Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone with Linda Cajuste & Kimberley Chan

Hilary Adams: 0:31

Hello, thanks for joining us here on the Story and Horse Podcast. I'm Hilary Adams, founder of Story and Horse. Story and Horse is all about empowering creative people to live a life they love and hear on the podcast. We enjoy stories from creative lives. Today. I am delighted to welcome Linda Cajuste used and Kim Chan. They are the co founders of My Creative Break. They are both improvisers and writers. And they are joining us today from Montreal, Canada. Welcome, Linda and Kim.

Linda Cajuste: 1:03

Thank you for having us excited.

Hilary Adams: 1:05

So, um, can you to introduce yourself? Tell us a little bit about who you are and what you're up to.

Linda Cajuste: 1:10

Sure I can go- I'm Linda. I'm a writer. I'm also an improviser. I've been doing improv for now. I think almost eight years. So time flies, I think it's like, yeah, eight years now. And intrapreneur, so co founder of my creative break. And yeah, I do also many other things. You know, I've done like, accounting as part of my past as well. Well, it's part it's part of my in my current will see life counting. But I love anything that has to do with storytelling. I've been since I was a child, I was like, always telling stories, and always writing little stories. And it came to a point that I was like, I have to start sharing. And then just so yeah, I just love stories, so that I would describe myself like a storyteller as well.

Hilary Adams: 2:01

And, and Kim, tell us a little bit about you.

Kim Chan: 2:04

Yes, so I am the co founder of My Creative Break. And I have always loved doing everything creative. Like I grew up, always like dancing and painting and doing theater. And yes, I was always doing something. And I have a background actually, in writing, I worked for many years in corporate writing, doing advertising and marketing, for like, different in different companies like here, where I am in Montreal, Canada, and I'm also a really big traveler. A couple of years ago, I kind of decided that something was missing in my life. And I wanted to explore what what that was. So I decided that I would take some time off and do some traveling. And I did that on and off for about two years. And during my travels, I you know, spend some time visiting different countries living into other cities and exploring my creativity. And I was able to do a lot of things that I had lost touch with over the past couple of years, like, you know, creative things, and I did a lot of things that I never even thought that I would do. So, yes. And after all that, you know, I call myself a freelance creative. I keep pushing myself to do creative things. And yeah, do everything from writing to marketing to voiceovers. And I really love motivating people to get in touch with their creative side.

Hilary Adams: 3:44

And how did you two meet?

Linda Cajuste: 3:47

Yes, that's a great question. Actually. Improv. So improv was what is coming back is what you'll hear about it often. But yeah, we to improv class. So I believe, like, almost also they have the beginning of the eight years or so or eight or nine years ago, right?

Kim Chan: 4:04

Yeah, about eight years ago, and I just wanted to try something new and creative. So I decided to try an improv class. And I guess when they decided the same thing, and we kind of just met there,

Linda Cajuste: 4:16

yes, yes. Same thing here.

Hilary Adams: 4:20

And how did you come up with, with My Creative Break, with your company? Tell us a little bit about that company.

Linda Cajuste: 4:25

Yes. Um, so um, for me, how I started is just like, so I, I come from a corporate background. So during I was working a lot, and there were, there was a time that I that I wanted to take a break, and I was very grateful on my job, we can actually take a sabbatical year. So I was like, Oh, I think like, I I want to explore that. But I feel it's time and so I took a I think it was like, Yeah, almost six years ago, I took a sabbatical year. And during that sabbatical year, I decided to really explore my creative side, like things that I feel like I had repressed in terms of like, okay, my writing my storytelling, I had started improv already. So I wanted to explore more of that. And actually, I was, um, I went to Europe, so I went to Paris for a year and so and I explored that side so tried everything, you know, from the standard classes to writing and cafes and and trying to go I'm shooting my first short film. So really trying a lot of stuff. And I felt really energized by it like energized in a way that was not the same, you know, coming from the in the corporate world. So I was like, Oh, I love like that feeling. And I'd love to have that kind of balance of like, this energy that I kept having. So, um, when I came back to Montreal after that year, I was grateful that I had my job back. So I went to my corporate job back, and, but I was still myself, how do I keep, I'd love to kind of have that time. Like, even creatively, even if it's on the weekends to continue to add, like that energy, like, energize that, to my creativity. And, um, I spoke with Kim and Kim was kind of on the same wavelength as me, and we're just like, how do we kind of like, continue to, like, connect to a creative side make time for to, to create and do things that we're passionate about? And that's where like, we kind of brainstorm. And it was like, Oh, we're going to start a community. And, you know, where we're, we're, we're, we're, we're gonna motivate people to connect to their creativity. And that's how My Creative Break was born. So, yeah.

