Monica Mendes is an artist and a mother of three adult children who lives in Miami, Florida. Monica has been an instrumental figure in my personal growth. Though we are years apart in age, we have faced very similar obstacles throughout our lives. I have always looked to Monica for guidance and encouragement, and I have been inspired by her tenacity. Monica has shown me what it looks like to step into your personal knowing in order to fulfill your dreams. While following her husband around the globe and raising their three children, Monica was unable to develop her own sense of identity. It wasn’t until her late 50s that Monica endeavored to pursue a Fine Art program at the Academy of Art in San Francisco. Three years later, she opened her own art studio. What started out as an adventure in self-discovery, ended up in her having exhibitions in Japan, France, Italy, Brazil, the UK, and the US. Monica shows women everywhere that it’s never too late to reinvent yourself. In this episode, we speak about: How and when Monica discovered her passion for art How motherhood and having a dynamic spouse did not allow her the space to be self-reflective Monica’s life changing decision to move away from her family to pursue a career in art How she’d been trying to fill the void (of love) in her life and the wake-up call that made her start practicing self-love What it is like to be an artist and the challenges she faces in a male dominated field How she creates awareness through the content she presents Her Out of The Box Project Using art to connect during the pandemic Monica’s journey has brought me so much hope. She has encouraged me to relentlessly do the inner work and invest in myself and my passions. Favorite quote: “Let the world be the one to say no to you; don’t be the one to say no to yourself.” Monica Mendes Connect with Monica: Instagram: @monicamendesartista Website: www.monicamendesart.com Connect with Nikki: Instagram: @NikkiSappSpo / @TheKnowWithNikkiSpo Website: www.nikkispo.com --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nikki-spo/support

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