Klee Getting Back Out There on Stage At CEC

Last weekend, Klee and I had the honor of being part of the Creative Entrepreneur Conference, where we hosted not one, not two, but four workshops! We covered everything from pricing art, marketing, festival set-ups, to photographing art. It was our second year being invited to speak to a room full of amazing creative humans, it was a blast. On the surface, it might look like we’re seasoned speakers, perfectly comfortable standing in front of a crowd, dropping knowledge bombs with the ease of rock stars on a world tour. But… it’s not that simple.

Believe it or not, Klee and I are actually extremely shy. I know, I know, we do livestreams, run a YouTube channel with hundreds of videos, have done countless art shows, and spoken at multiple events, interacting with hundreds of people over the years. You’d think we’d have it down by now. But the truth is, we don’t put ourselves out there because we’re fearless marketing machines. We do it because we are constantly challenging our fears. The only way to really overcome fear is to face it head-on by doing the very things you’re afraid of doing. So, every time we step in front of a crowd or a camera, it’s not just an event—it’s an act of rebellion against our own anxieties.

This year, however, was a little more challenging. Klee is still recovering and getting treatment for her illness, and if you know anything about UC, you know it is not fun. It can really throw a wrench into your plans, your day, your everything. Stress doesn’t help matters either. It’s been months since we’ve been to a social event. In fact, since December of last year, we’ve been total hermits—recovery, healing, and navigating symptoms became our world.

But last week, we decided it was time to shake off the cobwebs of isolation and venture out. We went to an Artist Mixer at Clifford’s and ran into some beautiful familiar faces. We knew that breaking the safety of our induced hermit mode was going to be a challenge—especially when stress and emotions can cause symptoms to flare up. We managed to stay for an hour, and it was awesome to reconnect, even though some of Klee’s symptoms flared up after. So, when we looked ahead to a six-hour-long event as our second outing, it was anxiety-inducing, to say the least.

But Klee, being the total badass she is, decided to face it head-on. She started focusing on what she appreciated about the experience instead of what could go wrong. She thought about meeting creative humans, having an adventure with me, and feeling proud of stepping outside her comfort zone. Instead of dreading it, she began to look forward to it. I do the same thing. Honestly, it’s way too easy to dread upcoming things, especially if they fall outside your comfort zone. Your brain is going to run scenarios in your head anyway, so why not choose your own adventure instead of letting old, stressful programming take the wheel?

When the event came, it was incredible. Some of our amazing rogue community were there, and it was so good to see familiar faces. One of our awesome Rogues even drove across the state to be there and gifted us with some absolutely stunning art. We also got to see old friends, meet new amazing creatives, and the event organizers, as always, were phenomenal. Best of all, Klee’s symptoms didn’t even make an appearance. I call that a win!

We are slowly getting back out there, little by little, but we’re doing it our way. We’re navigating Klee’s healing with patience and self-compassion. It’s great to have challenges and overcome them, but it’s also important not to bite off more than you’re ready for. It may take a few months—or more—to fully get back out there, but the journey matters more than the timeline. It’s about enjoying the ride, facing the challenges, and feeling damn good about what we do.

We’re hoping to be back at the Creative Entrepreneur Conference next year, stronger than ever. Until then, we’ll keep choosing our own adventure, one brave step at a time.

Here’s to overcoming, growing, and doing it all our way—because that’s the only way that matters.