Are you living for today? Or, are you holding back for some magical moment to enjoy your life?
Do you tell yourself that everything will be amazing when you can quit your day job? Or, daydream about how happy you’ll be when you can buy your dream house? Or, tell yourself that you’ll take a vacation day after your business is a year old?
Unfortunately, many of us are waiting for something: finding love, making enough money to hire a personal trainer, moving to another city, getting featured in a popular magazine.
Be honest. Are you doing this right now? Are you waiting to be happy, inspired, motivated, healthy, calm?
If so, quit it. What can you do today to enjoy life? What goal can you strive towards in 2013 that’s realistic but will also help you feel how you crave to feel?
Happy New Year April. Thank you. Great pointers especially the short term joy vs long term happiness!
Speaking of short term joy, I am hearing future pitter patters of little feets if those dates do have the kind of endings your camera man is dreaming of.
Cheers to you both. Looking forward to the new blogs.
Happy New Year! Hahahahaha…we’ll see! 🙂
Happy New Year April. Great video. I’ve set myself a few goals for 2013. First one is to showcase at more Artisan Markets. Secondly to do more walking which is a great stress reliever for me. And lastly to complete 52 Weeks of Handmade Pretties. Which is to send a handmade card, pretty package or letter to one person for 52 weeks of 2013 and to blog about the process of making the items. Wishing you all the best for 2013.
Happy New Year! I looooooove long walks. It’s an amazing stress reliever for me, too.
Oh, that last one sounds like so much fun! Love it!
Hi April – love your vintage boxes you are using to organize your studio! My goal this year is to get my newsletter going; and to start writing more with my blog as well
cant wait to see your home studio project when it is completed!
Thank Amy! Sounds like some good goals.
Happy New Year, April. Gee wizz, you know how to set some goals, don’t you. I think you’ve forgotten to include sleep in there somewhere!
Goals for the year for me. Open my Etsy store (which I have set for end of January). Send something to Somerset Studio every issue – for the themed challenges or mail art. And my husband and I are going to train together for a 10km fun run. He also wants us to document every new thing we do this year. I am thinking of doing mine as a hanging tag garland to hang off my bookshelf in the art room.
Can’t wait to see all your blog posts – especially excited to see the DIY’s… they are my favourites 😉
Hahahahaha…I know this might sound a little nutty, but I actually feel like I’ve created a lot of space for this year. Usually, I’m much more focused on my product/service offerings. Right now, I’m more focused on creativity and enjoying the process.
YAY!!! It sounds like you’ve planned out an awesome year! Excited to hear updates as you move forward.
I LOVEEE the future of Blacksburg Belle. Now I don’t have to wait all week for Wednesday to roll out but I get my daily dose of awesome. Best news EVER.
I know that as soon as I tell David about date night he will want to borrow Kris’s “happy ending idea” hehehehe.
OMG + those vintage boxes are the best. I found a store Three Potato Four that has the most precious containers with personality. And Olive Manna too. Just in case you need it during the studio remodeling.
PS: The shout out at the end was the best surprise.
Yay!!! I’m so excited to blog each day.
Hahahahahaha…I bet he will. 😉
Thanks for the recommendations…will definitely keep those in mind as I organize.
I thought you’d like that shout out! You totally deserve it…Life is Messy ROCKS!!!
That’s funny, I just wrote down some January goals I had for my business a couple hours ago! 1) List at least 4 new items a week on my Etsy shop 2) Write at least 3 blog posts a week 3) Do at least 1 artist interview by the end of the month.
Happy New Year! Looking forward to your daily blog updates, April!
Awesome goals, Bev! It’s great that you’re super specific.
I love yiour post today. I already had to battle myself at lunch this afternoon, but the salad won out over the burger so I’m patting myself on the back for this small victory! It really helps propel you toward the next small step, and soon enough, I hope to be in a frigg’n swimsuit without any shame!
Thanks Cory! Yay…let me add to that pat on the back…great job!
So happy for you! Keeping up a blog is so challenging, can’t wait to see all your new blog posts! Wishing you a year full of inspiration & confetti!
Thanks Stephanie! I so appreciate the encouragement.
April, this is exactly the video I needed to see today. Thank you!! I’ve been feeling bogged down after a long, stressful day at my 9-5 and not really feeling excited about putting the time and energy into my business tonight, but your video whipped me back into shape. Thanks again! 🙂
I do love it when I whip people into shape! 😉
I’m glad you explained your storage idea. I do the same…from using a random flea market finds; pieces of china for watercolor paints to ceramic jars for my brushes. Surround yourself with things you love. Thanks for your post! Make sure ice skating or roller skating is on your date list…and take a picnic in a canoe this summer!
Yes, I love the random flea market finds…those are my favorite!
