Guide: Trust the Journey
Trust the Journey
A Free Guide for Artists, Creatives & Dreamers
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Welcome
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re standing at the edge of something.
A new idea.
A quiet nudge.
A dream that won’t leave you alone.
I want you to know this first: **you don’t have to have it all figured out to move forward.**
I didn’t.
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My Story (Why You Can Trust This)
In 2016, my life and business looked shiny on the outside — but it was built on years of showing up when I didn’t feel ready.
That year, I:
* Was commissioned to paint a special church painting for Willie Nelson
* Painted live at Anthropologie in Nashville and Franklin
* Had my work featured and sold in *Country Living Magazine*
* Was featured on Anthropologie’s Instagram for “making the leap”
* Painted live on stage at the Country Living Fair
* Began collaborations with Proverbs 31 Ministries and Jolie & Amy (The Junk Gypsies)
* Hosted a pop-up art show at Pottery Barn
And in the middle of all of it — I was raising my girls, teaching my daughter’s preschool class how to paint an angel, and working out of a little factory studio.
None of it happened overnight.
All of it happened because I kept saying yes — even when I was scared.
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What “Trusting the Journey” Really Means
Trusting the journey doesn’t mean:
* You’re never afraid
* You’re always confident
* You have clarity every step of the way
It *does* mean:
* You take the next right step, even when it’s small
* You stay faithful in the quiet seasons
* You don’t compare your beginning to someone else’s middle
**Progress loves consistency more than perfection.**
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5 Truths I’ve Learned Along the Way
1. You don’t need permission
If God placed the idea on your heart, that’s enough.
2. Small beginnings are not failures
Every big business, calling, or creative life starts somewhere humble.
3. Balance isn’t about perfection
Some seasons you’ll crush it at work.
Other seasons, motherhood or family comes first.
Both matter.
4. Community matters
Collaboration will take you places isolation never will.
5. Faithfulness compounds
What feels invisible today becomes the foundation tomorrow.
"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but the seeds you plant" by Robert Louis Stevenson
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A Simple Exercise (Do This Today)
Take a moment and answer these honestly:
1. What idea keeps coming back to you?
2. What’s one small step you could take this week? What tiny seeds could you plant?
3. What fear is holding you back — and what would courage look like instead?
Write it down.
Clarity follows action.
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If You’re in a Waiting Season
Waiting doesn’t mean wasted.
It means you’re being prepared.
Some of the most important work happens before anyone is watching.
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You don’t have to know the full path.
You just have to trust the next step.
Your journey is yours.
And it’s worth trusting.
With love,
**Deann**
