25 Dream Chasers Who’ve Inspired Me

My 25th birthday is on December 13th, 2018! Yippee! I am so thankful to be alive. I am thankful for all I’ve experienced and learned in these 25 years. I honestly owe much of who I am today to those who have inspired, encouraged, and taught me throughout my life, so I want to honor some of them today. 

1. Kent Sanders

Professor Sanders was one of the very first people (other than my mother lol) to encourage me in my writing. Who knows if this blog would even exist today if it wasn’t for him and his belief in me! I took a class on Writing for Publication with him and learned so much that I’ve been able to apply. Even though I’ve graduated, he still so kindly continues to encourage me, share wisdom, and pass on helpful resources. I am so incredibly grateful for all he’s done for me and taught me.

He not only encouraged me in my own dreams, but inspired me by example in how he’s been pursuing his own dreams. His mission is to help you “unlock your creative potential.” He’s a blogger (check out his website here), a published author (including this book, The Artist’s Suitcase: 26 Essentials for the Creative Journey, which I’ve read and highly recommend!), and a podcaster (check out his podcast, Born to Create)!

2. Heather Born Elkins

I’ve been tracking with Heather for several years now and she is seriously one of the most empowering and inspiring ladies I’ve ever met! She is so FULL of vibrant personality and contagious courage. It is impossible to catch even a glimpse of her without feeling completely empowered to go take over the world and chase down your dreams. As her favorite Tom Waits lyric goes, “She’s a swan and a pistol. She’s whiskey in a teacup. She’s a diamond that wants to stay coal.”

I had the amazing experience of being her assistant for a week (as part of a school assignment) and even had the opportunity to guest post once on her blog. Plus, if you’ve ever wondered why I smell so good, it’s because I often wear this lady’s freakin-amazing fragrances! She is currently working on rebranding for 2019, but it looks like for now you can still check out and binge her epicly inspiring blog posts here!

3. Leslie McDaniel

Leslie McDaniel is a coach for INFJ women. I found her on Facebook and really resonated with her words (I mean, I am an INFJ woman). She has really helpful and insightful content, including a a weekly email with tips, encouragement, stories, and action steps.

I happened to win a free coaching call with Leslie and it was such a beneficial experience for me! Just in that one short phone call she helped me to gain some new perspectives, shift my mindset, and realize how the vocabulary I had been using was unknowingly putting unnecessary judgment upon myself. She helped me recognize the lies and positively change my vocabulary to reflect TRUTH. 

It also has been incredibly inspiring to see a fellow INFJ doing such a wonderful job! Seeing her coach others and do live videos with excellence has shown me that maybe I could, too, with more practice!

You can check out Leslie here!

4. Michael Neale

When I first connected with Michael on Twitter, there was just something about him that instantly inspired me. He had very big dreams and he was documenting his journey of pursuing them.

We got to talking and quickly became friends (well, I’ve kind of “officially” adopted him as a brother now. So, Mom and Dad, if you’re reading this, say hello to your new British son!). In such a short time of knowing each other, he’s already encouraged, supported, and helped me so much in my own blogging journey. It has meant the world to me and I cannot thank him enough!

I think he’s inspired me way more than he even realizes. I see him working so hard after his day job to make progress towards his dreams. He’s so kind to everyone and I see him constantly making someone’s day on Twitter.

He also makes great YouTube videos and he recently rebranded his blog! Make sure to check him out and subscribe! 

5. Regina Anaejionu

I found Regina when I first began researching what all goes into starting a blog. Most of what I know about blogging and business likely came from her! For reals, if you’re looking for ways to grow your blog or business, check her out! She has numerous articles, resources, eBooks, and courses to help you in your journey! She also has an EPIC blog planner that I used during one of my first years of blogging.

Regina also inspires me by being one of the most generous entrepreneurs I’ve ever seen. She genuinely cares about helping people, so she gives so much content away for free! I owe so much to her because, as most bloggers just starting out, I didn’t have a lot of money to spend, but thanks to Regina that didn’t stop me from getting information of incredible value that helped me get a jumpstart into the blogging and entrepreneurial world.