Hi ya April,
I have been following your blog for a while. I like the information you share and your new 365 blog post challenge too. My challenge this year is to focus on my strengths and build on my weaknesses so they too become my new strengths, this is for business and life.
Blessings
janet
Thanks Janet! I wish you all the best in 2013!
Happy 2013 and looking forward to the new posts coming to Blacksburg Belle! I also love to redo my space for the new year – it’s super fun and refreshing!
Thanks Linda! I can’t wait to get everything how I have it pictured in my head!
Hi April!
I love hearing about the future of Blacksburg Belle. I must admit- when I first heard that you were making changes my first thought was, “Uh Oh, she’s leaving us!” But it’s just the opposite- you’re giving more of yourself to us!! I’m so excited to hear all about your DIY projects, your date nights, and more of you super-helpful business advice!
If you don’t mind me sounding like an old mother hen for a sec.- make sure that you give yourself a little wiggle room with these goals and challenges. I recognize how you said “don’t make excuses” (great advice btw!) but in your case, maybe have some reserve blog posts or a non-date night (i.e. unplug tv with cheese and wine) for date weeks that you just can’t get it together or blog days where the inspiration just doesn’t happen. I know it sounds like a cop-out but on the other hand- you never want to feel that you HAVE to do something and lose the zeal for what you’re trying to do.
Happy 2013 April! I look forward to hearing about all your adventures with your new plans!!
You can’t get rid of me that easily! 😉
You’re absolutely right! Some of our date nights will be boring…like vegan cheese and wine at home with a movie. And, I’ve already got a bunch of blog posts completed. I spent a lot of December working on posts to make sure it was a doable goal. But, I hear ya!
Hi April! First of all, Happy New Year! Second, I absolutely loved this video. I’m in love with “one house-project a month” ideia. Mind if I copy it?
I’m intending to follow your advice for building my own business and give a bigger chance to do what I love more and more.
Thank you for the sharing.
Copy away! I hope you have a wonderful year filled with lots of success and super fun home projects.
I’m soooo excited about the new direction of Blacksburg Belle! I’m looking forward to your daily posts, especially the DIY projects and fashion advice. Our lives are so much more than our businesses, and I feel like you really understand that. Can’t wait to read about your date nights. 🙂
Thanks Sage! I look forward to your comments, and I feel like I’ve gotten to know you bit by bit through them!
I do believe our lives are so much more than our businesses and recently I’ve realized that it makes sense to combine all of these things in the same space. And, all the support I’ve received helps me to know that it was the right decision.
OMG! April, I felt as if you were talking directly to me. One of my goals for 2013 is to really kick start my business. I’ve been saying this for some time now and keep making the “excuse” that its just so hard with a full time job. I really want to make my business a full time job and have decided that this is the year. I haven’t tried the Life Is Messy planner but I’m going to check it out. I have made a plan for my business for the next couple of months and so far I have stuck to it.
Good luck with your decorating/remodeling projects and your date nights. I look forward to reading all your blog posts.
Sounds like you’re on the right path this time! I wish you all the very best in 2013 and hope your business takes off so you can go at it full time.
Just to say April I love your videos ,but i was equally surprised to find that reading the comments which people had left equally as inspiring. They too have helped me to have a deeper understanding of what you were saying as well as helping me to realise there are so many people out there trying to achieve what i am!
really appreciate what you are doing xx
Annie
YES! I love the comments, too. I think the best stuff happens in the comments that wonderful people like yourself leave. I read every one and try to respond as much as possible.
Reading the comments is actually my favorite part. 😉
Happy 2013 April!
I’m really looking forward to reading all your blog posts, hearing about your date nights and seeing your house projects come together! I often feel like I’m overwhelmed with social media, blogs, newsletters and general information overload, but Wednesday Wisdom is the one email I really look forward to every week and reading your blog is the only one I make a priority. (Honestly, I really like Laura Roeder’s newsletters as well, but I’ve been signed up for her social media marketing for a month and not looked at it once. I know…shame on me!)
What was really great about this week’s video was that I have met so many people recently who told me they are not starting out the year with any goals planned. They say they don’t make “resolutions” because they never keep them. I was seriously thinking about not making any goals this year either until I watched your video and I thought about how truly insane that thinking was! If you don’t have any goals, how do you expect to accomplish anything?! I’ll just end up the year wondering where the time went and lamenting that I’m in the same spot I was 365 days ago!
I loved hearing about your goals and it really got me thinking about what I want to accomplish this year. I need to figure out what I want and break that down into small manageable goals.
What was I thinking even considering not making any goals?! Thanks for the kick in the pants!
Dana 🙂
Thank you! That makes me feel super special!
Glad I could provide the necessary kick in the pants. Stop back by and share once you’ve decided on the goals you’re going to set. Would love to hear!
Thanks April you shared all these with us. Hope you have a year full of joy and creation. Your such an inspiration to all of us!!!!