AVA TE-ZABAT, 28
THE ARTSY MOM @ARTSYAVA
Most people think passion is something you find. What most don’t realize is that it’s actually hard work that creates passion. What you fight for, what you choose to spend time on — that transforms you. “If you really love something, you will make time for it no matter what,” says Ava Te-Zabat, lifestyle blogger, full-time mom and part-time art teacher.
Ava became a mom when she was 19. Instead of buckling under pressure, in 2010, she made the decision to continue blogging. It’s the perfect platform for someone like Ava, who always knew what her passion was. “I have always been passionate about art,” she shared to me over a phone call. So it was no question for her to keep doing it, despite everything. “I pay my bills using PayMaya. With a few taps on my fingertips at the comfort of my home, PayMaya saves me from the stress of traveling and falling in line just to settle my bills. It also helps me save a lot of time so I can do more as a mom and a blogger.”
“There was resistance when I started. My mother and my relatives did not understand what I was doing. They thought I was just wasting time, they thought I wasn’t going to get anywhere. I just try to prove them wrong little by little,” Ava said.
“We do things differently from the previous generations, and that’s why we get a bad reputation,” she adds. “The technology is available now, so we do things faster, and more efficiently.” But all these conveniences do not make being a full-time blogger while also a full-time mom any easier. She does not hire help. She is very hands-on with her kids. “I actually think our generation is more passionate. Just because we have the tools does not mean we work less hard.”
So what is the millennial artsy mom’s advice for us? “Work tirelessly for the things that you love. If you love something, something good will come out of it. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it. You will reap what you sow, and eventually, it will lead to something. I didn’t expect to do blogging as my job, and it is has been amazing.”