Are you stressed? Do you often forget to count your blessings? This week’s blog post is an interview with Kaye Pryor. She is the founder of the company, MORE BLESSED THAN STRESSED, a program where people share stories and raise funds for charity (such as The Children’s Miracle Network). After reading the interview, you must visit the MORE BLESSED THAN STRESSED website and view some of their cool tee-shirts and mugs.
The Balanced Writer: Where did you first come up with the slogan, MORE BLESSED THAN STRESSED?
Kaye Pryor: The slogan, "More Blessed Than Stressed," made its first appearance in a conversation I was having with my husband about how fortunate we were to have our family, our home, and all the many blessings in our lives. We had just seen the news about the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and couldn't imagine the struggles that so many people were experiencing. We knew we were "More Blessed Than Stressed," and wanted to reach out to help others.
TBW: What made you decide to take it to the web?
KP: Taking this company to the web allowed me to reach people in all walks of life in many parts of the country, and that covers more ground than having a storefront in one town. I also like the ability to work from home, plus it allows more flexibility with my time.
TBW: What kind of responses have you received from people?
KP: Most people's first response is "I like that!" Lots of different people seem to relate and apply the words to their own life. I've also heard some say, "That's my new motto." It's as if they get strength and comfort from just seeing the words in print.
TBW: What kind of experiences have you had to overcome in your life that made you realize you were blessed?
KP: The toughest experience I've had to overcome in my own life was a near fatal accident and a year long recovery. Thanks to the constant care from my husband, parents, and a team of medical staff, I had a complete recovery and I am even more grateful for the miracle of life than I ever thought possible. The "big picture" is something that guides me everyday and I appreciate being able to enjoy the little things.
TBW: How can writers, authors, or other artists incorporate this mantra into their lives?
KP: One of the biggest stumbling blocks for creativity is the idea that a list of chores has to be taken care of before allowing time to be creative. The pressure of getting other things done causes too much stress. I think writers and others artists need to feel blessed and confident enough in their abilities to honor their own talent, and make a choice not to sabotage space for their creativity to flow. We all face individual challenges and have to fight some guilt, but our creative abilities deserve time of their own! We are blessed to have the talent and we can prevent stress by making time for ourselves to express it in a unique way.
TBW: Beautiful answer. What are your future plans for MORE BLESSED THAN STRESSED?
KP: MORE BLESSED THAN STRESSED continues to expand its product line. In addition to tee shirts, tote bags, and coffee mugs, we have added our own blend of custom roasted coffee. We will add new colors and offer new products as we grow the company. We've had interest from a few retail markets and we also continue to partner with fundraising events that will allow us to give back to the community.
TBW: How can people find out more about spreading the message and purchase some products?
KP: To learn more about our products and purchase from our online store, please visit our website at: www.moreblessedthanstressed.com
TBW: Thanks, Kaye! You’ve got a great thing going!
9 comments:
I enjoyed your interview, Kaye. And I like the idea of not cheating the creative process by putting everything else first. Very good point. Now if I can just do that and not feel guilty! I wish you much success with your ongoing business ventures!
Mother
Kaye, I enjoyed reading your interview. And I like what you said about not cheating the creative part of you life. I'm going to try to remember and do that. Now if I can only learn not to feel guilty about it!
Love,
Mother
Kaye, I enjoyed reading your interview and I like what you said about not cheating your creative talent. I'm going to try to do that. Now if I can only learn not to feel guilty about it! Wishing you continued success in all you do. Much love,
Mother
Hi Danielle,
I'm a fellow Awe-struck writer and saw your notice about this blog on our loop.
I very much agree with what your guest said. Many of us have much to be thankful for, and we often forget that. And secondly, I love what she said about honoring our talents and creativity, and making time and room for them. I'm often guilty of waiting to write until all my other chores are done. But I'm working on making my creativity a priority in my life.
Jana Richards
Hi Danielle,
I am a fellow Awe-Struck author and I saw your notice about this blog on our loop.
I very much agree with what your guest said. Many of us have much to be thankful for and we tend to forget that. I also love what she said about honoring our talents and creativity and making time and room for them. I'm often guilty of putting off my writing until my other chores are done. But I'm working on making writing a priority in my life.
Jana Richards
Hi Danielle,
I'm a fellow Awe-Struck author and I saw your notice about this blog on our loop.
I very much agree with what your guest said. Many of us have much to be thankful for and we often forget that. And I love what she said about honoring our creativity and talents by making room and time for them. I'm often guilty of putting off writing until other chores are done, but I'm working at making writing a priority in my life.
Jana Richards
Kaye, I like what you said re writers have to be confident enough to HONOR their own talent. You are right; each God-given talent should be used to the max. During KY's recent ice storm, I had to stay in a shelter for one night and I just couldn't wait to get my impressions of that terrible night down on paper. I almost felt it my DUTY to write it out. Keep up your good work!
Vada Johnson
Kaye--count me as one who loves your slogan--"More Blessed Than Stressed." What a lovely idea, and you've hit on something that affects all of us. One of my friends wears a t-shirt often with the slogan--"Life is Good." Sometimes, we who are blessed, forget there are others out there who are not. Good luck with your message--Celia (Oh, P.S.--the first responder here, the lovely lady named Linda, aka, Mother? She's one of my dearest on-line friends.She has been a source of wisdom and encouragement to me--I'm a novice and she has so much to share.)
Kaye, it's a super blog article. I wish you and yours all the best with your creative enterprise. It's a beautiful slogan: More Blesed than Stressed.
Thank you!
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