When Introspection Unfolds into Discovery, Intention, and Self-Expression

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Zachary Bodenweber (@zack.bodenweber) is a writer, artist, and personal transformation coach living in the Hudson Valley, in Upstate NY. Ever since a young age, he cultivated his personal style as a way of self affirmation; later on in life, he found a different—yet equally important—form of freedom in abstract art. Now, painting helps him embrace and better understand his feelings.

What are your main passions and do you cultivate them?

My primary passions are directly tied to my profession: writing, painting, and helping others become the fullest expression of themselves. I cultivate these passions not only through daily practice, but also through consistent self-exploration.

Our visual presentation is so much more than clothing or accessory selection. It’s our energy, our posture, our pace, our gestures, our expression, our intentions.

How did you first develop an appreciation for style?

I did it as a means of self-expression as a child. I wore a uniform to school, so there was literal uniformity in visual presentation among my peers. This led to three things:
1) I looked for other ways to diversify my style, such as by developing an early love of watches.
2) My style became even more important to me outside of school, where I initially gravitated toward loud and colorful choices to compensate for the subdued and unchanging nature of my school attire.
3) I eventually realized that our visual presentation is so much more than clothing or accessory selection. It’s our energy, our posture, our pace, our gestures, our expression, our intentions.

What does “being well-dressed” mean to you?

To me, being well-dressed is less about what you wear and more about how you wear it. Yet the two go hand-in-hand. The best dressed people are at home in what they’re wearing. Similarly, certain outfit choices can influence the way we carry ourselves. So I believe that we’re well-dressed when there is alignment across what we wear, who we are, and the vibe we want to cultivate.

What’s a personal ritual that keeps you grounded?

Walking in nature. So much of human life is made up of things that don’t exist anywhere else in the natural world: emails, deadlines, screens, advertisements. When I’m in nature, all of that falls away. It connects me to the essence of this existence, to the interconnectedness of all things, and to the present moment. Out there, I’m reminded of what’s real.

How do you define success, and what motivates you to achieve it?

For me, success is living life on my own terms, freely exploring my interests and curiosities and spending my days how I wish.

That motivates me because it means I get to live as the fullest expression of myself, and, for someone as multi-passionate as myself, I believe that’s a life well lived. Here’s what I often ask my clients: “What would you do if money wasn’t a factor? And can you do some version of that now?” Define success for yourself and reverse-engineer it. You may find you’re closer than you think. And you may find yourself making very different decisions. Many people are chasing a version of success that isn’t their own. They’re chasing the definition of success that they’ve been given. Define it for yourself and commit to it.

Is there a particular item in your wardrobe or accessory that holds special meaning for you?

My grandfather’s Rolex, a 1990 Oyster Perpetual, is the item that means the most to me. His name is engraved on the back, and it was a gift for 25 years of service at the company where he worked. As a kid, I used to try it on when I visited his house. It was my first experience with an automatic movement, and I was captivated. One day, rather unceremoniously, he gave it to me. I don’t think he realized how much it meant.

I wear it with care and intention. It’s a piece of him and a reminder of the bond we share. One day, I’ll pass it down to my son.

How do you find inspiration in your work?

I guide people through life-changing transformation, and that requires a deep connection and partnership with my clients. What inspires me most is their trust, the honor of being invited into someone’s world and helping them discover the truth of who they are and live from that place. I’ve suffered a great deal at times in my life, and I’m grateful for that now because it forced me to look for a way out. If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be able to help people the way I do today.

My ongoing exploration of this life experience shows up in all my work, from my writing to my painting to my coaching. It is all part of the same continuous unfolding of self-discovery and expression.

Emotion is energy in motion, and art gives that energy a way to move that is messy and beautiful and without rules.

Can you describe an art form you create and what inspires you to pursue it?

I paint abstract art. For me, it is a form of therapy, an externalization of my inner landscape. I’ve always felt deeply. In the past, that depth made me want to numb myself. Today, I welcome it. And I give it somewhere to go.

Emotion is energy in motion, and art gives that energy a way to move that is messy and beautiful and without rules. That’s the freedom I find in painting. Each piece becomes a fossil of something felt, a moment of my experience captured on canvas.