As children, we are given a basic timeline of what's expected of us. We are told to study in elementary and high school, attend college, work on our careers, get married, have children, and slave away at a job we don't necessarily enjoy until retirement years, in order to have a "good life." Many people don't realize there are other ways to live than this. Some people, though, are lucky enough to find their true passion and change their entire life course. Keep reading to find out how this former lawyer found the food for her soul and quit doing everything she spent years trying to achieve.
Laura Steerman was 18 when chose to pursue a joint degree in business and law.
Even though at the time Laura thought that was what she wanted, she later learned that she "didn’t have the self-awareness at the time to really ask myself whether I was pursuing a living, or a life." After spending ten years being a lawyer, Laura found out what truly made her happy.
While pregnant with her daughter, Laura suffered through quite a few scares.
Several times she wasn't feeling her daughter kick, so she would have an ultrasound done to make sure her little one was okay. Despite the lack of movement, every scan showed that her daughter was just fine.
Like most pregnant women, the experience was extremely stressful for Laura.
"Like many times in my life after an emotional, happy, sad or difficult experience, I found myself drawn to creativity, arts and crafts. It felt natural to take out my paints at my kitchen table at home and start painting to soothe my soul," explained Laura. That was when Laura found her true calling.
Laura received pictures of her little one every time she had an ultrasound done, but she felt like they just didn't do her daughter's beauty any justice.
So being the artist that she is, she began to paint her own ultrasounds. Once her friends saw how beautiful her paintings were, they wanted her to paint for them, too! Eventually, friends of friends were asking her to paint for them, as well.
Laura fell in love with what she was doing for people, so she decided to make a dramatic life choice.
Laura said that it was the "right time for me to look outside of the career box and pursue a dream of being more present with my family and painting." So she quit her job as a lawyer and began working as an artist full time.
It was a huge step for Laura, but she knew she was making the best step for herself and her family.
"It’s certainly a daunting decision to make, but I believe regret would be far more frightening if I didn’t go for it. Life is just too short to not live fully and be innovative with your creativity, time and ideas," said Laura.
Being able to paint ultrasounds for other parents is extremely rewarding for Laura.
"I often finding myself crying as I paint an angel baby thinking that their mom never had the good news I did on one of those scans. It reminds me that I am so entirely in love with my children and full of gratitude that they are here with me today," explained Laura
Laura's paintings are beautiful, but what makes them so special to her?
"It’s storytelling and capturing memories, emotions, personalities, pregnancy and parenthood in a painting. It’s their baby and their masterpiece — that’s what makes the paintings so special," said Laura