5 Weeks in Greece: Escapism or Self Discovery?

Image taken by some friendly French tourists: The ancient temple ruins of Aphaia on the island of Aegina, Greece

Dear colorful friends across the globe:

This is a deeply personal post today, so buckle up and hang tight. I’m writing to you all from a Greek island at the halfway point of a five-week journey through several Greek islands and mainland Athens. This is a trip that I planned well, yet one which seemed far fetched and untimely even to me—-said planner of the entire trip! It begged the question in my mind, and in the minds of family and close friends: “Why am I traveling for five straight weeks when my architectural color business is experiencing a seasonal lull and I have no pending projects?”

Dining at sunset with a view of the main port in Aegina, Greece

I drew the conclusion ultimately that while there is NOTHING PRACTICAL about this choice, there IS something deeper at play, at a gut, instinctual level. It is a drive prompting me to take this journey. It’s as though Greece literally called to me, as ridiculous as that reads to you and me in this post. I can explain it in no other way. Here I am, friends, in Greece making the biggest investment thus far in my creative and professional life.

A well-kept secret swimming spot—a spot recommended to me by Sofia, an island local and owner of Hotel Aegina

A couple of months before this journey, I began reevaluating the architectural color consulting business and whether or not I wanted to continue in it as a full-time occupation. My passion will always be COLOR, but my instincts in business and entrepreneurship are redirecting me to other paths of travel illustration (art) and travel content creation.

Blind faith or sheer ignorance?

I’ve asked myself whether this choice to initiate my new campaign, Coloring My Way Across The Globe, is another of my creative ideas that may sort-of-kind-of work, or if this is my true career calling. This circuitous journey of entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart, let me tell you! I’ve wracked my brain and called out to the Lord God Himself in prayer DAILY for the over two years about this decision.

A little church tucked in the pine tree filled mountains with a view of the sea in Spetses, Greece

Life is short—GO FOR IT!

You may recall that I began using the hashtag #ColoringMyWayAcrossTheGlobe about three years ago. I coined the phrase and knew that eventually it would morph into something of a business model or concept.

About a month ago I reached a breaking point OR a breakthrough depending on how we wish to view it. Being the exuberant optimist that I am, I choose to see this as a major entrepreneurial breakthrough. Is it wildly risky at a time in which I have no windfall of cash flow or corporate 9-to-5 job to bank roll this? Yes, why yes, it is!

I’m going for it.

What does this look like moving forward for LFB Color Consulting? I have shifted focus entirely and am implementing all of the necessary tools and preparations to be both a TRAVEL ILLUSTRATOR and a TRAVEL INFLUENCER. This is the ultimate melding of my passions of color, art, travel, language learning, landscape, culture, people and colloquialism.

Very soon you will be able to purchase my travel based art illustrations, read well-written travel content, and eventually hear my travel chronicles and interviews with folks I meet along the way. I’m having conversations right now with a lot of well-traveled, entrepreneurial and colorful people!

Seaside conversations at the port of Hydra, Greece around sunset

Let’s circle back to my original question: that is, Am I escaping and running away from life, problems, failures, etcetera, or am I using this five-week season of travel to experiment and discover my true calling as an entrepreneur?

My heart holds the answer—and the answer is that I’m closing in on a veritable breakthrough. I’m betting on myself and the Coloring My Way Across The Globe campaign by taking this leap of faith halfway across the world, all alone, moving step by step cautiously yet boldly.

Taking it one step at a time, one day at a time, on the cobblestone paths of Hydra, Greece

As I share with you from this place of vulnerability, I’m alone in a guesthouse near the port of Aegina, Greece. I’m pouring my heart out here, at times questioning my own sanity. I firmly believe that wild, beautiful dreams are often planted in our minds not by accident, but by the good Lord Himself. In this I rest and place trust and confidence.

In closing, I want to share with you the mission of Coloring My Way Across The Globe—travel illustration and travel based content.

Coloring My Way Across The Globe’s mission is to inspire, encourage and teach you to have your own colorful travel experiences off the beaten path whether near or far.

Thank you for your readership and support, color aficionados. I cannot wait to share my new art pieces and travel chronicles with you. The next art collection is being created even now! Stay tuned for more information.

Colorful regards and much love,

Lauren