This is a story about my illness and my healing. I talk about living in a psych ward. I talk about having one of the rarest illnesses in the world. I talk about being afraid to speak because I am afraid of judgment. 

There's a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in. That crack is also how the light gets out. When I let suffering silence me, cut me off from people and the world, that is where the darkness comes. Pain can crush us, or it can give us a voice, connecting and healing us in ways we never imagined. Pain is something we all share. It is my greatest teacher. I hope that hearing about mine will help you understand yours. 

This episode is a (long) story about what I do for work. I talk about starting my own business straight out of college, making money, finding and communicating with clients, and what being a freelance artist actually feels like. If you have questions that I didn't answer, please send them to @madelinellong on Instagram! 

PRACTICE: 

Each episode ends with one of these. This is not the learn about Maddie Long show. This is the find out who YOU are show. This week, I'm encouraging you to get out a piece of paper and write down what lights you up. For me, that is talking to people, asking them questions, getting to know them, and highlighting who they are. Practice part 2 - show your work! That is how I built a career from creating things that came from the truest part of me. Happy discovering. 

This is an episode about you. 

text version: 

https://owlcation.com/social-sciences/quick-personality-test

my dad: 

https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17956526194083173/

This is a story about breathing, moving, and being alive instead of being better.

I'm driving to Pennsylvania to pick up a one-pound puppy, and I wanted to tell you something.