Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Kim Klassen’s journey into a quiet, creative, and beautiful life.
285 Plays8 months ago
Sometimes you make mindful pivots and other times, life makes them for you. Fourteen years ago, Kim was a licensed artist, living quietly in a small Canadian town, raising her boys, and married to her husband John. After some challenging family years and her husband’s cancer diagnosis, her creative career stalled, but she found a more fulfilling and intentional path. Hear how this self-described introvert has created a successful business as a photographer, filmmaker, creative coach, writer, podcaster, lightroom instructor, and finder of the coolest things! Kim inspired us and we are so happy to share her story of Reblooming with you.
Kim’s Links:
http://kimklassen.com
http://discover.kimklassen.com
http://instagram.com/kimklassen
Our Podcast is proudly sponsored by Jet Creative and UrbanStems! Jet Creative is a women-owned marketing firm committed to community and empowerment. If you are looking to build a website or start a podcast--visit JetCreative.com/Podcast to kickstart your journey.
UrbanStems is your go-to source for fresh gorgeous bouquets flowers and gifts delivered coast-to-coast! USE: BLOOMBIG20 to save 20%!
Subscribe to this podcast and follow us on Instagram and Facebook @rebloom.podcast
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to Rebloom Podcast
00:00:01
Speaker
Do you have a dream that is a small seed of an idea and it's ready to sprout? Or are you in the workplace, weeds, and you need to bloom in a new creative way? Perhaps you're ready to embrace and grow a more vibrant, joyful, and authentic life. If you answered yes to any of these, you are ready to re-bloom. Welcome to the podcast where we have enlightening chats with nature lovers, makers, and artisans as they share inspiring stories about pivoting to a heart-centered passion. Hello, I'm Lori Siebert, and I am very curious to hear from friends and artisans about the creativity that blooms when you follow your heart. And I'm Jamie Jamison, and I want to dig deep into the why behind each courageous leap of faith and walk through new heart-centered gardens.
Meet Kim Claussen: A Creative Journey
00:00:54
Speaker
Each episode of Rebloom will be an in-depth conversation with guests who through self-discovery shifted to share their passions with the world. Get ready to find your creative joy as we plant the seeds for you to Rebloom. Well, hello, everyone. This is Jamie Jamison. And this is Lori Siebert. And welcome to another edition of Rebloom. And today, this one is so special to me and very personal because we are welcoming my mentor, the person that has really guided me ah along every step of my journey, Kim Claussen. Welcome, Kim. How are you today?
00:01:37
Speaker
Oh, hello. Thank you. Okay. Can't cry at the beginning, but that was very sweet. No, Kim. Kim is, well, okay. I'm going to tell you all. Well, Kim's going to tell you all about Kim, but she's from Canada. We we met, oh God, 10 years ago? 10,000 plus? Yeah, a while ago and she was one of the first people that I had followed um on social media. I think it was it was definitely pre-Instagram and we were able to meet at a retreat and I fangirled all over her and we became friends and we have been friends ever since and I am just so excited. We are so excited for you to hear her beautiful story.
00:02:21
Speaker
And um let me give you a little little background about Kim.
From Painting to Photography: Overcoming Challenges
00:02:25
Speaker
I'll brag on her. She is a photographer, a filmmaker. She loves, loves film. She's amazing at tech. She always gets me out of a jam. ah She's a content creator. In addition, personally, a wife, a mother and a grandmother or a Mimi of Lolly. She does say that she's an introvert and you know it's interesting this beautiful space that we have lets introverts really shine. um She's a podcaster, a Lightroom teacher, and she finds the coolest, coolest stuff out there. Trust me, I've been to her studio. It's fabulous. I covet many of the things that she has.
00:03:04
Speaker
And she's a creative coach. So anybody who needs that extra help creatively, she's the one you want to call because she certainly has helped me along the way. So welcome, welcome, my dear friend. I'm just meeting you, Kim, so I'm so excited to hear your story. Yeah, it's lovely to be here. It's kind of funny because I don't know if that ping will show up in your intro of me. Did you hear my phone? I didn't. I'm the tech person. And I know how that should not happen. I have no idea how it happened. So I love that that happened. Well, we've had pings. We've had freezing. We've had I mean, we are you know, it's funny in this whole podcasting because we're talk about reblooming. Lori and I are reblooming in every aspect tech and we it's just it's almost comical. We go to record. We rebloom again. yeah And we rebloom and we rebloom again. oh
00:03:58
Speaker
good i lets Let's start with how, let's talk about your creative journey. You're from Canada and tell us about how you got in into, tell us about your creative path. Where did it start? Well, okay. So I'm from Canada. I'm in the town with no stoplight, as you mentioned, which isn't that fair around where I am. in prairies And I actually live in the town that I grew up in from grade six, which Kind of funny. but And I live in the house that I said I would live in. ah um When I was a teenager, I'm like, I want to live in that house. And weirdly, I'm in that house. um Of course, it wasn't an immediate journey. It was a roundabout journey.
