A mom, interior designer, and survivor of a brain aneurysm, begins a modeling career.
I woke up one morning a few weeks ago thinking, how can I seize life and experience bigger, more exciting moments? Had I really explored all the talents that resided within me? I had already enjoyed a 15 year successful interior design career in Oklahoma City that had truly fulfilled all my creative juices and challenged me to learn more about urban design in a larger metropolitan city. Taking a leap of faith, I packed up and moved to Washington, D.C. with no job or a place to live. Now I would find out if I really had what it took to make it in a major design market. Within weeks of moving and networking hard I started landing design projects and had an article printed in the home section of the Washington Post. It was an exciting year and a great learning curve. Not to mention an incredible confidence builder. I could do it on my own. But, I missed my daughters and one would be graduating from high school the following year.
With all my new found confidence and zooming creative energy I was still looking for more outlets to experience a bigger life. I thought about modeling and even acting. I had done a photo shoot with a professional photographer and used the photos for my website. Surprisingly, I got as much if not more positive feedback about the pictures of me as I did about my interior design shots.
Smiling to myself, I thought, what did I have lose? So, I contacted my photographer and asked him if he knew of a good modeling agency. He told me of a fabulous and very professional agency in Tulsa. I submitted the photos from my website to the owner of the agency and she loved them! She requested additional action shots and I met with the photographer for another photo shoot. The agency owner then requested that I have composite cards (known as a head sheet in the industry) printed. She e-mailed me immediately to go to my first casting call. When I asked how long it usually took to hear back from a call I was informed that the average time was three days.
Within two hours I had received an e-mail from my agent telling me that I had gotten the job! Within a few days a stylist called me to review the wardrobe selections for the commercial to make sure that I understood how I was expected to dress for the part. Surprising myself, working on the set with the camera crew and casting director felt very natural. At this point the agency is sending me out on more auditions and I am thrilled at the direction my life has taken.
What is even more interesting is that just nine years ago I was just going through a divorce when I collapsed at the gym while working out. I had experienced a double brain aneurysm. Rushed to a local hospital, I was placed in ICU on life support. For a several days, the neuro team debated about the complicated surgery and finally decided to medflight me to Dallas, Texas where a world renown neurosurgeon performed an intricate and life saving surgery.
I did not leave the hospital for two months. When I was released, a friend took me back to the house I had just purchased after my divorce. Boxes were still unpacked. It may have been a house, but it was not a home. By myself, on my walker, I would drag my right foot as I maneuvered through hallways. At that point I thought I was probably going to be in tennis shoes the rest of my life. But after months of physical therapy I was able to finally walk again without help. The potential of wearing my Gucci high heels never looked so good!
I knew I was blessed to have my health and to finish raising my daughters. It was an experience that made me stronger and grateful. I was determined at that point to live my life to the fullest and to be open to every possibility and to be fearless. I hope that watching me, my daughters will carry throughout their lives the knowledge that they are stronger than they know and wherever they find themselves in the future everything they need already resides within them.
So, while I am still an interior designer (please visit my website http://www.livinginstyle1.com/) and new model, I know that the path of my personal journey continues to evolve and surprise me! And, for every reader of MORE, remember that no matter what our age, every day we are all equal to our lives and there's always a new chapter ready to open!