After watching the amazing Sue Bryce on Creative Live this past weekend I’m truly inspired!! She said lots of things that really stuck with me… like, “Get off the internet, stop comparing yourself to others, and get out there and do the work!” …I know! Right?! Love her!!
Another thing she said that stood out was this, “A dream is just a dream until you write it down… then it becomes a goal. For your own self esteem, make business goals and achieve them.” I looooved that thought, and it is so true! So I’m working to hold myself accountable for making my dreams into goals and doing everything in my power to achieve them. This thought process immediately brought me back to my Life List that I posted at the start of this year. I wanted to check in with it and see how I’m doing and if there’s anything I can cross off – or at least honestly say that I’m working on!
So – here we go – Life List updated!
Finish decorating my office. *I’m soooo close to almost done with this one so I half crossed it out – but I’m just not quite there yet. I still need to hang a gallery/collage & paint the bathroom gray.*- Travel abroad (Ireland, Italy, Spain, Greece, France… you name it. I’ve never been anywhere but Mexico internationally!)
- Shoot a wedding abroad (see above).
Get my work published on a blog.*Woot! This happened! I would have blogged about this yesterday, but I wasn’t aware the post was going up yesterday until I received an email from Style Me Pretty a few hours before. Anyway – I’m sooo happy for my beautiful & totally deserving clients (and now friends), Katie & Shaan, whose wedding weekend was featured on Style Me Pretty Illinois yesterday!*
- Get my work featured in a magazine.
Host a workshop.*Well, it hasn’t technically happened yet – but it is happening in April & people have signed up to attend – so I think I can cross this off!*
- Streamline my business. *This is in the works – but I think it always will be (& should be). I’m happy to say though that my turn around time is much better now & I plan to keep it that way!*
- Hire an employee and/or intern.
- Take a road-trip around the USA (so many great places here to see that James and I haven’t yet – James has his heart set on the Grand Canyon.)
- Visit the east coast/meet James’ extended family.
- Have a baby (or 3)
- Design & print our own wedding album. (Yeah, we haven’t yet… oops) *The harddrive our personal images are on appears to be having issues – so I need to work this out before I can do anything… Bummer. This is why you should order prints & albums people! If something happens to your DVD or thumb drive – you’re in trouble!*
- Write a wedding graduate post for A Practical Wedding.
Get accounting software & develop a regular system for inputting information to it!*I joined mint.comfor my business finances and it is seriously amazing (and free)! I’m loving the budgeting options and how I can easily create my own categories to put my expenses and income into! And I don’t have to remember to input anything since it pulls the information directly from my business accounts! Love.*
- Swim in the Mediterranean Sea.
Train Chloe to STAY.*We did it! Thanks to everybody who wrote with tips! Also – I trained her to “Give me 10” – basically a high five, but both front paws. 🙂 It’s cute!* (And because I can’t resist an adorable first night we had Chloe picture – that James and I were just reminiscing about… here you go!)
- Develop a better organizing system for personal photos.
- Print personal photos & put in albums! (No more Facebook as my album. No no no.)
Sell our 2nd car.*Technically James did this – but it’s done! We’re officially a one car family and it feels good!*- Go to a cabin somewhere with a fireplace, a hot tub on a deck, and snow falling outside. (I’m seriously missing winter this year! I need this!)
Meetallthe lovely APW ladies I’m friends with online in real life!*I figure I can cross this one off – except for the word ALL – since I’ve met quite a few at WPPI in Vegas, but not all & I’m pretty sure this will always be a work in progress since there are SO MANY lovely ladies to meet all over the world!* (Photo on right from: Katie Jane Photo)
- Mentor
someone. *I did this with the lovely Jessica from Jessica Norman Photography – although I’d like to do it in a more official capacity with more people in the future so I’m halfway leaving this on the list.* - Get an IL license and transfer our car to IL plates. (Can I get in trouble for putting this online? I’ve been here for 6.5 years. Oops!)
- Buy a home (preferably with a backyard).
- Grow my own garden.
- Renew our vows/throw a big wedding-like party again. Because we like weddings. (Obviously.)
- Be the kind of person my grandma would be proud of. *A work in progress… a work in progress.*
- Take social media breaks more often. *Another thing I’m working on daily. I have been taking more breaks at night and on weekends, and attempt to use Twitter & Facebook during the day only for business purposes. I’m definitely better at this than I used to be and it’s sooo refreshing!*
Volunteerto take photos of pets up for adoption at a shelter. *Another one that I haven’t done the exact thing – but I did take on a volunteer shooting gig!! This weekend I’m so proud to say I’m documenting an amazing event called The Art of Human Rights for the Heartland Alliance. I’m so passionate about this cause and love that they’re using art to raise money for this fabulous charity! If you’re interested in attending the show – you can buy tickets here!
- Get out my Mamiya and shoot film again. *Still hoping to make this happen – I swear!!!*
How are your lists coming? Are you consciously working towards your goals or just floating along? I challenge you to get up and do something about them! 🙂 It’s not easy – but it’s so worth it!
