Mona Gabor has many strings to her bow. A natural leader but not necessarily a natural artist, Mona decided that stepping in to her truth and following her passion was something she could no longer ignore. Cue the launch of her own brand, one that is sure to inspire you.
It was after seeing another artist sharing her work that Mona decided to do the same, laying herself and her creative flare bare to the world and she hasn’t looked back since. We spent some time with her to find out more…
Tell us about the journey that led you to launching your brand Mona Gabor.
I had a relatively “normal” career that started with studying economics and business administration, then I worked for multinational companies in various positions such as finance, commercial project management, strategic marketing, etc. After that I have started several ventures in the retail and online space as well as in the consulting area, which was fun and I have learnt a lot. However, the common denominator between being an employee at multinational companies and having my own business was that I was always working for and / or representing someone else’s business. So I realized that I am hiding behind the offerings of other companies and people. After a while I had this natural longing to open up to the public and offer something that genuinely represents the authentic me and truly comes from me.
How did you rediscover your creative genes?
I have always had this fixed mindset about who I am and who I could be. Being creative was most definitely not part of it. And so, I have always suppressed the skills I had and pursued more “rational” directions. But deep down I have always resonated with, and I was mesmerized by people who had the courage to show their creative skills, as it seemed very vulnerable and fragile to me that they put their most sacred inner world out there – for others to see, to admire, to celebrate, to criticize, or to rip apart.
One day a few years ago I coincidentally came across the works of an artist. Her artistic style and the colors she used rang a loud bell in me and I automatically said to myself aloud “I can do this, too”. The power and the energy of this realization have even surprised me, as I have never had formal education in anything artistic. So I started experimenting and I enjoyed the process very much.
Looking back since launching the brand, is there anything you would do differently?
This is a very tricky question. If I say “oh yes, I would have done this and that differently” it would be always based on my current experience of this present moment. Looking back I had to realize that I have always done the best I could in every given moment – even if at the end it did not turn out the way I wished for. But again, that thing that did not turn out as I wished for happened to be a stepping stone that pointed me to the next phase of my personal development. It is a journey, it is a process and one gets the experiences one needs to be able to grow. One never really fails! And this is the trick.
However, if there was anything I would do differently, I would definitely be much bolder & more courageous as well as I would always remind myself that *it* is just a mind game – it is always you against yourself. It is about self-mastery – on all levels. I wish I had consciously known this from the very get-go. It would have made everything much easier.
Your life in Switzerland sounds so picturesque. Our readers love travel, what destination is at the top of your bucket list?
I have a very lively dog and I spend a lot of time with him. He is absolutely a nature-boy and so we are outdoors a lot – in the forests and the mountains. Quite honestly, I do not have a bucket list, as we usually just pick our next destination spontaneously – mostly depending on the weather. However, we spend a lot of our time on the “Walchwiler Berg” in the Zug area (South to Zurich) that is a beautiful local recreation area with a lot of walking trails and superb views to the Lake of Zug and other mountains.
What is your go-to quote when lacking motivation?
“The present moment is all we ever have.” from Eckhart Tolle. It is such a simple and straightforward sentence, although one that can take a long time to master due to our societal programing. Our society and our minds love to complicate and overanalyze everything and anything; and most of the time we are in the future (making plans) or in the past (analyzing what happened before). Hence we get pulled away from the very life that is currently taking place in this moment. When I catch myself being far away from the “now moment” and not being present, somehow I always remember this quote and I instantly feel better, even if I felt totally unmotivated previously.
What’s next for the business?
The next phase is definitely making my artworks and myself more known to a wider audience. In my case it is most importantly a step of inner growth – as intellectually I absolutely know what I would and should do in case of a third party. In my very own case I am working on my inner resistance (that is huge!) and old patterns to pave the path for this new adventure.
What does self-care mean to you?
It always depends on the circumstances. However, at the core self-care means to me that I regularly check-in with myself to be centered and not to be distracted or sucked in (too much) into the happenings of the outer world. But if I drift or slip out of my center I do not make it out to be a drama either: it is sometimes actually funny what causes to be thrown out of my center. To me it is part of the “Know Thyself” process.
Where can people find out more?
Those who would like to visit my website are very welcome to do so at monagabor.com. Also, in the near future I will be more active on Instagram and will post more on my account there @mona.gabor.art.
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