“Creative Mastery”

In this episode Sarah shares about how you can build Creative Mastery in your chosen field or vocation.  She speaks from her experience as a makeup artist-esthetician and her personal journey.  She always encourages people to lean into the vocational arts and trades as a way to move your life forward.  Tune in to learn how you can level up your life by learning how to become a Master of your Craft.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Hello, my podcast friends out there in Podcast Land. This is Sarah Joy Mobley coming at you from the Sarah Joy Mobley Podcast. So today I thought I would talk about mastery and what it means to me as far as my experience with mastery over my lifetime of being a makeup artist, a skincare specialist, and now a salon owner and what that journey has meant to me and uh what it's done for my life. It's like, you know, I start tearing up with, you know, thinking about it is because being able to master a craft really just gives you so much fulfillment in your soul. And I wish more people, especially in this day and age, realize that a lot of their suffering that they're going through is because they have a soul problem, a spiritual problem, if that makes sense. And I know sometimes words can be off-putting because I believe that a lot of words lately have become politicized in an attempt to um I would just say, you know, um, you know, push a narrative, right? So if you can control the meaning of a word, then it's gonna be easier for you to push a narrative that you want. So let's not use the word spiritual, let's not use the word soul, let's just say creative. So when you're creative, it just gives you so much great feelings inside yourself. How about that, right? So if you want to feel really good inside of yourself, right? Your inner home, because we have an outer home and we have an inner home, right? Nothing feels the best on the inside than uh when you really truly have some sort of creative practice that you absolutely love. So you have some sort of skill, talent, or giftedness that you really have spent a lifetime curating to really like go through the apprentice phase, go through the creative phase, and then you get to a point where you have mastery. And once you have mastery over a skill, it's like now you can get very creative with it, and you can be someone who can really create original works of art, if that makes sense. So you know, when I was younger, um, thank goodness I was raised in the church, right? Um, so I learned uh how to tap into something higher than myself, if that makes sense, to lift me above suffering, right? And I was in art class and sports. So I had some things to kind of hold on to. So when I had to go through what I would say was uh a dark period for me where I was saying you know, homeless, I had to live in foster care as a teenager, I was able to really rely on some things that I had in my and inside of me, right? You know, I was artistic and creative, and that's what led me to be able to be a um you know, a makeup artist. I was a self-taught makeup artist because I was naturally artistic and creative, learning how to do makeup became uh it came very natural for me. So I did makeup as a profession for close to 15 years, right? And I elevated to one of the best in my area. I've taught numerous people how to do makeup and they have gone on to great success. A lot of the people that I certified as makeup artist, airbrush makeup artist, you know, have moved to Hollywood, work with a lot of high profile people, or they actually have a great thriving business locally, right? And um, and that really makes me feel good inside, knowing that, you know, I can look back on some of my students and see that they're really thriving and doing well, you know, and I was that moment of inspiration for them where they looked at me and they were like, okay, I aspire to be a makeup artist like Sarah, right? And they took that journey. And um, you know, because you know, I was certifying people um as far as doing makeup and teaching, it was because I mastered my craft, you know. So some of the things that I really tried to learn as a makeup artist was I learned how to do like makeup for weddings, right? I learned how to do like eyelashes, you know, wing the eyeliner out, you know, to the gods, right? I learned um, you know, how to do stage makeup. I even learned how to body paint. I'm not the I wouldn't say I have mastery in body paint, but that was something that I was like kind of reaching towards. And um, you know, I just kept elevating, elevating, elevating in that field, right? And once I felt like there was nothing else I could truly learn and master as far as being a makeup artist, then my natural evolution was to be uh an aesthetician, skincare waxing, things like that. You know, I could bust down an eyebrow, wax and eyebrow shape. So I learned how to do like waxing, Brazilian waxing, um, eyelash extensions, um, lash lifts, uh lash tinting, you know, spray tanning. I even learned how to do massage. So there were so many things that just really lit me up and got me excited because I think at the core, what really excited me about um my profession was it was creative. It was artistic, it was an opportunity for even me to self-express. And me just doing my hair, makeup nails, getting dressed is a way for me to express myself as a woman, um, as uh a creative, so you know, someone artistic, you know, so I