00:04:43
Speaker
Anyhow, I wasn't creative at all growing up or in school, but I had like these quiet qualities. So I would kind of just retreat into myself. And then I got married super young, like it was 21, one to have babies, you know, I want to get married. I want to have babies, I used to say to my husband. And then I really didn't know what
Digital Art and Teaching Photography
00:05:06
Speaker
I wanted to do. I had one job. And it was I worked at this it was a Canadian department store called Eaton's, which was so beautiful. And it's since gone. It was a family company. I worked there from grade nine till I had my first son. No, till I had Bryce and I would go to work crying. So i had two boys and I would leave the house crying. Oh boy. I didn't want to leave them. And then long story short, I ended up opening up a daycare.
00:05:39
Speaker
And that was my way that I could stay home and be with them. And and then I started like doing little crafty things. Do you guys remember Country Sampler or Country Folk Party? Oh, yes. yeah I would buy all of those and all the little knick-knacky, remember all the country things and remember geese and do you remember all of that? Yes. Um, so I used to love that and I wanted it in our old house because it's like an old 120 year old brick house, right? So I wanted it to be very country. So I started painting little folk hardy things.
00:06:12
Speaker
And that kind of led to craft sales. And then it led to buying painting magazines. Maybe Lori, you would have bought them like with patterns and designs. Right. Yep. Like 12, like from all of those. Yeah. And I was like, who are these people doing this in the magazine? And Oh, my gosh, like they get to do this. So I out of the blue called some random person in the United States and asked her on the phone because there was no Internet. Yeah. And she told me everything like she told me exactly what to do. Contact the paint company, the brush company, all of this. So I ended up that was my first big thing is I got free brushes, free paints, all the surfaces. And I got paid for these
00:07:01
Speaker
designs. And then I was so blindly naive. I was just like, do you want me to do a series? I wasn't even very good. But yet they were like, yeah. And so I got these, I'd be in these magazines, have these series and I just had this lovely business happening and I could be at home and my dad built me a studio at the time in our garage and Um, I think it was because they were horrified that I was doing it in the dining room. Like I had like wood stain and, you know, plastic tablecloths. The true artist everywhere. Everywhere. Yeah. And then so that was kind of that. And then I realized, oh, there's this licensing thing. What is this? Like, how could I kind of, this is a lot making all of these things on repeat because I was also selling on eBay.
Personal Growth Through Creativity
00:07:53
Speaker
And I just out of the blue, like again, I think I emailed an artist on this publishing page and she's like, yeah, this is what you do. I send them an email. And then I got a licensing company slash publisher. So I would start painting. and And back then you actually painted on the sign, right? And you would ship them. So I still have in my basement, like I'm talking, I could build a wall with all of these signs because I'd ship them. They would photograph them.
00:08:28
Speaker
and then send them back. So I have all of these very country signs like I don't really want, but I can't really part with them, you know? Yeah. And so that was happening and it was amazing. And then amongst all of that, our kids just grow up and um I had two boys and Bryce became a teenager. He's my younger son and he started to kind of just go down a really dark path with alcohol and drugs. And I just kind of froze. I couldn't like net paint. I just couldn't do it anymore. I just, I would literally sit. I would just sit in this chair and like wait for whatever awful thing might happen next. And it went on.
00:09:16
Speaker
and on and all in. And I had this silly Nikon and it's funny because I bought a Nikon camera based on Ashton Kutcher at the time was in an ad on TV for this exact camera. I'm like, well, that looks like a good one. So I bought that Nikon. That was my first entering Nikon. But all I did with it is like it was an auto and I would take a picture of the sign to send to the publisher. No idea. Like no idea. doing Nothing. Yeah. Like clueless.
00:09:50
Speaker
Then one day, as I'm kind of in this in between, I'm on the internet and I would see these beautiful photos. Do you remember the blogging days when that's what I did? And I'd see these gorgeous photos and I remember even saying to a licensing friend, I would love to like, what if you could take photos? instead because at that time art was going digital too. Like it was becoming more you had to do it digitally and I was really resistant to that which is funny now thinking how I like that. And i um anyhow I had this camera and I would see pictures and I'm like I wonder how they do that and I took this camera on a walk amongst all of the darkness, took a picture of this tree I came back and
00:10:40
Speaker
I popped the card into the card reader and I opened Photoshop. I had bought this $1,000 program at the time. There was no subscription. You had to buy Photoshop and I bought it and thinking I'd eventually learn how I could license, like do it digitally. ah huh
Empowering Others Through Video Creation
00:10:57
Speaker
And um I put it in there and then I put a texture on top because I was starting to explore that from the photography and and that was it. I was hooked. And then I just started like boldly blogging about it like I knew what I was doing. um But that's and I think that's how I connected with you because you were painting those textures. I connected with you not after after your country phase and then you went into the textures. yeah But I remember looking in magazines saying
00:11:29
Speaker
How is this done? What is this? And I was learning. I think we all, you know, seek out things, particularly if we have a hobby or something. And I remember thinking, this is the coolest thing ever. And those textures were beautiful, but it's sort of built on what you were doing initially. You started with the painting and then. My accident, really. Like, yeah. I'm like, I'd like to do mixed media. So I started to kind of doing and then they just kind of morphed. Like, I love that, though. Right. When we. we follow just being curious and we have no idea. Like we think we're planning what's going to come now, right? Like we're like have it figured out, but it's just if we follow it and then all of a sudden it like reveals itself. I love, I love serendipity yeah and just, yeah I don't know, things coming together that you didn't expect.
