Goal Power

Reaching a goal is an instant ego boost, but reaching a goal earlier than expected is like a thousand smiles burning into a permanent grin.  Chariots of Fire music plays in the back of my mind as I mentally burst through the finish line tape!  The choir sings a fast paced hallelujah and I am clapping and stomping in time!  Then I am ushered out of Barnes & Noble for the 5th time in a week..........

 

 

Ashlie Blake, of Painting Bliss, and I have mastered the art of goal setting and continue to see our dreams coming true.  Last year we set a goal that 2013 would be our year of publication.  Ashlie has many publications under her belt and it took me a while to conquer my fear of rejection.  But as Ashlie was claiming her third time in Somerset Studios, I knew I could no longer sit on the sidelines. Having both been published we set a new goal of being on the news stands in the same month.  This week that goal got a check mark when the Somerset Studios hit the rack! 

 

 

I have notebooks full of goals, because let's face it- I have A LOT I want to accomplish in this life.  Writing down goals, action plans, and dreams is a mental exercise essential to accomplishment. It is like putting in an order from the menu of achievements. Looking back at my earliest goals, I am amazed to see how far I've come.  And how far Ashlie and I have grown as artists.  There was a time when we felt we couldn't call ourselves artists but now we wear that crown with flashing lights!

 

We will have all of 2013 to enjoy our publication goal as we each have commitments from other magazines coming up.  But those shall remain secrets until the printed page hits the stands and I will again be asked to leave Barnes & Noble due to excessive celebration.

LOVE  &  THE HAPPY DANCE!

Pursuing The Dream

A simple thought as I wind down my whirlwind week of crafting.  Many a fine fabric was up-cycled into some characters that have been dancing about my sketchbook and my thoughts.  Though I worked from the moment I woke up until I went back to sleep at night, I have never been happier.  For the past year I have been pursuing my dream of turning my hobby into my career.  The non-stop stitching, promoting, and yes- networking (big gulp for this shy girl) has pushed my boundaries further than I imagined and I am forever changed for the better.

None of this would be possible without one VERY understanding and supportive Hubby. We have always lived our lives in the moment and agree that nothing is worse than a dream that expires into regret. My hope is to one day be self-sufficient in my business and afford him the same opportunity.  The gift of chasing one's dream is priceless. Hubby and I were ghost tripping in Comanche, Texas when we came across this trophy in an abandoned house still full of its cobwebbed contents.  I couldn't help but wonder whose dreams had dwelled here and if those dreams were ever fulfilled.  This little bowler has been my visual cue to keep my dream alive, keep pushing forward, enjoy the journey, and never let my work become just a memory.