can express my creativity through my hairstyle, my my nail art, you know, my makeup, my clothing, you know. So it's a way for me to express how I'm feeling inside, you know. So it's like, hey, if I'm feeling like a a badass, you know, well, hey, today might be a day I want to go ride my motorcycle and put my combat boots on, you know, to a smoky eye, right? Because that that's what I'm feeling. And it's in a way to express, right? Um, maybe I'm feeling really sexy and hey, okay, today that bodysuits going on and those five-inch heels, because today I'm feeling really like I'm being I'm feeling sexy. I'm feeling myself. Like however I'm feeling, a lot of times I'm able to express that that part of myself through my appearance, right? So it's it's a way to self-express. Because a lot of times people love to slap you with a label because they are not comfortable with the gray area. They're not comfortable with a paradox, they're not in touch with their own creative spirit. I would say they're blocked artists. So when they see someone who is a full human being, and I say being a full human being is expressing the fullness of your spirit, right? Sometimes you're feeling dark, let's express it. Sometimes you're feeling light, let's express it. There is a healthy way to express all the parts of your personality without shaming any part of you, right? So anytime you slap a label on somebody, right, you're saying, I'm I'm fearful, I'm not sure what's going on here, and so I need to slap a label on you so I feel comfortable, right? So people would might want to say, oh, she's just being vain, oh, she's wearing too much makeup, oh, she's a slut. Look at her. Why is she dressed like that? And they're not understanding that they're not looking at me for the fullness of my humanity, right? Where, hey, this first of all, I'm a woman, phenomenal, phenomenal woman. That's me, right? And part of being a woman is being sensual. A woman is a very sexy, sensual being, right? And I'm not gonna deny that part of me. I'm proud of that. If you go to indigenous cultures, right, most of the women are walking around half naked and it's not a big deal. Why? Because it's expressed, it's not hidden, right? So it's like, you know, it's called exposure therapy, right? So if you're someone who's all pent up and you gotta wear, you know, your clothing all buttoned up to your chin and you're not comfortable with expressing your sexuality and your sensuality, then it's going to uh warp inside of you, and it might come out in a way that's not healthy, right? And that that unhealthiness might just be you shaming another woman for being in the fullness of who she is. You know, God created your higher power, whatever you believe in, created you, created a woman to be a goddess, someone to be worshipped, right? You, you know, you're you should be have devotion in your relationships, right? Okay, and you know, and you can receive that by expressing everything about you, if that makes sense, right? So now I grew up in the modeling industry, you know. So I did like pageants, I was in commercials, you know, I did uh runway shows. So I, you know, I I even did some dance while I was younger. So I'm very comfortable with my body, right? And my body is not something to be ashamed of, right? So if someone looks at me and projects that on me, it's because they never had an opportunity to have exposure to or be around people who are comfortable with their bodies, right? So maybe for you, maybe you need to take a strip dance class, right? A pull dance class, maybe you need to take a Zumba class. Maybe there's something that you can do if you feel very uncomfortable about women expressing their sensuality, you aren't expressing that in yourself. That's why you're projecting, right? So I did a post, I did a whole post on Instagram about how people project, people who don't reflect, project, right? You are a living, breathing human being, right? And the highest honor that you can give anybody is to allow them to be fully themselves in your presence. And I believe that's a gift that I have. Um, and I and I I, you know, I really uh in my spirit, in my creativeness inside myself, I that's something that I'm so proud of. I'm so proud of that I'm the type of person where I can hold space for anybody, you know, just be yourself. Like it's like it's so exhausting trying to be somebody that you're not, right? So the best thing that you can do for anybody is just allow people to be themselves, right? Unless, you know, you don't want somebody hitting you and cursing at you, but allow people to be themselves around you. It's like it feels better. And that's why I love the arts. I love the arts, I love dance, I love creative people because for the most part, for the most part, they allow everyone to be themselves because everyone's kind of like, okay, I'm already being myself, I'm expressing myself. What do you have, right? So it's more or less like, okay, I'm out here, I'm doing this, what are you doing? And they're expressing themselves, and then it's like, oh, cool. And so like everybody gets together and just jams out. It's like, you know, say you went out with a bunch of people and you went dancing, right? Well, it's like the music comes on and you just, you know, you doing your thing, you're dancing, you're not worried about the other person, what they're doing, right? Well, you know, you're not sitting there watching somebody else and doing