00:12:21
Speaker
Yeah, and that was also what I loved about like those days being maybe younger or also we didn't have the vastness of knowledge like we have on the internet now is just I was so really clueless a lot of the time like I didn't know that I was being like kind of bold to put my like I just it was just very You just did it. Yeah. You just did it. Not knowing what you don't know stage is actually a really lovely stage, but harder to be in because of the Internet, because what we tend to do is, oh, maybe I'll do this. Now I'm going to go look at everything I need to know before I start. Right.
00:13:00
Speaker
Right. And sometimes if you just, and particularly back then, because it was pre-Instagram, pre-social, a lot of pre-social, it was more print publications. But yeah, I mean, you could still reach a human being. You could reach, the you could reach, it you could send a letter, you could send via email. yeah your image your imagery and send something out. But also, I think you have always had, I know this from knowing you for so many years, a beautiful aesthetic. And so it was always different. I believe that you were always maybe one step ahead of where a trend was or a curve. So when you send things out, I guarantee those editors were like, whoa, what's this? Oh, for sure. for i Well, and we we had met
00:13:49
Speaker
As we had said about 10 years ago, we were at a photography conference. And I just remember you being there. And I think you're an owner. She was she was ah she was so petrified. She's an introvert. And there's probably nothing worse than a retreat with, I don't know, 80 women. i will see I can't like my kids took bets. I wouldn't go. I come up with a reason not to go. But you know, it's it's funny because I think about that retreat and talk about afraid. I went with my friend and I wanted to go. I wanted to meet you. I wanted to meet. I knew I needed to go. There were sometimes in my life i' and I've known that I needed to do something. And I'm like, you know what? I'm just going to go for it. And like you, I showed up at that retreat with my camera.
00:14:37
Speaker
on manual on on automatic. There's no way I didn't even know manual. I'm like, I don't know how to use this. Like, I mean, I had no clue what I was doing. But it was just the act of going and meeting people and having those experiences. I'm still friends with many of the women from that retreat. Ten years ago. Ten years ago. Yeah, that was two or three days. Yeah, that
Handling Criticism and Staying Authentic
00:15:02
Speaker
was lovely. And i I think there was a lot of people at that time just showing up with cameras, like not knowing what to do. Don't you don't you feel like I mean, I feel this way when I'm teaching or just around other creative spirits that you just you raise one another up.
00:15:23
Speaker
by by sharing what everybody knows a little bit of something different. And like I'll go to retreats thinking I'm gonna teach one thing and I go away learning like 5,000 other things that I didn't expect. Everything from a new type of pen that they love to I just learned about and a shampoo that I need to be using on my, you know, it's like, that That I think is the beauty of getting going boldly because I am also an introvert and i hey when I'm in those groups, I'm exhausted. like I just came back from one and I'm happy. yeah I act like all day yesterday just to recoup, oh yeah yeah but I also come away with like a list of new books to read or you know new types of things to listen to or or eat or like all of it. Oh, yeah, all the things like yeah, I think we're good at showing up like that as women like like here's all the things like but you have to have your people to do that, right? Right. Yeah. And you have to have an open heart. And it was not that retreat, but it was another shortly thereafter that Kim actually ran. So she went from running from people to actually running a retreat. And we were in California and it was smaller. Granted, Kim, it was smaller.
00:16:48
Speaker
But I remember she said, you need to get on Instagram. I'm like, oh, no, I don't want another platform. I remember complaining about it. But she challenged me and she's like, and again, like you said, Laurie, it's people kind of bringing something to you. I was there for a photography retreat, not necessarily thinking that I would pivot in that direction. And that has opened up an entire new world just by that encouragement. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, that was huge for you because you literally went away and committed to it every day of your life since, um yeah right? Like literally left there and started. ah every Every day. and And what has opened up to me professionally, but more so personally,
00:17:35
Speaker
because of that and the connections that have been made have been incredible. But that was just as simple. It was like, hey, get this book title to read or listen to this song. But it was like, and she I mean, it was not a huge conversation. It was like, no, you really needed to give this a try and by the door. i can yeah and i'm like And I remember, but I do think that we we tend to kind of push back. And when we were given suggestion, particularly if it seems out of our comfort zone, and that was a little out of my comfort zone. And I remember that, I specifically remember that conversation and I thought, okay,
00:18:09
Speaker
I'll commit to a month because the retreat was at the end of the year. And I thought, all right, I'll commit to a month. Let me see where it goes. And I did. I commit. I posted every day. And I thought, you know, that wasn't too hard. Maybe I'll commit to a year. And I haven't stopped since. And that was 2015. I know. I can't believe it. I can't believe it. Yeah. and so him That little tiny little nudge. See what you did? We don't know. It's always right. Like constant little little nudge dropped and shared and.
Balancing Professional and Personal Creativity
00:18:40
Speaker
ah little little gifts along the way. So I digress into my own re-blooming, but so you were doing the photography, were doing the photography yeah doing the the doing the back backgrounds that you were selling, and then all of a sudden Instagram and the internet and everything kind of started to converge, what happened to your world. Yeah. Well, I would say so. I went from doing the like the textures, selling the textures. And then I did teach like the this Photoshop class called the skinny mini, which how would I have called it that? Like what was I thinking?
