Embracing My Journey ~ Living with passion & purpose!

“I don’t want to grow up…” we’ve all said it and we all can remember the ease with which we lived life as children.  Jason & Kim Kotecki are amazing in that they have managed to merge childhood enjoyment with the responsibility of adulthood and today Jason shares his words of wisdom with us.  Welcome Jason!

Tell us about the path you traveled to arrive where you are today: I started out with big dreams of becoming a famous illustrator. I wanted to paint portraits and create movie posters. Then I met my wife, Kim, and realized we shared a kindred childlike spirit. In a shameless attempt to woo her, I developed a couple of cartoon characters that represented what we looked like as kids. The characters made their way onto all sorts of homemade gifts. Then they became stars of a daily comic strip about childhood that I drew for over six years.

In 2005, I wrote a book called “Escape Adulthood: 8 Secrets from Childhood for the Stressed-Out Grown-Up.” It’s all about how to reconnect with some of the traits we displayed as children in order to live life with less stress and more fun. That led to speaking engagements around the country. Now I work as an artist, author, and speaker on a mission to rid the world of Adultitis. Kim and I get to work together and enjoy meeting new people and encouraging them to live the fun, fulfilling, and passionate lives they were meant for.

What kept you moving forward on the days things were not going exactly the way you were hoping they would? On the very worst days, I subscribe to the mantra of “one more day.” The idea is to acknowledge that it was a hard day, and although it seems like all signs are pointing for me to throw in the towel, I commit to sticking with it for one more day. Every single time, that next day gives me a reason to keep going.

What piece of advice would you give to someone who has decided they would like to live in a world of their own creation? Go for it. Don’t waste another minute. Just don’t think it will be easy. It’s an old cliché, but it’s true: “Anything worth having requires effort.” But that’s ok, because you’re actually working toward something exciting. Something that matters. The ups and downs come with the territory, but that’s what makes the ride so fun.

What special things do you do for yourself daily to maintain your momentum and energy levels? I try to make time for myself, even a little bit. Time for exercise, prayer, play, and an opportunity to just let my mind wander keeps me fresh.

If you could spend 3 days on a deserted island with two people of your choosing, who would they be and why? Easy. My wife and my daughter. Now, if we have another child, I’m gonna have a tough call to make.

What is your favorite audio material and what do you enjoy most about this material? I listen to some spoken stuff like podcasts, but usually only when I’m working on art. Music is a huge part of my life, though. It can inspire me, get me fired me up, settle me down, or get me in a creative mood. I heart iTunes and my iPod.

What is your favorite reading material and what gives it that special place in your heart? Well it’s hard to top the Bible. It always gives me new insights to take into my business and daily life, and provides the strength to keep going when everything seems upside down. I also read a lot of books and blogs; I’m a glutton for new ideas and helpful information. My favorite author is probably marketing Guru Seth Godin.

Who has inspired you and what is it about them that you found inspirational? Kim and I do a lot of work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and I have been profoundly inspired by the kids and parents that we’ve encountered. The bravery, commitment, and love on display is terribly moving and genuinely heroic. They make me want to be a better person.

What do you see in your future? I have vision boards covered in pictures of a house by a lake and a jet black Porsche convertible, but ultimately, I want to significantly impact as many people as I can, be that one or one million. I want to be a world-class father, husband, and friend, which I think will take a little bit of time. I hope I can grow into the person God wants me to be and arrive at the end of my life with no regrets.

Where is your favorite place in the world to spend time, what is special to you about this location? We do a lot of traveling for the speaking side of our business and have been to a lot of neat places. Seattle and parts of Florida have become particularly special. However, I still like being at home the best. It’s comfortable and peaceful, and I absolutely love the four seasons that come with living in the Midwest.

Who has been your greatest support system and how have they shown you their support? Both sets of our parents have been wonderfully supportive. Sure, they thought we were a little crazy at times, but they believed in us the entire way. Our two closest friends, Sue and Jenna, are right up there as well. Without their love, support, sacrifice, and encouragement, we’d never be where we are today. On some of the worst days, knowing that these people believed in us made it easier to keep going.

What / who are you most thankful for and why? I am most thankful that my wife is my best friend. We make a great team, and I can’t imagine life without her. My new baby daughter is just the coolest thing ever. I’m also thankful that God has often been more faithful to me than I have been to Him.

What is your favorite way to contribute or give back? I was blessed with a great childhood, and I am very passionate about helping kids have great childhoods to look back on as well. We’ve been able to contribute financially to some great children’s organizations via sales from our online store, but my favorite is when we get to be hands on, like in our work with Make-A-Wish or our twelve-year sponsorship of a child from Ethiopia through Compassion International.

Please share the top three things you feel people would benefit from doing if they truly desire to create the life of their dreams?

• Be yourself. You are here to do something only you can do.

• Have fun and don’t take yourself too seriously.

• Spend more time around positive people, and less time with the negative ones (even if they are in your own family.)

Anything I missed that you would like to share? We do a quirky web TV show that we enjoy quite a bit. Every week, we talk about stuff from childhood and share a fun tip to help people annihilate the Adultitis in their lives.  http://www.kimandjason.tv

What products and services do you offer to assist others on their journey? We also have an online store with books, t-shirts, Adultitis First Aid Kits, and other cool stuff to help people “escape adulthood.”  http://www.kimandjason.com/shop

Thank you Jason!  Be sure to connect with Jason and Kim at: http://www.kimandjason.com today!

In gratitude,
Caryn, the Manifesting Queen!

http://www.carynfitzgerald.com

This entry was posted on Monday, December 7th, 2009 at 6:34 am and is filed under Caryn's writing, Living the life of my dreams. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.