#50: Madeline Rabb: Artist/athlete/writer/art curator/jewelry maker/business owner/entrepreneur
Madeline will wow you with everything she's done. She continues to push herself to learn new things, be curious, and take leaps. She's working on her memoir, dating, participating in athletic competitions, and curating her art while being an advocate for other African American artists. I met Madeline a year ago and get to chat with her weekly in our writing group. She has become a friend and inspiration. I know you'll love this conversation as much as I did.
1) You're never too old to reinvent yourself
2) Surround yourself with people who are growing and stretching themselves, this will encourage you to do the same.
3) Get in the habit of noticing what makes your stomach clench, then don't do anything that makes your stomach clench. Decide what really gives you pleasure and do more of this.
4) Use your contacts and relationships in your favor. Madeline used her husband's clout and access to get permission to display her art at his medical conferences. She used the money to pay for an artist's studio.
5) Pay attention to what's right in your lap, who you already know and what you already know. In other words, don't start a business about stamp collecting if you don't know a thing about it. Look around, who do you know? Schedule coffees, dinners, send those hard emails
6) Madeline's advice is to stop being shy. Seize the opportunity when it's there. Walk over and talk to the person. Remind yourself that whatever it is you're approaching them about is also important to their future.
7) You'll miss opportunities if you don't flex your courage muscles and take a chance.
8) Stay curious and be willing to take risks. Sometimes, you have to wing it. You may not know all the how's and what's, but you leap anyway and follow your instincts.
9) Cleaning out clutter makes you feel like you've released a load; the more things you let go of, the more your energy will increase. People who benefit from your stuff you've let go of will, in turn, get more energy.
10) Never stop learning. Madeline signs up for classes to continue to grow; she took swimming lessons and ended up in the National Senior Games.
11) Ask yourself (like Madeline's family asked her when she felt the pull to be an artist full-time), "what are you going to do about it?"