00:19:16
Speaker
Oh my goodness. Okay, but just briefly on that, this is crazy. i I'm going to teach a class online and oh my gosh, the sound was terrible. I did it on like what was called blog spot at the time. Like nothing nothing was like... refined It was just, but yet it worked. Like people were curious and it was early days. It was lovely time back then too, like those early days before everyone starts doing it. And um so I did that for a while and the whole thing, Photoshop, oh, Photoshop, Photoshop, Photoshop. And then Lightroom kind of came along and in the mix and I resisted it a long time.
00:20:02
Speaker
And then I fell in love with Lightroom, but I also fell in love with going from these heavy textured photos to styling photos first in my house. And um that was a pivot right there because I had these people in love with like that version of me, the one who made textures and applied them very heavily to the photos. And at times I feel like I was hiding the photo by adding a texture, like the photo wasn't great, but add the texture. And then I became more and more more pulled into like making beautiful yeah images.
00:20:38
Speaker
and so i hat For the longest time, I'd be like making a textured photo to keep those people happy on my blog and have textures. But i was my heart wasn't there at all. And I remember finally saying, this is ridiculous. like And I had to like kind of rip the band-aid and say, actually, this is what I'm doing now. and yeah It wasn't for everyone, I'll tell you. There was a lot of people who were like, okay, bye, because like, you know, we just want you to stay here doing this. And it was a big it was a big deal. But thinking of like, if I had stayed in that, like how so it felt very smothering, like I just was like, and I felt so false doing it because I really I would just slap a texture on and say, here's what I did. But it didn't. I didn't love it.
00:21:23
Speaker
Yeah. So then that kind of led to Lightroom. And then we went to California, that retreat that you were at. Yeah. um And I walked into Petals and pop shop. Yeah. Beautiful shop. And I said to Xanthi, one of my friends who was there, I think I need a space. Like I think I need a studio space. And I think I might want people to come, like, which was weird since has changed. We'll get to that. But anyhow, um I came home and I decided I needed to find a space amongst all of that. My husband has cancer. It's ah like there's a lot going on amongst it. But we have this little window between his cancer and going back to work. We find a studio and everything kind of changed from that. I ended up in this bigger space. I could pull back and create these imaginary
00:22:17
Speaker
Basically, it's like this imaginary story I'm always telling in the bubble of this space. and It's all lovely and beautiful. and and Then
Embracing Change and Continuous Learning
00:22:26
Speaker
there's real life outside of it. so yeah and um and Then I just kind of started showing up to that and sharing that and pulling back and inviting people to come along. and Some did and some didn't. and And Lightroom was a thing and teaching Lightroom and as new apps come along. OK, I'll catch up to that. I'll learn that. Why don't you like, you know, me, Jamie, come make films. Now you should be making films. Come on. She loves films films, films, as she says. And I hate them. And I'm like and I said, all right, you know what? I get it. I've taken the class and she's a fabulous teacher. I mean, truly, truly her online classes are amazing.
00:23:10
Speaker
Oh, I want to learn more about film. Oh, she's kind of terrific, terrific film class. I'm so in love with making film. But I had major resistance like like years eight. No, not that long. Five years at least before I even tried. And now I can't imagine not doing it. So, they sometimes our pivots, our reblooms, they happen like yeah as we're going along, as we're following our curiosity. And I don't think that's ever going to stop. I don't know what will be next, but you know there's going to be something.
00:23:45
Speaker
And I would say this too, you have the beautiful studio, which I have been to, and it's gorgeous, and you had a couple of retreats, but that wasn't a comfortable space for you. I mean, having retreats for an introvert is really tough. Yeah, it was hard. It was hard. And it's also a little hard to get to her, by the way. A lot of logistics, but also I feel like what happened amongst that is along came these epic over the top retreats that started. Correct. yeah Like a very Instagram-y, like yeah next level, like beyond belief retreats. And once those started, I was like, this, like, no, I don't don't even want to compete with that. But yeah, um I don't know. So that's, it was a season. That was a season.
00:24:36
Speaker
i I like that you you try different things, though, and you like it's sort of like when you're trying on clothing in a store, you try it on, you look at it, and then maybe you even buy it and take it home, but then you decide, you know, months later, like, this isn't really me. now I don't think I really want to wear this one anymore. Yeah. it feels its you know I think I was just talking with one of my clients. like You go through a door and you can stay there and think, well, I went through, I have to stay here and stay here and stay here. Or you decide, you know what, maybe this wasn't for me and you go back and you open a different door. And we were talking about it because she's like
00:25:20
Speaker
Trying to kind of figure out like is this really where I want to be I work so hard on it But like at some point like yeah, yeah there stay with it I would relate that to those textures and Photoshop like if I was still right like imagine still doing that. Oh, yeah, right Yeah, but yeah, but did but it opened a door It's interesting for me because at the time I was taking pretty lousy pictures, too Like I was just getting into photography and you're right. They covered a lot of sins yeah And then you're like, okay. But it was a step forward. And then it was like, no, elevate. Let's go here. Let's elevate again. But at each pivot point along the way,
00:26:04
Speaker
You're learning. you're You're you've you've never stopped learning, nor have I. And we're always taking things and it's like, oh, well, wait a minute. This is kind of an it. This is it. I need to learn how to be a better photographer. I need to do something a little bit. And you kind of move and grow. Let's take a quick minute and thank our amazing sponsors. Our podcast is proudly brought to you today by Jet Creative and Urban Stems. Jet Creative is a women-owned marketing firm committed to community and empowerment since 2013.
