I was introduced to Louise at the beginning of the year, through a mutual friend who had met her in New York. We later had the pleasure of a week together at that same friend’s wedding in New Zealand. It’s a great indication of character for me when I instantly feel familiar and comfortable with someone. Just looking at her picture here makes me smile and reflect back on the happy memories. Louise is full of positivity, but not in that annoying superficial way, rather with genuine care and interest in everyone that crosses her path. She’s lots of fun and always giggling! She has shown me how to integrate her path in the coaching world with a high level of creativity, which you’ll read in her bio below is a way of aligning the power of our right and left brain, and placing careful attention to listening to where your heart leads you. I was thrilled when Louise agreed to share some of her insight on her life and passions, she is truly a treasure and I do hope you enjoy reading her beautiful words that follow… I’ve also added some of her gorgeous art to decorate this post, her contact details are below if you’d like to drop her a line.

L: Can you tell me what having a passion means to you? What does it mean in your own words?

Louise: Having a passion to me means, waking up every day excited for the day ahead as I know I will be doing what I love. A passion for me is having a hunger to learn more, explore and experience.

L: What is your ‘passion’ in life, how would you describe it?

Louise: I knew it was to lead a more creative life, but it did take me a while to really define this. My passion is to be creative every single day, and that can mean different things! I also love to help people so working on a freelance project, coaching or developing something new in the form of a piece of art or a program from my own studio.

L: How did you awaken/ discover it?

Louise: I was working in a corporate job in a window less office and just knew there was more to my life that what I was currently doing. So I started to paint again in my spare time, connect with other creative souls and started to awaken that I really could lead a creative life full-time! The realisation was that I was in control of how I lead my life, it was up to me to make this happen.

L: What is the feeling you get from doing your passion?

Louise: I feel like I am really leading the direction in my own life, I am at the cause of everything, not the effect of life around me. I can choose how I react to opportunities and experiences and the feeling of creating something new -whether it is art or a program, I get such a sense of joy for myself, but also knowing it will benefit others.

L: What was life like before and after discovering your passion or taking steps towards change?

Louise: Life before was actually okay. I have always been a very positive person, but I just knew there was something more to my life that I was being called to do. I felt something was being suppressed and that I was certainly being influenced by outside forces and the world around us. After I had made the decision to leap into my new life, I felt inspired, empowered and like a huge weight had lifted from my world. Everything started to open up for me. I am a strong believer in the law of attraction and that the universe is always sending us messages, so I listen to those often as well as my intuition to guide me.

L: What impact or difference has it made in your life? Have you learnt anything?

Louise: The last 2 years since I left my corporate job, have been an amazing experience. I have met so many fabulous people, traveled to beautiful places, taken part in creative retreats and followed my heart. It has been an up and down journey and the first 2 years were really spent finding out what I wanted to do more of. I also spent the best part of 2011 on a life-coach training program, learning all about the energy of our thoughts and what that means to all us individually, and the world around us. Taking this program felt it was the icing on the cake to my own personal awareness journey and I really see our world so differently now. Something inside of me (I believe it was my own higher coach), that kept showing me this program, so I took it!

L: What makes you persist at your passion/ keep your momentum?

Louise: That’s easy! The way it makes me feel. I love creating, whether that be painting, designing an e-course or e-book or helping a client see dreams comes to fruition. I believe we can all help raise the consciousness of our planet to a better place and as Gandhi said “be the change you want to see in the world” is a place I come back to often. By making positive changes in my own life, I know I am impacting my good energy on others and it could work like a ripple effect.

L: Do you think you could get the same feeling doing other things?

Louise: I think whatever I put my mind to, I find a way to enjoy it, so yes absolutely, I think there is a lot of difference between the feeling of wanting to do something, rather than the feeling of having to do something. These two different energetic thoughts can make such a difference to how we enjoy any task! With the many experiences and jobs I have had over the years, when I look back, I have always added an element of creative thinking or doing into them…. I think that is how I survived being in the “corporate world” for all those years.

L: What advice, helpful tips would you give someone else looking to find or discover what they’re passionate about?

Louise: There are a few questions I often ask to help others really think about what their passion is. Click here for a blog post I’ve written all about “finding your passion” Also, my Big Dreams, Small Wonders Workbook and Planner is a popular tool which can be downloaded which helps you work on making your passion a greater part of your everyday life. The biggest piece of advice I would give is to really feel what is in your heart and when you follow your heart, a whole new world really does open up to you.

L: Do you think people have to ‘do’ their passion for work?

Louise: Not necessarily! I think there is certainly ways to create the feeling you get when doing something you love by integrating it into your everyday. When you are on the right path for you, doors start opening up everywhere! It may not feel like a passion or have a completely different energy attached to it if you’re focused on making money from the outset, rather than simply following your heart. I began by integrating creativity step by step into my everyday life, it soon became something I just had to pursue full-time, so I really looked at how I could do that and still pay my rent and eat! I took a leap of faith by listening to my heart and head down the right path for me. I know I made the right decision and am so glad I listened to my inner self.

L: How would you sum up your business?

Louise: My business is a big melting pot of creativity! I do like variety and chunk up my week in many different ways to constantly enjoy all the different tasks and experiences. So one week I may be freelancing, helping a client with their own creative business, painting, designing a website for a fellow creative or writing a new e-book or program. I believe in leading by example, being that change we want to see in the world and doing what I love everyday. I hope my own story and business inspires others to do the same.

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Louise is the creator of the “Flower of Life Studio” which helps you connect to your true self through creativity, meditation and coaching tools. She also loves to get her hands dirty exploring mixed media techniques and has exhibited her work in New York City with a permanent art collection at the “Hoboken Historical Museum”. Louise is currently following her passion to learn all about surface pattern design and exploring the natural patterns we find in our universe. Louise’s meditations, kits and e-courses empower others to combine right brain creativity with left brain practical tools, helping to raise the positive energy of individuals and the world around us.

Website & blog: http://louisegale.com/
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/LouiseGaleArtandDesign
Facebook profile: http://www.facebook.com/louisegaleartist
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/LouiseGaleArt
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/louisegale/