curiosity is contagious

“A Millennial Motivator.”
— Fortune

 
 
 
 
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I'm Amber Rae—an author, artist, and speaker who encourages self-discovery and personal growth.

My work explores how to free ourselves from the stories that stifle our potential, and what it takes to live as our truest, most authentic selves.

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I'm the bestselling author of Choose Wonder Over Worry.

Blending raw-and-relatable stories with actionable aha! moments, it’s a guide to face your fears, navigate the feels and create a life that reflects who you truly are.

Deepak Chopra called it a map to "unfold your infinite potential" and Bustle said it's "the one advice book you should read — even if you don't like self-help."

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I empower audiences to unlock their true potential.

Called “relatable, awe-inspiring, and a breath of fresh air,” I give talks and host workshops that engage audiences and inspire growth.

Whether presenting on stage to thousands or hosting a group in an intimate setting, together we'll create a space of curiosity, vulnerability, and transformation.

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Daily Inspo

How do we support those we love when they’re going through a hard time? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It took me many years to learn that I don’t need to solve or fix the situation, or take on their emotions. When someone I love is navigating difficulty, I can offer a listening ear, meet their situation with compassion and empathy, and let them know that I’m here. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Here are some suggestions for what to say—and *not* say—so those closest to us feel seen, heard and loved. ✨ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ P.s. Which script resonates most for you? I’d love to hear 👇🏼
Can I journal with you for a moment? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It’s always been my dream to turn the insights I’ve gathered and unpacked around the human experience, and share them in a way that moves, supports and guides others. I’d close my eyes and imagine millions of people across the globe honoring their inner emotional world, their truth, their values, and their priorities as a result of the relatable stories and visual teachings I’d share. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The reason I love the world of feelings so much is because no matter where we come from or what experiences have shaped us, what we have in common is our set of emotions and our capacity for awareness. It unites us all, even when the world around us feels divisive. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ It’s also the area of life I’ve been challenged by the most: navigating my own emotions, especially when my life once felt like Marie Kondo on the outside but Fyre festival on the inside. 😂 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ In was in January of this year that I began to take many of the topics I had written about online for a decade (emotional wellness, vulnerability, creativity, my personal ups & downs, etc.) and express them visually. Instagram challenged me to think differently about content, and make complex and invisible themes simple, relatable and digestible. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ As of today, 200K of you have chosen to be part of this world, and I’m both astounded and grateful. Thank you for being here. 🥰 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ For years, I feared being seen and putting my voice out there, and now I get why. As @steven_pressfield so poignantly said, “The more important a call or action is to our soul’s evolution, the more resistance we will feel toward pursuing it.” ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ So here’s to facing resistance—and all the feels that emerge along the way—as we listen to and honor the call from within. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I see you. I love you. I believe in you. Let’s go! ❤️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ P.s. thanks to hubby @farhadini for capturing this photo and being there through IT ALL. 😘
Got the Monday feels?! Here’s a helpful checklist. ✨ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ P.s. one of my most fav rituals for calming my mind and getting back to the present moment (instead of the past or the future where overwhelm tends to live) is a body scan. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ When we feel stressed, it’s common to carry tension in the body. Doing a body scan helps me notice what I’m feeling and where, and relieve stress. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Here’s how I do it: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1️⃣ Close your eyes and sit (or lay) in a comfortable position. 2️⃣ Starting with your head, notice where any tension lives. Are the eyes sore? Is your head achy? Are your shoulders stiff? Is your jaw tight? Notice the sensations without judgement and breathe into and relax the tense spots. Visualize that you’re blowing the tension out through a straw. Take a deep exhale if you need to. 3️⃣ Once you feel ready and more relaxed, move slowly down to each area of your body, group by group: chest, arms, stomach, sacral, legs, feet, etc. Notice sensations, breathe into tension, and release by blowing through the invisible straw or taking a deep exhale. 4️⃣ Massage any areas that want extra care, and remind yourself that “I am safe” and “I can handle this.” ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 5️⃣ When complete, slowly wiggle your fingers and toes and open your eyes. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Tip: When you’re short for time, notice and breathe into the specific spot where you feel tension in the body, instead of moving group by group. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Here’s to a Present Monday 💕
I woke up today feeling all the feels. So I took a personal day and walked myself through these steps 👆🏼 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Anyone else feeling that full moon?! 🌝
Fam. I used to take *everything* personally. I’d interpret disrespect as a personal attack. I’d make people’s behaviors mean I was inadequate or wrong. I’d react and let my buttons be pushed. (Anyone else feeling me? 💁🏻‍♀️) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ One day I realized I was giving my power away, and it was time to take it back. I had been relying on other people to tell me who I am, instead of trusting what I know to be true about myself. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ While reclaiming our personal power is a journey—and some days I still need to check myself—these questions help me filter feedback, criticism, advice, and other people’s behavior so I can take what’s constructive and useful, and leave behind the rest. (Boundaries FTW!) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Because here’s the hard-earned truth of it: nothing anyone says or does is about you. It’s about *them.* It’s a projection of their own reality and worldview. When we learn to internalize and embody this, so much more freedom and power becomes available to us. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Happy filtering 🙅🏻‍♀️