00:26:37
Speaker
Are you ready to Rebloom and build a website or start a podcast? Visit jetcreative dot.com backslash podcast to kickstart your journey. They will help you bloom in ways you never imagined. And bonus, our listeners get an exclusive discount when you mention Rebloom. And a huge thanks to Urban Stems, your go to and our go to source for fresh, gorgeous bouquets and gifts delivered coast to coast. Use Bloom Big 20 and save 20 percent on your next order. And don't forget to subscribe to this podcast and follow us on Instagram and Facebook at Rebloom podcast. Thanks to our sponsors and thanks to you for joining us today.
00:27:24
Speaker
I just wanted to talk about the fact that you mentioned that people all saw you in this certain way and you were growing beyond that and just having the chutzpah to just follow where you needed to go. Like I always think about how how do musicians feel when they have to sing the songs that they wrote and were excited about 20 years ago and they still have to perform that song, that just would... That'd be so hard. Yeah, so I think like having that
00:28:02
Speaker
like having your passion and your curiosity outweigh what other people are imposing on you, I think is admirable. Oh, well, thank you. But I think, yeah, I think um it. Yeah, it's hard because when you're kind of it's not like you're doing it that publicly. I have a small audience, but it is different when we're on the Internet, right? Because We're kind of doing it out loud, what we're doing. And um I remember that whole Photoshop thing or when I remember writing an email to to my list and I'm like, I'm going to up my game and I'm getting a new website. It's timed up my game and I'll never forget this email. Like still the fact that I remember it is
00:28:48
Speaker
I got this reply, you're upping your game, maybe you should get spell check. Because not once have you spelt, I think it was possibilities, right? Because it's not that I don't know all possibilities, it's just like my fingers. But i but that stuck like that. I had to work on that, like not just a day or two. Like that followed me around for a while. I feel like I lost a little boldness from that one mean person. Like it took a while. Like it's hard when it's hard when you put yourself out there and you know it's Lori it's interesting because you are an artist too and I know you're a licensed artist and I'm sure sometimes you feel like you're creating for a certain look that people want and I know you and I have had private conversations about creating from your heart and creating just because you want to and I know with my own floral photography it's interesting and Kim and I have had this discussion like okay I need to
00:29:45
Speaker
pull back. I need to do this. I need to do that. But I always end up back. I don't know where my heart leads me. And I do like the close ups and I like I mean, there's a part of the process that sort of it's not that I don't get creative with it. But I think it's interesting, Kim, to you've moved more into teaching, which then frees up your creative space to allow you to do whatever you want to do. And it's like, you like it, don't like it. But you're not selling. And that I think that makes a difference for people. I would say for sure. like Yeah, because i know I don't know maybe the same, Lori, but like when i when the publisher started telling me what I was supposed to do, I i don't do well with that. like I would start to be almost paralyzed. like
00:30:31
Speaker
Oh, so I think the teaching has allowed me to like I get I'm only teaching so I can do whatever like I'm not selling the art or like yeah selling the art. Yeah. Yeah. I think what I'm struggling with now is I'm actually pretty good at taking direction from because I started out as a graphic designer. And, you know, my job is to go into different companies, listen to what they want to communicate in their brand and then do that. So I can be good at it, but I come to a point where it's like, but does that really, is that what I really want to do? And I was listening to you, Jamie, before, and you said, you said, I need to do this. I need to do that. And I think that word need versus saying, I want to do this. Like,
00:31:22
Speaker
ah for ah forever, I've always like, for whatever reason, I always get out of the way the stuff that I have to do or I need to do first. And I save the stuff I want to do is almost dessert. And I've been working hard at kind of shifting that and finding time to do the things I really want to do first or alongside of the things I need to do. to do So that that dessert doesn't suffer. Like, and so I'm not so full. I can't eat dessert. Right. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And you have to be so aware of it, right? Because you get in a pattern and
00:32:01
Speaker
It's just just happening. then night Oh, wait. Oh, yeah. Well, there's the balance. There's the balance of the professional side of things that we all must do. Fulfilling contracts or whatever. Somebody's hired us when I'm hired to do a photo shoot. You know, ah to your point, everybody's point, you know, I I do what they ask. You want this? I will i will give you that. And that's fine. I don't mind doing that. It's that's the way I like to work with them. But Boy, it is nice to have that creative space and we're all creatives. And so to have that opportunity. But what I love, Kim, is that you have always maintained that, but yet you've shifted. And each time, ah you know, I love, I love, call I'll text Kim, I'm like, which camera do I need? And she'll say, you need this one. And I'm like, oh, thank God. because She's already researched everything.
00:32:51
Speaker
But you love to research, you love you love tech, you love you are a little bit ahead. You're always looking at sort of what that that new the new, I'm sure you know way more about AI or things that you know that's all the new, and but yet you're still grounding yourself in your creative heart and that's important too. i ah i think it's a a lucky balance or the like a bit strange to love that techy part so much, but then also love the beautiful, creative piece of it. like I don't know. i like Never buy me diamonds. like Give me anything tech and yeah like new Mac, and any anything like that. like Seriously. Happy girl.
00:33:42
Speaker
yeah I have a question. I always wonder. This is something I'm always curious about. So describe Kim as a little girl. Like, were you some did you like to put things together? Did you like tech? Like what things were you into when you were little? So apparently I played by myself all the time. Like my parents said I played in my room quietly. Always. My favorite gift I ever got was a clipboard.