Hilary Adams: 6:45

And if people want to find My Creative Break, is that what's the website?

Kim Chan: 6:50

They can, they can find us at mycreativebreak.com And we're also on every social media, and it's really easy to find us. My Creative Break on everything, My Creative Break.

Hilary Adams: 7:04

Okay, so, um, do you have a story or stories you'd like to share that have to do with creativity? With us, either one of you,

Linda Cajuste: 7:10

um, for me, I would say, like, like I said, I'll share how I started doing improv. Because improv King kind of came into the conversation a lot. And it's a big part of my life as well. And actually, part of reconnecting to my creative creativity. So a few years ago, so maybe eight or nine years ago, I, you know, again, I was working, and I really wanted, I was wanted to tell stories, I always had that, you know, wanted to, to produce something or write something, but I wrote mostly for, for myself, never really sharing with people. But um, I told myself, like, I'd love to get to that point to, you know, finding like my tribe, like my creative tribe, I was never part, I guess, like, people who around me are more like, corporate people. So and I'll do like not to say that they're not creative, but just to say, like, everybody's creative, but I'm just saying, like, in terms of like, writing and, and producing, it was not like, um, I was not in, let's see the environment for for that, so I was like, Okay, I need to find my tribe. So, you know, I decided I was like, okay, what can I do? Because I am really shy. So that's the thing too, I'm really shy. But I want I'd love to kind of produce stuff. I'd love to share my stories of people. So how do I get like to that point of just like, not being shy and kind of, like, connect with people? So I look, I looked at a, you know, the internet is, let's say, oh, it's cooling. And I saw Oh, an improv class, Mike. Okay, um, it's only four classes at the time. It's just like, in show class for classes. And I'm like, okay, you know, if I don't like it, I'm going to try it. And it seems very intimidating. I was like, I don't know anyone. No one's going to go with me. Like, I don't have friends to go to. It's me by myself. And I'm like, okay, you know what, I'm going to push myself. I'm going to try if, like, if like the first class is a disaster, I'll just like console everything. And that's it, you know? So I went to that class. I really I you know, as I got like, a there like an improv class. I was like, What am I doing here? What what, what am I getting into, like, my heart, like was speeding and my palms are sweating, because I'm really shy person. Like, even you see, like, people's like, you shot? Yes, I am shy. I'm just like, I but improv got me to that point now that I can do that podcast with you. But. But, um, yeah, so I was like, wow, I don't know. Like, am I really doing this? And I'm in a class, it was so welcoming, like it was. And you know, it's like, okay, let's just be kind of like, silly together, just like no judgment. We're trying stuff. And, you know, there were like, a bunch of adults like doing blink games that we used to do, like, where we're children, you know, it's like, that's really cool, actually. And you have like, no one's judging and just like doing stuff and just like, okay, like everybody literally, let's go around and just like, you know, pump yourself up and everything is like wow, okay, that's like That's great. And they were so motivating and really welcoming. And I'm like, Okay, I'm gonna stick around and, you know, for classes turn to another cost another class. And then I find kind of like my friends, my people and I was able to produce stuff. And really, yeah, so it had a really great impact in my life. And I always say, like, you know, you need to step out of your comfort zone, because it took me really like my whole, like, you know, just a lot of courage to just like, Okay, I'm signing up to this class, I don't have any friends coming with me. I don't know what I'm getting myself into. What I'm going to like play, like on the teether, or whatever, people that I don't know, oh, my God. But I decided to take that first step, like, out of my comfort zone. And, and really from there, you know, step by step, doing things that trying new things, and really putting myself like, in uncomfortable like situation to me. But the rewards that I got from it was just like, so. Yeah, there's no price on it. So I would say, yeah, that's my takeaway is just like, you know, sometimes just take that first step, like out of your comfort zone, especially when you have something like me, I'm like, I want to share my stories with people. I always had that, but I'm so scared. I'm so you know? So take that first step. And then, you know, yeah, so that's, that's my story.

Hilary Adams: 11:58

Oh, thank you. Kim, do you have a story you wish to share?

