i’m not sure what it is about the end of a year.
But the past couple months, i’ve found myself “keeping up” much more than acting with a set purpose. i’ve been doing what needs to be done, what’s due, what’s been pushed to the top of my to-do list. But my proactivity on behalf of my business growth and personal fulfillment has taken a back seat….like major back seat…. like that bench seat on the Septa bus.
So even though i know a lot of folks are loathe to make formal New Year’s resolutions, let’s say i’ve decided to make a plan. And i think i will have to follow WallBling’s lead and emblazon my plan on a big sign or bulletin board here in my office as well….as a constant reminder.
Here are the key points of my plan:
Appreciate and value my creativity. ~ because most often, i don’t
Walk away from the office on occasion and experience the real world around me. ~ because i rarely do!
Set one goal for my business each Sunday evening, something attainable like, “list a new illustration in my etsy shop“, or ” write a tutorial for my blog“, then do it.
Find time for my own personal creativity in the midst of creating for others. ~ you know what they say about the cobbler’s son having no shoes…
Make my blog a more streamlined & valuable tool for my readers – with tutorials, downloads, great links and better writing. ~ i see myself enlisting the help of a certain talented blog guru for this….initials= TG
Make a year-long goal – i’ll spell it out here so i can’t turn back – “get at least 2 of the children’s book dummies i have lying here on my desk in the hands of actual publishers” (yikes!)
Appreciate my husband. Tell him so.
Pay off my one, last looming credit card. (i’ve already made a pretty good sized dent in this goal!)
Serve others; through charitable donations, art benefit sales and my own random acts of kindness.
Work on being PRESENT in the moment and enjoying my blessed life.
What are your “plans” for 2011? Have you ever felt like you’re “keeping up” rather than setting the pace? If you close your eyes and see your life in 5-10 years, what does it look like? Are you taking the steps now to make that vision a reality?
i’ll paraphrase something i heard a long time ago and try my best to live by; “if you never change anything about your life, you can’t expect your life to change.”
Fair enough.
So i here i go to start a-changin!
{image by WallBling.}
I’m like my art… a little bit 
having spent my life looking no further than a couple of months down the line “the future” seems entirely too large but with a baby on the way i kinda have to you know make some plans … so …
1. setting up a studio at home so i can portraits from there (will be easier with the lil one) as well as continue shooting on location.
2. take many many more photos … explore, learn & push myself.
3. spend more time as a family … hubby’s in the military so it’s hard at times especially with my bar job but when the lil dude arrives it’s needed.
4. save … save … save!
5. promote my work more … slowly starting to get seen by the more influential blogs & it feels wonderful.
i think this list could go on forever … good luck with your goals! xx
I know what you mean about “keeping up”, I feel like the past few months have been like that for me as well. I’m taking a deep breathe and a look back this week to figure out exactly what needs to get done so that I’m moving forward instead of staying in the same place. Hopefully goals will be listed and posted on my blog and near my desk by January 1st…
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Rosie~fabric shopper and stephaniecorfee, tara gentile. tara gentile said: check out @stephaniecorfee's plan for 2011 in this week's wake-create-repeat! http://goo.gl/82VGw [...]
Love the idea of having a plan rather than making resolutions, as so many of us do. Being present (and positive!) is something I’m always striving to do and I’m determined to focus even more on it this year. Happy 2011!
when you put it like that, it all seems do-able. definitely has given me a lot to think about – watch for updates on my soon to be updated blog (not yet!) thanks for the daily emails that keep us on our toes. Here’s to a productive, healthy and happy new year!
That’s an awesome photo and an awesome post.
Last year I wrote an entire blog dedicated to my new year’s resolutions. It kind of forced me to keep up. But it also stressed me out. So this year I’m going to be a bit more forgiving of myself.
Paying off the credit card is a good one. I’m thisclose to it.
I’ve done a lot of charitable donations, and will definitely keep up.
And I’m going to try to take refined sugar out of my diet as much as I can (not fooling myself into thinking I can take it out 100%) to see if it will help my mood/headaches.
I think that’s a good start.
This all sounds wonderful, I’m resolved to creativity in 2011 too. It’s time that I make it a forefront in my daily life rather than I “gee I really wish I had time for” thing. Wishing you a wonderful year.
Simplify. I think in this age of instant communication and so much to read and keep up with…I need to find a way to make things easier. I think making beautiful things is the answer.
Happy New Year!
love them. My fave is the valuing your creativity. Very close to home! My girlfriends and I meet basically every year and make a ‘resolution’ for every letter of the alphabet. Sounds intimidating, but it winds up being a whole lot more of ‘Yodel on a Hill’ and a lot less of “Save some money”… I have got some serious resolutions/plans this year though on my blog… After reading yours I’m thinking I need to add being a little more generous to myself… xxx