Episode 155: From Chronic Illness to Creative Powerhouse | Carrie Schmitt | Artist, Writer & Entrepreneur
Carrie Schmitt never planned on becoming a professional artist. But when a sudden, debilitating allergy to heat and sunlight forced her to reinvent her life, painting became her lifeline. What started as a way to cope turned into a thriving career as an artist, writer, entrepreneur, and teacher. In this conversation, we explore how she transformed her biggest challenges into a purpose-driven business, the mindset shifts that helped her keep going, and why surrendering control can lead to unexpected beauty. Carrie’s story is one of resilience, creativity, and choosing to see possibility in the mess.
“I cannot create unless I’m willing to surrender and give up control. It leaves space to have the most incredible outcome.”
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Artist, Writer, Entrepreneur, Teacher
Steliacoom, Washington, “little pink flower”
Allergic to the heat and sun, including my own body heat
Financial Impact of Living with Disabilities
Thrive Membership for Female Entrepreneurs
Big Magic - book
Kelly Ray Roberts “Taking Flight”
Spiritual Leadership - book
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Follow along using the Transcript
Chapters:
00:00 Turning burdens into blessings
01:20 Living with a chronic illness and heat allergy
03:12 How painting became a lifeline
05:00 Building a career as an artist
07:15 Financial realities of living with a disability
09:04 Discovering the power of surrender in art
11:30 Creating with intention and clarity
13:20 Advice for female entrepreneurs
15:10 The role of spirituality in her work
17:45 Overcoming fear and self-doubt
20:00 Finding community through art
22:15 Balancing business and creativity
24:30 How teaching has shaped her perspective
26:45 Lessons from building a purpose-driven brand
29:00 What powerful means to Carrie
I was in a yoga class and I can't do what other people do because I overheat. So I'm in child's pose a lot. I'm resting. Mm-hmm. And I get so mad. Yeah. My yoga teacher would see me. I would, I'd start to cry a few times and she said to me, and this is your yoga, your your yoga is about learning to stop
and
surrender.
That's Carrie Schmidt and this is The Powerful Ladies Podcast.
Hey guys, I'm Kara Duffy, a business coach and entrepreneur on a mission to help you. Live your most extraordinary life by showing you that anything is possible. People who have mastered freedom, ease, and success, who are living their best and most ridiculous lives are often people you've never heard of until now.
It's common for an entrepreneur story to begin with, how they were pushed into it, a divorce, a layoff, a crisis of some kind that either forced them into creating their business or gave them no other choice. It's rare that an entrepreneur is pushed into their business and their best life path because of a debilitating, suddenly appearing allergic reaction to heat and therefore the sun.
That's exactly what happened to today's guest, Carrie Schmidt today. She's an amazing artist, clear she's living her purpose through her work, but that is not how the story begins. This episode is one of the good ones. Enjoy it.
Well, I am so excited to meet you. Thank you. I feel the
same way.
Thank you. I'm, I'm just glad that you're a yes, and I think it's so interesting how guests get on this podcast sometimes, and so I love sharing that backstory a little bit. Um, I literally came across you on Instagram or, and saw someone was recapping your story and what you've gone through and how you've turned it around.
And I instantly sent to my team, I'm like, I wanna meet this person. She looks amazing. I wanna talk about this. Oh, thank you so much. Well, it's an example of like doing a cold outreach and people say yes. So you, yeah. You never know what's gonna happen until you ask.
That's true. It's, I think it's important to just keep trying, keep going.
I think motion and movement is a really powerful flow to be in, so Yeah, definitely.
It really is. Yeah. So for everyone who's listening, so they're now going catch 'em up to who are you, where in the world are you, and what are you up to?
So, um, my name's Carrie Schmidt. I'm an artist and a writer and an entrepreneur.
So I run a full-time art business and I teach. And, um, yeah, just constantly deepening my relationship with creativity. So everything I do is centered on serving that, that is my devotion to the, um, creative force and, you know, awakening that in the world. So, yeah.
Amazing. And are you still in Ohio?
No, I, um, I'm in the, I'm in Washington.
I used to live in the Seattle area and I recently moved, um, a little farther south where it's more affordable and a little, it's a little, um, coastal town called silicone, and um, it means little pink flower, which is just perfect if you know my story. Um, yeah, it's a pretty magical place, so I'm, I'm very blessed to be here.
Yeah. Very cool. And you were not always an artist. Right? Yes. Um, I was really lost, I would say, until I began making art. I felt my life felt really misaligned. Um, it was just, I wasn't really in a good place. And, um, I, I was a writer. I wrote for a children's hospital in, in Cincinnati. Um, and then I got really sick one day.
Um, I came down with a freakish allergy. I'm allergic to the heat and sun, and that includes my own body heat, so I can't really move very easily. Um, I was bedridden because when it first happened, um, it. Was in a really high state. It's, it's a little bit like more in remission now. Um, but I basically couldn't walk, um, or like go up the stairs without my body overheating and then reacting to, to that and going into anaphylactic shock.
So I was bedridden for several months and um, one day I heard a voice, um, inside and it said, now that your life is over, you might as well do what you want and paint. And I didn't even know I wanted to paint. I had no idea that was something I had like repressed a long time ago, but I didn't have anything else really to do.
And so I started painting out of desperation and saved my life. Absolutely. I was having like suicidal thoughts, um, because I felt like a vegetable and I thought, I was in my early thirties and I was like, I can't lay here for 50 years. Like this can't be my life. Um, I'd always been really active, so physical activity is really important to me, even when I was a child.
And so I, all of a sudden it was like I just got smacked down and it was, it was like a death of my old life. It was very painful, and I was in mourning. And then there was this rebirth, thankfully because I started painting, it pulled me out of that darkness and gave birth to who I am today, which feels so much truer to who I am supposed to be.
Like I thought it was the worst thing that ever happened to me, and it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me. So it doesn't mean it was easy or I, I don't like having that problem. But yeah, it's, you know what, actually, I think everyone has like reoccurring themes in their life, and mine has been the art of turning burdens into blessings.
So that's been sort of a constant theme for me. And, um, what I've learned, what creativity's taught me is that just means to see the world. Through the eyes of a creator, you know, to see everything as raw material that you can then mold into whatever you want. And I mean, you can apply that to anything, you know, you can apply it to the pandemic.
