Meet Addie Thibodeaux | Freelance Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Addie Thibodeaux and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Addie, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Balance is a fun topic! There’s no simple answer since it’s a lifestyle. Balance is about knowing yourself. Every single person’s definition of “balance” is different. What do you want out of life? What do you value? Why do you value it? How is it connected to your self-worth or peace of mind? These are great questions to start finding out why you value something and if it’s holding you back or needs to be re-evaluated. Is it a value that you were raised with so you believe it because you feel obliged, or does it actually line up with making you feel free and good about yourself?

For example, some people need more connection than others. If you find you need more connection with family, friends, etc. then it’s good to be honest with yourself and adjust your working hours if possible. Inversely, do you find you need a more private life, but you’re keeping people nearby for obligation or to “keep the peace”? Maybe you feel like this is slowing you down, and you don’t need to connect with people every weekend.

Doing things for others out of obligation or people pleasing is the fastest way to resentment and the fastest way to lose balance in our lives. When we resent people, we create anger, stress, and expectations that should not have been there in the first place. It happens when we betray ourselves, our own boundaries and desires. It holds our creativity and productivity back. We need to feel freedom in order to move forward.

Our definition of balance over the years will change as we grow and as our lifestyle changes. It’s natural and inevitable. Never shame yourself for finding out your goals are not what they once were and you find yourself either craving connection or needing a more private life. I want to learn something about life everyday. I don’t want to be scared to change just because I have to “start over again.” We always have to start over again. This doesn’t go away. Don’t let that confine you or your life choices. Change is hard, but we were built for it.

For me, balance is focused around where I feel the most fulfilled and when my needs are met. I read once that we should only give from a place of excess and overflow, never from depletion. I also try to catch my fatigue or stress in the earliest stages and plan accordingly. I work long hours, so I might skip a gym workout even if I really wanted to go because I can already see I’m falling into a pattern of grumpiness in the morning or I’m waking up after a full night’s sleep still exhausted. I might notice I haven’t had the time to draw for myself, so I need to trade one activity for another.

It’s hard. There will always be sacrifices of time or activities, but these don’t have to be forever. Don’t be afraid to ask family or friends if you need help during the times when you might not be able to step away from your business or project. Maybe it’s making a meal or driving over to you when you can’t go there.

What about balance in projects? What if I have two conflicting desires? Two projects I really want to do, but I don’t have the time to accomplish both. I still struggle with this, and the only answer I’ve found from others and from my own experience is that you just have to choose. That’s it. There’s no wrong choice. Don’t get caught up in that – just live.
You can only learn about yourself when you take action on a choice.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I love drawing animals and fantasy creatures. Bringing a sense of natural wonder, storytelling, and whimsical freshness is my goal. I still have a long way to go! Though I’ve never expected my art journey to also bring me through the fires of my self-esteem journey. Ever since college, I’ve always wanted to be the “art block” person, someone who would crack the code and help people get past the hesitation to create. I knew that even though we all struggle with creative block, it was probably just a few layers of different factors. There is just too much out there in the world to be bored or uninspired!

My personal journey has shown me that my creative block often comes from not being in touch with myself or the world around me. I found that the more I discovered and met my personal needs, the more free and inspired I felt. This is a lifelong journey and all part of the process.

I realize this skill set of meeting needs comes more naturally to some people than others. Along with identifying and meeting my needs, I’ve learned to also identify core beliefs I have about myself. Anytime we are struggling, it’s good to try to find the source belief about ourselves that everything else is built upon. We may find we’ve been limiting ourselves because “things have always been this way”, …okay and? They don’t have to be.

Realizing my mentality and creativity is my responsibility has given me a sense of heckin’ strong self-empowerment. We can’t control everything, but we do have power over more than we think. If I’m stuck, I often find it’s because I don’t want to make a decision about something. It might mean a very big life change, and then I have to look into myself and ask if I believe I can do it. I found sometimes I didn’t believe that I could (when I always had the capability), and that was the cause of the issue. Take baby steps, though! You don’t have to bulldoze through this process, any movement forward, any new realization about yourself is progress. Baby steps are great.

Lastly, I want to mention validation. We all need validation, no shame in this. Though we need to have the ability to self-validate more than relying on external factors or people. This is the core of self-esteem. What are we motivated by?

James Thurber, a cartoonist, has a great quote to answer that: “All men should strive to learn before they die, what they are running from, and to, and why.”

Validation is heavily tied in identity. Who we think we are and who we want to be. It’s why it’s called SELF-esteem. We have to be able to manage it ourselves and not take every outside occurrence as a definition of ourselves or a hit to our ego. When you work on your self-esteem, peace of mind comes around a lot more often. Peace means safety. It’s important that we feel safe with ourselves, and trust our own decisions. Self-trust is vital to a happy life 🙂

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Here in New Orleans, it completely depends on the time of year. There tends to be a new celebration or festival every other week. I’m still getting to know the area, but city park is lovely, there seems to be an unlimited number of restaurants to visit, and live music everywhere. I like taking friends to places I enjoy like the Sante Fe – a Spanish style restaurant, sitting under the patio in the breeze at French Truck Coffee, and going to the Lakefront to look at the water. The city seems to dress up for each holiday, decked out to the nines, so it’s fun to look at front yard decor for Mardi Gras, Halloween, and Christmas. There is a great used bookstore: Blue Cypress Books (they have a really witty instagram page!) I’m currently learning to branch out. I absolutely love new experiences, and I want to discover much more. There will always be something new to do here!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My closest friends have been there for me more than I can put into words. We’ve watched each other grow and helped each other understand ourselves better. They’ve been there for me through some really hard and confusing times in my life without judgement or pushiness. Even though most of us have different lifestyles, we show up for each other when it really matters. Having warm and curious friends who love learning is such a necessity to social heath. You feel accepted at your worst, and you find your actions are aligned with the person you’ve always wanted to be, that’s how you know you’re safe.

Website: https://addieelisabeth.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/addie.elisabeth/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AddieElisabethT

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArtofAddieElisabeth

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBvRMv41uAKRONEAqpAyHiQ

Other: Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/addieelisabeth