Jared White

I started out 2019 feeling really proud of what I’d been able to accomplish personally and professionally in 2018. Not only that, but my overarching theme heading into this new year was simply to continue doing what I had already been doing. Stay the course, as it were. (This is a highly unusual situation for me!)

Admittedly, that plan worked for the first couple of months or so. I genuinely thought nothing major was in the works and I could just stay heads down working on new vlog episodes, podcast episodes, and writing (along with my day job as a web designer/developer).

But then…

…a series of unexpected circumstances arose and everything got blown wide open. Weeks later, the dust is settling enough that I can pause to reflect on where I am and what comes next. I realize this article would probably be better if I told you all the juicy intimate details of what’s been going on. Hopefully I’ll have much more to say later on. But for now, let’s just focus on what has changed for me and the new opportunities those changes entail.

Logistical Changes

So this is a big stretch for me, and I’m still alternating between giddiness and totally freaking out, but here we go: I now have a private office and art studio in the Pearl District of Portland, Oregon! I’ve just finished making the move in a basic sense, and now comes the fun but time-consuming (and financially challenging) task of building out the studio and making it really sing (wink).

I’m incredibly excited about what’s possible now that I have the space to set up a real “set” for shooting professional YouTube videos about art and technology. In particular, the prospect of being to press a button on my camera and record a new video without any significant setup time (because the stage has already been set) is super thrilling.

Same goes for podcasting. Previously, since I was working out of a tiny home office, I had to schedule my recording times around the presence (or rather, the absence) of family members. Additionally the office window literally overlooked the neighborhood playground, so if I had a moment to record an episode in the afternoon, the noise level from enthusiastic kids at play would prove prohibitive. Now I’m in a space which is quiet and predictable—hugely beneficial for multimedia content creation.

Long story short, I’m incredibly grateful and excited to be here. This isn’t the first time I’ve ever had a private office or studio of some kind, but it’s by far the best space I’ve had in my career—and it’s located smack dab in the middle of an amazing city (Portland) for lovers of creativity and natural beauty.

Obviously, once I get everything a bit more situated here, I’ll post photos and videos of the space and reveal additional plans for new content. In the meantime, I’m planning to work on my podcast publishing schedule so it’s more consistant than it’s been the past few weeks, but it’ll still be a bit sporadic as I focus on the studio buildout and prioritize a healthy cash flow going forward.

Mental Changes

There’s more to the story however than just a new studio. I’m also seeing a therapist. Well, it’s sort of a combination of therapy, life coaching, and spiritual advising. Now I’ve never been one to shy away from seeing a counselor in the past, but it was usually in the context of dealing with some kind of immediate life stage change (such as pre-martial counseling) or a particular relational crisis. This time around—while initially triggered by an attempt to avert a crisis—the context is different: I’m getting help with improving myself. It feels strange but very rewarding to be on a journey with somebody I trust, talking about the things which have been holding me back and the negative patterns I’ve found myself repeating over and over again. Entering into a zone where it’s possible to gain perspective and envision a more hopeful future. I’ve written before about my struggle with depression back in 2014-2015, and while I wouldn’t say it’s something I’ve been acutely struggling with lately, I had become very fearful that I would slide back into the abyss due to the immediate challenges which arose this year.

I can’t speak highly enough about the benefits of seeing a good therapist. I’ve come to accept the fact that I have a family history of depression and mental health issues. Whereas in the past I arrogantly thought I could brush off such concerns and just push through, I now realize I’m only as healthy as my ability to recognize the warning signs and begin appropriate pursuit of self-care and wise counsel.

Onwards and Upwards

So between the inward introspection and contemplation I’ve been and will continue to be engaged in over the next few months, and the outward work to build out a kickass video & podcasting studio, I’ll have plenty to keep me busy! It may not seem like much is happening to you, as the audience of this website, podcast, or vlog. But rest assured, good things are happening and many fabulous developments are in store.

Got ideas about future topics you’d like me to write or record about? Send me a message and let’s chat!

(Article photo by me, at Washington Park in Portland)