It's just raw material. Like what are we gonna do with this now? You know, like sometimes you're given a pile of a mess and it's like, what can I make from this? And so that's the, the question I'm constantly asking myself. And that's what that experience taught me is to, like you, you always have a choice to turn something into something else.
It doesn't mean it's easy or you wanted it in the first place, but you know, that's, that's life so
well. And I think sometimes we look at, we see first the pain and suffering and the what's horrible about it. Mm-hmm. And then we see the opportunity to like, make something good out of it. And I, I, you know what caught me off guard with the pandemic in particular was everybody wanting to go back to what their life was.
I'm like, no, this is such a cool opportunity to like. Make a pivot and not have to like, explain it to anybody. Yeah. You can just change your life right now if you want to, because what else are you gonna do?
Exactly. Well, you know, I felt like the entire world experienced, like what I experienced when I was home bound.
'cause I couldn't leave my house. I couldn't go outside. And it really forces you to confront, you know, some, some things. But I think you're right. It's like, um, you know, I think what, what I was not told or taught is that we experienced a million deaths in one lifetime. You know? And so that the pandemic was like a death, um, of our old lifestyle, of our old ways.
Mm-hmm. So yeah, we were mourning, some of us were severely depressed. We had all the, you know, stages of grief. Mm-hmm. And it's not easy. And I'm, I'm not like trying to belittle anyone's experiences. 'cause some of us, it affected more than others. Um, but it was like a death. And we all mm-hmm. Collectively grieved.
And that the thing about death is like. That is where creativity starts. I mean, it starts in darkness, even like mm-hmm. Physically, when we're born, we start in a, a womb, it's dark. Mm-hmm. And that's where, you know, that's where things are born. So, um, it's no different. I, it's reflected everywhere and all around us in nature.
So, yeah. I mean, I, I was a little disappointed how some, in some ways collectively we didn't see it as an opportunity, you know? Um, yeah. I mean, throughout history, uh, there's been other times where, you know, like there's been the Great Depression. People had to get really creative. Mm-hmm. That's, that's when we're called to creativity.
So the p the pandemic really asked us like, what can you do with this? You
know? Yeah. Or even dark ages to Renaissance, right? Like, there's all these things where it's like we, we have an opportunity to like redo whatever we want and technically we have it every day. But yeah. Often it takes something to like make the big shifts happen.
And your story reminds me of so many entrepreneurs who, or just people in general who are now living their truer path.
Mm-hmm.
They, something happened to like push them over there because they weren't aware of it, or focused or listening and, you know, I, I think Right. I think everyone's, there are many entrepreneurs listening to this episode getting a little humbled about like, oh, I just got laid off.
Yeah. Yeah. But there's really hard moments in our lives mm-hmm. That we can't avoid. And yeah. It happens, you know, I think it's important to remember it's not forever the mm-hmm. There's mercy in the temporary nature of everything. Yeah. So I am kind of dramatic and I always think like, this is the end of the world, you know?
Then my dad is very good at like, this is just one step and your path. Yeah. Your story's not finished, so.
It's not, and well, and that also comes up when I invite people to the podcast. They're like, I'm not a powerful lady yet. I'm like, if you're waiting till you're cooked, we're not gonna be able to have this conversation.
Right. And if you're alive today and you're a woman, then you have some inner fortitude. You know, the world is not designed for women to come into their power. So Yeah. It might not look like power to others, but you know, you're still standing, so. Yeah. You are.
So, so with your, your allergy, is that something that just one day your body turned on, like was there any trigger to it or that you feel comfortable sharing?
Of course. Yeah. Or, and, and how have you gone through the process of getting it to be something that you can manage, so that you can have the life you have today?
Um, it happened after my son was born. Um, I just, I gained a lot of weight with him and then he nursed all of it off and more. Mm-hmm. And he was very hungry and my body was like.
My, I told my mom, I'm like, he's sucking the bone marrow out of me. I can feel him like, you know, depriving me of nutrients. My hair was falling out and the doctors think, like, I took him for a walk and it was like 98 degrees. I lived in Ohio. It was hot. Mm-hmm. And they, my body felt like it was under attack and it couldn't figure out what it was.
And, um, it, it tagged the sun. It's like it was a hot day. So it, it decided the heat was the enemy. They think that's how it happened. Um, honestly, I was healthy up to that point. Um mm-hmm. I feel like I wasn't brave enough to do, to follow this path that I've, I really, truly feel like I, this, I'm doing what I'm meant to do and kind of feel like something intervened and was like, you know what?
If, if you're not gonna go willingly, like I'm gonna force you into this. You have no choice. You are, this is all you can do now. But it's a daily struggle. I just mm-hmm. Had no idea. People with chronic conditions, um. I can, I can handle the physical aspect of this. Mm-hmm. It's scary. I mean, I can't breathe.
Mm-hmm. I sweat. But the emotional toll is, it's so great. It is, yeah. A daily struggle. I am fighting every day to stay positive and not succumb to, I mean, the summers are really hard for me. I, I get really depressed, but it forces me to look for beauty everywhere. It forces me to create beauty like every day in my life just to survive.
And the other aspect people don't talk about is financially having a, a physical disability is a huge financial burden. Yeah. You know, there's a lot of expenses. Um, I have to pay people to take my trash out for me and help me, you know, carry things. And, um, I can't move, you know, anything heavy. So, um, there's just a lot of, uh, financial stress and emotional stress mm-hmm.
That I don't think we often consider. Yeah. It just makes me, um, really take care of my mental health because it, it can be really overwhelming and scary, you know.
For sure, and you are forced to live a life of like, like the Queen of Sheba, right? Where you're just pointing and, and giving commands. Yeah.
I was like, I think I'm supposed to be a princess.
Like, I can't, I can't do anything. I literally need help with really basic tasks, you know? Mm-hmm. Like taking, I can't take my kids anywhere in the summer, so I have to pay drivers. And I'm like, I don't, I don't have that kind of income that I can just be like, you know, I don't have chauffeur, but it, yeah.
So, um, it, it's an interesting problem to have, especially I was an athlete and I was always, took pride in being strong and I now I can't really do anything, so, yeah. Except pain.
Yeah. What's, what's your like limit? Like is it, are you fine to be like in the house, like cooking and like doing things like that?
Or is it, is that too far?
Yeah, that can be, if I feel, if I sense any heat, my body starts to react, so. Mm-hmm. Mostly it's my own body heat that gets me in trouble. Um, yeah, like a man hit my car yesterday and we're fine, but, um, he got really angry and. I got upset. Um, even though he, he hit me, he was angry at me.
