Part 2 of the 'Evolution of DeeVA'
Things always evolve, and over the past 2 years this evolution has picked up speed as I set out to discover my purpose. There are things coming to the fore, and things that are being left behind, as is customary. Deeva doesn't do things the usual way though, not anymore. So here's how things have changed, and will be from now on.
Before we get to that though, I think we need a quick recap.
DeeVA Global started out 15 years ago (May 2005) as DeeVA Design. I wanted to change my life, so I took a leap of faith, quit my job, and started out on this wonderful journey. In my head, it would all be easy peasy, but the reality was slightly different. Designing was something I stumbled upon and discovered I had a knack for it. Back then though, I had a certain image of what a designer was supposed to do. I tried to fit into a box. Like one of the step-sisters in Cinderella, I cut off a toe or two to squeeze into the perfect little slipper. So as you can imagine, things got bloody, but I'm stubborn, and I just put up with it. I loved what I was doing, but things were hard. More than a decade of hard. Yet, I persevered, because on this box was a label, and on it, it clearly stated 'Being self-employed is hard'. Ok then… so be it. I spent all my time isolating myself, focusing on work and being an emotional wreck due to the strain.
2 Years ago, a wisp appeared, and I followed its glowing blue light out of the swamp, and into a forest. It seemed dark at first, but soon the trees were to become my friends. As I explored, I discovered more pieces of myself. So… many… pieces. Like a magpie, hoarding its stash, I was unwilling to let go of any of the pieces I found. I had rekindled the spiritual side of me. Actually, it was more of a jolt. And then things got bumpy, but in an 'I'm on a thrilling rollercoaster' kind of bumpy. You're almost screaming and laughing at the same time. Things started appearing in my life at an ever-increasing rate, and I was having so much fun. In the beginning, I tried to attach this new aspect of myself to my design work. Like taking a sparkly label and trying to stick it on an old mouldy box, as if that would make it better. Needless to say, it didn't stick, and I yearned to follow the other shinies rather than sticking with the old ones. So I had a plan…
I became Charmed. Such a simple, yet powerful concept. I am like a charm bracelet, and each charm represents aspects of who I am. Up until that point, I thought I had to choose a charm and discard all others. The result? A big clumpy, hideous charm, that had loads of stickers plastered over it as I attempted to mould it into something that represented who I am. Problem was, I didn't really know. Not clearly, anyway. But we were on the right path. I was able to separate the charms from one another, and slowly but surely they started lining up on my bracelet. Nice, shiny and new. And it changed everything for me.
Last year was the year that I stepped out of the shadows wearing my new bracelet. I faced so many fears, and released a lot of the old me, literally and figuratively. I had shed a huge amount of baggage that was weighing me down, and I faced my fears and did things I ever thought I could.
First of all, losing a quarter of my body weight was the biggest win. I never thought I'd be able to, but did I mention I'm stubborn? To be fair, I had help. A pesky little bugger in my body 'helped' me change my eating habits. It wasn't fun, but I am grateful for it! It was the catalyst I needed. I got out more. The world outside didn't seem as scary anymore, and I stepped out into the woods… a lot!! Something my soul had been yearning for. If anyone were to ask what my natural element was, it would be wood! Being amongst the trees brings me so much joy. I started collecting wood to whittle. Shaping wood calms my thoughts, offering a welcome reprieve.
Also, I joined a jogging group. Pure folly, in my opinion, but one of my new mantras is to go for any opportunity that crops up because there'll be a reason for it. And it certainly was the case with this. I'm still not a fan of jogging. But it taught me far more than that. The first day, I nearly keeled over after 30 seconds, and by the end of the 20 minutes, I considered it useless torture. But… thanks to my friends, I went again, and again, and suddenly, I found myself facing the increased jogging intervals with a total 'can-do' attitude. It was so much fun doing things that you didn't think you could! I still wouldn't class myself as a jogging enthusiast, but the day I jogged 20 minutes without stopping, was a day I will celebrate for years to come! The experience gifted me with so much, I would recommend it to all. Is there something you've always wanted to try, but been scared to? Take it from me, just do it. You'll never know what it unlocks within yourself.
So, things escalated from there… I went swimming in the sea. I started cycling. I started getting out more, joining clubs, and doing courses. And you may be wondering where design fits into all of this. It seems like I got sidetracked, but honestly, all this played a role in where my creative energy started to flow.
In the last year, I finally started unlocking all the creative aspects that have always been cowering in a corner of my brain. One by one I coaxed them out. So here are the charms I am focusing on right now.
First, and most significant of these has been the Artist in me. She's still a bit shy and jumpy, but we have been coming on in leaps and bounds. Every time I challenged myself without giving up (due to the lesson I learned through jogging), I ended up with something I didn't think I could do. Every, single, time. It feels amazing to create things, without limitations or judgement except one's own. My design world is changing so that this can come to the forefront.
