We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Brooke Rawls. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Brooke below.

Brooke, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I never considered a creative career path growing up. I loved creative things, and interior design and home decor was my favorite but I was absolutely CON-VINCED that you had a “career” and then creative “hobbies” and that you couldn’t make a career from your creative endevors. That is unless you had your own TV show. ( Don’t ask me why but that is what I believed!)

After changing my mind a couple of times which direction to go, I graduated from college with a bachelors in Interior Design and I went straight into working a professional job working for a commercial design firm straight out of college. But then less than 6 months later, I already felt unfullfilled and like there was more for me.

I began searching for a (responsible) way out. I started a virtual interior design service and blog on the side ( poorly I might add haha) in the hopes of venturing off on my own a few years down the line. But thank goodness that God had other plans!

Four years and 2 jobs later, I was still working full time for what on paper seemed like THE DREAM JOB. I loved my co-workers and I was grateful to be there, but on the inside I was miserable, I had panic attacks almost daily and was barely making it through each day. But I had zero intention of quiting until I had built the blog large enough to replace my income. So when I suddenly got let go from that job, as scared and sad as I was, I couldn’t help but feel sooooo much relief. And I knew that was my chance to get serious about my blog and to finally go all in.

From that moment on, I never considered going back and working full time for someone else. I knew that I was meant to pursue my own creative path and it’s not always easy ( especially for a serial rule follower) to go against the grain and do something that not everyone understands but I know it’s exactly where I’m supossed to be!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m a professional interior designer turned blogger and YouTuber. Over the past few years I have grown and developed my home and lifestyle blog , Simply B. Living while working as a professional interior designer. And this past year I branched out and began creating for the blog and also creating YouTube videos for Simply B. Living full time.

My blog and YouTube channel is all about accessible, everyday home design and holistic homemaking. I share design tips and inspiration that I learned from my professional experience but in a way that is accessible no matter how tight your time or budget. I’m also on a personal health and wellness journey and I love to share the incredible things I wish I had been taught sooner in the hopes that someone else can benefit from it. For me it’s all about intentionally designing ( see what I did there ;) ) a life that I love, both on the inside and the out.

I think what sets me apart from other home blogs and channels is that I have the professional design background and knowledge but I show up and share my experience as an average homeowner, not as an expert telling you the right and wrong way to design YOUR home. I share realistic home decor and DIY’s. I share sooooooo much thrifting and ways to used thrifted finds to make your home look high end. I share budget friendly tips ( because home decor can get expensive!) and I’m not afraid to show up as I am whether thats put together or a complete mess in sweats.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I had to unlearn is that there is no “right path” and that it’s okay if a certain path doesn’t work out. You get to try again, you get to explore different jobs. That we are 100% free to, and also will HAVE to design our own lives at some point.

Growing up, you are taught to go to school, here’s your schedule, get the grades, go to college, get the degree, get the job that pays the bills…… and then what? I remember sitting in my first office job, thinking I had made it, I got the degree I got the job, I was doing everything “right”. But for the first time in my life there was no clear next step expected of me and I felt totally unfulfilled and lost. And then I felt guilty and ungrateful for feeling that way!

It took a LOT of self reflection and realizing beliefs about myself that I had, and also lots of exploring different hobbies and different avenues before I was able to find my next step and I am so glad that I realized it so early on and not 20 years down the road still sitting miseralble in the same office job.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is the freedom. Getting to decide how you are spending your precious time each day and not giving it all away to someone else. And also the pride and the satisfaction that comes when you can look back on something that you dreamed up, created and made happen with your own two hands.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://simplybliving.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brookerawls/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebmailclub/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJcBoKIqm4GSuAFXDUQZ8AQ
• Other: Join my Free B.Mail Email Club! https://view.flodesk.com/pages/62471c08a1688a461f031095