And, um, yeah, I had a heat reaction. I mm-hmm. Because my just emotions, yeah, were, you know, raised my body heat. So I was covered in a, a rash from head to toe and took some medication so I didn't like start swelling and, you know, so I just really, I have to also, I can't get too upset about anything. Like, I maintain my, you know, steady, steady mood.
But, um, yeah, it's, I can't go into stores sometimes. Like if I go to a art store and the heat's on too high, I have to leave. I can't go in elevators and I overheat at the airport, so I have to take a, I have to take medication every time I go to the airport and then they transport me with a wheelchair 'cause I can't walk that.
And airports are so spread out, I can't walk that far. So I have to get wheelchair, um, transport and that was very humbling. It was very difficult for me. I used to not ask for it. I would struggle, I would always have a bad reaction in airport. So I finally just, you know, asked for help finally, which is a lesson for me too,
you know?
Absolutely. Absolutely. But I really relate to asking for help and having to give up things that we've so put into our own identities. And, you know, you know, I've been an athlete. I still try to be if I can, but I still get so hard on myself for not being able to perform it the way that I used to. And I know this is a, a, a bigger overarching theme for women in general of thinking that we have to do it all and it's, um, disempowering to ask for help.
And, you know, we have to be self-sufficient. And I think there's, um, there's beauty in the fact that you don't have a choice and you just get to, like, you have to surrender to it. I think more of it should.
Yeah, because it's, it's a huge surrendering, that's a lesson I'm learning in my life that mm-hmm. You know, it, it's easy for me to do in my art.
Um, and it's been a great example for me of how the, the power of doing that in your life. Um, yeah. And I'm kind of forced to, so I'm learning a lot of lessons. I was in a yoga class and I can't do what other people do because I overheat. Mm-hmm. So I'm in child's pose a lot. I'm resting. Mm-hmm. And I get so mad I get, 'cause I was like so athletic and I could do all the things and I can do them, but my body won't let me.
So my yoga teacher would see me. I would, I'd start to cry a few times. I just get really frustrated. Mm-hmm. I don't deal with as well, I'll admit it. Um, and she said to me, um, this is your yoga, your, your yoga is about learning to stop and surrender. And that's what you need to learn. You know, like you're fine with, you've got the like, aggressive, like, you know, push it to the limit, but now you need to learn how to, you know, stop and take care of yourself.
And I was like, oh, I don't like this lesson.
There are so many days. But I'm like, oh, why do I have a company called Powerful Ladies? I do not wanna be powerful today. Yeah,
I totally get that.
Yeah. There's, um, in my, my Thrive membership, my, um, female entrepreneurs membership, we've been talking a lot this month about like releasing the masculine energy of how so often we do life and do business, and how can we step into the, the feminine and like, where's that balance?
Because so often the masculine is like, make the calls and charge and sales and push. And the feminine energy has to be in more of a come to me energy. Yeah. In, in a selling perspective. Yeah. And it's like, how do you accept that? Like how do you be in feminine energy and achieve your goals? Like, what does that look like?
Because that doesn't often exist from an example perspective. Right. And so it's, I think it's, oh, go ahead.
Oh, it's true. I think we're not taught to embrace those qualities, so it is a little harder for us. And I do think the balance of the two is really important in anything, and especially in business.
But I think, um, that's what I think we're all trying to learn. And to me, the feminine energy, the divine feminine energy is the energy of creativity. Mm-hmm. So there is, there is movement in that. There's, um, you know, I, I looked up, you know, well, to me the definition of powerful is. A force that acts and transforms and changes and mm-hmm.
And it, that's action based. Um, but I also think that's the definition. That is the definition of creativity. It's a force mm-hmm. That, you know, transforms and creates and changes. It's the same thing. So to me, they're like the same. Mm-hmm. And there is a divine feminine aspect of that, that creativity, that creative force.
But like encompassed in that is that receptive, surrendering. Mm-hmm. You cannot create, well like I should say, I cannot create unless I'm willing to surrender and, um, release control. And I've been in business situations where we've done that and it leaves space to create the most incredible, uh, outcome.
Like we made a video about my art for this paint company and um, artist network, and this producer shows up. It's a man and he is like, Hey, you know what? I just wanna see what happens. Like mm-hmm. I don't wanna plan this. And, and because he did that it like, be it something we all unexpected could happen.
So I think learning to trust that, you know, that that whole surrender being receptive, um, and letting something else work. Mm-hmm. So like, there's this invisible force in my, when I paint that comes in and kind of takes over and does something way beyond what I could ever imagine. Like if I, if it was all just me doing these paintings, they would, they would not be good.
You know, like I have a limited imagination. So when you make space for that unknown mm-hmm. Yeah. That, and that, that magic is, I think part of the feminine is mm-hmm. You know, like, yeah. And if we did that in the workforce, I don't know what would happen. I think it would be. Incredible. And I think a lot of women writers do that.
Mm-hmm. The ones that I adore, um, they do embrace that energy. So
I, one of the most talked about books on all episodes we've ever had. This podcast has been big magic. Oh yeah. And I just, I tell everyone to read it, whether they're creative or not, because it, it's one of the best, I think, demonstrations of that force you're talking about.
Mm-hmm. That, um, both the, the creative genius, but also just the energy that wants to play with you. Yeah. And, um, you know, what that looks like for, um, really listening, you know, we're, we can be so stubborn and sometimes that's good, but then other times it's like, we don't need, does not need to be this hard, like Right.
What happens when you let go? Um, that's such
a great question.
Well, there's that, the, have you heard of the monkey and the mango story? Is that about the,
go ahead and tell me. I'll tell you.
It, it's supposed to be a true story about how people capture monkeys and like, they'll take a box and on and on one of the sides, they'll put a hole and they'll put a mango inside it and the monkey will reach in, grab the mango, and then try to pull it out.
But the hole's not big enough for his hand and the mango. And instead of just letting it go and being free, it's like, Nope, I'm holding onto the mango and they get caught. And so in life we, we hang onto all these mangoes all the time, and I think it's why the Kaari like trend is so popular right now because it's giving us permission to like, let the mangoes go.
