22: Closing a Business and Opening to Writing with Sonia Ruyts

What happens when you achieve a dream, then want to change your life? Writer Sonia Ruyts answered this question—and waded through liminal space—when she decided to close her brick-and-mortar yarn shop to pursue writing. On today’s episode she shares fresh ideas for establishing consistency in your writing practice, how she navigates self-doubt, the exercise she always starts her writing day with, and the intersection between slow fashion and creativity.

MEET SONIA

Sonia Ruyts holds a BA in Theatre from the College of Idaho. She is a former pastry chef and yarn shop owner who has returned to her first love: writing. Sonia explores themes of identity, loss, and transformation in her nonfiction writing and is currently at work on her first collection of essays. Sonia lives with her wife and two children—and their ever-expanding collection of pets—in the Pacific Northwest.

Connect:

• SoniaRuyts.com
• Instagram
• Poshmark

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

• How to navigate a cocktail of grief and shame
• The foolproof way Sonia starts almost every writing session
• Why studying English in college intimidated her (and the major she chose instead)
• How she pivoted from pastry chef to yarn shop owner
• The moment Sonia realized she wanted to close the store by the time she turned 40, and how she navigated the transition that followed
• Avoiding and procrastinating vs. needing true rest
• How choosing certain clothing items can help us connect with others, give us confidence, and help us feel comfortable during uncomfortable situations like readings, workshops, and more

LINKABLE MENTIONS

• Business coach extraordinaire, Megan Flatt
• Love and Trouble: A Midlife Reckoning by Claire Dedeier
• Ethical fashion brand Elizabeth Suzann, and its popular Harper tunic
• “The List of Words” exercise from Sarah Selecky