Tea for Creatives: Ariana Proehl
Meet Ariana Proehl, she’s the Creator, Producer & Host of Know This!, an online talk show that went on a 14-city U.S. tour to uncover next generation voices doing work with passion & purpose, and making knowledge of self look sexy!
Define creativity. What does it mean to you? And how has it inspired your career?
Creativity means shattering all boundaries and allowing yourself to be yourself. Because we are all unique individuals with unique gifts and perspectives, and we all create on some level everyday, creativity for me is innately tied to self-expression in its purest form.
My career has been inspired by that definition in the sense that it has mirrored my evolution in self-expression as I’ve explored different facets of myself and my interests. I’ve worked in non-profit, government, the arts, self-help, done some modeling here and there, and now I’m working in media.
At one point I thought I was hopelessly lost and confused, but I was just finding myself and my calling. The key was recognizing the common values in all those experiences and getting in touch with my underlying purpose in choosing them. For me, those values are social justice, self-empowerment, education, and creative expression. Having that foundation clear for myself, I feel free to let that purpose get creative and manifest itself however it feels moved to at different points in my life. Right now that’s in media and with my talk show, Know This! with Ariana.
How do you navigate the creative process?
I’m an ideas person. I love generating ideas and thinking big right out the gate. So I give myself space at first to go to that big vision place to play around and understand what I ultimately want to do or say. My most creative moments and thoughts come when I don’t over think and just be. Just flow with whatever comes out. Sometimes I write them down in my Ideas Book, or maybe I’ll go sit in the park with my iPod and just meditate on all the possibilities in my mind until an “aha!” comes.
When I started my show, I really meditated on the mission, who I’d want to talk to, what I’d want to say with it, and how I wanted it to look. I did that all internally and when I felt like I had a good foundation, I took it to some friends and trusted advisers to get their feedback and ideas. Then I took it back and started making a plan to execute. The feedback process is essential. I can toil in my own ideas, talk myself out of them, and fall down a rabbit hole if I’m left to my own devices for too long. At a certain point, I make sure to get an outside perspective to keep things fresh and exciting to build upon.
When it’s time to unveil, I’ve been a “post and run” kind of gal. I’m still fairly shy and scared about putting my work out there for other people to see. I know it doesn’t serve me or anyone else to hang onto it though, so I just do it and then go call one of my friends or put on some music or go into another room to distract myself from all the nerves. One of my favorite quotes by Pema Chodron says, “only to the extent that we expose ourselves over and over to annihilation can that which is indestructible be found in us.” With every post I do about my latest work, I’ve been getting less nervous and more at peace with putting myself out there.
Describe the biggest creative obstacle you’ve faced in the past. How did you hurdle it?
Sadly, the greatest obstacle is often myself. For all the ideas I’ve put out in the world, I’ve censored 1,000 others out of fear of judgment, vulnerability, or not feeling “good enough.” Another of my identities is a poet, writing since I was a kid and later in college as part of June Jordan’s Poetry for the People program. When I graduated though, I suddenly stopped writing. I tried, but my mind kept hating on everything I did, making me feel like my metaphors weren’t dope enough and the similes not clever enough. I judged my art so much that I just abandoned it for five years. For five years I silenced myself and didn’t write a single poem out of fear of my own self.
What I’ve started doing to get over the fear is I trick myself into sharing the things I know I might not do or say otherwise. When I got the idea to take my talk show on tour across the country with no money secured yet, I knew I was crazy, but it felt right, so I started telling people about the idea and then made a formal announcement. I made myself accountable to the vision, and the energy from other people’s support fueled my creative process and my ability to not only dream in a big way, but take action in a big way.
Who is your favorite creative figure? How have they inspired your creativity?
There are too many to name, but because I’m a music nerd, I’ll go with Prince for this one. His genius really needs no explanation, but for me, not only is he the quintessential artist who plays almost every instrument, writes, produces, arranges, sings, etc., but he also has no censor, which I truly admire. He’s put out a gazillion songs and is always evolving, and isn’t simply trying to make a “hit,” rather trying to explore every bound of his art, finding new ways to share his gift with the world. Given my struggle with self-censorship and fear of judgment from others, his unapologetic sense of self in those silk turtlenecks, that perm and those heels, and his commitment to making his music and putting it out in the world no matter what, is really inspiring to me. In that same vein, I’ll have to add Erykah Badu as another artist whose raw honesty in her work connects with me deeply. They have both been great inspirations and soundtracks for my creative process.
If you could choose one quote as your life mantra, what would it be?
“You god it.” –Bernard Gunther
The Tea for Creatives series celebrates the creative minds that Possibiliteas seeks to serve with its brews. We aim to bring the creative community insightful and eye-opening profiles of the best and brightest creative professionals across various industries. Join us on Facebook and Twitter for more conversations on creativity, and check out an episode of Ariana´s show, Know This! here.
Tags: activism, ariana proehl, image, know this tv, media, women