Yes. I love that analogy. I've done that so many times in my life, and that's when I think things sort of shift for you. Like sometimes I think I, I got that illness to put me on the path, and if I just like kind of listened to the thousands of messages leading me in that direction, then maybe I wouldn't have had to to do that.
But I did get caught. I definitely did.
Yeah. Well, well, and what I find so amazing is your art is incredible, and for it to just spring out of you from surrendering, like were you, did you have art training before? Was it really something that you just started from that point on?
Yeah, no, I, you know, I loved art in high school.
I wanted to major in art, but I was discouraged from doing that, and I majored in English, which I was kind of the same thing, but, um, but yeah, so no, I honestly think I have to like, give all the credit, um, to that creative force mm-hmm. That I, you know, I see in nature and see everywhere else, um, that kind of swoops in and takes over.
And, um, that is the truth. I can feel it, it's so real to me. Mm-hmm. Because I've experienced it, you know, thousands of times now. But yes, I am very limited and, um, I, that's why I know something else is working with me because, um, it always. Is unexpected and comes from somewhere else, and I get lost in that, almost like a trance, like mm-hmm.
State. And then, you know, something beautiful happens that I could never imagine. I mean, I don't plan any of art. I just let mm-hmm. I, I can surrender so well in the process. It's very easy for me because I, I know I'm not that I'm, I can't do it by myself. Like, I have no choice, like something else has to take over.
Um, but I think a lot of, um, creative people experience that, and I know in Big Magic, um, that's talked about. But, um, you know, this, I read this quote, I think it's John o Donahue, and he, he said the invisible is always apparent to the visible. So like everything physical, material, form originated in the invisible.
Mm-hmm. And so, um, it makes sense to me that that's where this would start. And that's again, if we could harness that energy in business where, um, we acknowledged that and that the invisible realm is like the pure potential state. Mm-hmm. And then it funnels through us and becomes, uh, finite. Um. But I think that would be bringing the feminine into business as well, is to see that, uh, acknowledge that, you know, 'cause that's the realm of imagination and possibility and mm-hmm.
Um, new, you know, ideas. So yeah. It's, it's all reflected in my art. So the art process has taught me a lot about, you know, ways to apply it to other areas of my life and business and everything else. But that's surrender. That's not easy. That's, no, that's really hard. And I always say to that, my students, like, that's the advanced work of painting.
It's like mm-hmm. The painting's easy. I mean, the way I paint, you know, it's loose, it's expressive. The hard part is the advanced work as an artist is practicing that, um, surrender, letting go, and then the resilience. Mm-hmm. And the persistence and the not giving up. Like those are the advanced. Um, you know, qualities of an artist, the Jedi
skills.
Yeah. And that, you know, that applies to everything in life. You know, not just, and I think as like, I'm a creativity like advocate, like it's my whole life purpose. That's the power of creativity is that it, it lets us practice those, those skills. And the more you do it, you know, psychologically and it creates grooves and you're more likely to be able to find resilience, practice it in other areas.
Mm-hmm. You know, because you've built
up those muscles. So. Yeah. And for me, so much of creativity is also being able to simultaneously turn off everything that you, it's almost a meditation, like turning off everything you're normally thinking about and turning on like the, a more grounded connection with yourself.
'cause it's, it's very hard to, you can create art without being grounded and without turning off all the other distractions. But it is never the great art. Yeah. It's, it's much more scripted and much more production oriented versus Yes. The great stuff. Mm-hmm.
Yeah, I agree. I mean, I always say there's a difference between making a painting and being a painter.
There's a huge difference. So I know there's classes where you can take, and everybody's art looks the same, and you're copying the teacher and you made a painting. Yeah. And that's great. I mean, some people love it, and I'm not, I'm never gonna knock that because that's awesome. But there's also, um, being a painter is the internal work.
It's the work of, um, you know, I don't know, learning those qualities and mastering the qualities of resilience, persistence, surrender, you know, that's what being a painter is and mm-hmm. I think there's, it's very similar to being an entrepreneur. It's, there's not a big difference, you know?
Mm-hmm.
So,
yeah.
So, so you. Got diagnosed with this allergy. You go, finally choose a surrender. You start painting. When did you realize that this would be your livelihood and, and when did you realize you would become an entrepreneur?
Yeah. It kind of happened by accident. I just loved painting so much. I like, I was gonna start crying if I talk about it.
My love for painting is like. Beyond. I always say I'm not, I'm never gonna be the best painter, but I, I think I love painting more than anyone, so it's so, because it saved my life and it loved me. Mm-hmm. I felt like it was holding my hands and it carried me like through that dark, dark times. So, um, so I just loved it so much that I had wanted to devote my life to it.
It's all I wanted to do. Like I was mm-hmm. I, that's all I could do, and I would be fine. And, um, and then I just started sharing my work and friends and people I knew were, you know, buying it. And, um, I, you know, I was an English major and I, I just, I didn't have a great, I don't have any backup plan. I was a stay at home mom, and so I really didn't have anything else that I could do.
And so I just, it kind of just snowballed into existence and mm-hmm. I read a book by Kelly Ray Roberts called Taking Flight. And she's a full-time artist. And I read it and it was just like, oh my gosh. Like everything she's saying feels like it's coming from my heart that I wanna do this like this. Yeah.
I want this to be my life. And so it kind of just made that decision out of just pure love and, um, just, it just happened, you know? And I, it's hard. I mean, it's hard being an artist as a full-time artist. And sometimes I'm like, but I don't, I don't even know what else to do. Like, I don't have a, like, backup last night I have like a nursing degree where I could just like, I could just transfer into this other field.
I'm like, this is all I have. So, um, this is what I got. And, uh, I feel like it chose me, like I would say. Mm-hmm. Yeah. I wouldn't have never imagined this in a million years. Again, it's that whole, that's that like beautiful spirit. Mm-hmm. Just, you know, chose for me, it's beyond my imagination. Like there's no way I would've thought I would be doing this.
And was the turning on the entrepreneur side, was that natural for you or was that something you had to learn and research and figure out how to do?
I, I think part of it is natural. My dad owns his own business. Mm-hmm. And, um, his dad owned his own business. And so I'm, I'm from a family of entrepreneurs and so some of it feels really natural to me.
And I watched my dad pretty closely and, um, he is just the hardest working person I've ever met. Hands down. He's 77, he still works full-time and like we mm-hmm. All want him to retire and we've been like begging him for years and he just loves it. He mm-hmm. Loves it. So, um, the work ethic I think was really modeled for me.
