Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Amanda Duncan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Amanda, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

This is a hefty topic for me. I feel like I’ve been taking risks my whole life, but particularly, the last few years have seen lots of risky changes. As a creative, spontaneous person with an incurable genetic disease (cystic fibrosis), it’s been hard for me to find the balance between the life I think I should be living and the life I have to live to stay alive.

I am 47 years old, a mature age for a CF patient. I have three children and five grandchildren. I had my children rather young, and had spent my adult life, up until 2019, devoted to raising my children. I homeschooled and was a “crunchy” mom in an effort to spend as much time as possible with them as I felt my life was very temporary. I never expected to get old, and honestly, didn’t have any dreams for myself. The only thing I had that felt purely mine was my artistic creativity that I used to help me cope with chronic disease.

As medical advancements have made life more sustainable for CF patients, and as my children became adults, I began to envision my own dream and a desire to have an identity outside of being a mother and wife. In 2019, I journeyed back to my love of writing and got a job outside the home as a newspaper reporter, and separated from my then husband.

Then, in 2020, came COVID, a particularly scary time for CF patients who already have lung complications. I was let go from my position at the newspaper, entered another relationship, and began my own digital news agency. This ambitious idea demanded a ton of time, effort, and personal growth. Unfortunately, it burnt me out quickly and left me financially struggling.

I began 2022 with a new job at an attorneys office as an administrative assistant, where I quickly advanced and took over the entire family law case load. When starting that job, I made a commitment to myself that I would only stay one year, long enough to get my youngest graduated and find time to foster my love of creativity again.

January 3, 2023, was the defining day that changed everything.

I walked into the attorney’s office and quit my very stressful job that was so dramatically effecting my health. I called my parents and my children to inform them that I was putting everything I wanted to keep into storage, cashing out some investments, buying a van, and traveling. Did I know how I was going to do this? Hell no! But I knew that I could not, would not, continuing living the way I was – spinning my wheels in place.

My youngest had graduated high school, was in college and working. I moved two of his best friends into the apartment we had, leaving all the living essentials they would need. I sold whatever I didn’t want, and put the personal things I wanted to keep into storage. I found a 1978 Ford van online in Oregon, flew there, and drove it back across the country to Texas.

I managed to get hired by a few clients that needed help with their social media platforms, earning enough to cover my limited expenses, and immerse myself in art and community.

Since then, even with my health challenges, I have mostly been living a life I couldn’t have even dreamed of. I travel, I paint, I love, I laugh, and I enjoy everyday to the very best of my ability. To have this life, I had to take a big risk, not knowing if I would actually be able to sustain myself or not. Some people thought I was crazy. Some people thought it was genius. I think it was the best decision I ever made!

Amanda, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I found creativity as a way of coping with chronic disease, and the anxiety and depression that stems from that. Creativity has been my lifeline. As an artist, I enjoy seeing the joy that my work brings. I paint with happy, bright colors, hoping to bring the light and love I experience during times of creativity to everyone who views my work online, in galleries or in their homes. I paint with watercolor, acrylic, and mixed media on many different surfaces to include canvas, home porches, fences, cabinet doors, notebooks, clothing, and even on bodies. Can’t anything and everything be painted?!

The other pillars of my brand is to inspire creativity among others and build community, two things that I believe are vitally important to the health and well-being of everyone. Artistic avenues, whether in music, visual art, writing, cooking, etc., give us a glimpse into the soul of another. When you’re real and vulnerable, offering that opening of yourself up for others, the most amazing communities can be built. We’re not meant to do life alone; community is the vehicle that drives us to a fulfilled life, in my opinion.

I also started Amanda Leigh Media as an umbrella business to promote not only my own art, but to help other creatives and small businesses promote on social media. I realized that there just aren’t enough hours in the day sometimes, and not everyone has the time to navigate the ever changing scene of social media.

Along the way, I have taught myself how to manage social media platforms, content creation, graphics, ad management, marketing and more! I want to succeed and help others succeed as well! My success is their success, and their success is mine. After all, isn’t that a part of true community.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Get comfortable with seeing yourself on social media. Don’t be critical of how your hair looks, your makeup looks, your clothing looks, or the way your voice sounds. No one is looking for perfection, but they are craving connection. If you can be real and vulnerable, if you can let down your guard, and truly connect with your audience, you’re winning.
I built my audience by being myself…my messy, funny, goofy, sometimes sick, sometimes scared, sometimes sad, self. Find your authentic voice, share your processes, share your stories, share your creativity. There are people out there that can’t wait to get to know you.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I would love for society to understand that every aspect of life is touched by creativity, and creatives deserve to be celebrated in the same way that athletes and other professionals are. Rather than turning to mass produced, commercialized items of nothingness, bring the energy of artists that you relate to into your home and life. Share the work of creative people and encourage them. Attend art and/or music events in your communities, and interact with those putting their energy into the world to make it an enlightened place.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.AmandaLeigh.Media
• Instagram: AmandaLeigh323
• Facebook: https://Www.facebook.com/amanda.duncan.1485

Image Credits

All pictures are by me.