We were lucky to catch up with Sarahndipity Johnsen, M.Ed. recently and have shared our conversation below.

Sarahndipity, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

One of the most meaningful projects for me was producing, directing, and starring in “Enchanted Planet”. When the pandemic was first announced, I felt a deep need to support families and children in a larger way. My husband, Justin, and I created a green-screen studio in our living room and filmed the first season of a “Mister Rogers Neighborhood” feeling show. I bravely pitched it to Rocky Mountain PBS, and they kindly aired our first season. This heartfelt, educational series is still streaming through PBS.org and YouTube. This project continues to support families around the world, and I’m so grateful to the team of creatives that came together to selflessly serve the greater good. For me, it is meaningful to fulfill my purpose, inspire others, and help uplift humanity. I believe “Enchanted Planet” is doing exactly that. It’s a place where everything is possible!

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?

My mission is to uplift humanity through creative arts, education, and entertainment. I’ve always been an entertainer. I was born dancing and imagining. As an educator, I love helping people shine their bright lights and that keeps me creating opportunities for people to do just that. My love of theatre and the arts expanded early in my career as I began directing plays and performance troupes. I always create programs and content that support what I am currently working on personally. When my husband and I discovered we couldn’t have children, I began writing children’s books and started a publishing company called Serendipitous Entertainment. The “Animals Get Funky” book series grew into an album and then seeded the characters and stories in “Enchanted Planet”. I am a true believer that all of the struggles and sorrows we go through can actually lead to our best creations. I know that has been the case for me.

I live with manic depression. I use many “Tools for Emotional Well-Being”, so I write books and content to support other folks who may also need help dealing with their big feelings. It is such a powerful way for me expand, explore, and give back.

Currently, I am finishing a program called “Self-Care Revolution”. This is a passion project that has surfaced over the years. It took me healing from cancer and a car accident to finally learn all of the lesson I needed to learn. Now I can properly teach this content from a compassionate, authentic place. I am feeling a deep calling to help bring people back into their hearts and into alignment with their highest potential. Serving others helps me fully serve my heart and my purpose. As a Creative Facilitator, I love helping people empower themselves to bravely share their work in the world. I feel it is time to let go of the old stigmas and live transparently. I think it is increasingly important to remember that we are all one. We need each other.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Directly after filming the first season of “Enchanted Planet”, I went through a series of life challenges. While healing from skin cancer. a car accident, a dog attack, and several falls I had to make the hard decision to close my nonprofit, We Create Heart. This was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make. I couldn’t keep up with the demands of raising funding while healing. Prior to the hardships, I was on top of the world and sharing work and inspiration with so many people. I had a deep sorrow and depression overcome me as I played the part of the victim. It felt as though I’d lost everything that I had worked so hard to build. In fact, I avoided doing this interview for a few months because I was still in the depths of confusion about why all of this had occurred.

Then I switched my view and became very curious. I worked with my self-care tools, and knew that I needed to pivot my offerings. This is when I realized that I had already built most of the “Self-Care Revolution”, and that I really wanted to help other people find their way out of pain and struggle into a place of empowerment. I would not have had all of the compassion and understanding I have now without all of the struggles I endured to get here.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I think one of the biggest lessons that I continually have to unlearn is to heal that voice that says, “I’m not good enough. I am not of value.” These are common themes we share as people, and they are not true at all. We are all good enough. We are all of great value. Life presents us with ample opportunities to feel badly about ourselves, our looks, our worth, and our gifts. I am grateful to see through that old paradigm and hope to uplift others while continuing to support and love myself exactly as I am in this moment.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.serendipitousentertainment.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalsgetfunky/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/serendipitousentertainment
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahndipityjohnsen
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@animalsgetfunky/videos and https://youtube.com/@FollowYourDelight
• Other: https://www.animalsgetfunky.com https://www.pbs.org/show/enchanted-planet/ https://followyourdelight.com/

Image Credits
Images by: Dave Berry, Justin Johnsen, Heidi Marie, Heather Redding