My Story In a Nutshell
I want to inspire, not influence.
If you have landed on this page, you are most likely interested in Iceland, have visited it already, or are fortunate enough to live there. Welcome, and here is my story (in a nutshell).
In 2021, my trip to Norway was canceled, so I spent eight days in Iceland instead. This was one of my greatest surprises. I have always been interested in Icelandic history and nature, specifically geology and the sagas, but once I visited, I became what a few locals have called “smitten.”
Fast-forward to the present day, and I have visited many times for as long as a month at a time (one of those times, I spent the entire month traveling in the camper van pictured below).
Growing up, I preferred writing, reading, and photographing chickadees at my mom’s bird feeder. Little has changed.
When I was eighteen, I earned a full scholarship in the Creative Arts at Fordham University. Unfortunately, my mother passed away unexpectedly from complications during her battle with an aggressive cancer treatment. This sent my life into a tailspin. I entered college confused, angry, and depressed.
My mother was my biggest supporter. She walked me to dance class daily, bought me my first typewriter, and introduced me to bird watching and books. Her absence devastated me, and I spent four years at Fordham as a ghost.
In my junior year, my creative writing professor took a liking to me. I will never forget her. She even landed me an interview for a journalism position in Boston, which I, still angry and bitter, politely declined. I wish I could remember her name to send her links to my published books. She would be pleased.
I spent the next twenty years of my life going through the motions. Although one may view this as wasted time, I do not. Every experience- the dead-end jobs, the horrific relationships, the time sucks- all added value in some way and shaped the woman I am today- a creative who has been down every road and knows what she wants.
I compare life to navigating a ship. Our vessel is ourselves, the water, time, and our chart is our journey. No one can say we cannot change course at any given moment, set our sights on a new destination, or even drop anchor and hang in one place for a bit. There is no guarantee it will be smooth sailing, and we may be lucky enough to have aid from another “sailor” to steer our ship, such as friends, family, or just plain good luck.
Like many, I have sailed through rough waters and anchored in some situations for too long. When I say I want to inspire, not influence, it is my way of saying the following:
“I feel it is my destiny to inspire other people, especially women creatives, that no matter what stage you are in your life, no matter what decisions you have made, or what waters you have sailed, you can take command of the helm and turn your ship in any direction you choose.”
This may be arduous, slow-moving, and daunting for some, but it can be done. My desire to honor my mother’s unwavering support motivates me. It is not money or fame but simply the desire to leave this world a better place. Not one thread of inspiration is insignificant, even if it’s just one person you touched.
This space is my way of combining my passions for photography, writing, and everything Icelandic. I hope it will inspire each visitor and demonstrate my love for this unique island.
I am open to collaborations and developing content for small businesses. If this is what brought you here, you can email me at arielleblane1@gmail.com.
Please enjoy my musings, and you can find me on Instagram to follow my future adventures @anowl_in_iceland