exactly what they're doing. No, it's just like you're having fun. It's called freedom. Creative freedom. Be yourself, you know? And so I believe that's what the creative arts allows you to do. It allows you to express yourself, right? And um express your emotions and really truly um get into the heart of who you are as a person, and that's okay. And that's a kind of like what diversity is. It's like, you know, exposure to different things, right? And that makes life so beautiful. I mean, I love being exposed to different cultures because I always learn something, you know, and I'm curious. And a lot of times, you know, I love their foods, I love the stuff they wear, the way the how they do their makeup and hair and how they dance. It's like it's fun, it's exciting. It's you know, who wants to do the same thing every single day? That's boring. If everybody's the same way, dresses the same way, that's boring, right? I want to have some fun, fun in life, right? So I really truly believe that the best thing that you can do, right, is that express yourself, you know, figure out how you can search your own heart, figure out the things that you like in life, if that makes sense, right? What are you gifted at? What are you talented at? What do people ask you to help them with all the time, right? And then you kind of get to know where you are naturally inclined, and then I would encourage you to develop that talent, right? Like I know a guy who does nails, and he's been doing nails I think 20, 25 years. And listen, I used to drive an hour and a half, almost two hours to go get my nails done by him in Atlantic City. And when I tell you, I don't know what he does or how he does it, but he can do a nail and make your hands look so damn sexy. Like he transforms your hand. The nails are like so amazing that when you have the nails done, like everybody stops you and, like, oh my god, who does your nails? Oh my god, your nails are so awesome. And it's so funny because he's just like, Oh, you know, he doesn't even think it's anything special, the fact that he does these nails so awesome. But anyway, like literally every bad bitch in Atlantic City goes to get their nails done by him, right? And he's awesome, but that's what mastery is. And so for my industry, just for example, you know, I love all things skin. You know, I did learn how to do nails, I'm okay at it, but it doesn't really set my soul on fire, like being involved in the skincare industry, because that's what I like, you know what I mean? And that's how I like to express myself, you know. And um, but anyway, the thing is it's like once you kind of know what you're good at, what you're gifted at, talented, what do you naturally, where does your spirit naturally lean and what do you like to do? Then you want to spend, you know, 10 years, 10,000 hours learning how to be an expert at that craft, you know? And I believe that, you know, a lot of I believe in college for sure, right? Because I think man's greatest burden is definitely the fact that, you know, um, we have a learning curve. We need to educate ourselves, right? But I believe that there is such a huge void in our population um for the trades, for the arts, for the creatives, right? Um, for the vocations. And you can make so much money in the industry where you're you have a craft and a vocation if you're a master. And the reason why most people don't come in into come into our industry or the trades or the vocations is because it acquires like deep work, it requires patience, it requires an apprenticeship, and all of those things require spiritual work. Okay, so let's say I'm just gonna bring back spiritual uh the hell with it, right? And you have to learn deep work, you have to learn focus, you have to learn patience, right? And a lot of people can't do that. So, what I notice in my industry is a lot of people don't learn how to do um some of the advanced services in our industry because it takes like five years just to even become somewhat good at it, right? So if you want to learn like some of the harder things to learn in our industry are gonna be, say, like some of the advanced facials, right? Um, I'm gonna say eyelash extensions are hard to learn, um, to get proficiency. Makeup is one of the hardest things to learn, right? And a lot of times people are like, if I don't get that instant, if I don't learn it like in one day, you know, if I don't have uh clients, a full book, you know, in a couple months, then I'm gonna, you know, quit, right? So that's the that's why a lot of people don't get into the trades. They don't uh become carpenters, plumbers, electricians, mechanics, hairstylist, nail artist, makeup artists, skincare techs, because there is a process that you have to go through, and it is a spiritual process. So you have to be patient to be able to learn, work with somebody long enough to learn, and you have to be practicing every single day so that you can build up the skill level and actually be really good. Sometimes you might have to work for free just to be able to get those skill sets. But once you become a master, you have that skill set for life, right? And that skill set is something that gives you sovereignty, it gives you power because nobody can take it from you, right? If you read a book, nobody can take that knowledge from you, right? If you learn a skill set, nobody can take that knowledge from you. That is something that you have built inside of