Any recovering people pleasers here? 🙋🏻‍♀️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ “No” used to be a word I was terrified to say. I didn’t want to disappoint or let other people down, and this led me to overcommit and spread myself too thin. In turn, I let myself down. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Today, “no” is one of my favorite words because it helps me honor what’s a true and wholehearted YES. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ When I recently asked a group of creatives and entrepreneurs why they said yes when they really meant no, a major theme that emerged is not knowing HOW to say it. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ So, I created these five scripts to keep us focused on what matters most. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The first two are for our personal life, the second two for the world of work, and the last one is just because. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Here’s to declaring & honoring what’s honest & true! ✨
I view fear as a compass, calling us to step up and step forward. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ When I feel afraid, I thank it for showing up and trying to protect me from danger, and I ask: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1. What message does my fear have for me? 2. What action is it calling me to take that’s grounded in love and self-worth? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The fears listed here are ones I once struggled with mightily—and sometimes still do—and ones I’ve had a lot of messages about lately. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The fear of “doing the wrong thing” or worrying, “Am I doing this right?” is remedied through devotion to daily action, attention on the process (rather than the end goal), and allowing exploration and experimentation until the feeling of “Oh! This! This feels right!” emerges. If you’re not there yet, keep going. Fear nudges us to deepen our commitment to trust. To pray to whatever power we believe in. I like to whisper, “I am being guided. I am noticing what excites and energizes me.” Soon enough, I *am* noticing. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The fear that “my voice doesn’t matter” translates into “put your voice out there.” This fear always reminds me that my voice is part of my medicine, and I’m being called to step out of hiding and into the light. The more I embrace what wants to flow through me and allow that message whatever outlet it needs, the more my fear resolves. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The fear of judgment or that “people will laugh at me” is an invitation to find and align with those who will laugh *with* me. It’s a call for community and connection with trusted allies.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Don’t banish your fears, my friends. Befriend them. See them as a compass propelling you into aligned action and meaningful growth. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Xoxo
Who can relate? 🙋🏻‍♀️
I originally posted this on @mrandmrswonder but my agent and manager keep telling me to “bring people more into my world!!!”, so I’m going to share here too. 😊 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Farhad’s in Copenhagen for business, and I’m in New York creating, and can I be real with you? After a few months of being together non-stop after getting married, we were starting to drive each other crazy and needed a hot minute to ourselves. (Maybe you can relate?! 🤷🏻‍♀️) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I was always one of those people that thought I wanted my love partner as my business partner so we could do all the things together. I commend who that works for, though we’re finding that space apart actually brings us closer. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Not TOO much space, of course, but enough distance so that we get solo time to reflect and integrate, and then start missing each other. We are starting to play with the idea that he’ll do a week away with his team each month, and I’ll do a week away with my collaborators and besties for creative inspo. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It reminds me of what @estherperelofficial says about intimacy: “in order to bring lust home, we need to re-create the distance that we worked so hard to bridge.” ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ How do you re-create distance and longing with your love? 💕
My 3 fav things to notice daily: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1. What ENERGIZES me. Energy is my compass. I prioritize where I focus my attention by what is the most energizing and engaging. It takes me into flow state and it’s where I experience the most joy and tend to accomplish the most meaningful work. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ In fact, how I left a career in brand marketing and tech—and eventually found myself here today as an author and artist—is all because I followed pulls of energy and curiosity. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 2. What I’m GRATEFUL for. The practice of gratitude presences me to what I already have, and how that’s important and meaningful. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I read in The New York Times recently that in successful relationships, the positive interactions outnumber the negative moments by at least five to one. This reminded me that the times when I can find fault in my husband—or in any area of life—there are probably five or more other moments that I’m immensely grateful for, and I can point my attention there, too. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 3. What’s NOT WORKING & why. This is one of the most important reflections I do daily because it illuminates what I get to change. I’m a big fan of rapid experimentation and iteration (it’s my tech background), and so I’m always trying things on, seeing how they feel, and making adjustments. I used to be so afraid of trying new things for fear of if it not working, but now I celebrate what *doesn’t* work—and *why* it’s not working—so that I can discover and uncover what *does*. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Tip: While I only included the “Why” for what’s not working in the art, getting curious about WHY an activity energizes me or WHY I’m grateful for someone or something is equally revelatory. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Happy Noticing, friends! ✨
I’m a sensitive person who feels deeply. Growing up, I felt so much and didn’t know what to do with my feelings. I tried coping through controlling my emotions, numbing them, replacing negative feelings with positive ones, making what I felt wrong, and then shutting them down. When that didn’t work and only caused me more pain, I began to study them. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ As I learned to acknowledge what I felt, embrace emotions as helpful signals, witness sensations as they moved through my system, and then channel those feels into writing and art, I found my way back home to myself. Letting myself feel the full spectrum of emotion has been the most extraordinary journey of getting back in touch with my aliveness. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I recently asked through my insta story what you learned about emotions growing up. An overwhelming number of you (thousands) said that you learned emotions are either “good” or “bad” and you should feel the good ones and shut down the others. This breaks my heart, because when we shut down our feelings, it disconnects us from our truth, our power, and our aliveness. Emotions aren’t inherently good or bad— they’re neutral—but how we respond can be either useful or toxic. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ How do you respond to your feelings? I’ve listed some important shifts above ☝🏼 xo