Practicing Presence in the Pursuit of Dreams with Rachel Marie Kang

Episode 22 of the She is Kindred podcast is a perfect launch into this month’s theme: “The Working Woman.” Host Britt Nikel Smith chats with writer Rachel Marie Kang about pursuing dreams and how we can practice presence in the middle of them. Their conversation leans into building a life that focuses less on “what’s next” and more on “what’s now.” Can we find purpose in all that we do? And can we begin to believe that even the smallest things hold significance and purpose? Rachel believes creativity can and does thrive in the every day and encourages listeners to release the expectations of perfection and practice presence instead. 

Rachel Marie Kang is a New York native, born and raised just outside New York City. She is a graduate of Nyack College (New York) with a degree in English with Creative Writing and Bible. She is founder of The Fallow House and author of Let There Be Art: The Pleasure and Purpose of Unleashing the Creativity within You. Rachel’s writing has been featured in Christianity Today, Proverbs 31 Ministries, and (in)courage. She lives and writes in North Carolina with her husband and two children. Connect with her at rachelmariekang.com and on Instagram at @rachelmariekang.

In this episode, Britt talks with Rachel about: 

• God as the dream-giver
• Shifting dreams & the strategy it takes to pursue them
• Learning to enjoy the process of the pursuit
• Finding purpose in everything we do and create
• Practicing presence and setting realistic expectations 
• Choosing perspective over perfection

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

• Let There Be Art: The Please and Purpose of Releasing the Creativity within You by Rachel Marie Kang
• She is Kindred Podcast: Identity, Imposter Syndrome, and Imago Dei 
• "Upstream" by Mary Oliver
• Ronne Rock
• “The Irrational Season” by Madeleine L’Engle
• Rachel Marie Kang Creative Coaching

Episode Quotes:

“I think often we can disregard parts of our journey and say, ‘Well, that’s not really my big picture dream.’... And yet, those are the things that are preparing us for what’s next. Every season is preparing us for the next season in our lives.”  -Britt Nikel Smith

“Sometimes, dreams are birthed in that soil where you may have experienced a void or a wound and through doing whatever…there’s a healing there. Light shines through and hope comes.” -Rachel Marie Kang

“Our art pushes back the darkness in our lives and in this world. Every time you pick up a pen, every time you dance, every time you record a podcast episode, that has the potential to bring light and life into your life and into someone else’s.” -Rachel Marie Kang

“Create for pleasure. Create for purpose. Create because that is a way to bring help and hope into the world.” -Rachel Marie Kang

“There is worthy work to be done in every season.’” -Britt Nikel Smith

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