6. Frank James

Frank James is a fellow INFJ who makes really great YouTube videos on topics ranging from personality typology to the everyday struggles of someone working towards continued personal growth. I came across him when he was fairly new and I have been so inspired by seeing him continue to improve his YouTube-ing skills and grow his following!

I might be a little biased because, as an INFJ, his videos are insanely relatable to me. Like it’s honestly kind of scary. I think he might actually read minds. I think he might have “stolen” some topic ideas FROM MY VERY BRAIN. Whether he is a wizard with mind-reading magic or just a regular relatable human being, that doesn’t change the fact of how much I appreciate his humor, vulnerability, self-awareness, and knowledge of personality theories.

There’s a lot to be enjoyed in his videos even if you aren’t an INFJ, so make sure to check him out here!

7. Mira Joleigh

Mira is a coach who helps “ambitious women find their passion, rock their confidence, and launch their first business.” I met Mira on Twitter and of course I immediately followed her because 1. she’s an INFJ, too! and 2. she seemed like an incredibly encouraging and ambitious person! You can clearly see her passion in her work. And her confidence gives me courage!

She runs an amazing Twitter chat called #Ambitionista that meets on Monday nights at 7pm CST. It is one of the best and most organized Twitter chats I’ve ever come across! I was invited to be a guest panelist during one of the weeks and I was impressed by how she had everything prepared for us–the questions, what time she would post each question, and other tips for having a great experience. And I had a blast! 

She’s KILLING it as an ambitious entrepreneur and that’s been a huge inspiration to me! Especially as a fellow INFJ! Check her out on Twitter! 

8. My Mom

I could honestly write a whole blog post (heck, a whole novel!) about this beautiful, generous, loving, grace-filled, kind-hearted, intelligent, and super talented woman I get to call “Mom” and how much she’s taught me and inspired me throughout my life. 

She is the PICTURE of perseverance and never giving up on your dreams. She has chronic fatigue, but yet she didn’t let it stop her from becoming an accomplished published author and, most recently, working on her new fiction novel (coming soon!). I’ve dealt with my own health issues this past year that left me with a lot of fatigue; a major thing that helped me make it through and not lose hope was remembering how my mom had victory over her much harder obstacles. So if she could do it, I believed maybe I could do it, too!

I made this wood sign for my mom of one of her favorite quotes from C.S. Lewis that she constantly quotes to me for encouragement: “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”

9. Matthew Hayden

If I see anyone with something in their bio about “make the change you want to see,” that instantly makes me want to click the follow button on Twitter. Over the time that I’ve known and interacted with Matthew I’ve clearly seen him truly living out this quote! He has such a big heart for helping people and inspiring change.

He’s personally been such an encouragement and inspiration to me this year, too! Seeing him go after his goals, along with the encouragement he gave me, inspired and motivated me to take my own scary leap into something new! I will forever be grateful for the positive impact he’s had on my life.

Make sure to check him out, subscribe to his YouTube channel, and follow him on Twitter (I always look forward to the daily quotes he shares!).

10. Gretchen Rubin

Gretchen Rubin is my role model for being a personal-growth-niche writer. I was starting to feel discouraged about if I could really make it in a niche like this and then I found her work. She happened to post a video on Facebook where she talked about very similar concepts I often talk about on my blog! It gave me hope that if someone was saying these same things and really making it as a writer, then maybe I’m on the right track and can make it, too!

Gretchen Rubin is a FOUR TIME New York Times bestselling author, podcaster, and speaker. You may have heard me talking about “The Four Tendencies” before. She is the author and creator of this personality framework. You can learn more about it here.

You can check out her website here and make sure to follow her on Facebook so you can watch her personal-growth-inspiring videos! 

11. Alex “McHotstuff”

I met Alex on Twitter and we bonded over puns. He has been so encouraging and supportive of me and my work. He’s also gone out of his way to help me and offer advice when I’ve needed it (including helping me keep my sanity and stay motivated while my sleep-deprived self wrote this ridiculously long post. I don’t think he knew he was going to be included in this post, too. mwahaha. Surprise!).

Alex is a phenomenal writer. He has a brilliant way with words and he puts so much creativity into every single one of his posts. He also has a great sense of humor and is definitely a contender for “funniest person I’ve ever met in my life!” His talent and hard work really inspire me. Reading his impressive posts also motivates me to work harder to infuse my own writing with more creativity.

