We were lucky to catch up with Arielle Howell recently and have shared our conversation below.
Arielle, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
Ahh… risks. Is not literally choosing to take on life everyday a risk? To wake up and set goals and to hope? What is hope without the risk of disappointment? Love without the risk of rejection? And a life of art without risk of…. Everything?
Truly its a question of what matters most to you and is it worth that risk?
The process of being inspired, to making it tangible on paper, to actually pursuing the dream of seeing life from our decided place of victory is much like planning a trip through the mountains. Inspired to travel… writing down the itinerary on paper for daily progress and goals… and then stepping out to do it. Pressing through challenges of physical, mental, and emotional breakdowns, taking in the beauty around us, learning to pace ourselves, all to summit that mountain and see the world from above the clouds. We have to face fears, get gritty, cultivate resilience and diligence… aggravated, exhausted, yet exhilarated…
Anyways, with that picture in mind i’ll get more specific. The biggest risk i’ve taken in my life thus far is choosing to do what I believe I have been created to do and letting go of everything else that has taken me away from that path. This risk has had many stages, and last year when I made the choice to leave my full time job of “predictable paychecks and guaranteed work” I finally took that leap of faith in full… all or nothing.
My journey up unto this point has been very interesting to say the least. Initially (back in my college days) I had the life motto of “music medicine missions” as I attempted to juggle my pre-med Biological Sciences degree, music journey, and heart for mission work. There was absolutely nothing wrong with that dream… it just needed some clarity, discernment, and refinement to be shaped into what was truly my own. After graduating with my Bachelor’s back in 2018 I planned on taking a gap year to recover from so many years of work… and to have some space to actually think about this “what am i doing with my life” thing. During that time… I felt lead to step into the first stage of this “risk journey” and re envision my life.
Why is dreaming risky? Well, what’s scary here is coming to terms with the truth within me… and potentially discovering that the path I had been on and invested years of time and loads of money (student debt is evil) into wasn’t actually going to lead me to the “life most fulfilling.” So… a bit nervous, I sat down in solitude and wrote down on a piece of paper what that life would look like and I did so without consideration of what others would think, or what i thought would be right… cause really its a piece of paper so “whats the risk?”
And yah… lets just say nothing on that said anything about medical school.
To sit down, dive into my imagination, and write down on a piece of paper, as a dreaming child, what the most fulfilling life would be is scarier than some may think. If taken seriously, it’s a way to see into your own heart and the truth of what your desires are.
In 2019, not too long after that moment, I went on my first medical mission to Peru as an EMT (other mission work had been music based and random volunteer work) and while on that trip, I had a pivotal moment of finally deciding that truly what I desired was to see people healed… but it didn’t have to be done in this way… my music and artistry can and will do the same thing. So, to make the years between 2019 and 2021 short, I left the medical field and started teaching, covid hit and I lost my job, I fell apart and rediscovered who I actually was as an artist while on lockdown, and when the world opened up again I continued in teaching with a plan to eventually do music solely.
I spent 2021-2022 substitute teaching, eventually aiding full time at an elementary school while instructing a weekly biology lab course at my alma mater, and all the same trying to use the later half of my days creating. It was a nice try, but it wasn’t working for me. Pretty on paper… dreadful by experience. I was exhausted… and after a full year of being full time with those kiddos (love em… but definitely took all of me) I realized it was time for the next step. So… I decided in spring of 2022 to take this risk factor to a higher level and I left the full time job at the elementary school, and took on 3 labs as a contracted lab instructor for the Biological Sciences department of the university and said “lets do this music thing.”
Doing so has revealed so much to me about myself and my passions. They have become so much more refined and the direction of my life so much clearer. This past summer was interesting… trusting that even financially things would work out… and they have. I’ve watched doors close and opportunities fall into my lap, the reignition of passions in other art mediums, provisions come through right on time, and most importantly, the formation of a community of like minded artists who are also taking that leap (or have taken) to pursue their hearts’ passions. It hasn’t been easy… but my God… there is nothing more fulfilling than knowing you are pursuing a true life as opposed to settling for comfort.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
A while back, I interviewed on another platform and was asked why I pursued a career in music. I responded: “To be completely honest, (and probably somewhat cheesy) art and creativity chased me down… or to put it differently… made sure to give me a looming sense of dissatisfaction with my life if I wasn’t creating. Creativity pours out of me whether I like it or not. I can’t help myself from painting, writing, singing, “making”… and when my hands don’t have access to the resources, my mind takes over with visions and daydreams of ways to see the world, ways to describe what I see, and things that have yet to be seen, heard, and/or felt.”
A Lot of time has passed since I have made that statement. While it still rings true, I have gotten to discover why I actually enjoy doing what I do.
Its storytelling… that is one of the deepest roots of my passion for creativity. I love to hear stories, to tell stories, to watch peoples stories unfold in real time, and to experience/ walk out my own. Yes. I am a multifaceted artist, musician, actress, writer, performer… name it. But at the end of the day, I no longer solely define myself as an expressionist, but a storyteller.