Then there's the Writer (Storyweaver), who's also still quite skittish, but is showing up more and more often. I have multiple projects in mind, of which you'll hear more about soon. This was the catalyst for creating a pseudonym of sorts. I'm not trying to hide my real name or anything, but Deeva Willowheart represents my purpose and who I am at my core, and it's all about aligning with myself and setting the intention for the future. More about the actual name in a bit. I am in the process of creating a character for a series of children's books, etc. If you know me, you'll know that I always have LOTS of ideas brewin'! This will be my main project for now as I feel that he has something important to teach. I will be creating lots of short stories to share, and my process is a bit different. I like to use Oracle cards or storytelling cards to guide my stories. Then I take those prompts and weave my story. This is where Deeva the Storyweaver comes from. I don't do things the 'normal' way. I always find my own way. Boxes are banned! Besides, I don't fit into the classic 'writer' or 'storyteller' bracket. The other project is still under wraps for now, but I will share more about it when the time comes. One thing I can say is that it has to do with Trees, and the magic they hold within. Everything I do from now on is aligned with the real me. It's all still new and a tad scary, but it's the most important and rewarding thing one could ever do. Always be authentically YOU and your path will open up before you.
Next, is Deeva the Oracle. I have reconnected with my spiritual side, and I've always been drawn to tarot and oracle cards. They were also instrumental in the changes that have occurred. It's just not as easy to explain. Going through any changes in one's life tends to be jarring, and emotionally volatile. It was the same for me, but I found that whenever I turned to the cards for guidance, they seemed to shine a light on what I was going through, and allowed me to navigate through it with relative ease. They always told me what I needed to hear, generally with a gentle nudge, but every now and then a good sturdy kick if I wasn't getting the message. Yes, the universe has a way of getting messages to you in the most incredible ways. One day, I'll try and explain it, but not today. If you've read this far, I imagine you'll be wanting to get to the end of this tale. So, after spending so much time with the cards, I have discovered a new language, and I want to share that with people. I have already run an Oracle workshop which was hugely successful, so there will be more. But I will also be doing interactive readings. Again, I do things my own way and the cards are no different. It's not about predicting the future. It's about reading the energy of the current situation, and this can be changed. When you take in what they say, consciously or not, you'll find that things just seem to flow better. As if you have an internal satnav, that knows where you are going, even if you don't. I've learned that trust is a big part of this journey of finding your way and I trust the messages I get, implicitly. I'll be sharing a lot of the cards on my page from one on, which is one of the bigger changes from what DeeVA Global has been until now.
Then, there's the Druidry. I used to have my head up in the clouds, gazing at the stars, dreaming about things other than this world we live in. But in this year of evolution, I have come back to Earth in a big way, though not in the way that is normally implied with that saying. It's been a gentle experience like a feather lazily drifting down until it settles on a welcoming, soft bed of leaves. I have been drawn out into Nature and discovered the biggest thing I've been missing all along. There is so much wonder and magic in our natural world, and I am stepping out to explore that connection we have with the earth. Druidry has that deep connection, where everything is about cycles and I resonate so much with this reverence for nature in all her splendour. I love connecting with the old Celtic lore, and the druids treasure trees. And so do I. I have always loved trees, which is one of the reasons I came to Scotland, but I have since realised that it is so... much... deeper than that. As with everything else, it's all very new, and I have a lot to learn, but I'll be sharing things as I do.
And finally, there's the Design. After all that and with no mention of it, you may have assumed that I'll be letting that go. No, I'm not. It's just changing too. Over the years I have had so much loyal support from my customers who have been there year after year. I will always be there especially for them. The ethos of my design is changing though. It's not just about designing logos. I want to focus on making sure that they are implemented properly and that the rest of the branding matches it. I will share more about this in another post, but I wanted to let you know that DeeVA is still here, but things are different, and DeeVA is no longer a separate business entity. DeeVA has evolved into Deeva. This is me, the whole me, and people I work with have access to all aspects of me, not just a limited version. If there's something I can do to help, I will, and these solutions may include other parts of Deeva other than just the design element.
So, after all that... I give you Deeva Willowheart
Deeva Willowheart is here to stay. I'm collecting charms and sharing them with you as I go. So this is what you can expect from now on. Deeva is in creation mode, and that's my focus. I want to see where it leads. The aspects I have listed above are at the core, but who knows what else I'll discover along the way. The fun is in not knowing what to expect, for it never happens as expected anyway.
If you've read all of this, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for sticking with me as I share my tale.
Wishing you all the magic in the world
Deeva Willowheart