And, um, I, I, I think I do have the heart spirit of an entrepreneur. I don't know if I always make the right choices. But, mm-hmm. I do, I do like the freedom of working for myself and being able to control what happens, you know? Mm-hmm. That, that's really fun for me.
So, yeah. Why? Obviously I'm biased. I think it's super fun.
Um, and, and like part of why I've chosen to specialize in, in creatives in like heart led businesses is because it's, I want very much what you describe of like having that freedom to like be on the path you're supposed to versus be in a very traditional, let's 10 x everything entrepreneurial space, which is super masculine side of things, right?
Like, it, it, it only cares about one objective and not the whole person, or not the community that's being created and all of those things. Um. Plus, I just want people to know how to make money doing what they love. Yes. It's not, it's, it's, um, that part is magic, is math not magic. So if you've got the magic part of what you love doing, then we just need to apply some math and it's Right.
Adds up.
Yeah. Yeah, no, I agree. I think I would struggle in like corporate that's like hilarious for me to think about. But uh, yeah, I mean, sometimes I feel like I've been protected from certain mm-hmm. Fields that I may have gone into. Um, certain events in my life have just steered me from choices. Like, I got pregnant in college and I, I used to wanna go to law school and mm-hmm.
Can you imagine me? I mean, that's, that's just la Anyone who knows me would be like, I would never hire you. I'm so like, not organized and I don't know. Anyway, um, things like kind of happen that like, kind of prevented me from, you know, the corporate path. And then people asked me like. Um, was it hard to, you know, become an artist?
And I was like, well, I didn't leave any like 4K. I didn't have, I didn't have a good job. You know, like I was a, I was a writer and at that time I was a freelance writer, so I was like mm-hmm. It wasn't hard for me because Yeah. I wasn't set up like with some sweet gig. Yeah. You know, but I, I do feel like kind of, I was protected from mm-hmm.
The world. I saw a lot of my friends entering, you know? Yeah. So, I, I always feel like I've been, you know, on my path. Mm-hmm. It's, it hasn't looked like a lot of other people's and
Yeah. That's what makes it fun and exciting though. Right? Yeah. And speaking of your path, so what I think is also really interesting is you, and correct me if I'm getting any of this wrong, but you're in Cincinnati.
Then you realize, okay, like maybe this isn't the best place from a sunlight and heat and what my body needs. And then you, between there and Washington State, I believe there was a bus involved at some point. Is that accurate? Yeah. So tell me
about that. Okay. Rosie is my pink bus and everyone loves Rosie.
She is like a total diva. But, um, I live, I lived in Seattle. It is so expensive. There we're having like a housing crisis. I moved out of there for that reason. But, um, I couldn't find a, an affordable studio space. And I was living in like a 900 square foot apartment with four people and trying to paint in there.
That's very small. I don't recommend it. I was really frustrated and again, it was like, how do I turn this into a blessing? So I, um, I just decided one day like, you know what? I'm gonna buy a school bus and convert it to an art studio because I don't have any other choice. So, um. I think those moments where we're desperate, that's where we are forced to think creatively.
Because if I had enough money, I just would've rented, you know, some mm-hmm. Space in my town. Um, so I paint the best pink and I convert it and, and it's like the rage, like everyone loves Rosie and she's, I have a picture book like coming out this month and she is like the star of the book, but it's my story, but you know.
Mm-hmm. Every, it's Rosie's like the superstar, so, um, it's just turned out to be one of the best ideas I've had. And, um, she was on the cover of a couple of magazines and Germany like picked it up and she was on one of their magazines and, um, what is the other one? Um. In her studio. Uh mm-hmm. I was, there's a picture of us, Rosie, I'm painting on the top of the bus 'cause there's a deck on the top so I can paint and it's like overlooking Puget Sound and the Space Needle.
Mm-hmm. So, I mean, it was like, it was like a wonderful idea that was born from desperation and lack of mm-hmm. Finances. And I was nervous and asked my dad. I was like, well, what if I don't like this? Like, what if I do it and I hate it? And he is like, then just sell it. Like, what's the big deal? And I was like, oh yeah.
Like, he reminded me like it's, nothing's ever final. Like you just pivot. Yeah. Like, you try something and this is such the life of an entrepreneur. Like, you try something, maybe it works, maybe it doesn't, but it leads you to your next decision. Yeah. So just that movement, just keep moving, you know? And that's how it is in painting.
It's like, just keep going.
You know? That's all you wanna do. And keep being okay to like, say no. Thank you. I thought that was it. It's not, but okay. Like I think sometimes we get so attached to an idea that we've started that we're afraid to let it go. And I think statistically humans are more worked up about giving something up than they are about going after what they really want.
Yes. And it's like. Why,
why do we think that to ourselves? I it's that scary unknown, like people will stay in horrible relationships because at least it's the known, like it's what's scary to us is the unknown. And I think that's where the creative feminine energy needs to come in. And, 'cause you can trust that process.
If you understand the creative process, then you know, like, okay, this is, this is normal. Like I'm mm-hmm. This is scary. It's a transition. There are pain transitions are painful. It's dark. Yeah. But it's gonna be rough. But, um, that's just the flow of change. Mm-hmm. So, yeah, I think that, again, it's that surrendering and that re being able to let go.
And there's, when I paint, you know, there, there'll be an area of the painting that I love, but it's holding up the rest of the painting. Like, I can't finish it unless I get rid of this one. Part, and you just gotta let it go. Like you, you know? And so you practice just letting it go. So yeah, it's a really powerful, powerful thing to do.
And I think entrepreneurs have to be good at, at, at transitioning and just mm-hmm. You know, whatever's thrown at you, you just do your best and respond and, yeah.
W was it hard for you to leave Ohio and move to Washington?
Yes. Well, it was only hard for me to leave my parents. I mm-hmm. Love my parents and I'm very close to 'em.
And I would, I always stay on. My kidding. I would still live with them if I could. I, I was totally fine being, you know, the child. Mm-hmm. Um, but so I never wanted to leave them. And this sort of, again, it forced me to leave. I actually didn't really love living in Ohio. Um, I mean, there's things I like about it.
Yeah. But I wanted to try something new and, and wanted to move out west. And then this sort of forced me. To do that. So, uh, yeah. I don't wanna like, you know, slam my whole time. I love Cincinnati. Yeah. But, um, yeah, it was hard. I mean, it was hard. It's hard now to be away from them. Mm-hmm. So,
yeah. Well, and so often people, you know, move away because of school or a job opportunity or relationship, and it's a strange thing when you're choosing what's best for you and you kind of have all the options.