you, a proficiency. And if you decide to move somewhere, right? So, say for example, I'm like, you know what, I want to move to Brazil, you know, hey, that might be fun, right? Well, if I move to Brazil, I still from day one, because I'm a master as a skincare artist, a makeup artist, I have so many skills and I'm a I have leadership skills that I could say start a business, start a waxing business, uh, I could be a makeup artist. I have so many skill sets that are intrinsic that I could just start and be successful wherever I go. And so a lot of times, even during like say the pandemic, you know, a lot of people had skill sets, um, they didn't have those intrinsic skill sets of say mastery of something. So when say like the pandemic hit or these things happen where they really disrupt industries, you know, the people who always are going to survive and do well are the ones with those hard skills, right? It's just like, you know, you're learning things that, you know, indigenous people know how to do, right? So, you know, they they know how to hunt, you know, they know how to prepare food, right? They they have skill sets, they know how to do henna on their body, and so they have skill sets that people want and aren't dependent on, say, a computer or an industry disrupt disruptor, if that makes sense, right? People still need to have things done, whether we're at war, whether a new industry has taken over, you know. So I always encourage people to really get a skill set and get mastery because I believe that that's what truly gives you meaning, fulfillment, and joy in your life. Because just for example, like when I was a makeup artist, I happened to notice that a lot of women don't have high self-esteem. And I would always be like, you know, why is that? I was curious. So a lot of times, you maybe they were overburdened with, you know, work at the house, um, extended family, you know, trying to take care of kids and work at the same time, and they really neglected themselves. So that's why I do feel very strongly about really advocating for self-care, right? Because you can always take 10 minutes, 15 minutes to pour into yourself, right? There's always time that you can say, hey, you know, mama's gonna go for her walk, you know, that you need to pour into yourself. Because a lot of times, a lot of women think self-sacrifice is some sort of glory and honor, and they just end up neglecting themselves. And in the end, they're still unhappy, right? So, um, but while I was working with these women, I don't know, especially doing weddings, right? So you see every generation. You're seeing the mom, the grandmother, the aunties, everybody. So you get a chance to talk to women and see how their lives went. You know? And a lot of women just don't take care of themselves. But what I would notice is, and I'm gonna cry again, there'd be so many women where you could see maybe they were being abused or neglected, right? Um, they never had a chance to level up their lives, get an education, and it was like they were just an indentured servant, and their looks were run down, they weren't taking care of themselves. And you know, I would give them, I would give them a very glamorous makeover. And sometimes they would cry in the mirror. I'm like, don't cry. I just you I just baked you up, girl. That don't cry, don't cry. Put here, put that tissue underneath your eye. I'm not doing your makeup over, and it would be like so like hitting my heart and my soul so hard because they'd be looking at themselves in the mirror for the first time in their lives, seeing themselves as you know, uh a beautiful, confident woman. And then they got to go somewhere for the night, and it's like she'd be getting attention, admiration, they're feeling confident, they're feeling good. So it was that always just juiced me up. That always made me feel good, you know. And it was like, okay, I need more of this, you know. So it's like, yes, you know, so that would drive me to be like every time I would see someone or a woman, I don't care what she's been through. Women are so beautiful to me, right? I would always, and and that's what I'm so happy. Um, the gift that being a makeup artist for 15 years gave me was it gave me the eyes to always see beauty in everything and everybody. Because my job as a makeup artist was always to highlight and bring out the beauty of every person, right? And everyone truly has something beautiful about them. And the trick is just highlight, you got downplay what maybe you don't think is so attractive and highlight what's great, you know. So maybe I was doing makeup on, say, an older woman, maybe she's like 70, right? But her eyes are like crystal blue and they are beaming with like glory, you know. And I'm like, okay, you know, maybe she got you just wrinkles going on, whatever. But I'm like, okay, I'm gonna I'm gonna pop these eyes off, you know. I'm gonna use some maybe some purple, some browns up in here. I'm like, I'm gonna I'm gonna set it off, right? I'm gonna put some lashes on her, right? And so I would really just hone on what and what was really attractive and just make it pop, right? And shoot, she'd be like the baddest bitch up in there, you know? So trust, like I used to love it, or sometimes, like, hmm, like I remember one time uh someone used to work for me. This back in the day, her um husband was like abusing her, right? And she was like the nicest lady in the whole entire