We caught up with the brilliant and insightful K. LaFleur-Anders a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

K., thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I’ve always been in love with words. From journals to crossword puzzles to dictionaries, I’ve been a word nerd my whole life. And although I’ve always wanted to be a professional writer, it just wasn’t as possible 20-30 years ago as it is now. Thankfully, through the birth and evolution of the internet and technology, creatives have been given various outlets to express their art, and writing is mine to express.

I can’t remember when I didn’t want to write professionally. However, the desire to become a full-time writer grew as I grew. Life is a teacher, and its lessons help us discover and explore our deepest desires. As I continued to mature, grow, and heal in my personal life, my desire to become a wellness writer evolved as well. My life experiences were the content I needed to inspire and encourage other women to give themselves grace as they grow. I was learning to do the same.

I went through tough transitions where everything seemed to be changing around me. It was a weird time because Covid and its effect on everyday life were happening simultaneously. I took advantage of quarantine and started practicing the vulnerability and courage it would take to share my feelings and the details of my healing journey through writing. I became certified as a Wellness Coach, and I was also writing for a local blog. The more I wrote, the more the desire grew to reclaim the vision I always had for myself.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I have two businesses. Through LaFleur Anders & Co., I teach women in business to embrace holistic creativity and purposeful productivity. So, what does that mean? I help them tap into their creativity by exploring various dimensions of wellness. Writing is a great way to release and explore. It can shift your perspective and create exciting opportunities to help you improve productivity, boost creativity, and invest in your well-being simultaneously. I use a writing-for-wellness approach that helps my clients improve written communication- personally and in their businesses. In addition, I facilitate connections as they network with like-minded women who share the same desire to grow in all areas of their lives. Because of their relationships, powerful projects are created, and others can feel their inspiring impact.

These women are encouraged to give their message a collective or individual voice. Their connections may lead to published work, and that’s where Chestnut Publishing House comes into play. Through Chestnut, we provide consultation to non-fiction and fiction authors interested in establishing their author businesses through self-publishing. We give them the tools they need to establish authority, credibility, and visibility in their area of expertise.

I also have a blog and podcast – Reset with K. – where I highlight the importance of prioritizing well-being over well-doing. The blog is open to guest writers who are all women in business and understands the importance of balance. Running a business can be tough, but it’s even more difficult when you’re not taking care of yourself. In the podcast, which relaunches in January, I will interview women on various wellness topics that also translate into the well-being of their business. Whether through what you read or hear, you should be encouraged to focus more on your BEing and watch the beauty of it unfold in what you DO.

I am most proud of the experience my clients receive when they work with me. I’m very committed to the process. I want them to bring who they are to the table on day one, and we then create a project plan based on that. I assure them that it’s okay to color outside of the lines on purpose. It’s okay to set a new standard and give others a new perspective based on your vision. The ultimate goal is to leave the process more creatively well than you were before you started working with me. That’s the goal.

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

My mission is to encourage women to give themselves permission to dive head-first into their creativity. I think many of us are afraid to explore what we want because we are either afraid of what others might say or of simply doing something different. If you’re passionate about it, incorporate it into your life.

Even if you aren’t ready to pursue it full-time, it’s important to carve out time for it. If it gives you energy, makes you smile, gives you ideas, or brings you joy, do it! However, I don’t always encourage women to create businesses or side hustles from their creative passion. Not everything we love should be transactional. Some things are to be kept sacred – just for us. How you choose to honor your inner creative and express yourself is totally dependent on who you are and what you need. Creativity is super connected to your well-being so share it or not as you wish.

Writing is only one form of creativity, but it’s one that I’ve fallen in love with. I am constantly creating spaces for women to write expressively or to heal. But I am also creating spaces for women considering the authorpreneur path if they are interested in the transactional option. It is a mission of mine to support local women authors in the Greater Austin area, and I am creating a community to do just that. In collaboration with various businesses and organizations that support women’s dreams, the community we are building is powerful, heart-centered, purpose-driven, and impactful.

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

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is I get to do it my way. Creatives create, right? So, there are no feelings of guilt connected to doing something different or new. There are no feelings of self-judgment because I don’t fit into a box. I create boxes and set boundaries based on my vision and what I feel others can benefit from.

Creatives often create what they need, and we discover that others need it too. As a Creative Wellness Coach, my heart propels me to create what people need to invest in their well-being because, most likely, it’s what I need as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.klafleuranders.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/klafanders
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/klafanders
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/k-lafleur-anders/
• Other: www.chestnutbooks.com – Chestnut Publishing House, LLC www.resetwithk.com – Blog and podcast

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