Episode 135: What Broke Me, What Brought Me Back and How to Keep Going When the World’s on Fire

"I will say with an economic downturn or instability, I think that you have a job to do. And you are the one who's meant to be there and show up and create for others and share your art and make the course and make the workshop, make the community for other people so that they have a safe place to go when they're struggling. We need the network of people now more than ever." - Kellee Wynne

If you’re building your art business and you’ve hit a rough patch—personally, professionally, or both—you’re not alone. I had to take my longest podcast break ever after an avalanche of heartbreaks and hard decisions. I lost my father, my son was in the hospital for a month, my brother was diagnosed with cancer, and I watched my business hit a negative net year for the first time ever.

But here’s the truth: these hard seasons are part of the journey—not a sign you’re failing. Life will show up and sometimes it will show up hard. But your calling to create, connect, and serve doesn’t disappear. Even in my darkest days, I still showed up for Build It Remarkable and the Remarkable League. That’s how I knew I was living my purpose—because nothing else gave me the same light.

“Even when I had my saddest days, even when I had hiding out days of not being able to show up…I was able to show up for you.” – Kellee Wynne

Let’s get real for a minute: sometimes what breaks us isn’t just grief or loss. Sometimes, it’s the world around us feeling scary, unstable, and out of our control.

Here are just some of the challenges I faced in the past year:

• Deep personal loss and family health crises

• Major financial downturn in my business

• National and global instability that felt relentless (“What’s happened with our nation…it’s not aligned with everything I’ve known the United States has been my whole life.”)

• Overwhelm about how to keep showing up, creating art, and selling courses when everything felt “trivial in comparison”

But here’s what brought me back:

• Finally investing time in real mental health care (Highly recommend—if you’re struggling, you don’t have to do it alone!)

• Letting go of all the extras (No fancy intros, just raw, real podcasting)

• Returning to the core of my purpose: helping creative souls find connection, inspiration, and the courage to keep building
  
  

Let this be your permission slip to keep going. To show up raw, real, and remarkable. The world needs light-bringers and builders especially now.

If you need a place to start, here’s what you can do today:

• Reconnect with your “why.” Why did you start creating? Who do you serve?

• Pick just one offer or project and focus there.

• Reach out to your community—send an encouraging DM, a newsletter, a podcast, a post.

• Stop trying to be all things to all people. Be YOU, fully and audaciously.

And if you need guidance, encouragement, or community? I’m here. Sign up for my newsletter, listen to the podcast, join Build It Remarkable, or just say hi on Instagram. We are builders when everything else feels like it’s falling apart.

You were made remarkable. Keep building your dreams—especially now.

Other links you might be interested in:

Follow Kellee on her Instagram account @kelleewynne

Follow the podcast and great business advice @maderemarkable

The easiest way to listen to the podcast is via Apple Podcasts  

Visit our YouTube Channel, Kellee Wynne Studios for other trainings and recordings.

Click here for the full written transcript