Obstacles and roadblocks are commonplace in life, but one New Bedford woman is showing her followers the meaning of persistence and the benefits of following your heart through her artwork, books, and eye-catching videos.

In her younger years, Susan Drayton of New Bedford was just going through the motions. She worked two jobs to make ends meet, but there was substance missing from her day-to-day life. She found herself in the midst of a divorce, and through these troubling times, decided to make a change.

“I ended up going to a seminar in my mid-40s that changed my life,” she said. “It was all about getting focused on your goals and finding inspiration and motivation. It was about setting your standards high.”

Drayton always had a love of art and found solace in expressing herself through drawing. She even had dreams of writing a book, but throughout her life, she was told it would never work.

“I grew up bilingual, with Portuguese as my first language, and my teachers growing up told me I could never be a writer,” Drayton said.

After taking that seminar, however, something woke up inside of her and she decided to pursue her passions.

“I ended up writing my first book, called Worthiness, and I illustrate all of my books,” she said.

It can be a challenge to get your books to fly off of the shelves, so she stepped out of her comfort zone even further and began a YouTube channel called Susan's Adventurous Path, creating fun videos that accompanied her illustrations and her writings.

She often collaborates with Corey G., aka the City Surfa, who has made a name for himself on the SouthCoast for his captivating, first-person shots of the surrounding cities.

Drayton’s journey is a beautiful reminder that dreams can blossom at any point in life. All it takes is a little time and effort.

“Really surround yourself with people that are very determined to think outside of the box and surround yourself with your soul tribe. Take it one step at a time,” Drayton said.

One of her more recent videos reminds me of an illustration you may find during Reading Rainbow, while her other videos offer a unique medium for adults to lose themselves in her stories.

Make 2022 the year of expression and following your dreams, just like Susan Drayton.

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