My “main thing” or medium is music. I do believe that it is the foundation of my creative self and will forever be a part of what I do and what inspires me because it is the doorway that gave me access to everything else. I am a singer songwriter and producer and have had the honor to produce and release music of my own, and collaborate with other creatives on their projects.
What am I most proud of?
At this point, anytime I actually sit down to “put my hands to the plow” I’m stoked. I take pride in my choice to just go for it. This applies to ANY project, big or small… for an audience of thousands or the audience of one. Some things come easier than others, and most things are easier said than done, but at the end of the day, whether reveling in a completed project, or the fact that I wrote down one more note or word; success literally looks like showing up and trying to my greatest ability and being willing to learn, hold on, and let go.
Sometimes I leave with nothing to show for the work i’ve put in… which can be hard… but I ALWAYS leave a session with the gem of internal growth. It truly takes grit to “do the do” and when I look back and see how far i’ve come, how much i’ve grown, how many hopeless teary eyed nights I pressed through, how many lies i’ve chosen to cast down, and how many fears i’ve taken head on…. Dude… I’m proud. No one can take that from me. Songs get lost and canvases lose their sheen and radiance, but that deeper stuff… the ugly personal beautifully vulnerable stuff… that’s what life’s about. My work here in this lifetime serves a greater purpose than just nice melodies and pretty words or pictures.
And that seamlessly leads to my answer to the question of what I want people to know not only about my work but through my work.
“Slow down. Have fun. Discover a new perspective… and take hold of the invitation to approach your life differently. Be free.”
I want people to know that my greatest works and successes (as well as their own) come from a space of freedom and solidity in the identity of who we are as opposed to what we think the world thinks is “it.”
Furthermore… I want them (you.. Reader… Yes, you!) to know that it’s done with them in mind. I don’t write to please anyone, but I do know that its not all about me. I am an artist for a reason far greater and way beyond myself. We all have been created with passions and dreams that are not meant to be kept hidden. While there are many things, of course, that arent to be shared (e.g. My solo hikes, my moments of doting over wildflowers, songs and poems for my heart alone) there are others that aren’t meant to be kept in secret. There are things within us all that can come from us alone that the world is waiting for. There are songs that people are in need of feeling, stories they are in need of hearing, visulas that their hearts crave for inspiration, and a plethora of things that will aid in their ability to understand and articulate what it is they are actually feeling.
I am a living testament of a life changed by stories in film and “heart songs” that follow me for seasons. There are things that others have created that inspire me, remind me of who I am, help me feel what I need to feel, renew my hope, help me articulate the ugly stuff, or are a means to escape when my mind actually needs a healthy break from life’s chaos and ugliness. And yo… I have the ability to do that! Like WHAT?! The responsibility to do that…. To impact someone in the exact way that I have been impacted. Why would I keep that to myself?!
So yah…. With my value solidified within me… and in full confidence of my identity and the creativity that flows from my spirit…. All that I do… its about the people.
That’s what I want the people to know.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
AGH! This one was SO EASY to think of! Not gonna lie… interviews can be kind of hard lol… I just passionately word barf.. But when im the one who has to make sense of it on paper its a doozy
Anyways
This was easy… and if you havent gotten to know this about me up unto this point now you know….
The most rewarding aspect of my field of work is THE PEOPLE that I get to work with!
There are so many beautiful crews and individuals that I get to meet and get to know. When I interact with others while working in my element there is honestly nothing like it. Its MAGICAL for lack of better terms lol. (here comes another list) The comradery, teamwork and effort, frustrations, resolutions (hopefully), the progress and end results… all of it.
THE PROCESS.
There are a few specific examples that have come to mind.
The first was back in march. Simple yet sweet… Im starting a yearly thing of putting together a concert for my birthday. It was a display of my friends, for my friends, and with my friends. I got to play with my dad and loved ones that I not only admire, but am so honored to play music beside (they are SO TALENTED). I also got to sit among the crowd and watch as people that I love shared their artistry and were received and rewarded with uproars and accolades from a crowd of present, appreciative, intentional listeners.
The second project is a single “Wildflowers” that I will soon be releasing with a young and talented artist named Wyatt Tietz. I had the honor and privilege of being entrusted by him to help complete his song, perform, and produce it. Getting to sit by him and hear his heart and vision and to help bring that to life was such a sweet and fulfilling process. Sitting in the studio for hours, stoked phone conversations as he articulated his heart, and the excitement of it being better than he imagined. Yah… “nothin like it.”
Lastly, a student short film that we wrapped up a little over a month ago. I was casted as the lead protagonist and got to access my passions for acting again. Getting to bring the fullness of myself to this character and to the set and to see the pleasure on the young director’s face was so sweet. Receiving her vision, getting to sit with the other actress and bring it to life… down to the day of shooting and wrapping up. The inside jokes, stress of time, long days, and short breaks… There’s something so special about it WITH people on a one track mindset of bringing this idea to life, and bringing to life WELL.
