I was kind of athletic, but not really… I was kind of smart, but not really… I was kind of popular, but not really… and the list went on. As much as I wanted to be a more confident and charismatic version of myself, I felt powerless to get out of this place of limbo. The lack of resources, and the comfort of the familiar kept me in a hated but accepted place. As I grew into my formative years, this belief about myself would harden by years of self-sabotage and self-pity.
But like the light that leaks through the clouds to show the sun is still there, it was the grace of physical victories that helped chip away at this grip of darkness. None of these victories were spectacular, but they were impactful. For instance, I thought that being able to do a pull-up was physically impossible. I would try with embarrassment to wiggle my way up the bar during physical fitness tests at school, but didn’t get close. Years later, with the purchase of a doorframe pull-up bar, I would slowly but surely increase my ability. Today, I can do more than 20 pull ups at a time with relative ease. Another grace was my struggle with acne. While neither my mother, father, aunts and uncles, or grandparents had this condition, it’s something that still affects me today as an adult. The breakouts I would get as a teenager, and into my twenties were the worst. They would put me into crippling states of depression as I struggled to separate who I was, with how I looked. As I grew older, did more research, and spent years testing out various regimens, I began to notice strategies that helped my skin improve. I ate healthier, stuck to a regular exercise regimen, and didn’t use harsh chemicals on my skin. I thanked my body for being so responsive to unhealthy inputs, and for a “limitation” that led me toward a healthier lifestyle. Through the pain and struggle of physical exercise or the pain and struggle of physical ailments, I realized that life isn’t about avoiding pain, but working with it to realize the joy on the other side.
God embraced the physical world. He healed the sick, he fed the hungry, and he continues to give us our daily bread. Our faith must integrate spirit and body: The prayers we do for loved ones are strengthened when we visit them in person. Our empathy for the homeless is improved when we volunteer to feed and clothe. Our promises of improvement after confession must be backed up by committed action.
Each of us are called to make disciples of all nations… to be lights of the world. And the best way to change the world is to change ourselves. The work of healing, restoring, and strengthening our bodies isn’t easy. It takes commitment, discipline, community support, sacrifice, pain, radical self-responsibility, failure, and a willingness to look at ourselves as God sees us. But all this helps us develop the virtues to better love and be loved by those whose paths cross ours.
It doesn’t take expensive athleisure, brand names, or a logo to implement these changes. But it’s my hope that if any of this resonates with you… and the designs in this collection can serve as a reminder to you and those around you to enhance the beauty and virtue inside all of us, make the investment and place an order. This is the year where you make your own victories. This is the year that you remember you weren’t just made for mediocrity or comfort, but that you were made for greatness.
Read the article here: https://www.unleashthegospel.org/2021/12/a-vocation-to-love-and-be-loved/
]]>I had the incredibly humbling opportunity to be featured by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in their #LACatholicStory series.
In the feature, I speak about my work within the parish and Catholic school system, as well as how PAL Campaign has enabled me to bring the beauty and brilliance of the Catholic faith into the hands of aspiring future saints.
Visit the website for this and other stories: lacatholics.org/stories/
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A few months ago, Julianne Launi Miles reached out to see if I would be interested in being featured on a podcast she started called "Mystery Through Manners". This Catholic Arts and Culture podcast weaves together narration, interviews, and music to create stories unique to the Catholic American experience. She wanted to feature designers (specifically t-shirt designers) on a series of episodes focused on the theme of beauty. Needless to say, I was in.
Her series on beauty has been phenomenal. She's interviewed artists from a variety of disciplines to ask about their inspiration, process, and how the act of creating leads both the artist and the viewer into prayer.
Check out the latest episode of her amazing podcast @mysterymannerspodcast HERE featuring Jurell Sison of @the.living.person, Lauren Winter of @brickhouseinthecity, and yours truly of @palcampaign! ✌🏻❤️
]]>Bella + Canvas has long been a favorite t-shirt brand of mine for their soft ring spun cotton, and excellent fit. Long gone are the days when brands like American Apparel were the only providers out there for t-shirt companies who wanted to print their designs on quality products.
So I was thrilled when Printful and Bella + Canvas did a collaboration video featuring PAL Campaign for how to find the perfect niche for your t-shirt business!
When starting PAL Campaign many years ago, I didn't even think about the strategy of targeting a niche market. I just focused on something I truly cared about and was invested in. Years later, niche businesses are fast becoming a way to provide your loyal tribe with products or services that a more general business or company cannot.
For anyone with a creative project or business idea, just go for it. Mess up along the way, and have good stories later. While knowing things like the latest savvy marketing strategies or downloading a course on "the ten steps to grow your e-mail list" will definitely help, you don't always have to follow a template based on how others have done something. If you were meant to pursue something, the creative ideas from your gut are there for a reason. Follow their brilliance, and put your heart and soul into bringing them to life. Soon enough, your ideas will become templates that others try to emulate.
How to find the perfect niche for your t-shirt business: https://youtu.be/G96nAG8Jw0w
]]>For as long as I could remember, my morning routine involved opening up my Podcasts app, and tuning into Side Hustle School's daily ten minute podcast about different people who have "side hustles", while working a full-time job. I've always appreciated the brevity of the podcast (I mean... it's ten minutes or less), and the creative inspiration I got from listening to the highs and lows of others who put inspiration and action together to create something to share with the world.
Needless to say, it was a huge (and surprising) honor to be featured on one of the episodes. Chris doesn't hold back with the puns on this episode, which I found hilarious! Give the episode a listen, and check out the Side Hustle School podcast!
Catholic Designer Creates Stylish Apparel Line: https://sidehustleschool.com/episode/756/
]]>If you would like to work together to create something amazing for your brand or organization, I'd love to begin the conversation!
]]>Check out the incredible work that's being done over at King's College, and with Empire State Tribute by reading the article!
https://www.empirestatetribune.com/est/5/1/2018/high-church-and-modern-aesthetics-meet-in-fashion
]]>Marcellino D'Ambrosio, one of the founders of Catholic Creatives.
http://www.catholiccreatives.org/blog/2017/12/4/creation-of-the-week-joe-kim-pal-campaign
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Cory Heimann of Likable Art put together an amazing collection of reflections on what it means to create. Drawing insights from some of the best Catholic Creatives working today, this book invites others to join in that very process. This is a living example of allowing beauty to aid in the mission of the New Evangelization. I was lucky enough to be asked to contribute my own reflection:
Gone are the days where despair is the emotion that comes coupled with the state of contemporary Catholic art. There is a swell or rising artists that are striving to create works that reflect the beauty of the truth they seek to represent. Take a look, and get your own copy over at http://www.createdbook.co/home
"The Convo brings compelling stories to listeners as well as a refreshing balance on difficult topics... [they] focus on important subjects affecting people of faith across the globe."
Ian and Mary (featured in video) were a blast to hang with, and I'm really excited about what they are doing, and the quality with which they are doing it. Check out the video below, and make sure to check them out!
Web: theconvo.us
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKy_4AcxZdjRJ5sR8P0gUhg
- Abbot Suger
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