What does living true to your spirit mean to you?
It means doing what you love and making a living out of it. It means finding ways to make something you are passionate about and do it so well that others are willing to pay for it.
Have you always lived this way? If not, how has your life changed as a result?
No way. I had a typical upbringing – go to university, get a good job, buy a house, have kids. Coming to a new country, I think, made me noticing things we had in Australia but we didn’t have in Poland. And vice versa. That’s how my first business started. Even though it failed massively it made me stronger and opened new doors I didn’t see before.
Why do you do what you do?
I discovered the joy my products brought to the life of others and that joy motivates me to do more.
I never had a particular interest in stationery. I liked it the same way I liked fashion, interior design, beauty.
By creating the first notebook I discovered that something I created brought joy to the life of others. The product wasn’t great quality wise, it was quite simple and I didn’t know much about printing and book production but people loved the content. I learned a lot and knew what didn’t work the first round. So I did it again. I made more mistakes. Again there were things that didn’t go smoothly but the quality improved and people who valued content loved it. More people discovered Leaders in Heels. So I had more funds to invest and I did it again, I did it better and I produced more products.
Every time I launch something it is better, it brings more joy to greater amount of people and that fuels back my passion to keep going.
“You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you.”
Maya Angelou
Do you feel you are living your purpose?
Yes! I am simply following the hints that life gives me. I find true happiness and fulfillment in following those hints believing they were put on my path there to discover for a reason. That it was my calling.
Do you have any daily rituals, self-care practices? What does that look like? How do you feel when you don’t do them?
Personally, I feel like I don’t do a lot of the things that some, commonly, perceive as a definition of self-care: going to a beautician, having my nails done, having a smoothie, going to a gym, getting my hair done. I don’t do those things or very rarely. It boils down to the time it takes and those things take time as well as business, baby etc. So I have to make choices!
But I do have my own practices that make me happy. Coffee in the morning from my local café. I grab my hot coffee and then walk to my favourite spots in Balmain, looking down deep into the bay water, watching little fish and beautiful sunny sky reflecting it. Other things I love: Having flowers at home. Afternoon tea and dessert ? Glass of wine in the evening. Massage made by my husband or cuddling with my dog before going to bed. These things are nonnegotiable. And I do them all nearly every single day.
Have you ever had self-doubt, low self confidence? How did you get through it?
When I was young I was always getting flush red when I felt shy, embarrassed, speaking in front of larger audience, or even seeing a boy I was secretly in love. I couldn’t even pretend. I couldn’t hide my emotions. It was there written on my face with bright red cheeks. That was so frustrating. When I got older I realised no one, apart from me, cared. And that people cared more about what I did that made their life better.
I still turn red when speaking but I have a very different attitude to it. I accept it. It is a part of who I am!
What do you do when you don’t know what to do? How do you make decisions?
I am probably the worse person to ask for advise on decision making. I take a lot of time. I evaluate every possible scenario. Sometimes I wish I just trust more and go for it.
What’s one thing you would tell your younger self about being true to yourself?
Your red cheeks make you more vulnerable and therefore more likable. Fall in love with yourself.
What’s one thing you would want every woman to know about starting a business/passion project?
Every time you do something, even if you make mistakes it makes you stronger, you know more, you grow. It is better to make mistakes than do nothing.
What’s next for you? Share your dreams with us!
I am so excited about the upcoming new product I will be launching later this year – baby feeding & growth journal Tiny Little Miracle. I created it after having my first baby and seeing a niche in the market for such products. It is not only beautiful, and practical with space to record feeding, expressing, growth, sleep cycles. it is also so inspiring for new mums, full of tips from other mums and little prompts to record gratitude, memories etc and short readings to help you get uplifted, learn about the importance of taking care of yourself and prevent post-natal depression.
Pure LeadersinHeelsness.
My dream is to do more of those things.
Plus now I need to have a second baby so I can use it! It is really so pretty I can’t wait for those journals to be ready. They are currently in production.
This interview was published originally on Spirit of Womankind.