Story & Lesson Highlights with Dana Birke of Boulder

Dana Birke shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Dana, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I am generally woken up by one feline or another wanting to be fed or go loll about in their kitty condo! I usually take 10-15 minutes for a quick guided morning meditation to set the tone for the day and then it’s out to the kitchen to feed my three little diablos and make a pot of French Press. Nothing-other than mediation and cats can happen before coffee! I also make a crazy lemon/apple cider vinegar/aloe/collagen concoction and then I’m ready to go. Well ‘go’ sounds a bit ambitious! I then head over to my altar and light a candle and set intentions for the day and remind myself to live in gratitude. I know this all sounds a bit wuwu and la-di-da (I’d eye roll if I could)but I swear it truly helps me feel positive about the day ahead. From there it’s emails and social media (both personal and professional) , a wee bit of tidying and there we have it !

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I have been making jewelry for 17 years now which simply blows my mind ! Never in a million years would I have thought I would turn my little hobby into the career that I have today. I think the joy that I feel when making each piece has been the secret sauce to my brand and enabled me to be successful. My latest endeavor is creating ‘Magic Wands’! I gather the sticks from my travels around the country, along with feathers, shells and so on and of course I add my beloved gems. Each wand is imbued with a whole lot I’d love, I intention and a little bit of magic.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child I never thought I was ‘artistic’ because I couldn’t draw! Still can’t! Our house was full of art and that was something that other people did. It took me years to realize that there are a million ways to express your creativity and the art that lives inside of you. Whether it’s by making an apple pie or a pair of earrings-I now see myself as an artist.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Just keep doin’ what you’re doin’ kid! You are lucky enough to have an amazing life so these choices that you are making must be serving you in some capacity. Oh, and don’t you worry, your lifelong fantasy of having straight hair will come to fruition !!

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My cats ! (Well, that is true) . I think they would say that joy, simplicity, fairness and fun…and food ! I don’t know-maybe that’s what I would say about myself, but if you hang out with me for a minute , you know I strive for all of those things and I surround myself with people who are like minded in that regard.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people would tell the story of how I see and communicate with angels and spirt guides on the regular. Mostly in hopes that would remind them that I’m still available to them after I’m gone !

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Danabirkedesigns.com
• Instagram: @danabirkedesigns