This week I decided to give the bulk of my available attention over to photography and let the other areas take a rest. So I’ve been taking pictures, editing pictures, and practicing marketing lessons. There’s a competition deadline coming up this weekend that will make it an even higher priority but may just yield some long term results.

Along with that, there’s a laundry list of everyday life – house projects, cleaning, gardening, all  of which need attention. It can seem like no progress is being made but looking back at where things were even a year ago I can see huge results.  I’m still feeling a little unfocused though so time for more lists and priority setting!  All in all it feels like things are moving along, even if it’s sporadically.

There’s something very satisfying about balance.  It’s been a week of small steps in all directions. Sometimes those steps have simply been getting updates that things are still pending but that still feels like progress. I’m getting focused on some of the smaller writing projects and trying to get those done along with getting some time in with friends.

I also had to make a decision to truly follow my intuition when the people around me were advising me not to. It can be hard to go against conventional wisdom but I’m proud of myself for not only listening but actually following my heart.   I just wish it could have been for doing something instead of not doing something because I’m left feeling a sense of lack instead of abundance.

Even though it’s July I’m starting to think about next summer and really making a move then to do some art shows – it will take me that long to figure out which ones and get everything ready. I think I’m getting to the point where that sounds like fun.

I’m continuing to build my marketing skills although that’s clearly not something I was born knowing. In a way that makes it a little more fun – a challenge to see if I can grasp enough to really make a difference. That’s on the agenda for this weekend along with painting a closet and editing photographs, not to mention a little Shakespeare!

If there’s been a theme for this past week, it’s been about re-evaluating first impressions and expectations.  From objectively looking at my day job options to evening plans disrupted by someone challenging a coal train and losing (meaning it took 2 1/2 hours to get home.) Sometimes the accomplishments are about adapting instead of what gets done. That still leaves a long list but small steps were made on those as well.

I think the biggest challenge has been giving myself permission to disappoint people when the choice comes down to disappointing myself or them. It’s actually easier to say no when a specific question is asked. A raised eyebrow or a hopeful smile is harder to walk away from. Sometimes that’s just what it takes, though. I can’t help but think that once I manage to lose the guilt over doing this that these situations will magically disappear forever.

At least I can hope. I have big plans for the three day weekend around catching up and making some serious progress on all fronts.

Technorati Tags: expectations

It’s been an interesting week – almost completely occupied with work drama. The very reason I want to avoid working for someone else. What’s interesting to me is that the explanation given for some bad behavior was being tired and stressed.  Fair enough, most of us release our inner toddler under those circumstances.  But what about the decisions that led to the sleep deprivation in the first place?  I’m pretty sure an adult made those. Consequently I’ve made some decisions of my own to stay true to my core beliefs about not getting in that state.It’s not going to go over well – another human standard. We all seem to take it personally when someone chooses not to make the choices we’ve made.

Beyond that I’ve gotten some volunteer work in. Not the most productive week in terms of output but maybe one of the most in terms of personal growth. It’s been a long week but I feel better at the end of it than the beginning and that seems like a major accomplishment.

Technorati Tags: Personal Growth, time management

Summer starts next Monday, but it sure doesn’t feel like it. It’s been a long, rainy week and not much beside office work has gotten done.  The new jewelry pieces though are almost complete – a few weeks behind schedule but impossibly so. I’m not sure where the summer plans went but I realized that I’ve got no immediate plans for shows and so forth but I’m still paying to have credit card services.  Rather than cancel that it’s a reminder to me to work harder on marketing and get more productive with my time.

I’ve been reminding myself that everything really does happen for a reason. Too much work does at least mean more pay (the major  benefit of contracting) so right there is my travel fund and that may prove to be invaluable in achieving other goals. So I’m trying not to wince at how much time is going away from my major projects in the last week.

The one benefit that comes from being truly committed to goals is that the distractions and setbacks actually reinforce the commitment instead of dissolving it. It seems unfair but you can see that in people that are truly confident as well, not to be confused with arrogance. Confident people tend to gain more confidence from their experiences, even the failures than those that aren’t.  Those still struggling in that area will see a win as chance, luck, or a coincidence and not carry it forward.

Technorati Tags: accomplishing goals, confidence