We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Wendi Knox. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Wendi below.
Alright, Wendi thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
As an award-winning Copywriter and Senior Vice-President/Creative Director at one of the largest advertising agencies in Los Angeles, I’ve written and supervised commercials that were shot by the Academy Award-winning Coen Brothers, featured William Wegman’s famous Weimaraner dogs and were profiled in the New York Times.
But no project in my 30+ year career has been as rewarding as writing and illustrating my own inspirational picture book, “From Muck To Magic.”
Ironically, this creative high point was born during a very low point in my life.
At 50, I lost my big fat “Don Draper-esque” job. And found myself sobbing in my backyard, stuck in the muck of worry, fear and “Now What?”
I asked the Universe for a sign if I was “too old to reinvent myself.” (Advertising is the ultimate youth-obsessed profession.)
Then, I went for a walk and much to my surprise and awe, I came home to find my backyard flooded with hundreds of red dragonflies. They stayed for four hours the first day and came back three more days.
That was clearly a sign. But of what?
Well, thanks to Google, I learned that dragonflies spend most of their lives crawling at the bottom of a pond….for up to four years. While down in the muck, they grow their magical wings. And don’t even start flying until later in life.
Those dragonflies gave me hope and inspiration that “it’s never too late to soar.”
But that was just the beginning. I started seeing dragonflies everywhere I went. From the 405, 101 and 10 freeways to Sunset Blvd., Hollywood Blvd. and Beverly Drive.
Then, when another swarm of red dragonflies surrounded my husband and me when we were on vacation, I told him that, as crazy as it sounds, I think they were trying to recruit me.
Somehow, those dragonflies seemed to know that I was a branding expert and a writer and wanted me to get their muck-to-magic story out into the world to help others change their stories.
And that’s exactly what my book is about.
“From Muck To Magic” is a balm for the soul of any woman, at any age, who finds herself in the midst of change, growth, worry, loss, fear, overwhelm, inertia, exhaustion or just the mere messiness of life.
Within its colorful pages is a powerful blueprint for transformation. And an invitation for all of us to rise up from our personal muck to bring our unique magic into a world that has never needed it more.
Now, what I needed was a publisher. And was blessed to find one, who not only helped me bring my magical book out into the world, but also created notecards and journals from my paintings.
From there, I spread my wings in new directions. Instead of presenting ad campaigns for brands like Honda and Acura in boardrooms full of men, I now have the honor of uplifting rooms full of women at conferences, summits and seminars with my book, my story, my art and my heart.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
When those dragonflies flew into my life, they gave flight to a new mission: to help women rise up from the muck of old stories into the magic of new possibilities. Especially when it comes to age.
After being let go from my big fat advertising job, I became acutely aware of what I call “The Age Cage.” All those imprisoning stories, stereotypes and beliefs that hold us back. And make us feel invisible, irrelevant, too old, too late, too wrinkled, too blah-blah-blah.
With all that negative yakking in my head, I struggled to reinvent myself. But thanks to my new “life coach,” the dragonfly, I embraced a more positive story: that “it’s never too late to soar.”
Speaking of which, I had my first book published and my first solo art show at 65.
As I’ve grown new wings later in life, I’ve become committed to helping other women do the same.
So, these days, instead of branding products for clients, I’m re-branding aging. And re-framing it as a process of becoming More of Who We Are. Not Less of What We Were.
It’s something I speak about, write about and give workshops about.
My signature talk, “Breaking Out The Age Cage” is filled with art and heart, wit and wisdom. And resonates deeply with women of all ages, from new moms to grandmas, from executives to empty-nesters.
I share my personal story to help women reframe their stories. And a series of practical “Dragonflying Lessons” to help create an ageless, cageless approach to life. Because when we change the way we look at aging, we can actually change the way we age.
My “Breaking Out of The Age Cage Workshop” grew out of my talks.
During these inspiring gatherings, I share my own transformative stories, plus tools and processes to help women break free from the cultural stereotypes, patriarchal lies and “inner ageism” that can clip our wings.
We sit in sacred circle. Speak and write from our hearts. Partake in powerful rituals and creative visualizations. And share old stories and create new ones for moving forward.
In other words, we connect, grow and support each other to soar in the direction of our dreams. (One 50-something woman told me that my recent workshop actually inspired her to move to Portugal, something she had longed to do most of her life!)
I’ve helped women “break out of their age cage” at retreat centers across the country, in women’s groups, on-line and in my HeArt Studio and garden in magical Ojai, California. It’s a flexible format that can be customized for any group or venue.
(This just in: I’ll be co-leading my next workshop, “The Art of Breaking Out of The Age Cage” with brilliant artist and creative coach, Kathy Leader in Santa Barbara this coming January.)
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
It was a huge pivot for me to go from working in the pressure-cooker, create-on-demand, corporate culture of a mega-ad agency to the life I am living now.
In my past life, I gulped countless cups of coffee during wall-to-wall meetings. (Creative meetings. Traffic meetings. Marketing meetings. Production meetings. Client meetings.) I had little room to breathe.
These days, I start my day literally breathing. My “meetings” take place in our magical garden, sipping jasmine tea and conferring with hummingbirds, butterflies and dragonflies.
Rather than contorting myself to please unpleasable clients, I am answering the call of my heart—-writing, painting and speaking about things that come to me from a place way beyond the mind. It’s a non-linear process–far more intuitive than intellectual.
My work is no longer judged by how many media impressions it gets or creatives awards it wins. Now, I’m focused on how it makes me and other women feel.
While I love the energy of standing on a stage and speaking to hundreds of women, I am learning to place as much value on making a difference in one life.
There’s nothing more fulfilling than the teary-eyed appreciation and insights often shared by those at my workshops and speaking events. And the heartfelt comments I’ve received about my book.
Of course, I’m profoundly grateful for the stimulating (and lucrative) creative career I had in advertising. Without it, I wouldn’t have the freedom to follow my joy at this time in my life.
At 70 years young, I‘m not sure when or how inspiration will strike next.
But I do know this: I’M NOT RETIRING. I’M RE-FIRING.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
Yes, my mission is to touch hearts, lift spirits and feed souls.
And I must say, it’s deeply fulfilling when women frequently play back almost those exact words to me.
But I also have a burning desire to create something bigger. I guess you could call it a legacy.
I want to leave something to impact the cultural narrative of how we age.
Here’s what I mean:
When someone is feeling frustrated about success coming slowly, we remind them of the story of the “tortoise and the hare.” Or, when someone’s in a dark place, we refer to the “butterfly emerging from her cocoon.”
Well, I envision a world in which older women no longer feel diminished, worthless or invisible as we age. And are not called “hags,” “crones ”or “old bags.”
I hope to help write a new cultural story in which aging women are seen, heard and honored as the magnificent “dragonflies” that we are. >i<
Contact Info:
- Website: https://wendiknox.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendiknoxuplifter/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wendiknoxauthor
https://www.facebook.com/wendirhysknox - Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendiknox/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@wendiknox
- Other: A 5-minute distillation of my signature talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZdwqtcN1dE
Link to buy my book: https://immaginarepress.com/product/from-muck-to-magic/