Have you ever had a feeling you were meant to do something else with your life? Something more? Something bigger? Well, I have, but it took me 3 years to figure out exactly what that calling was, and only a short plane ride from Denver to Philadelphia to nail down how I was supposed to do it. Go figure.

As most of you know, I am an interior designer for my own company Liz Walton Home. A few years ago, business was going well, and life seemed pretty good. I was sitting in our nursery-turned-office one evening when a strange feeling came over me. It was late spring, the kids were finally asleep, the house was quiet, and I was finishing up a few things for work. None of this was out of the ordinary. I had the window cracked open, and a gentle breeze floated through the screen. I paused to take a deep breath. All of a sudden a strong feeling came over me. My stomach turned, like when you’re at the top of a roller coaster about to go down, and you wonder why you got on the ride in the first place. I had the sense I was supposed to do more with my life. More with my career. And that was it. As quickly as it came, it was gone. Poof!

To be honest, I didn’t pay much attention to it. I had enough going on; kids, work, family, volunteering, and I wasn’t about to go looking for trouble. Or stress. Or whatever the hell it was. No thank you. I was good.

A few months went by, and it was mid-July. It was one of those rare summer weekends where everything seems to fall into place. Good beach weather, delicious food, everyone was getting along; it was Camelot. After dinner one evening, we wandered into our favorite bookstore, and there, on the front shelf, I saw a bright green cover of a book titled “You are a Badass at Making Money” by Jen Sincero. I had no idea what the book was actually about, but I liked the color, and the fact that it had a curse word in the title intrigued me. So I bought it. And guess what? That book changed my life. It totally and completely changed my life. That’s a powerful statement. How many things can you say have CHANGED YOUR LIFE?! My guess is not many. I devoured the book, took notes, did every assignment in the book, and then read it again. And again. I started reading more of these books because the information inside of them made so much sense to me. Where had I been all these years?! And thus began my journey into self-discovery. One book with a bright green cover changed my life.

Yet, I still had a problem. I could not understand what that little voice inside of me was saying. I was learning a lot and loving every minute of it. I started meditating and having thought-provoking conversations with inspirational people, but I could not figure out what else I was supposed to be doing with my life. The feeling was getting stronger, and I was getting frustrated. It was kind of like, the more you look for something, the harder it is to find. I started to lose faith in myself and began questioning my search for greater purpose.

Fast forward a couple of years to this past February. We were leaving for our annual ski trip out west, and I was hell bent and determined to get to the bottom of this mystery feeling, intuition, whatever you want to call it. I brought along and read more books about inspiration and mindfulness. Nothing. I listened to podcasts. Nothing. I thought for sure in the quiet and still of the majestic Rocky Mountains I would have an epiphany! But no. I would sit on the chair lift with my eyes closed waiting and listening for the answer; it never came. The end of our trip approached, and while we had an incredible family vacation, I was disappointed in myself that I couldn’t, in a time of complete rest and relaxation, solve what was now becoming a problem. What I made into a problem.

I decided to throw in the towel. I gave up and gave it to God. I was done. If I couldn’t figure it out over 3 years of soul searching, then it was time to move on. I was sitting on the plane next to Scarlett coloring, with a podcast in my ears about who-knows-what, when it hit me like a ton of bricks. EUREKA! Finally! I sat straight up, eyes opened brightly, and began writing down what came to me so I would not and could not forget. Although to be honest, there was no way I would ever forget this because it had been there all along, right in front of me.

My calling is to equip and empower up-and-coming interior designers with the knowledge and skills I have harnessed and mastered over the course of my career. As I write this, my fingers cannot type fast enough – this is how excited I am about this calling!

The ironic part of this is, as we were flying home from Colorado, the pandemic loomed; however, none of us knew to what extent. This time of quarantine has given me and my team the unique opportunity to create a resource for the interior design community.

We are proud to announce the launch of my first course “The Interior Design Blueprint.” Birthed out of my passion for interior design and my desire to serve others with the same passion, it is designed to help new interior designers have the skills, tools, and resources to navigate this new economic environment with confidence. I want them to master their mindset and earn financial independence. It is my goal to add value to the lives of those brave enough to embark on a new career path despite what is happening in the world around us. Wooooweeee! 

No one can predict the future, but as someone who just experienced a period of personal exploration and discovery, I can tell you: brighter days are on the horizon. The answers are not always clear or immediate, but if we exercise patience and love and learn to accept grace, you too will find what has been calling you. My point in all of this is to follow your dreams. Follow that little, nagging voice deep inside your soul and pursue your passion. You never know where it will lead or to whom it will lead you to meet. Not knowing is far worse than never trying.

As for me, I am preparing to teach my first NKBA-accredited course on May 30th, the first of what I hope to be many more. If you love interior design, sign-up; we’d love to have you! Or if you know someone looking to boost their designer skills, share this post with them! In the meantime, we will continue serving our interior clients with the highest level of design, quality, and customer service.

I leave you with this:

“Only a life lived in the service of others is worth living.” Albert Einstein.