Follow Your Bliss

There are many people who have contributed to the development of the amazing company and movement that Frank Gjata started when he founded Conscious Ink.  Over the past year and a half, Suzanne Campbell has been a very important part of the Conscious Ink team and has filled Conscious Ink orders with the characteristic joy and love that she brings into all of her endeavors.  While we are very sad to see her go, we are very proud to announce that Suzanne is following her bliss of giving others the gift of meditation by opening "Sitting Lily Meditation Instruction" Sitting Lily, a meditation instruction studio in Playa del Rey, CA.  This week’s post is a letter from Suzanne sharing how Conscious Ink came into her life and the ways that the messages of our temporary tattoos will be with her always.

Dear Conscious Inkers,
      My name is Suzanne, and if you have ordered tattoos in the last year and a half, you most likely received a hand written note from me.  Each order I have filled with Conscious Ink tattoos, I have also filled with a lot of love.  It has been a joy for me to see the sweet notes you have written and pictures you have shared.  My career path is taking me in a new direction now, and while I will always be a supporter of the Conscious Ink message, I will no longer be filling your orders each week.  Before I go, I wanted to tell you a bit of my journey and show you how a tattoo, Follow Your Bliss, changed my life. 
    I began meditating a few years ago and, the more I practiced, the more I realized what a simple yet amazing gift it was.  I felt myself drawn to the teacher’s path, and I found that working a full time job with an erratic schedule was holding me back from studying and deepening my meditation practice.  I decided to quit my job so that I could meditate more.
    Yes, you heard me right.  For the first few weeks of unemployment, I was embarrassed to even say that out loud.  When I met new people I would pretend I was still at my old job—in other words, lie, just to avoid the long explanation, which really wasn’t that long. 
    Even though I had savings, I spent the first two weeks stressfully looking for part time work that was flexible, before deciding that this was not the mindset that would find a peaceful job.  I realized that I needed to let go.
    As I prepared to go on my friend, and Conscious Ink Ambassador, Jen Pastiloff’s yoga retreat, I was very excited to unplug and leave my job hunt behind.  I spent the weekend coming back to center and remembering why I quit work in the first place—to take some time and allow myself to make a shift.  It was on this retreat that I met Frank Gjata, the owner of Conscious Ink.  Frank had given a wonderful talk and brought Conscious Ink tattoos for all of us to wear.  Frank and I chatted throughout the weekend and on the last day of the retreat, he asked what I do.  I told him that I had quit my job to meditate more and that he was the first person that I had told this to.  I told him that I had lied to every other acquaintance in the last month, just to avoid an awkward conversation.  Saying it out loud, I felt silly.  I realized that I had just not wanted to admit that my “plan” was so unclear. 
     Frank asked if I had received one of the tattoos from the weekend and I had not yet.  He went inside and came out with a tattoo that said Follow Your Bliss.  After putting it on my arm, I was excited to see where it would lead me.  Five minutes later Frank asked if I wanted to work for him part time as one of his employees had just moved.  The amazing thing is that I had not mentioned to him that I was looking for work, but I looked down at the Follow Your Bliss tattoo on my arm and immediately said, “yes”! 
     This moment taught me that being true to myself meant also being honest in life.  It is ok not to know where you are headed all the time.  Some of the best detours in life are unknown roads to beautiful places.  When I tried to picture what work would best complement my journey of studying and teaching meditation, it involved being a part of a company that was very mindful of its message.  While working with Conscious Ink, I could answer the question, “What do you do?” with the following response: “I mail Peace and Love around the world, literally.”
    My time spent working around tattoos bearing messages of “Listen”, “To Thine Own Self Be True”, “Believe”, “I Am Powerful”, “Let Go”, (the list goes on…) have been constant sources of support and encouragement.
    Thank you to the Conscious Ink team for being so amazing, fun to work with, and providing me with encouragement on my journey. Lots of love to you, Inkers, and Follow Your Bliss, wherever it leads. 
     --Suzanne Campbell
If you would like to be reminded to Let Go, Believe, and Follow Your Bliss, check out our beautiful temporary tattoos that were created to provide you with support, encouragement, and inkspiration wherever your path may take you!  They are waiting for you in The Conscious Ink Store.