Kim Chan: 12:04

Yeah. I'm thinking back, you know, when I started my travel journey, I kind of realized that creativity, it can mean like picking, picking a bad situation and turning it into something good, like making making the best out of your situations, right? When I first decided that I wanted to travel, I wanted to be really prepared. So I said, the first city that I'm going to go to, I'm going to, I'm going to be prepared, I'm going to find a job. So that just so that I can have some security, right. And before I left, I decided that I wanted to go to Spain, and said, I am going to go to Spain for a few months. And I am going to look for a job there and everything is going to be okay. And fast forward to when I get to Spain. Nobody told me that the job that I ended up getting would be in this really remote village, in which is really difficult to get around. And really difficult to communicate because they kind of had their own slang, and really difficult to even travel outside of that village. Because like the buses were very limited, there was no train, there were only two taxis in this little village. So I come there, and I'm not prepared for any of this. And, you know, I would just like, you know, I came here to, you know, live my life and explore and this was when I get. So at that point, I kind of had come to kind of make decisions. And eventually, I decided to leave that job and go and do what I came to do, which was like, explore and meet people. But I had no clue how to do that. I wasn't prepared, I did not prepare for that, because I prepared to get out there and work that job. And that's it. So at that point, I have to be really creative, right? I have to be like, Okay, what can I do to make the best of the situation? You know, I imagined like I left and I went to the biggest city and I had no place to stay. I had no job. I didn't know anybody. And there was kind of like this language barrier. Like I speak Spanish, but not well enough to tell everybody like what kind of situation I'm in. So I everything, everything had to be done very creatively. So I kind of use in all the skills I had to find a job to promote myself even though I didn't speak their language and ended up getting a job teaching English but having no idea how to teach English because I've never done that before. So everything I did have to have to be really creative. So I were I don't know, I would use stories. I would use games I would use improv, you know, to kind of break that communication barrier. And try to have like, something that the people could relate to then this Oh, who this girl from Canada, right? So yeah, good creativity, like not only kind of saved me, but it ended up health helping a lot of people there. So I'm very grateful. for that,

Hilary Adams: 15:30

and Kim, would you say for people like a takeaway for people? What would it be from your story, some from your, from this glorious improvisational creativity journey that you went on?

Kim Chan: 15:42

Yeah, I guess, I guess, you know, what we try to teach, like in our in our workshops, and like everybody who we come across as, like, creativity doesn't necessarily have to mean being artistic. You know, it can, it can be like, you know, just taking risks, doing something new getting out of your comfort zone, and, you know, just trying to adapt to different situations. You know, that's what that's what we mean by creativity. And that's what we try to teach people. People say, you know, I'm not creative, because I can't draw, I can't paint, but will it No, you know, you're, you're a very creative person, like, you may not be good at drawing, but you're probably good at many other things.

Hilary Adams: 16:26

And that's a great segue, to talk a little bit more about what you offer for, with your company My Creative Break. But first, I was gonna say, Kim, thank you for your story, also, for sharing that. I'm so glad you went on your travels, and came back with new perspectives. And right now applying that to your company. So what you're talking about workshops, so what in My Creative Break? What type of services do you offer?

Unknown: 16:53

Yes, so with My Creative Break we offer so we offer workshops, to individuals and also corporations. So for individuals, we have like accountability programs, really to kind of, like motivate people to take time to connect to their creativity to the creative side. And also, we do have workshops, also, just like, you know, stepping out of your comfort zone, and just like, trying the new stuff, really sparking your creativity. So there's that too. And we also have offers for a corporation that helps to motivate teams team building. And really, sometimes we know how sometimes the morale in teams, especially like nowadays, like, during the pandemic, working some of us remotely, and how important it is to kind of like have the sense of connection. And sometimes do like, you know, just like creative stuff. So in general having like, you know, we could have a session like with like, some improv some, you know, anything like that could be collage. And we have like, a lot of stuff that we're doing, but you kind of discover your your colleagues in a new light, and you discover they're, you know, they have Oh, perhaps like a secret ability that you didn't know about. And it favors like the team building and just like getting to know your coal colleagues in a new light. So we love to kind of motivate people in that sense. We do also offer like coaching for people who feel like, like the need more motivation, in terms of finding their creativity, or getting out of the comfort stepping out of their comfort zone. So yeah, that's, that's what we offer.

Hilary Adams: 18:35

And so if people are listening, you'll be able to find how to reach them in the in the show notes down there. So mycreativebreak.com, And are there additional links where you'd like to send people for yourselves or any other projects that you're working?

Unknown: 18:49

They can follow us on social media just get latest, sometimes we do workshops, and then we'll promote them on there. So yeah, yeah, or Instagram. We have like motivation, like quotes we have like, so you can check our shop My Creative Break. So we're all on My Creative Break. And for like corporations who want to follow us as well, like on our LinkedIn, LinkedIn, at My Creative Break, as well.

Hilary Adams: 19:14

Wonderful. Well, thank you both for joining me here. I really appreciate it. And for everyone who's listening, if you'd like to connect to Story and Horse go to storyandhorse.com or@storyandhorse on any of the social media. Really appreciate you listening and look forward to you joining us again for the next episode. And Kim and Linda, thank you again for being with me here today.