Yes, there is something so valuable about solitude for me. The secret place of inspiration where I hash out my ideas undisturbed and alone. Where I recharge in silence. But, something remarkable happens when others are welcomed into that vulnerable space of creativity. And it is exhilarating to get on the same track and bring it to life on set, on stage, or post production. I have been blessed to have had awesome teams where things have gone pretty smoothly and unfortunately have heard about or experienced first hand unhealthy dynamics that could make someone up and quit their career. But the risk is worth it I think…
I love it (even if I may hesitate to say so on a bad day).
Its not the same without people.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
I had to unlearn and redefine what success actually is to me. In the hustle bustle of American/California lifestyle of achievements, degrees, materials, paperwork, and awards that tell you whether you “did the thing” or not… its so easy to get caught up in the idea that success looks only one way, and if you don’t “look that way” you aren’t successful. To be more specific…. The typical societal understanding of success is something that I call “stacking.” It’s this idea that one thing must lead to the next thing and the higher you build upon that one thing the more successful you are.
Example: Go to school, get a degree, intern for that industry, make some more money, get a job in that field, go from associate to manager, manager to whatever comes next… maybe start your own business in that field… and retire on that same road and yay you’re successful. (Disclaimer: there’s nothing wrong with the example given… its just wrong to think it should be this way for everyone.)
With this idea of “one track mind” or “one dimensional callings” also comes the ideology that if you become interested in or chose to do something else… “you don’t know how to finish anything,” you’ve failed to go anywhere, or you are starting all over again with your life and need to “restack” to rebuild your value…. Which is just simply not true.
Earlier this year, I sat down over tea with a woman who I had met during a seminar for the adjunct instructors at the university that I am contracted through. She specifically works in the film department. During our meetings, she stood out to me because of the diversity of her interests and the soundness she had within herself. I just HAD to hear about her life and journey and what it looked like mentally, emotionally, and in action to have so many interests and to “get somewhere in life.”
She is a creative, beautiful woman of many talents. She found herself far up in the film industry in a position that many would say was having “made it.” After some time there, she felt a shift within herself, and she no longer found her job to be fulfilling her anymore. A new desire had awakened in her that would require a change of direction in her life. She has received awards for major projects, worked side by side with world renowned individuals and had many other encounters and opportunities that were glorious and not even connected to one another… but just because she switched her focus doesn’t mean that she “left everything for nothing.”
She proceeded to tell me that every experience was for its time. She was provided for, she grew, she created, and she was walking in a place of fullness. That’s literally what living life is. Iif she can look back on those moments that don’t seem related to each and can see the fruits that they have produced in her life… She is successful.
Now, off hollywood, she is a mother of a beautiful family, and interacting with students in an amazing film program. She didn’t leave a life of success for something lesser, but simply in listening to the call within herself, found that it was time to be successful elsewhere.
I used to be haunted by the statement “jack of all trades master of none” due to not only my multiple interests but the things that I am capable of and capable of doing well.
Dance, poetry, music, singing, writing, painting, sketching, crafting, acting, modeling…. The desire to direct… the desire to perform… the desire to have a family… the desire to travel… the desire to have a home…. The thought of having to choose FROZE me because “Make a choice” sounded like picking one path and abandoning the possibility of the others forever. My heart was horrified.
What I have come to learn is that choosing to pursue a specific gifting/passion of mine doesn’t mean the rejection of the other parts of me. To clarify, this is NOT the same as jumping around and never committing to anything. To be “gone with the wind” riding the waves of fickle feelings as a creative, lost soul. It’s different. It’s being willing to commit and to commit in freedom knowing that there will be a time and place where maybe I won’t be producing in a studio. Maybe I will be traveling the world inspired by the stories of peoples and then I’ll return and be able to tell it in film. Its fully committing to my chosen craft here and now and getting to do so in the joy of knowing that I have not lost those other parts of me.
That woman spent years and got so far in her career and felt the grace to leave to start her family and move into education… it wasn’t a life crisis… It was a new season.
To many it may have seemed foolish… but for her it was freedom and joy and a new adventure where nothing has been lost.
Relearning and redefining success has been PIVOTAL for me. I am no longer stunted, frozen, and crippled by the fear of choice and commitment. I now choose to live in the freedom of following my passions and to stick to it without the nightmare of a wrong choice and a point of no return. I get to embrace the hard times and get gritty when I need to press through because I KNOW what I want and with wisdom and discernment ill know when its actually time to take on a new adventure and be fulfilled in a new way.
This perspective has unlocked a new side of me that I would have never known… and gives me eyes to see and truly live in the here and now and to taste and see all that is good… letting tomorrow be its own day… and years following to hold their own treasures and journeys that I will just focus on when I get ther
Contact Info:
- Website: ariellehowell.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ariellehowellmusic/
- Facebook: facebook.com/ariellehowellmusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqy0273GwPhUyBSVMddLoiQ
Image Credits
Jacob Bridgman, Hannah Shephard, Kris Perry, Aitana Baumgarter, Natalie Robert, Micah A. O’Brien, Arielle Howell & Wesley Scott