Check out his blog here and make sure to follow him on Twitter, too! 

12. Abi Robins

Abi is a Certified Yoga Therapist (intern) and Certified Enneagram Teacher (intern). I met Abi when searching for someone to guest post on my blog with an Introduction to the Enneagram. They did such an amazing job with their guest post and I quickly fell in love with their work! 

Abi is a fantastic teacher and you can clearly see all the heart and effort they put into their work! They have all kinds of wonderful resources on their website and they have a podcast, too, called Conscious Construction. I also really love their Instagram! They have really great images with helpful information!

They’ve also inspired me in my own journey of learning about the Enneagram and exploring myself more!

13. Warwick Brown

Warwick teaches account managers how to find success. I met him awhile back during a Twitter chat and he’s been such a kind encourager to me! He’s so great about checking in, remembering things I’ve told him in previous conversations, and giving me all kinds of helpful tips and encouragement! All of that has meant so much to me!

I’ve really enjoyed watching him grow and improve! If you’d like to learn more about his journey, check out this podcast episode. I also think he’s totally KILLING it on social media and that’s been a major inspiration to me, as well. I really like how he often uses voice messages or even video recordings of himself in his responses to people to go beyond just written words and make a more personable connection. It definitely stands out and I think he’s doing great with it! I’ve personally appreciated those messages.

Check out Warwick’s website here and follow him on Twitter! 

14. Ruth

I came across Ruth on Twitter. I am constantly inspired by her positivity and perseverance! She is one of the sweetest people I’ve come across online. Her mission is to “make your life brighter and your blog better” and she completely NAILS it! I’ve been very encouraged by her story and how she’s used some difficult situations for good.

Check her out on Twitter and read her blog, Ruth in Revolt! 

15. Antonio Blake Gomez

I’m not sure if I can even fully express in words how much this wonderful human being has helped me this year. Whenever I felt discouraged, they lifted me back up and encouraged me in my abilities and the goals/dreams I’m working towards. They’ve also given me so much practical advice, as well as helped me process my thoughts and ideas.

They are also one of the most talented people I’ve ever met. They are insanely creative. They have one of the most beautiful singing voices I’ve ever had the pleasure to hear (and sing with) in real life. Their piano playing skills make me want to cry tears of joy every time I hear it. I am honestly jealous of their amazing artistic abilities. AND they’re a great writer, too! It’s hard to believe so much talent could all be inside one gorgeous person. 

I don’t know many multipotentialites who are also specifically an artist, musician, and writer like me, so it’s been incredibly helpful and inspiring to see someone be crazy good at and pursuing similar passions of mine. They show me that it is, indeed, possible to be excellent in all three.

16. My Husband 🙂

I wanted to make sure to give a shout out to my husband because he’s been my main support through this dream-chasing journey. He’s given me so much feedback, encouragement, and help. Plus he’s an inspiration to me!

Now, the thing about my husband–he’s not what most people would consider the typical “dream chaser.” For Myers-Briggs fans out there, he’s an ISFJ. However, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a dream. His dream in life is “simply” to be a good man, a good husband, and to take care of his family.

In the past he’s felt discouraged because he wasn’t sure what dreams to even dream while I was over here feeling overwhelmed by having the dreams of a thousand people. I wanted to make sure to include my husband in this post because I know there are many others out there like him who may not have “big flashy” dreams. That’s ok! We are all unique and have different sets of skills and desires. Each person is needed! Just because a dream doesn’t involve becoming a millionaire or making it on the cover of a magazine doesn’t mean your dream isn’t wonderful and important and the perfect dream for you! 

He inspires me every day with his work ethic, unconditional love, and deep care and awareness for the needs of others. I’ve learned so much from this amazing man. I couldn’t have made this much progress without him.

17. Jimmy (aka “Jimmothy”)

I met Jimmy on Twitter. He is such a sweetheart! He so kindly sent me a hand-written card all the way from England (!!!) and it totally made my day! He is so kind and encouraging, as well as constantly making me laugh at his tweets with his humor and sass.

I’ve enjoyed talking to him about the new direction he’s taking his blog. It makes my heart so very happy to see him wanting to pass on what he’s learned to help others. He genuinely cares and it shows!

