The Story of YOU: Meet Our Members: Chelsea

Member Spotlight: My greatest challenge at the moment is changing my thought pattern away from illness and towards wellness.

Name: Chelsea Dutton

Age: 36

Lives: Illinois

Who are you? Answer that in any way that feels appropriate to you.

I am a positive beam of sparkling light. Nomad. Eternal student (I took over 100 courses last year ranging from Meditation to Shuffle Dancing to House Plants 101). Art Director. Ad Woman. Creative. Mermicorn. Sensitive. Music festival lover. Dance all-nighter. A person who relishes in time alone.

What has been the impact of owning the fact you are a grown ass woman?

Being more at ease and comfortable with who I am.

On my #Ode2Oxygen road trip, my first time ever visiting the Grand Canyon. It had the feel where it looked like a flat painting and didn’t look real. I didn’t hike it but for my mom’s request, I walked down 100 feet to say I did it. I am mostly recovered from my vertigo episodes but that was still a little too much for me.

What life rituals do you have?

1: One song dance party. It’s a powerful and uplifting thing, yet so simple and fun.

2: A daily walk: I started a photo project during quarantine called Ode To Oxygen, which is my photo discovery of Chicago and beyond.

3: The same daily smoothie: Sharing the recipe below!

What’s been the most valuable skill that you’ve developed in your life this far?

Learning that we can rewire our brain through neuroplasticity.

What is your greatest challenge at the moment?

Changing my thought pattern away from illness and towards wellness. I was diagnosed with Lyme 4ish years ago, so my time and thoughts have been hijacked by doctors appointments and constantly thinking about the illness in my body. It keeps the sickness cycling.

What has been the biggest *aha* moment you’ve had being a part of the DGAW™ community?

We are more than our job titles and occupations. It is a way to connect with others you wouldn’t normally get to meet; and brings new perspectives and ideas you may not otherwise encounter.

What is a personal motto or phrase that best represents you?

Be kind.

I started taking aerial arts classes after seeing a performer I photographed post about it on Instagram. She started her own aerial gym a little over a year ago. It’s been a great way to learn something new, have some social interaction, all while flipping upside down.

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What are something/s we wouldn’t know by looking at you?

I started taking Aerial classes which use muscles I didn’t even know existed. It’s as much fun as it is challenging.

I’m a super fan of a band called 311 (pronounced Three Eleven), who just celebrated their 30th anniversary.

Both of my grandfathers and my father were/ are pilots. And possibly unlike most people, I love being at airports and on planes. I arrive a few hours early to enjoy down time before a flight.

What is the biggest gift of being a grown ass woman?

The power of no. Being able to retreat and reserve my energy for myself.

What is the most important thing in your life outside of work or professional pursuits?

Finding joy in the everyday. As they say in the Law of Attraction, like attracts like. Exude more joy within your life to continuously attract it.

What do you want to learn from a community of your peers?

That which I do not know. I wrote something similar for a storytelling class about my path to my career field called the Journey to the Non-Existent. 13 years ago I didn’t even know the job (Art Director) I have now existed. So I think the beauty is learning things you didn’t even know you wanted to learn about; and staying open to it all.

I participated in photo project with the photographer Hillary Johnson, called The Waters We Swim In. It is part floating meditation; she asks as you are shooting “what are the waters you are currently swimming?” And then calling into your heart and mind and slightly future self, to inquire, who that person is. This was in Lake Michigan in the Fall so the water was at best 65 degrees and the waves were pretty choppy.

If you could share only one life lesson, what would it be?

There is always time for a dance party.

I shoot concerts (for free) because it combines my two loves: photography and live music. This included a third: travel. I was shooting a three-day concert of my favorite band, 311, as the world was shutting down March 11–13, 2020. It’s through 311 events over the last 10 years, I have made some of my best friends.

Anything else you’d like to share or like us to know?

I’m an aspiring photojournalist / documentary photographer. There is something so powerful about being the eyes for others, showing them a place, event or person they may never see or meet. I recently did an 8-week, 9,000 mile solo cross-country road trip / photo project…having never done a road trip by myself before. Even after 8 weeks, I had this feeling that I wanted to keep going (but it was also getting close to Christmas and I didn’t want to get booted from my family). The pandemic has made me never want to take the ability to travel for granted again. I genuinely miss airplanes, airports and flying. There is something so peaceful about being 30,000 ft in the air; being able to go somewhere different in a matter of hours. Turns out, that is possible with a car, too.

My Daily Smoothie Recipe-ish

Prep: cut and freeze avocado, zucchini and kale.

1 scoop — protein powder

1 scoop — collagen powder

A couple chunks of frozen avocado

A couple slices of frozen zucchini

A couple spoonfuls of frozen kale

Spoonful of frozen blueberries

Spoonful of cacao powder

1 tsp of spirulina powder

Liquid chocolate stevia to taste

Cold water — I use the Ninja blender with the single serve cups for blending; so however much water without making it explode :-)

Thank you, Chelsea, for sharing your story with Dear Grown Ass Women™ and letting us get to know you.

To learn more and join our incredible global community of women over the age of 35 in our Dear Grown Ass Women™, head over to our site. We look forward to meeting you on the inside!