Oh Oh and Your Mary Tyler Moore

I'm feeling a lot like tossing my hat up into the air these days. The last couple of years have felt like a constant, sometimes dizzying, exchange of surging then resting and surging then resting and then surging again – marked by a baby, my brother joining our family, a new job, moving (twice), and Chris changing jobs. And yet, throughout all of this, somehow, we have remained intact, albeit not unscathed, but still optimistic about the future. Even when we are at our most exhausted, we are still holding on to that tiny flame that gently inches us forward, closer to the life we have been dreaming about, aspiring to.

“Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” – George Bernard Shaw

Chris and I have always wanted to create a life that we can feel proud of and passionate about. Now, with a kiddo in the picture, we probably feel even more strongly about living with purpose and leading by example. We feel that it should be possible to really "have it all" and in a way that doesn't cheat one aspect of our lives in order to sustain another. The artist in both of us has always struggled against the expected, socially accepted, culturally created image of what success should look like for most Americans. For me, it's always been difficult to understand why I have to live to work and why a "strong work ethic" is such a highly valued and praised virtue in this country, while things like how well you treat yourself or others, or what brings you the most joy, or how you spend your free time generally tend to fall second or third or fourth. I've always leaned more fiercely into quality versus quantity and I want my life and the way I live it to mirror that. I believe it is possible to place family and connection and pleasure and the stuff of memory-making at the top of the list and allow work to be a part of those things, to enhance those things, but not take the place of those things. I get to craft the way that this life works and feels and, in the end, is remembered.

“Don't you ever get the feeling that all your life is going by and you're not taking advantage of it? Do you realize you've lived nearly half the time you have to live already?”– Ernest Hemmingway

I've learned a lot in the last year. I've learned that it is within the creative work that I can really hear my music, I can really feel that buzz of satisfaction that sings to me, "Yes! This is your thing." I've learned that I'm at my most fulfilled when I am able deliver something of value that makes the receiver truly feel seen and special. I live for that "wow factor." I've learned that I am a good writer and a great picture taker and am absolutely enthralled with hearing people's stories and finding out how they became who they are and who helped them get there and why they made the choices they made and what they might do different if they had to do it all over again. I've learned that, while I truly enjoy supporting, lifting up, and encouraging people, I don't love being in management. I've also learned that if I cannot freely and actively engage in the life that is happening around me (because I am confined by a cubicle or a clock or an antiquated bureaucracy) I will wither away into nothing. 

“It’s OKAY to be scared. Being scared means you’re about to do something really, really brave.” ― Mandy Hale

So, what now? What's next? I have realized that fear can be very motivating to those who have the courage to look beyond it. I may crash and burn horribly, but also, I may not and I won't know until I try. So, I'm looking beyond the fear to what might lay ahead. After seven years of building my communications chops, including three years managing outreach for a state agency and one year managing a communications and marketing department for a nonprofit, I'm taking a cautious but triumphant step into what will be my next chapter.

I am officially striking out on my own to begin work as a Freelance Marketer. I'm scared and excited and unbelievably motivated to make this work. Specializing in photography, storytelling, writing, and content creation, I'll be based primarily from home where I'll dedicate my focus and attention on the creative aspects of projects like fundraising campaigns, blogs, marketing campaigns, and photography projects. My goal is to help people, agencies, nonprofits, and organizations find the thread between mission, message, and heart. There is so much amazing work that is being done out there and I can't wait to help others share their incredible stories while also staying true to my own. And of course, the best part about this for me is that I get to spend a lot more time with Jonah and with my family. Everybody wins. 

"Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties." – Erich Fromm

So, with all of that rambling, thank you for reading and for being a part of my tribe. All the invaluable support, advice, words of wisdom, listening ears, constructive criticism, and boundless love, have brick-by-brick, helped to construct this still very flawed, yet unabashedly hopeful human. I so appreciate your irreplaceable role in my life and in my story. I am continually and gratefully aware of how different my world would be colored if not for you.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

If you'd like to take a look at my work, or know anyone who may be in need of marketing services, please visit and share my website: www.jessjlarson.com. Cheers!