We recently connected with Heather Southerland and have shared our conversation below.

Heather, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Often the greatest growth and the biggest wins come right after a defeat. Other times the failure serves as a lesson that’s helpful later in your journey. We’d appreciate if you could open up about a time you’ve failed.

This succeeding story of Rite Events is almost entirely about failure. Ironically, this story will post nearly a year to the date after the first, which was a lovely ode to my small business’s beginnings. Rite Events experienced six months of an upward climb before I had to halt all further progress. After such a successful start and seeing my dream begin to unfold, nothing made me feel as contemptible as I did when I suddenly had to dismiss new clients. Many changes were happening in my personal life, and while it may sound like an excuse, finding the time to run my business was difficult as 2022 ended. Finally, I chose to take a break to determine the future of Rite Events as I went into 2023.

While on hiatus, I did a complete overhaul of my business and myself, asking hard questions that I had not stopped to ask yet. What was holding me back? There were parts of my business that I had come to dislike, so I eliminated those parts and adjusted my business model. I planned to focus solely on creative writing and metaphysics. But was I afraid to go all in on my business itself? I had caught a glimpse of success, and that intimidated me. For someone like me who was uncomfortable taking risks, the fear of losing something I had poured my heart and soul into was paralyzing.

Presently, I contemplate failure often. From a philosophical sense, failing means a chance for a new start, but that requires resilience and resources. After repeated failures, I am left wondering what in the world I can still fail at, and how many new starts I will need to make before the contemptible feeling resides for good.

Heather, 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?

In 2018, I earned my Bachelor’s in Metaphysical Science (B.Msc.), and along with that came my ordination status as a metaphysical minister through my educational institution, the University of Sedona. Since UofS offers theological studies, students can hold minister titles. I wanted to hold a minister title to perform ceremonies for my community upon request, eliminating the need for someone to go to a formal religious body if that made them uncomfortable.

Thus in 2022, I founded my business, Rite Events. I began offering non-denominational services to my community, and quickly the most popular request was wedding ceremonies. I performed almost twenty ceremonies in my inaugural year (I am due to perform seven more by the end of 2023). Though I do not plan to take any more new clients, Rite Events will still be a resource for ceremony services. I have an affordable wedding script download available for purchase (available on Etsy shop) so that couples and officiants alike may use it. In the future, I will expand my resource offerings to cover a broader range, focusing on officiants and couples, as well as mindfulness.

The core of Rite Events was always creative writing. I have loved to think and write from a young age, and I want to continue to foster that love within myself and others. There are many plans for the future of Rite Events, including a bookstore and/or library extension, participating in conservation projects, metaphysical course offerings, creative writing workshops, and more.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Originally, Rite Events came to fruition for two reasons; to offer a service to my community and to serve as a creative outlet for me. Now that I am in the process of redoing my business model, I face the realization that I have almost unlimited possibilities with its potential. Because I want Rite Events to have longevity, I carefully monitor social and economic trends before making decisions. I hope Rite Events can continue to be a positive and thought-provoking fixture for years to come.

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

As a writer, as I feel it is for most artists, creating work that embodies my emotions is equally cathartic and scary. Once my work is out in the world, I feel a sense of relief, like a heavy burden I’m carrying finally laid to rest. That feeling alone is rewarding, but a surprise comes when I can connect with others that read my works. They may comment on how my words changed them by making them feel not so alone. I write to release what I think and feel, and that effect inspires others to think and feel. This is simply the cycle of writing continuing its path.    

Contact Info:

• Website: write-events.square.site
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherw.rites/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heathersoutherland16
• Etsy: https://riteeventsshop.etsy.com/
• Portfolio: https://clearvoice.com/cv/HeatherSoutherland

Image Credits
Kina C.Photography, The Crafty Witch Photography