world. So I said, you know what? She had to go to court for it. I said, You come over to my house, I'm gonna do your makeup. I said, I could do hair, okay. I'm gonna do your makeup, hair, nails, girl, I'm gonna get you ready to go to court. I was like, you gonna he he gonna see what he's missing out on. So I'm like, I don't know how many times. Like, I was like makeup artist, but it was like a weapon to me, you know. So I mean, you know, it's like, you know, the things that you are truly, you know, gifted at, you really use it for a higher purpose, right? Especially when you have mastered your craft. And so it's like, as like a salon owner, learning leadership, of course, was always like the hardest thing for me to do, you know. So, you know, that's why I did go back to school, and I I uh I continue to learn uh and I, you know, about organizational leadership and things like that. And you really have to, I think just bottom line, being a leader is you squashing your ego as much as possible and really, you know, having to put yourself in uh your a higher nature and be like, well, what's what's the win-win? What is the right thing to do? How can we all how can this be good for everyone? Right. And I know for sure, you know, um, you know, my grandfather is a very generous person, and you know, he always said honesty was the best policy, and so I really kind of gleaned from that, you know, and you know, I do believe in being generous, and I believe that, you know, when you just step out with the right intentions, you know, things seem to they they work out, right? And they might not seem like they're working out at first, but eventually they do, if that makes sense. So I really want to encourage people to really search their hearts and their souls, really, and try to um find something that they can do, right? To have to learn how to do something really, really well. Because if you really mastered something, you don't you don't have to, you know, be the greatest singer on some stage, right? You could just craft something really cool and and showcase it at you know an art show locally or you know, be like a local vendor somewhere, and or even just share it with your friends and family, you know, or your coworkers, and and you're really gonna see the fulfillment that it brings, right? Even if your creative practice is every day you're gonna, you know, do your makeup, hair and nails, and it's just a moment that you're feeling self-ful, right? And you're expressing yourself. How can you express yourself? Maybe you're gonna learn how to dance, right? It's just you know, you being able to express the fullness of your humanity, if that makes sense. You know, we are not robots, we're human beings, right? And we all need spaces where we can be seen in a humane way, a compassionate way, a safe way, and to be able to express ourselves without feeling like somebody's gonna shame us or guilt us for not being exactly like their little label robot, you know, because they don't have some sort of creative or self-care practice. So, anyway, that's my two cents for the day. So if you want to really learn how to, you know, lean into, you know, learning more about self-care, creativity, things like that. Um, I do have a book that you can read. Also, I have an app, it's a self-care app where you can lean into some healthy habits, and that'll help you start to unearth um more about your own humanity and how you can express yourself in the world to feel more fully yourself, right? So you go walk for 30 minutes, journal, affirm, have the same wake-up time, right? So then you can start just feeling, you know, more creatively confident, more of yourself, have a moment for yourself, and not get so run down by, you know, the things that are going on in the world. So, anyway, my intention today was, you know, to talk about mastery. Hopefully, you guys have some takeaways. I did want to read um a couple quotes about mastery. Um, if people knew how hard I worked to achieve my mastery, it wouldn't seem so wonderful at all. Michelangelo. Um and then your craft needs not just your effort to thrive, but the entirety of your whole heart, right? And so that's why we spend so much time and our lives working, and that's why I truly believe that you know, in the vocations, because you can really lean into something that you really like to do, and then figure out how you can, you know, work in the in your skill and your craft and evolve, right? So I did like I did a makeup for 15 years, and then I evolved into being an esthetician, esthetician teacher, salon owner. There was an evolution, right? And it's been a lifetime, so I've achieved mastery, and that feels so incredible because it's something that I did myself. It's self-mastery, if that makes sense, right? So, so anyway, all right. So I guess the takeaways is you know, how can you learn deep deep work, which requires patience, right? Um, building these healthy habits, getting 10,000 hours and some sort of craft or skill set is really gonna serve you uh for the rest of your life for sure. Now, if you want to, again, you know, tap into my um, I'll leave a link um in this podcast. Tap into my self-care app. It's a 25 day journey, and you'll start to learn to build some healthy habits, which will allow you to learn how to have deep work if you really want to lean into some sort of creative practice. Anyway, I hope this podcast was was helpful, and I'll talk to y'all soon. Bye.