He has inspired me to keep going in my own work, as well as to go the extra mile to show kindness and gratitude to people.

Check out his blog here and follow him on Twitter!

18. Amanda Palmer

This year I listened to an audiobook of The Art of Asking: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help by Amanda Palmer. In it she talks about feeling like a fraud, dealing with shame, the human desire to be seen and connect, the struggles of being an artist, learning to ask for help, and so much more. 

As someone who has a really hard time ever asking for help, this book was just what I needed and it inspired me to be a little bolder, remembering that when there is a connection, asking for help is really a beautiful exchange. I highly recommend you go check out her book (especially the audiobook because it includes some of her music!), but here’s a TedTalk she did on the subject.

19. Abby Heird

I recently met Abby on Twitter and I instantly could see what a kind, empowering, supportive, and talented woman she is! She even reached out to me when I was having a rough day. It makes me so happy to see her encouraging and uplifting so many people on Twitter. She truly is an inspiration to me and I know she’s going to continue to do amazing things!

She, along with Lauren and Jordan, has a blog called My Lifelines. They only just started in September 2018, but these ladies are already KILLING IT! I am so impressed and inspired by them! They deserve so much praise and recognition for all of the work and heart they’ve put into this.

Check out their website here and follow them on Twitter.

20. Violeta Nedkova

Violeta is a multipassionate creative rebel. She believes you should “do what you love and do it YOUR way!” I’ve been so inspired by seeing her in her own creative journey.

As a fellow creative multipotentialite, I’ve learned so many valuable lessons from her. In her email series she answered many questions I had as I was wrestling with what direction to go and trying to figure out how to use more of my creative passions in a way that made sense and worked best for me.

If you’re someone with numerous creative passions, I highly recommend you check out her blog right now!

21. Brittany Bullen

Brittany Bullen! The “personality marketing” extraordinaire! She is my biggest inspiration in the area of branding and marketing through video. I have learned so much from her!

If you are in any kind of business I highly recommend checking out Brittany Bullen, her free Facebook group, and her book, Personality Marketing: Join Your Industry’s A-List By Embracing Your Inner Nerd. I read her book this year and wrote about it here.

22. Natalie Rosado

I met Natalie when looking for more guest posters during my personality series. She wrote a great guest post on the Gary Smalley Personality Assessment! She is a licensed mental health counselor and the founder of the Live Whole Box, a self-care subscription box for busy women.

I am so inspired by this lovely, compassionate, ambitious dream-chasing woman! I also really love the Instagram page for the Live Whole Box! I’m constantly inspired by their posts! 

23. Jordan Raynor

I was incredibly inspired by Jordan Raynor’s book, Called to Create. I even chose the quote, “trust, hustle, rest,” from the book as My 2018 Focus.

The book came at just the perfect time as I was wrestling with figuring out what to do with my life, how to better incorporate my creative passions into my life and career, and if creative pursuits were even worth it. This book answered all my major questions and more, as well as inspired me on to pursue my dreams and use my creative gifts with a greater sense of purpose and passion!

24. Stina Maloney

I found Christina in a Facebook group and instantly loved her and the work that she’s doing! She is such a brilliant, creative, positive light in the business world. She is such an inspiring woman!

This past summer she had a course on Facebook, “Know and Grow in Your Calling.” I learned so much from her and was inspired to make some mindset and practical changes in my life and business.

Check out her website here.

25. Ryan O’Neal

Ryan O’Neal makes music under the name “Sleeping at Last.” I have been incredibly inspired by Sleeping at Last’s Enneagram project. He’s been making songs about each Enneagram type. So much thought goes into them as you can hear about in his podcast. He’s combined two of my favorite things: personality theory and music!

As someone who’s trying to figure out how to combine more of my skills and passions, my mind was opened up to so many more possibilities!

Check out my personal two favorites (I’m a 2w1): One and Two.

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Thank you!

Thank you so much to everyone, not just those listed here, who have inspired me, taught me, encouraged me, empowered me, motivated me, supported me, and loved me. You all are the true heroes in the story of my life. Every single one of you have meant SO much to me. I would not be WHO I am and WHERE I am today if it wasn’t for you.