00:34:14
Speaker
notepads and pens from my uncle who was a driving tester. I'll never forget it. And I would pretend on that a lot. Like I would write in there and like I have that whole other piece of my life about writing. So I love writing. Yeah. Yeah. And I used to read like the National Enquirer into my tape recorder like I was an announcer. oh wow I was on a mic per se, but in my own space, like often it would be like in the bathroom, I would do that. Like it was never like in front of people. So interesting because I do sit here in my own space behind the mic, so to speak.
00:34:55
Speaker
doing that now yeah now. Let's talk about you know what this is something that I know about you but I think it's important to share because you've you have said that you're an introvert and for an introvert or for many people it's hard to put themselves out there and I know for you it was I remember back in the early days I don't think you were on camera I don't but you've overcome that I mean how did you get to where you are now that you're like oh I can be on camera I can talk to I mean how I mean it's let's get here I i I don't know other than somewhere along all that was happening between what I was doing and going through the stuff, like I really just started to discover like how powerful it was, like thought work was, and I could decide to be different. So I used to have these thoughts, all of that story, like I'm too shy, I don't like to be around people. I remember on that retreat that we went to saying to
00:35:55
Speaker
on the, like that that time you wouldn't be on Zoom, you would be on conference calls. yes all of our All of us that were teachers for that retreat, it was like just having this pre-retreat call. And I say out loud on the phone, I don't really like people. I'm getting out on the call.
00:36:19
Speaker
I think I added something to that. I don't remember, but like the I had all these stories, right? And then I just realized that's actually not true. like I might not be great in crowds. I don't like crowds, but I do love connecting with people and people can connect to me. And I'm like, I actually can do that. like I'm good at that. I know how to teach. You're great at that. now Do you find it easier because you're connecting but you're teaching? Yeah. That you're sharing what you're passionate about. Yeah. Teaching helps. And then um
00:36:55
Speaker
I just really love to share what I'm learning. And then I love to share like and like things to help people think they can do it. Like I really believe we can do it. So I'm passionate about that. So that's why I would turn on a podcast and hit record and tell you you can do it because I really believe Like we have to believe that we can do it. So we agree. Yeah. I think that's what makes a difference. Like if you made me go to a cocktail party with a bunch of people that I don't know and I pretty much can guarantee I don't have a whole lot in common with.
00:37:31
Speaker
And I have to make small talk that is so painful. Painful. But if I go to a retreat and within the first sentence, I fall in love with each person because I know that we're all there as creative kindred spirits and there's like, there really isn't any small talk. We all just get each other. There's no small talk. Right yeah from the get-go, we're just like, oh yeah, I could have coffee with you tomorrow and we would be able to talk for an hour. Yeah, it's really beautiful, isn't it? Yeah. I think that's partly too what I discovered when I got out of my little town bubble and went and I met you and other... I would i didn't think there was anyone like me.
00:38:17
Speaker
like it was I just thought all people were like different than me. And then I walk into this space and realize there's like people like me. like yeah Maybe we're introverts and extroverts, but we're also like passionate. like We love to talk about this stuff. We love to get open and real and raw and surface talk. like just isn't a thing and I just don't do that well and I don't like I He like, I don't do any of that. I don't want to do it. I'm perfectly OK with saying no. I've said no so much. Nobody asked me. So that's OK, too.
00:39:00
Speaker
no and around here yeah But it's it's it's so true, though, because we want to we want to connect with real people about things that we feel passionate about. And that is the beauty of a retreat. It's also the beauty about social media because you can find those kindred spirits and you can find your people. And I think that has definitely evolved and changed. And I also think that people are very willing to give of themselves. I mean, I think you find that
00:39:33
Speaker
You know, everybody thinks that people are unapproachable and that's not true. And what as you have found people who connected with and that's one of the reasons we're doing this podcast is we know so many people. We've all had that conversation of primarily with women, but often men. We have men on this podcast, which we love to who are headed down a ah path and they're like, yep, this is the path of on and then boomop pivot. And they're trying to find their heart centered work and find something that really fills them up and gives them joy. And that is I think there are so many people out there wanting to do that. They just don't have the courage to do that. But when they hear from us, it's like, look, it wasn't didn't happen overnight. We try, you know, we tried. We and they are this you to where you're going.
00:40:19
Speaker
But you can't skip them, right? It's like we have to do, like all of the pieces connecting the dots, like, and that's where I can go back in the timeline to my son. Like that piece, if it didn't happen and wouldn't have led me to the camera and so on and so on and so on, like all of it gets me to here. And here is beautiful. It's also sometimes really hard. that always comes along. like yeah So to ah to experience life that's hard sometimes and beautiful and get to do what you love to do. by amazing It is amazing.
00:41:01
Speaker
That's amazing. I mean, I well, there's that saying I'm unemployable and I am unemployable. Like I'm so glad I have something I can do. And it's just answering to myself. I mean, that's a gift. That's a gift. Oh, my gosh. I love that. Yeah. It's a gift to yourself. Yeah. Answering to yourself and teaching others. I mean, think about how many people along this journey you have shared with and given to and how that how they have grown and how they have bloomed or even re-bloomed.