Yeah. Right. And, and for you, I'm sure you're like, all right, it has to be not so sunny and not so warm, and you're like, mm-hmm. Who wants to move? Are we moving to Greenland or
I know, yeah. It was a strange situation. Um, I went to the Mayo Clinic and that they suggested the Pacific Northwest because of the climate.
So I was like, oh, okay, I'll try that. And, um, I'm glad I'm out here for the weather, but it is getting really hot out here. So the place, the cold places on the planet are getting fewer and fewer.
Yeah.
Um, I had a rough summer. It was one of the worst summers last. We had some, we had several weeks that were in the hundreds.
113. I had to go to a hotel, um, because I didn't have air conditioning and so mm-hmm. I had to stay at a hotel for a while and, um, that was very expensive. So I was not thrilled. I was not happy about that.
Yeah. But we just say keep you or we keep all the seeds, apparently. I
know, I know, I know. I, uh, I just bought a house and I'm saving up for Central Air.
None of the house this year have
air conditioning, so. Well, they never used to have to. I know, I know. It's so crazy. I mean, I was in North Carolina at my parents' house, um, for the holidays, and it was 80 degrees on Christmas, and then I left and a week later they had freezing temperatures in snow. Oh my, my goodness.
Neither of these should be happening in North Carolina. And then December, like, what's going on? That is wild. So I'd love to hear about your, your painting process. Is it something that is, do you have like a routine around it or do you get an inspiration, you're like, I have to go run and paint this now.
Like, what, what does it look like on a day to day basis?
Yeah. Um, so I try to paint as often as I can. It's like. My greatest love and, um, I just, um, I always start with gratitude. So I do this thing when I start that I just really take in the moment and my supplies and just look at it through the lens of wonder and gratitude.
Mm-hmm. And I can honestly, I don't start to like, give myself like full body chills, just from like how sacred and, um, amazing it is. And I just, I feel so blessed. So I work from a place of gratitude and mm-hmm. Um, I don't ever judge my paintings or criticize 'em. And I, I tell my students that because like my art has never done anything but loved me and accepted me.
Like when I was stuck in bed, it wasn't like criticizing me as I started to paint. So I was like, I would never disrespect. What has been so good to me and mm-hmm. So I just work from a really loving place and I don't think, I think the creative force that I describe as it surrounds us at all times and we can't escape it.
So I don't think, like the muse shows up some days and not others. I think we don't show up. Like if, if I'm feeling like blocked and that's on me, like the force is like always there waiting for me. So it's my job to do my part. And I think for me it's about understanding my role in the process. Mm-hmm. So I don't think my job is to, um, to judge it.
I, I, I think humans, I don't think that's our purpose in the process. I think we have a really messed up misunderstanding of what our actual role is. Mm-hmm. So if we're in right relationship with creativity, it's easy. Like, I'm supposed to show up here and hold the brush and do the physical work, but you know, I'm not in charge, so I don't want that.
Responsibility either. Um, and that's how I work. Uh, so I wouldn't do it if you can't make it joyful. Like, why would I do that? You know, like there's women that like, they criticize themselves or they hate their art. Mm-hmm. And I'm like, why would you do it? Like, this has to be your joy,
you know? Yeah. Not self perpetuating hate for everything.
Yeah. Yeah.
And you know what, one of my favorite quotes, somebody told me that George Washington Carver, who like developed like all the ways to make all the things you could do with peanuts, like hundreds and hundreds of uses. He said something like, if you love, if you love something enough, it'll tell you all, its all its secrets.
And he loved peanuts so much that he described them as revealing what he could do with them. Same relationship of listening and having a loving relationship with anything with a peanut. Yeah. And that's how we came up with all his uses. So like as entrepreneurs, we should be really interested in that relationship.
And um, I love my art. It, it reveals its secrets to me. And that's all I've got. I have no special talent. I, you know, I didn't, there's a few prodigies in, you know, every field. I'm not one of 'em, but I, I just love it into being, and I think mm-hmm. When you see great people doing things that, it's usually from that place of like true love.
And I love that example of the peanut, you know, the peanut guy because it's like, you can apply it to anything. So, uh,
there are so many golden nuggets in like, what you just shared. I'm gonna have a hard time pulling out the teaser and the quote, but it's, it's, um, you, I, I'm just taken so quickly back to some of the, you know, group calls we've had about, you know, how do I make this happen?
How do I do this? Like, it's not working. And I usually tell people, I'm like, go get curious and. I've never thought about it in the way that you just said it. Of, of, 'cause I know when I'm stuck, I'm thinking about me. Mm-hmm. And I don't do this work for me. It benefits me, but I do it because I wanna help other people.
So it's like, there's a great leadership book I, um, I read once, which, whose name I'm gonna totally forget right now, I'll put it in the show notes. But it's like the, I think it might be called Spiritual Leadership. And, um, it was recommended to me through, uh, a course I was taking and I was hesitant about it.
'cause it's very much, um, in a, from a Christian perspective, which I'm not anti, but I, whenever it's very, whenever something is deep in religion, I get suspicious as much I should say. And I was like, you know what? I'm gonna read it anyway. It's one of the best leadership books I've ever read. And one of, wow, the best takeaways I've gotten is to wake up every day and ask who can I serve?
Oh, that's beautiful. And I put it into practice when I was still working in the corporate space and it shifted everything for the 30 days that I did it. Mm-hmm. Because we get so caught up in the to-do list or like the, the doing and not the being. And it helps switch that. And yeah. When you're trying to find who you need to help that day, you look at the world and what happens in such a different perspective.
And I really hear that in how you approach the work that you do of like really seeing it, really listening, because like we've been saying, it's so much easier to respond than to generate.
Yeah. And that again, I think it comes back to that, that feminine energy that we're talking about. Mm-hmm. So I think the intention behind any action is really important, and that intention is like, forms the lens that you're gonna see, see what you're doing through, so.
Mm-hmm. The lens of like service is totally different than like. Me, me, me, I have to do this, you know, and, and the intention, uh, you know, starts in that invisible realm and it, it makes its way through your heart and then into form. So it's really important to have that piece. And a lot of times, I think. We walk around and we don't know why we're doing things.
