Sofia Loren once said: “There is a fountain of youth: It is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.” Although I’ve never met Sofia, if I did, I’d give her a High-5 just for the inspirational reminder in that brief spot-on statement.
The dictionary defines creativity a bit more traditionally saying it is “the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.”
Whatever definition you choose for creativity is fine: Just be sure you choose to embrace your creative being because you are creative and it is your untapped, ready-to-be-released creativity that is the catalyst waiting to fire up your energy for living your best life.
When speaking with those whose creative juices have been stagnated, suppressed, ignored or relegated to the “Someday when I have more time I’ll…(do whatever you’re dreaming about)” — most express to me that they feel like they are dead or dying…as in being buried alive. Conversely, as the fabulous Sofia reminds us, when I meet those who are embracing their own personal brand of creative expression, I witness their joy and they make all those around them feel more alive. When we choose to welcome and embrace our creative nature, the entire world seems to open up for us as: Allowing us to make our entrance as we also begin to see life through rose-colored glasses regardless of the current circumstances within which we may be living.
I never know what doors will open in my life, but I do know that as long as nobody can get hurt, I’ll probably run right through that open door and wholly embrace whatever opportunity may await on the other side.
To keep my creativity flowing, I write daily for both business clients and my SilverDisobedience.Rocks blog with is shared on my website and also Instagram and Facebook. Now, via Creative Content Loft I further collaborate with all kinds of brands, Creatives, Models and other talent by running focus groups, managing photoshoots, and writing & sharing group “consensus” reviews about gifted products. I am also quite fortunate because for over 30 years, people keep hiring me for my advice on a variety of personal and business issues — so I’m in constant thinking, learning and analysis mode. Then, thanks to our son’s love of skateboarding, a new door to creativity opened for me when due to an incredibly fun and unexpected series of events, my life was further reinvigorated in most unexpected ways as I became a Wilhelmina model years ago at age 57…at a time many think about retiring!
I’m often asked how my modeling career began, so here’s the scoop: A guy we know from the Chelsea Pier 62 Skatepark told me that Old Navy was casting a commercial and seeking a “crew” of 10-13 year old skateboarders. He recommended my (our) son. On the day of the audition, I found myself speaking to the fascinating international young woman who was the casting agent. A couple of days after finding out our son got the job, the same casting agent emailed me about a print campaign opportunity for a national clothing retailer. Ultimately, both my daughter and I were cast for this job. At the same time, my best friend’s daughter, who is a long established talent agent, asked if she could submit me for a TV host position. It was quite thrilling to be asked, and I was quite surprised when I booked this hosting job, too. Next, just for kicks I responded to an ad in Backstage for a national hair brand that a big name photographer was casting. I was called a few hours later and invited to audition the next day. I got the job. Subsequently, the agent who cast me for host role recommended that I speak with another agent. Our “I will only have 15 minute meeting” lasted a solid two and a half hours. The agent offered to represent me as a commercial actor. Shortly thereafter, I was booked for magazine editorials as well as a many other national campaigns –while passing on certain opportunities, solely due to conflicts. Then a make up artist reached out to me and told me that Wilhelmina Models was looking for a “Silver.” The morning of the meeting scheduled with a long time, well-established agent, my husband asked me where I was going. Not confidently I responded: “To the shortest business meeting ever — but I’m going anyway!” Much to my surprise, I walked out with a contract and I’ve been smiling bigger and posing in front of cameras ever since.
So, in addition to the companies I own and actively manage, I’m also working as a model and actor. The funny thing is that I’m a big believer in whatever you affirmatively visualize is what will manifest.
I have no idea where all these ventures will lead, but I am grateful for every moment…and I’ll keep visualizing and working to actualize more exciting fun moments. I have been reinvigorated in all areas of my life through having the opportunity to meet creative, interesting people who for the majority are incredibly cool and grateful for their livelihoods.
I have enjoyed learning an entirely new industry from the ground up. I’m an amoeba in the multi-billion dollar commercial, advertising and fashion industries. It’s all still new to me, thoroughly educational, highly thought-provoking, totally inspirating and majorly fun. More so, in some ways, I’m not in control–which is very unlike most of my work, which requires high level messaging, strategizing and often thoughtful crisis management. In my work in this venture, I have only a glimpse of the vision for the campaign; I don’t know what the creative team envisions and deems “right” before airtime or publication; I don’t know what the photographer is seeing through his/her lens; I have no clue what the casting director is seeking in the casting call; I don’t control how the stylist will choose my wardrobe; I am merely a canvas for what the make up artist will do to my face and hair. And you know what? It’s all good. For me, life is all about balance. Right now, my career as a strategic public relations advisor is being balanced with my adjacent career as a model. Life is good.
What creative outlet(s) can you embrace to express your creativity?
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