Eliana Gil Rodriguez
“I try not to take anything personally, that includes my perceived failures but also my perceived successes,” says Eliana Gil Rodriguez, the creator of the sustainable fashion brand, Gil Rodriguez. Here, I love Eliana’s words on shutting out the noise of the internet in order to tune into creative intuition, as well as her pragmatic approach to mental health as an entrepreneur and creative, “I've learned to take care of the space in my head - to make it kind and hospitable, a place of levity and minimal pressure - because, you know, I have to spend all day, every day in there.”
How would you describe what you do?
I founded and run a clothing company called Gil Rodriguez. We make slow-fashion essentials here in Los Angeles.
How do you deal with the continual ebb and flow of “success” as a creative person?
I think many people define success with exterior metrics - how rich or popular or respected or envied you are. I personally try to avoid that kind of thinking as much as possible, as it's innately unstable in that it's linked to other people's perceptions and not really within my control. I instead focus on what I truly want out of life, and the steps towards getting it.
When is a time you felt really successful? Or a time you felt like you failed?
I feel pretty great after shoot days, when all our work comes together into something inspiring and beautiful. And I feel incredibly grateful everyday that I'm able to make a comfortable living on my own terms, as financial stability hasn't always been a constant in my life. But I don't really see success and failure as binary. I've tried many things that didn't work, but I usually approach those situations with interest and curiosity - like hmm, I wonder why that didn't work - what could we have tried doing differently? I try not to take anything personally, that includes my perceived failures but also my perceived successes.
What is your biggest struggle as a person in a creative industry?
Cutting out the noise. The internet can be great for digging up inspiration, but most of the time you're just seeing a lot of the same trends, the same influences and mood boards, and then everything kind of ends up looking the same. It's been really important for me to shut a lot of that out so that I can remain in touch with my instincts and not be inadvertently influenced by what's cool at any given moment. It's important because I want to make something timeless that really feels like me, that no one else could have done in quite the same way.
What is your daily routine? Your weekend routine?
My routine is all over the place since quarantine. Sometimes I take a weekend in the middle of the week. Sometimes I work all night. Sometimes I work in bed or read all day. It's not ideal, but it's where I'm at right now. I'm looking forward to getting back to something a bit more consistent and disciplined.
How do you motivate yourself to actually get things done and/or maintain some level of productivity?
I'm not an innately organized person, so writing things down and prioritizing tasks has helped me a lot. I use the productivity planner from Intelligent Change. I find it really helps me stay focused and not procrastinate as much. I've also gotten a lot better at asking for help, which keeps me from putting off things that are otherwise daunting.
How do you manage the stress/anxiety that’s inevitable with putting yourself out there?
A big turning point for me was when I realized that nothing I'm doing is really that important, or at least not important enough for me to compromise my mental health over. It's been incredibly freeing and it's what enables me to function amidst constant obstacles. Of course I care deeply about my work, but in the end I try not to take it (or myself) too seriously. I've learned to take care of the space in my head - to make it kind and hospitable, a place of levity and minimal pressure - because, you know, I have to spend all day, every day in there.
How do you know when it’s time to rest?
When I'm tired or if I notice myself getting irritable or down. Having a business is incredibly hard at times, but the cliché of the martyr entrepreneur is so boring to me. I consciously choose to take time for myself and to listen to my body. There are growing pains, times when you really do have to push through the pain and exhaustion to get something done or to take your work to the next level, but you can't live like that all the time. I've tried it and eventually you burn out. It's not only a shitty way to spend your limited time on Earth, but it's also not particularly effective or sustainable.
What’s your big dream? Do you have one? How do you set goals/set yourself up to achieve?
I'd love to learn to design and build furniture, design and build houses. I want to make movies. I want to make babies. I don't feel the need to limit myself to fashion, or any one thing. The ultimate goal is just to make things with people I love making things with, and I feel very fortunate to be part of a collaborative creative community that feels like a family. In that way I already feel I'm living the dream, but of course there's still so much I want to do.
How do you deal with people not liking you, liking your ideas or being jealous of you?
I've come to accept it as a normal part of life to which no one is immune. It's totally ok, not to mention inevitable, to not be for everyone. But you'll notice that people who are continuously making things and excited by their work rarely have the time or headspace to sit around putting other people down. Of course it's only natural to sometimes dislike or disagree, but it's usually only when someone is either too afraid or too lazy to pursue their creative ambitions that they resort to obsessively judging and criticizing the work of others. I'm wary of those who deem themselves authorities or guardians of good taste - it can be a convincing facade for their crippling insecurities. It's also boring.
For more of Eliana follow her and Gil Rodrieguez on Instagram or check out the Gil Rodrieguez website here
This interview was conducted on May 25th, 2020