Momentum

May is certainly flying by, and it's been an interesting one. Weather-wise it's been alternately hot and cold, rainy, sunny, stormy. As we round the corner into June, the heat is on in more ways that one. I feel like I'm on a racehorse coming down the home stretch and I'm banking on momentum to carry me across the finish line. Like any good jockey, I'm keeping one eye on the prize and the other on my surroundings. Of course, I'm not in competition with anyone, but sometimes I feel like I'm competing against myself and often against Time. You know that feeling, I'm sure!

Lately I've been on a wildly creative streak which has sparked the forward motion. In my last post, I mentioned that I would take any action necessary to achieve my goals. One of the action plans I made was to make better use of spare time. This is not the easiest plan to stick to, but I've been working at it with satisfying results. For instance, I have an hour for lunch. As I usually brown-bag my lunch, I go outside to sit and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. It's very relaxing and keeps me from feeling 'shut in.' With so much extra time after I munch out, I decided to start working on my book during this time. So, after a leisurely meal, I take out pen and paper and write a few paragraphs for the book. Not to say this is easy...so many times I'm sitting there with pen in hand, waiting for the words to come. That old blank sheet of paper just stares back at me, unblinking, and totally unhelpful. But the point is that I make the attempt and succeed more often than fail at getting something written. This gives me a big boost of confidence, and a sense of having accomplished something. It keeps the momentum going, keeps moving me forward.

This feeling of movement, of being caught up in the current and going with the flow, spills over into other areas of my life. With this creativity streak going, I've started working on my living space to make it more conducive to both relaxing and creating, signed up to take lessons from a local artist whose gallery I've been visiting, and bought some wood to build a much needed coffee table for inside, and a table for the back porch. When you get this kind of momentum going, it's easy to take on too much, and the creativity feeds upon itself. The more you create, the more ideas you have for other projects. Like a rain-swollen river, the creative momentum just keeps pushing you along. And like the racehorse, the exhilaration of running ahead of the pack, heading down that home stretch, keeps you focused on your goals.

Summer is a great time to turn up creativity and start a new project (or tackle and old one). It's time to get out and about. It's time to....

Catch the Momentum! Get Creative!
StellaD

Spring Reflecting

Since my last post, I've found a job. I'm working for a small operation that creates old antique finishes on antique replica furniture. Very interesting and totally different from the usual run of manufacturing jobs. No wrench-twiddling here. Now I'm swinging a paint brush instead. The downside...it's a day job and I am not a morning person. My new boss is determined to change my night-owl status. Hmmm...wish him luck. I love working evenings, especially in the warmer months. There is nothing like sitting outside late at night, gazing at the moon and listening to the night sounds. The heat and noise of the day disappear in the inky darkness; the air is softer and the stars twinkle brightly. This I miss, plus having my mornings to do as I please. But I can't complain, and shouldn't. That I'm still not making a living doing what I love is my own fault. When one doesn't apply oneself, one shouldn't expect extraordinary results. Am I right?

It's not that I haven't set goals, because I have. It's not that I don't know what I really want to do, because I do. It's the fact that I haven't aptly applied myself toward reaching my goals. And that is the most important part of achieving any kind of success in your life, from relationships to job promotions, to freeing yourself from the job-world altogether. No matter what you want to do, be a published writer, fine artist, or company CEO, you must apply yourself to find success. Changing your thinking is only a small step. Write down your goals, then break them down into steps you can take daily, weekly, or monthly...and do them, one by one. Study the habits of successful people in your chosen field, learn whatever you need to know, and apply this knowledge to your own path. Contact someone you admire who is doing what you want to do. I'm shy when talking to people, but I've found that those whom I've had the courage to contact have been extremely gracious about answering my questions, whether by email or face-to-face.

I've learned quite a bit in the last few months, having been laid off and now back to the grind. I've learned that I like freedom, especially the freedom to structure my day however I choose. And I like to take my days slow and easy...this is the South, you know. Why do we need to rush? And that is what I want for myself. While I'm sending positive feelings about these things into the universe, setting up my vision board so that I can stay focused on my goals, I'll also be doing whatever I need to do to move myself in the direction of those goals. One step at a time.

End of lecture! Wishing everyone a wonderful week! Spring is here!

Get Creative!
StellaD

Don't Quit Your Day Job...Hah!

Spring has come to west Georgia. At least, the spring flowers are in full bloom. This weekend the dogwoods blossomed in the woods along the highway. And I'm happy to see warmer weather after such a cold winter. We even had snow this year! I love snow, and it was a double treat for me as it snowed on my birthday. Doesn't get any better than that! Needless to say, I spent as much time out in it with my camera as I could. But my usual exuberance over spring time is muted this year, as I am faced with a challenge that I'm not too sure I can handle...at least not well.

One of the many pieces of advice often given to aspiring writers, artists, and entrepreneurs is to keep your job and build your business on the side. In this way you can build up your clips, portfolio, or clientele while still paying the bills and/or paying down your debt. Hopefully, you'll also be able, during this time, to save up an emergency fund to help you through the transition when you're ready to give up the j-o-b to run your business full time. But...what if your job quits you first? What if you get laid off before you've paid off your bills or saved at least 6-8 months of living funds?

Today's working environment is highly volatile. Corporations are downsizing; production work is being sent overseas; the bottom can drop out of your work-life without warning. That's what happened to my co-workers and me in February. We went in to work on a Monday evening only to find that second shift was being shut down. That very day! Wham-bam, just like that, with no prior warning. Even the boss didn't know it until he showed up for work that evening. At the meeting, I was o-kay with the lay-off until one of the HR people started taking our badges. I think I went into shock then. I simply couldn't (and still can't) believe it. Talk about bad timing!

I've always said that Life is an adventure...well, I think this is going to be mine. Wish me well on this journey. I have no idea where I'm going, nor how I'm going to get there, but staying put is no longer an option. If I'm going to soon be broke and homeless, this gal's headed for the beach. Until I can finagle a laptop to keep me company, I can't say how often I'll get back online, as sadly, the cable will be the first thing to get axed.

My advice to you, whether you're considering going into business for yourself or not, is to start saving...no matter how little...now. Even small change adds up over time. Pennies make dollars the adults always told me when I was a kid. Yes, they do.

Blessings to you all!
StellaD