We did it! We made it to another year. Regardless of how great - or not so great - 2018 may have been to you, nothing beats the excitement of starting fresh and all the wonderful possibilities 2019 may bring.
For the LxVE Collective, that means new opportunities to share the music, artwork, interviews and short stories we’ve been creating.
So here’s the deal… I love a good origin story. Contrary to my friend David Scott’s opinion on he and Gregg’s Midnight Movie Society podcast, I believe knowing a person’s backstory and where they came from gives you so much perspective on where they’re going. I’m excited to share this first publication of 2019 featuring the ever-talented Megan Alodie, however, like any good piece of literature, there’s always a story behind how it came to be.
It was a Wednesday afternoon in late December when my phone buzzes. It’s A.J. texting into our LxVE Collective group chat reminding Gregg, Karl and I of our conference call. While I love goal setting sessions, I am also quite skeptical of the way folks typically make plans. Most people have great dreams and lofty expectations, but fail to really nail down the one thing that truly determines success or failure: action.
The truth is, we’ve had this exact call several times over the past few years. And if you are an entrepreneur, chances are that you’ve had similar meetings with your team too. The questions never change:
- What are we going to accomplish this year?
- How are we going to get there?
- Who’s going to be responsible for what?
So if the circumstances haven’t changed, the same members are still on the team, then what is going to be the difference this time? How could we possibly think that we’d be any better off this year? The answer: our commitment to being consistent.
A few days after that call, A.J. dropped another note in the group chat after notifying us that he had set up an interview with Megan Alodie who is no stranger to the LxVE Collective. We had a chance to feature the soft-spoken artist at day one of LxVE FEST 2018. She is a mandala artist who displays her artwork on tapestries, circular disk-like canvases, and yes, of course, human bodies.
I was surprised by how much things have changed for her in the months after the festival. She had just moved into a quaint, zen-like midtown apartment. The mural-in-progress on her wall was indicative of the commission jobs she’s been getting in places like Colony Square. She had just wrapped up her yoga instructor training, and most noticeably, she cut off all her hair. Needless to say, she’s been quietly taking action.
When my team and I met with her to film our interview, Megan was sporting the All Black Everything Tee which debuted at the event she attended. When asked why she chose to support the cause, her answer subtlety spoke to her level of self-awareness. “This one says black excellence and has a pro-black message. It’s simple and clear. Even though I’m not fully black I resonate with the shirt a lot,” she said proudly claiming her mixed heritage.
To Megan, art is more than just a hobby or form of relaxation. To her, it’s a necessity. What’s more exciting is the fact that she decided to embark on a mission to mix her love for art with her passion for yoga and is enjoying every moment of it. “I had this dream of painting murals in yoga studios all over the world while teaching yoga,” she revealed. “That’s been a fantasy or dream so I’m just trying to shape that into a reality.” She’s well on her way.
For 8 weeks, Megan went through Core Power Yoga 200-Hour Teacher Training, or TT for short, where she learned the skills to teach yoga and transform the lives of others. “TT was really hard. It was a lot of information thrown at you in a short amount of time,” She admitted. “Even though it was great, it caught me off guard. You don’t see this aspect as a yoga student, but now becoming the teacher it’s very challenging mentally. But I’m getting there.” Translation: moving from being a student to a teacher requires next level mastery of your profession.
Her journey into yoga, however, was much different than her journey into art. There was no formal training. No instructors. Just instinct. “I started doing art two years ago. I just picked up a pen and started doodling,” Megan shares modestly. “I look at the work I do now and have no idea how I got to this point from where I started. It’s just amazing to me.”
It’s no surprise to the rest of the world. If you listen closely, this mild-mannered creative is all about taking bold and consistent action which is vital to accomplishing anything worthwhile.
“Don’t get discouraged. If you just keep doing what you love it’s going to work out in the end,” Megan advises. “Don’t worry about the money or the outcome. Do it simply because you love it. If you do that everyday doors will open and everything will come in abundance. When I started doing art I never imagined that I’d be where I am today, and now it’s my life. It’s turned into so much more than I ever pictured it to be.”
For more info about Megan’s upcoming projects including murals, galleries, and even a coloring book, or to connect with her about her yoga practice, follow her on Instagram (@meganalodie). You can also visit her website alodiecloud.com to purchase her designs on items like mugs, scarves, leggings, and more.
Until the next time I see you, I wish you Peace and LxVE.
#ExperTease
"All Black Everything" Tee
Available Now -->> CLICK HERE