You know, like there is no grounding intention. And if you don't know your intention, then it's like you're amputated from the beginning. If you don't have a strong foundation and you don't even that again, that to me, that's why people don't understand their relationship with creativity is because they, there, there's a misunderstanding of their role and, and so.
Mm-hmm. It's the same thing. If you don't understand the why or the intention behind something, then you're working with like half of your power. You're Yeah. Something's off and you're not gonna understand it. And, um, I don't know if you've heard of heart math, um, yeah. But it's that or heart. Yeah. That mind heart coherence is so mm-hmm.
That what they've learned, these are like medical doctors, right? They've learned that, um, when you're in a, a, a love state, um, you're all, your organs are working harmoniously and all your systems are working harmoniously. And when you're in that state of love, I mean, athletes are using this. You perform better.
So it makes sense. Like it sounds woohoo woowoo, like when we're like, oh, I work from this loving space, but actually your body's functioning higher. Mm-hmm. And so it's not all woowoo. I mean, it's merging with science and math and um, and so yeah, I think there's definitely a place for that in business. You know, and my intention every day is to serve creativity.
So I consider myself a devotee of creativity, of the creative spirit. And so everything I do is formed around that. Mm-hmm. And so it gives me a lot of clarity, like. I had a little housing crisis recently 'cause our rental, we lost, our landlords, um, are selling and mm-hmm. There, there's a housing crisis going on in Seattle and there's a lot of homeless people and people in RVs and I was going to be homeless, like that was a reality.
Um, I'm not an Amazon employee or Microsoft employee and it's a techie mm-hmm. World there. So, um, I had to make really hard decisions and coming back to like, I wanna be in service to creativity, um, allowed me to, I, I bought a house outside of Seattle and I took out all my retirement savings from my mm-hmm.
Marriage, and I, um, borrowed money from a private investor and I bought this space that I will have to share, like it's going to be a retreat space for women to come and reconnect with their creativity. And, um, it allows me to have my housing, but it also allows me to. Serve my purpose. Mm-hmm. And so there's that blend there, kind of that merging.
Yeah. So it's always in the forefront of my mind is like, I want to be, this is what I want to devote my life to. Mm-hmm. And so yeah, it brings clarity to all actions instead of, it's like walking around with like your head chopped off. If you don't know why you're, you know what you're doing. And we don't learn.
I've never, no one taught me that, you know?
No. It's, it's, um, the core fundamentals that we need to really have an extraordinary life aren't taught and aren't taught frequently enough or in the right places. Like between, like how, how to get our, no one talks about purpose or intention. No one talks about getting that clarity that we need.
And, and I'm saying no one in the sense of a traditional education system. Um, same with like finances or like mm-hmm. The, the, the lack of civics now that exists. Like there's all these things that we're focusing on knowing which are important. I'm a huge nerd. I love learning, but what are the core fundamentals we need so that we can then choose, make the other choices from and Right.
And we forget that so often. Yeah. Um, but I, I love, as you were talking about before, of how things that are considered woowoo today, were not considered woo, they were considered fact before. And like this kind of circling back we're doing of, of validating those things with modern science, I think is, I always think it's fascinating when there's another alignment of like, we, we know it intuitively, we know it instinctively or we've known it, um, historically, like the ancient wisdom things.
Coming back to modern validation, I think is fascinating.
It, it really is. It is kind of this awakening of an ancient wisdom that I don't mm-hmm. Understand well, but you know, I'm trying to grasp and, um, yeah. I think there's a book by Deepak Chopra. It's like the Seventh Laws, spiritual Seven Spiritual Laws of Success.
Mm-hmm. And all of those can be applied to. Modern times to the entrepreneurial world. And he's kind of a mystic, but he, he is a, he's a medical doctor, so he's very physics and science based. So he gives you, he presents both. Yeah. And I find that really helpful. I do. I love when like, they all merge. Like I love when science is like reaffirming what intuitively I feel is true and mm-hmm.
But yeah, it's an exciting time and I think I, hopefully part of that awakening is the feminine energy, um mm-hmm. Of also not doing things alone because I think we have this idea of like rugged individualism and I have to do this by myself. And I really did buy into that until I started, you know, really finding out a lot of people you look at that are successful, like very few of them did that alone, you know, like Yeah.
They, you don't know the behind the scenes stories. Mm-hmm. Because I bought a house that, um, it looks probably looks like I'm doing pretty well, but. Uh, I, there's a lot of behind the scenes stuff, you know, there's a lot of risk taking. Yeah. I, I, um, and I, I did have to have help. So I think we just need to be honest about the, a lot of power for women and men, uh mm-hmm.
Lies in our, um, working together in our communal, you know, existence. And that's why I'm mm-hmm. Gonna rent my, I'm gonna have a retreat space because when we come together, it's, you know, it's easier. I mean, it's just easier.
Yes. So, and, and it allows everyone to be in their gift and it works much more harmoniously.
Um. I, everyone listening has heard me say a million times. Like you have to have a coach and you have to have a community. Like, yeah. I don't know how people function without those two things because, and you probably need more than one coach, right? Like
mm-hmm.
Anything that we want to achieve that as you, like the Jedi level, the, the wisdom level.
Mm-hmm. We can't do on our own. And most of the things that we have to do in life, we don't wanna do. You know, like you, you've been forced to give up some of the things that you were like, didn't really care if you did or didn't do. Like, I'm sure you're not sad that you can't take out your trash. Like that's not a probably a pain moment.
I don't have to move. I never helped people move. Like, I just moved and I literally like couldn't lift a box. I overeat like pair boxes. So I did, I had to like hire help, but I like yes. Mm-hmm. No one can ever ask me to help. Right. Do I'll be there within like, you know, uh, cheering them on, but Yeah. Yeah. I get, I get out of a few things.
Yeah. But like, it's, it's, you know, we have to do these, um, we have to come together so that everyone can li can, can sustain themselves with their gifts and be in their gifts. But also it frees us up to not have to do all the things. Like, just 'cause you could, doesn't mean you should. Yeah. And I don't know why we get so stuck on.
I have to figure it out by myself. I have to do it all this way. And yeah, it's also just more fun. Like, I know it's, you can't have a, it's hard to have a party by yourself. It's really hard.
Right? It's really healthy to have those com, you know, those, um, what do you call it? Communications or the, um, relationships, that connection.