00:41:35
Speaker
just by you helping them. And and I am definitely one of the... I would not be here without you, I guarantee. Thank you. but And then it's says just a domino, right? Yeah. It's just domino. I mean, it can be one little conversation and we might not talk to them again. Like that woman I phoned in the magazine, like I haven't... I've lost touch with her, but she changed my life. like We just don't know. We don't know, but I also think it's important to listen to the woman who you reached out with and she answered positively and let some of those possibility people who are critical of you, because that's just one person you know throwing out a little bit of either jealousy sometimes or hate or whatever it may be. and
00:42:22
Speaker
You know, as you and I, as we all know, I mean, life is short and we must follow our creative heart. We must, and and for me, that has been the thing that has gotten me through the pain that I have gone through and continues to bring me comfort um and healing because it's, that's, and just following that path. And that's, that's all we can do. That's all we can do.
00:42:49
Speaker
It is amazing, Jamie, to have like, yeah, it's a lifeline to have something you're passionate about. Like you truly, it's like from your heart, you care about it so much. Like that can hold us up while we're going through. Unimaginables. Unimaginables. And and ah your your son is doing well. Yeah, tell us about that because he's doing so well. I read that he's on a path that... Yeah, it's a miracle. It's a miracle. Like seriously, it had to be a miracle from what we went to, to
00:43:23
Speaker
Um, I think he's seven plus years now, um, completely like miraculously, not, it's just not on his radar, drugs or alcohol, but not only that, like he's going through, he's in seminary school. Um, and we'll never forget we were sitting in, um, the hospital room. My husband had cancer. We were in the city and Bryce comes in and he just kind of recently a year or so of being sober and he's like, I think I want to go to Providence, which was a seminary school and John and I are like.
00:43:57
Speaker
okay like not really having a lot of hope for him at the time and sure enough he got scholarships he did it all on his own got more scholarships then went on got scholarships for his school in Chicago he gets to go to Italy to be a pastor you know for the summer I mean he's been to Lithuania twice Like he said in this town that, you know, nobody had a hope and heck it was very difficult to live in a small town when your son is making every weekend news with the thing he did, you know, and there was.
00:44:33
Speaker
I would not, I don't really know that there was anyone in our town that like had that compassion. So I do have a, I have a soft spot for the underdog because, yeah um and like to see, to see where, where he is today. And I can't believe it. Like, How can I not believe there's miracles? Cause he's a rebloom story. oh yeah He's a rebloom story. But you know, the the people who had compassionate were the people who knew him best. And that was you, Kim and John and your parents. And you know, that's, that's the thing I, you know, you hope that anybody who's listening, whether they have people in their lives who struggle
00:45:16
Speaker
No, your family's always there for you. yeah definitely They And we never know what people are going through. You you do not. And I was the parent who would drive past the smoking corner of the high school in town and think, like, what's wrong with those parents? Like, what are their kids like? You know, I was taught so many lessons from that because... Yeah. Before you know it, you know, and as people know, it's, you know, we've lost our daughter and, you know, mental illness is tough. Mental illness, it's it's very tough and kids struggle and certainly they've struggled. I've been a teacher for a long time and I've seen a lot of decline in mental health just since the pandemic. yeah yeah And so, you know, the one thing that my sweet girl was able to do is she would see the person in pain and just to realize that
00:46:08
Speaker
There's a lot of people that are often suffering out there and suffering in silence and to really um look, you know, and and I do believe that just human connection, kindness, but also create, helping other people to find their joy is is so important. Well, that's all we can do right now, right? Yeah, like that's all we can do. Yeah. And how lucky are we to live in 2024 with podcasts and technology and zillions and well being serious. Kim, you're you're teaching now. or you So tell us what you're doing now. You've rebloomed and you're you're teaching and you're but ah tell us what you're up to now. So mostly right now, I would say
00:46:56
Speaker
most passionate about teaching video or film, um how to make them, how to edit them, to tell people they can do it. It's a beautiful way to tell a story. you If you can get past the discomfort, it's so rewarding, too great. I can't believe I'm in love with it so much. I love it so much. um And I work with Women One on One, which Oh my gosh, I get to do so many things I love. But that is so cool to like get on a call with someone. you know They're mostly our age, 45, 50 plus. And like they have invested in themselves because like they have a dream.
00:47:43
Speaker
They're ready to do it and to see them just share so honestly, like all the things that are like are that are freaking them out, that are scary, uncomfortable. um I think that's right so brave and to be part of that, I love that. And yeah, I love to teach the tech. so Yeah, I love it all. And you love to continue to share your beauty. And, you know, certainly follow follow Kim on Instagram. She's got an absolutely gorgeous feed that just feels... Yeah, it is incredible. Now I'm going to do a deeper dive into your film work because I'm i'm so curious about that these days. Yeah, it's so... And pay more attention to even watching movies. Yeah, oh yeah. yeah
00:48:30
Speaker
um my god yeah and she creates kim Kim teaches you how to create beautiful movies, not just, you know, quickie, whatever, TikToks. It's really about creating art. Yeah, art, a sense of place, a feeling. I hope that's what comes through and what I love to create and just a piece of quiet. And then, you know, you get, I mean, you get Instagram, you can write whatever you want in your caption, which is, I mean, how lucky here are we? I know we have all the feelings about it, but Seriously, I can pop a video up there. I can share whatever I want. right yeah About whatever I want and whoever wants to read it can. And then I can do it again tomorrow.
