Lisa Congdon

With an online following of over 149,000 on Instagram, the author of over 14 books including her latest, “A Glorious Freedom,”  and dozens of prestigious clients including Harvard University, Martha Stewart Living, and Random House Books, Lisa Congdon is arguably one of the most successful online artists in the world. And yet even success has its price. In 2016 Lisa Congdon, physically and emotionally exhausted, suffered from burnout. Here Lisa shares about her story from exhaustion to burnout and her path back to sanity. She also reflects on social media anxiety, the importance of having a clear vision and goals, the role of art and activism, and why it’s never too late to start your thing.

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It took me a long time to figure out that I wasn’t selling out and that I wasn’t doing something selfish by becoming an artist but in fact, in some ways, I can make an even bigger impact than I could before.

Some things we talk about…

  • the role of art in activism
  • knowing what, and how, to share (and when it’s best not to)
  • the value of going beyond your comfort zone and the necessity, at times, of staying within it
  • how to manage the inevitable fears and anxieties in the making of your thing
  • dealing with success, burnout, and the path back to sanity

“The key is to manage your fears and anxieties and vulnerabilities around certain things and understand that we all share them. What makes me feel better often is just knowing that I’m not alone. That everybody experiences fear and anxiety and comparison and self-doubt.”

“If we don’t allow ourselves to feel vulnerable or make stuff and put it out there to the world we’ll never know what we can achieve or how that thing moves and touches other people. And you never know what will happen as a result.”

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daphne cohn