Mm-hmm. I think we're really craving that and deprived of it. And, um, just that's where our culture is not set up really community based. I think that mm-hmm. Differentiates us from a lot of other cultures where community is everything and, um, yeah. So hopefully we can kind of lean back into that. Um, for sure.
But I, yeah, I'm, I'm leaning more into that in my business. Um, really took my whole business this year and I'm foc focusing on creating relationships and community online. Like that's, yeah, that's number one for me right now. Um, so I hope that, you know, works out, but, uh. Yeah, it, I've collaborated with women and it's something magic that happens when you do collaborate.
Mm-hmm. It's like every, you're elevated, um, faster and like you, you expand more quickly and way more than you could by yourself. It's like this weird alchemy. So I definitely like, encourage people to do that. It's, it's so powerful,
you know? Yes. It's so powerful. I, um, friends, a friend gave me the Gabrielle Bernstein, the universe has your back deck of cards, and the one that I pulled for January is right with that.
The universe works fast when we're having fun. Oh, that's so great. And it's like, yeah. Like it's, it's not just that time goes by, but like things work. Like all, all the things happen. Yeah. And usually what you need. Someone next to you has, so go ask.
Yeah, yeah, that's right. And it's an attractive energy.
Like fun. Mm-hmm. Love. Those are all attract. So it would make sense that you would have, you know, success and it would be more rapid success and, um, yeah, I, I definitely agree with that.
So in addition to creating your online community, what else are you, um, putting out into the world in 2022?
So, um, I am trying to really focus on the creating community in person with my new home and studio.
Um, I'm really excited. It's something I've wanted to do forever. It's been a long-term dream. And it literally was like my only option. It was like, like another one of those scenarios where it was like, mm-hmm. You have no choice. You're either gonna be homeless or this is like your only option. And, you know, I was like, that's so weird.
'cause like, I've always wanted to do this and now I have to do it. Like, I have no choice. Um, so I'm grateful for that, the limitations. Um, and then it presented this, this possibility to me. So I, I wanna do that. And then I'm on, I'm starting Patreon, which I've never done. Mm-hmm. But I wanted to, to really connect with my, um, my community and anyone who resonates with my art or my life.
Uh, I really want to just focus all my energy on, um, giving everything I can offer in one place. Mm-hmm. And so that's, I don't, you know, I don't know what's gonna happen. Um, but that's my, my goal right now is to just like, give everything I have to that community and, um, you know, really e establish deeper relationships with people because.
There are mostly women, uh, follow my art. They, there are women that have been with me for years and years and years, and I'm so grateful and I'm just mm-hmm. I wanna give everything I can to, to this community that supported me. And I, I mean, I, I can't believe I'm still doing this and I wanna do it mm-hmm.
Longer. So, um, I just, yeah. I hope I can create some stability for myself because mm-hmm. Um, I feel like I've had a lot of success in non-traditional ways. So I've had mm-hmm. Amazing experiences I've had, um, like life changing, um, you know, transform transformative moments, but mm-hmm. Financially, I, I need to like also start to pay attention to that more, which is Yeah.
Part of being an entrepreneur that I'm like, I dunno if I. My dad is very good at that. And I'm sort of like, the more like I just did it because, you know, I wanted, I don't know, just so I gotta kind of merge Yeah. More now because I have realized that I do have an expensive disability and I, uh, I wanna have a little more stability.
It's a little stressful, you know, I've never had a house by myself and I'm, I'm having a few sleepless nights about that, so I'm trying to, you know, create a sustainable business. Mm-hmm. Yeah. And just give everything I can. Like, I'm like, I just want, this is from my heart directly to the people. And so, yeah, that's, and then I actually, this is a little unrelated, but I have a picture book coming out at the end of January, and it was supposed to be last year, but it's been delayed twice.
'cause of, you know, COVID shortages. Mm-hmm. Supply issues. So that's coming out. Um, that's just fun and not super related to the other things going on in my life, but, uh, excited about it.
What's, what's the title of it?
Oh, it's called A flower in her Heart. The story, the True Story of an Artist who Bloomed.
And it is related in the sense that it's my story for children. Mm-hmm. And adults anyway, about listening to your heart and, um. That has been a lesson I've been, you know, kind of forced to learn in my own life and I'm so grateful I did. Mm-hmm. I mean, it's the story of me becoming an artist, um, which started sort of in a little darkness.
So, yeah, it's really beautiful. I didn't illustrate it because I'm not an illustrator. Mm-hmm. A woman from Germany Illustrated, she did a beautiful job. So, yeah. Awesome. I'm very excited about. Yeah. Yeah.
So for everybody who wants to be in your community, buy your art, support, you collaborate, get your book, where are all the places that they can find you and connect?
So I'm on, um, Instagram a lot and that's at Carrie Schmidt. Um, I don't know, do I need to spell that or? Nope, we'll have it in notes. Okay. And then, uh, I also have a website, carrie schmidt design.com. So. And I'm on Facebook, but I'm not as active there.
Mm-hmm. Yeah. Well, I am so thankful that you were a guest to our invite and to me and the podcast, and I'm just, yeah.
It's been such a pleasure to talk to you today. I'm inspired and excited to get to have you on again. 'cause I think we could talk for hours about all of these things. Um, I was just thinking
that, I was like, oh, I would totally do this again. It was so fun.
But yeah, you're, you're lovely and I'm so excited that everyone listening has gotten to learn more about you today and hear your story.
Oh, thank you so much. I really appreciate what you're doing and I think it's important work, so I'm happy to, I'm honored to be here. Thank you.
All the links to connect with Carrie are in our show notes@thepowerfulladies.com. Please subscribe to this podcast wherever you're listening, and leave us a rating and review. They are so important for visibility and connecting us with more listeners like you. Come join us on Instagram at Powerful Ladies, and if you're looking to connect directly with me, visit kara duffy.com or Kara under Duffy on Instagram.
I'll be back next week with a brand new episode and a brand new fabulous guest. Until then, I hope you're taking on being powerful in your life. Go be awesome and up to something you love.
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Instagram: @carrieschmitt
Facebook: CarrieSchmittArtAndDesign
Website: carrieschmittdesign.com
Email: carrie@carrieschmittdesign.com
Created and hosted by Kara Duffy
Audio Engineering & Editing by Jordan Duffy
Production by Amanda Kass
Graphic design by Anna Olinova
Music by Joakim Karud
