made me more curious to notice them more. So I suddenly thought this one day, hey, why am I having that dream all the time? Wouldn't it be crazy to get in the car and drive two and a half hours because I live in farnum in Surrey, now, all the way to Newport and walk up that high street, and just be like, whatever is sending me this life, whatever. why I'm here I'm listening. Yeah, I cannot tell you how I got there. There was this freak snowstorm that happened around me, it was very much around my car. Like I've got them. And it was snowing. It was cold. It was freezing. This February. It was freezing. And then suddenly, there was this weird snowstorm. So I sat in my car for ages before thinking is it okay to get out? This is everything's white now. And I walked around the places that I saw in my dream. And I kept just saying, Look, I'm if there's if anything is trying to communicate with me, you know, if life is trying to guide me somehow, what why am I dreaming this? I'm listening. And that was the key. For the first time I went, I'm listening. I'm listening. Yeah, and I think so often, we're talking and we're thinking, and we're not listening. And I put myself into receiver mode. And I cannot tell you the amount of wisdom I got, as I walked around this town centre, I felt led again, I just tuned in to like, Where do I feel like I need to go and I found myself going into shops that weren't the shops that they were when I was little and realising I was stood in a very interesting place with something happened many, many years ago. And I was like, Oh, and I just suddenly had the understanding of why these things happened. I suddenly saw things from a different point of view. And, and in fact, the message that I just kept hearing was, you need to actively reject trying to fit in actively rejected as trying to fit in and I just heard it over and over and over again. And since then I went Alright, I'll give that a go. How about actively reject trying to fit in and that basically means just walk to the beat of your own drum to the campus? What do you want to do? And all I can tell everyone is all I have experienced is success and satisfaction and authentic happiness.
Christina Bradley 49:14
Yeah, that is a brilliant brilliant note to finish on. Thank you so much Kia. This has just been such a wonderful interview. I've sat here with my mouth open just like listening to such great stories. And if people want to find you and hang out with you, how do they go about doing that? Where can they like Oh, yes, so you can find me I mostly hang out over on Instagram and that just sit my handle is simply My name Kia cannons, which is k ca double n o n s perfect and we can put that in the show notes as well. Wonderful. One last question for you. And I hope it doesn't I hope it doesn't throw you because it can it can put people in a spin but what does living a creative life mean to you?
Kia Cannons 49:52
Ah, I love this question. I actually got interviewed in a book recently some amazing friends on Instagram and they In a lovely account called carve out time fraud, created a book, they have this dream, and they actually did it. And it's interviewing female artists. But you know, to talk about how you juggle everything, you know, kids careers, whatever it might be. And I got asked that question. And so I am a little bit prepared. That's great. Perfect. I've not that I mean, it was two years ago that I was asked it, but it was such a brilliant question. But I think everybody has their own answer. Personally, for me, creativity means to me, means a vessel or a way of acting on the things that inspire me. And so when I tapped into creativity, before, I would say, you know, go for a walk in nature, and I'd see maybe beautiful marks on the back of a tree. You know, that moment, you're like, I've got to get my camera and I've got to take a photo of the thing. For me, the difference between not being creative or not acting in your creativity and doing that, or actually being creative or acting on your creativity is taking things like that things that inspire you, and acting on them thinking, what can I do this? Oh, do I feel like painting it drawing it? I don't know, making paper crafts, I feel like sculpting something. How can I let that inspiration inform a thing? And it's just taking inspiration and doing something with it?
Christina Bradley 51:23
That is a great answer. I love that. And actually, that's something very practical that people can just take with them into their day and start applying straightaway. Yes. Kia. Thank you so so much. I really appreciate having you on the show.
Kia Cannons 51:37
I absolutely loved it. I mean, I'm here for these conversations. It lights me up so much to talk about these things as you can tell me a little bit passionate about these things. Yeah.Thank you for having