As soon as Monday rolled around, and my self-declared vacation was over, I launched right into 2011 like a rocket heading for the stars. Just after Christmas, I was wandering Target and found a cute planner designed by Egg Press for Blue Sky, and just knew I had to have it. I’ve always loved the layout of Blue Sky planners (monthly tabs with the weeks right after each month!) and the colors used for the planner, as well as the paintbrush-drawn look of the cover and interior accents, just called to me.
There is also a healthy amount of teal, which is my favorite color!
When I sat down at my desk on Monday morning, I went through all the projects I have on my plate and pared everything down to urgency. What needs to be done now, and what can wait until next week? Which items are time-sensitive? Or which will help preserve my sanity by getting me off the computer?
I then broke the major projects down into smaller, bite-sized pieces and jumbled them up. For example, this was my Monday:
- Type up and send out article outline to CPS (yes! I did this! And I’m staying positive about what this even though I have a healthy dose of fear!)
- Work on printer issue
- Set eyelets in binder journal pages
- Free bookboard (it’s all recycled - I freed it from countless salvaged 3-ring binder covers)
- Write video workshop chapter 3
I like to vary what I’ll be doing in a day in order to keep my attention bouncing around - and thus, my mind making connections through unconnected work - and keeps things manageable. While I have, in the past, binged on finishing one project in one day, I find this varied approach not only keeps me up and moving around, but allows for a larger degree of flexibility. Last night, after working for about four hours, I found myself really, really tired, so I laid down for a nap. I call these my Spoonie Breaks, and can definitely tell when I skip one because all my aches get worse! But when I woke up, I didn’t feel any better - in fact, my stomach was upset! So I decided to relax and take it easy. Of course, this meant I missed out on much of yesterday’s to-do list, but knew it would be okay since I could simply move things around and throw a few on Friday.
I purposely leave Fridays open, not because I’m taking the day off, but because, even if I’m trying my best and am feeling good, I often take off for a movie or walk or bike ride to clear my head, and that means little bits get dropped. So Fridays are my pick-up days, when I grab all those loose ends and tie them together.
Anyway, I slept in. Like, really slept in. Which moves everything around on me and has me scrambling to get things done today so tomorrow isn’t so jam packed with things to do!
The nice thing is, every night, when I go to sleep, I do so with a smile on my face. I’ve accomplished something that day, gotten a bit done. There’s nothing more satisfying than crossing off everything on your to-do list - that simple motion, the line through letters, it can be such a high! I fade off to dream land exhausted but happy, knowing I’ve made a few more baby steps towards my dreams and goals for this year.
I’m working behind the scenes to put up some items I’ve wanted to make and share for a long time. And while I’m scared things won’t sell or that I’m not good enough an artist to sell prints of my work, I’m going to do it anyway because I’m finding the things that seem to flow, that put themselves together with little effort, are the things I am supposed to be doing.
I wrote all that above earlier today, before I got started printing samples and taking photos. While I was standing over my art table cutting prints down, I began to shake. That voice in my head began to speak:
"Think of all the ink you're using! It's expensive! Is it worth it?"
Yes. I said back. I think it is.
"You should just stop. Who are you to sell prints of your artwork?"
But I knew this fear, this shaking, meant I was on the edge of something wonderful. So I worked through it. Kept staging photographs and fixing things up and listing items. Even after my back started aching and I'd been at it for hours, I pressed on through the fear.
All the artwork I've put up in my Etsy shop is special to me. They are pieces that showcase my metamorphosis, my rebirth in the desert and the refilling of my soul. I am a different woman today than I was before, earlier this year, and I know I'm only beginning to scratch the surface of what I'm capable of.
To celebrate this newness, this braveness I feel, I am hosting a give-away. What do you win? Three prints of your choosing from yours truly, to help share the journey.
To enter, simply comment here and answer the following:
What brave, foolish, amazing thing did you do today?
It can be small. Huge. A baby step or a sentence scrawled in your journal. Whatever you feel was the most difficult, liberating thing you've done.
This is open until Saturday at 12pm MST. Good luck!