00:49:11
Speaker
I mean, we're not, right? Yeah, exactly. Exactly. It's so... I think you might have picked you off. I often do. so Well, yeah i will I will give you the piece of advice that Kim gave to me. If you're not on social media or at least on Instagram, get on there because the connections are huge and that is for sure. Yeah. if you take If you go into it, if you show up to it, like this is so cool and a beautiful place, that's what you're going to get from it. Right. yeah Absolutely. And just putting it out there. Well, Kim, After all the teaching and everything, what would you like to leave our listeners with? What piece of advice do you often like to give to people or do you hear about reblooming? I would say, gosh.
00:49:53
Speaker
I guess it's what I want to tell all the women. You can like do it. It's going to be hard and you're going to be uncomfortable, but do it. Do it anyways. We're never going to regret that. Like there's no way you're going to regret being uncomfortable trying it. You never know where it might lead you, but just do it. Life is so short as we know. And we're never like this is the time and we're not too old ever. No, no. Like I've got. 40 years on here yet. so And by then, maybe I'll have this head still because AI will give it to me. I don't know. There you go.
00:50:32
Speaker
Yeah, do it. I mean, that's not like, it's like, so just do it. but be uncomfortable. It's like being okay with being uncomfortable. And that's when we live our best. Like I feel the most alive, just in the comfort of doing the same thing. I mean, that's boring. Retirement. No, I mean, right. Exactly. now you Keep going. Keep moving. I'm going to leave everyone with, I'm going to leave everyone with a quote and it's from Alice Walker and I love this one. It says,
00:51:04
Speaker
look closely at the present you are constructing. It should look like the future you are dreaming. Oh, that's a good one. that And so let's all dream. Let's all dream about reblooming. Let's all dream about You know, we're all doing beautiful things now, but what is it that we dream about? And let's make that happen. Oh, I love it. Kim, thank you so much for re-blooming with us today. It's so fun. Amazing to meet you, Kim. Yeah, so lovely to meet you. Thank you, Lori. And thank you, Jamie, always. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And everyone, thank you for joining us today. And please check out Kim on Instagram. And her website is at kimclausen.com.
00:51:49
Speaker
And we appreciate you all and you'll find her links in our show notes. Lori, how fun was our conversation with Kim? I love her. She's just so sweet and so lovely. Again, I want to be friends with her. Well, I am so blessed to be her friend and certainly had to have met her and yet we have to convince her to come back to the States. And at least if not, we'll do like a masterminds or master creative something because she is just incredible. And I think one of the things that is so important when you find that creative mentor
00:52:27
Speaker
to that guides you, it just fills your heart. and And to find someone that will teach you along the way is the biggest gift. And that is the gift that she has given to me every step of the way. I've learned so much. I've learned to be brave. I've learned to be creative. I've learned new technology that I didn't want to take on. um I've learned all kinds of things, but I've learned most most importantly to follow my heart. Yeah. like Well, a couple things stuck with me and I i believe this to be true as well as Kim talked about when she first started teaching online and it wasn't perfect and the microphone was, you know, the sound wasn't great or whatever. And I look back on some of the first retreats that I hosted and how janky they were and, you know, the mistakes we made, but but we started somewhere.
00:53:24
Speaker
Like our podcast. yeah Yeah, exactly. We're starting. We're just turning back on our initial ones and go, Oh my God. are we doing it yeah But I think a lot of times that's one of the aspects that holds people back. guys is they have this picture in their mind of what perfection looks like. And so they don't even try. But you have to start somewhere and you start and then you learn and then you make it better and then you make it better. And so that was one point I took away. And the other thing was, um and we touched on this a little bit, is that when you get to a point where you've outgrown something
00:54:08
Speaker
And you want to move on. I think having the passion or the curiosity outweigh everyone wanting you to stay where you were. yeah I'm experiencing a little of that now because um I kind of want to paint more for myself, but I have a lot of licensing clients that are still reaching out and asking me to, you know, submit work. And and so it's like, I still have my toe, well, more than my toe in licensing. And so i'm I'm kind of living that, like, what do I do with that? Because it was something that I loved, made a great living at for the last 20 years. And I still love a lot of aspects about it, but there are things that are calling me. So I think we were talking about that and trying to navigate those things and
00:54:59
Speaker
Figuring out how to how to make those switches I think is that was interesting find it finding the balance and I love that she found that balance and I think that's an important lesson for us all as we as you as you bloom or even rebloom is to find the balance between what you have to do what you need to do what you want to do I think that's that was a big part of our conversation and what fills your heart and your soul and um Yeah, it was this was an incredible conversation. Thank you, everyone, for joining us today. um We appreciate it. And we look forward to another rebloom. roge We look forward to reblooming with you again. And so we leave you today. Thank you. I'm Jamie Jamison. I'm Lori Siebert. And peace, love and rebloom.
00:55:47
Speaker
Life is too short not to follow your passions, so go out there and let your heart plant you where you are meant to be and grow your joy. We will be right here sharing more incredible stories of reinvention with you. Make sure to subscribe to our podcast so you never miss an episode of Rebloom. Until next time, I'm Jamie Jamison. And I'm Lori Siebert. Peace, love, and Rebloom, dear friends.