Reading about another person who follows her heart's true path can be inspiring, encouraging and informational. Meet Noelle Rollins, an artist who, through her artwork and giftware, aims to support others on the journey to an
authentic, soulful life.
Photos courtesy Noelle Rollins.
What activities make your heart happy and your life full of meaning and purpose?
The 3 things that make my heart skip a beat are
my family, art and traveling. I feel so blessed to have grown up in a fun,
bold, creative family that supported me in my dreams and affirmed who I am. Now
as an adult I help nurture that same environment in my own family. I really aim
to make our home a safe, loving place that after we have all spent our days out
in the world carving our paths, we can come home together, let our guard down
and know we are loved and accepted.
I've been creating artwork since I can
remember. I'll never forget selling my first logo to a traveling volleyball
club when I was 14. It made me realize that I was an artist and that I could
make money doing it. My dad was an entrepreneur and I loved that life that he
created for us all from a business where he created the rules. I've always
known that this is my professional path.
Lastly, I love to travel. Say "road trip" and
I'm in. I love learning about new places, observing the different ways people
live, talk, interact, decorate, etc. I have no doubt that having both lived in
different places and also traveling has made me a more well rounded,
open-minded person. We are currently planning our summer road trip out to
Glacier National Park, Seattle, Vancouver and Portland. It'll be fun mixture of
camping, hiking, hotels and family bonding. I always feel like I come after a
vacation more in touch with my spirit. Next year I'll be going to Israel with a
group of women to help bring together Palestinian and Israeli women in a spirit
of peace and sisterhood. I am beyond excited to get to be a part of this
project. You can read more here.
How did you discover your heart's true path?
How do you continue to discern what is true to your heart?
Although I have always been an artist, I had to
dig really deep to find the truest part of my hearts path. It came from the
most painful experience of my life; losing my mother unexpectedly at the age of
57. I watched this amazing woman raise 5 kids, and be there for everyone,
support us all in our dreams, then be not sure where she fit in once we were
all grown. It was heartbreaking to see this incredibly talented, loving women
feel so disconnected from all that she had to offer. She passed of pancreatitus
4 years ago, since that time I've made it my mission to help women connect with
themselves and live their most authentic, creative and inspired lives.
What rituals do you practice that help you
listen to and honor your heart?
I am a big believer in journaling. I also
really try to fill my brain up first with the good stuff, then sometimes the
more fun stuff. I spend my time listening to books on CD, hayhouse online
radio, Wayne Dyer, replaying past e-courses, music that makes me feel good.
This keeps my head in a good place. I'm the person that went to be every night
in high school listening to a cassette tape of Anthony Robbins that my dad has
given me. I feel good and I know that when the tougher things have come my way
I've handled them so much better because I had an arsenal of good resources
loaded into my brain to help me work through them.
Think about a time when you got off track.
What did you do that helped you return to your heart's true path?
Nine years ago I moved back to Minnesota while
going through my divorce. I ended up working for my dad, it was great and I
learned a lot. However, I ended up staying at his company for a few years too
long. I realized I was using it as a buffer so I didn't have to focus on my own
dreams. Once I finally stepped up and put my own business as the priority
things turned around quickly. Not only professionally but as I set better
boundaries in that area I started craving better boundaries in other areas of
my life too. This was vital; I now encourage everyone I talk with to set
healthy boundaries with others in their lives.
Are there tools (e.g., vision boards, to-do
lists, mind maps) that help you stay on track?
My business to do list is different every day,
so I have a 5 subject notebook with me. I use each section for something
different. The first section is used for my weekly to-do lists. This helps me
get everything on paper so I can stop having it all swim around in my head.
Since my job requires me to be in a good creative space I find it vital to not
get bogged down by the numerous little tasks, if they are written down then I
can just check them off and it makes it easier. I'm also a big believer in
dream boards, I'm a dreamer. I love to imagine the biggest most impossible
things I want in my life and imagine them as reality. I do this for my work but
we also do this as a family, places we want to go, things we want in our lives,
etc all go on a board that we can see.
Tell us about your heart's community: Who are
your supporters? How have you found people who believe in you, accept you and
cheer you on through your journey?
This has been an interesting ride the last few
years. As I said earlier as I grew up everyone who knew me knew that I wanted
to be an artist, my family got me art lessons and I felt completely supported
by all of the people in my life. Just the last few years have I had a few
people in my life who have put me down for it or secretly behind my
back thought I should just get a real job. It really hurt at first, I took it
so personal. Then I chose to look at like this: On some subconscious level I
chose these people to be in my life. They were making me fight for what I
believe in and making me have a little tougher skin. I then made a mental note
that they are not my tribe, I don't get my advice from them. I have also made
better boundaries now, I'm a bit more protective of what I share with them. On
the positive side, a little over a year ago I took my first online course, it was
for business for creative people. I met 300 women from around the world, this
was my first real experience of finding my creative tribe. To this day we still
cheer each other on, it has been life changing for me.
What is a book, song, artist or quote that
inspires you?
A few years ago I heard "Blackbird" by the Beatles for the first
time. I really listened to the words; I was going through a time of tremendous
change, and that song really made me feel like the past was not something to be
ashamed of, it just hadn't been my time to fly until now.
My favorite poem, "Do not
go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a
trail." by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
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Connect with Noelle here: web site | facebook
If you're in the Twin Cities, stop by and meet Noelle in person at her studio
April 28 and 29! Find details here. (On April 28 from 4:30 to 5:30, I will be there
talking about gratitude. Drop in and say hi!)
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And a week full of family activities means I've extended
Early Bird Rates through April 21st!
If you’re seeking your heart’s true path, join me for the 3-week in-person Heart's Path Discovery Sessions that begin May 4 in the Minneapolis area. Heart’s Path Discovery Sessions offer a set of guideposts for discovering and living your heart's true path, a strategy for finding what activities you love and then living with intention and with a greater sense of meaning.
