Well hello there 2014! It’s so nice to meet you!!
It has been a little “crazy” around here this holiday season as we prepare to move. Moving is a funny thing…even though we only did it 3 years ago, it seems that I must have blocked out how much work is involved. Maybe it’s like having kids…the results are so wonderful, that you forget the pain and discomfort involved as soon as it’s over. The good news is that we are in the final stretch and we will be moving this week! On top of moving, I am also planning a trip in a few short weeks to connect with and learn from some bloggers, business people, and DIY superstars…then when I return home, we will be adding a little four legged family member. With all of this going on before we even hit February, I decided my “word” for this year is – BASIC. As in…. Back to the Basics….Focus on the Basics….
I have found that over the years, I keep trying to “one-up” myself. I want to set the bar higher and achieve loftier goals, sometimes I achieve them, sometimes I don’t, and sometimes I realize along the way that they were totally the wrong goals for me. I have come to realize that sometimes, focusing on the basics and keeping in line with what you believe and love is way better than trying to one-up yourself. The problem I faced this year was in trying to decided my “goals” and business direction for the upcoming year. I kept finding myself saying “I don’t know what I should make my goals….I just want to find time to blog more and do more custom work…but those aren’t big enough goals”.
I felt increasing stressed and panicked as the new year approached, wanting desperately to have a “game plan” before New Years Eve. On New Years Eve morning, as I packed boxes feeling lost, I had a total “AHA” moment. Why did I need a BIG YEARLY goal? Why did I need to do something bigger than last year? Last year was pretty good…and when I looked at what worked and what didn’t, I came back to the two things I missed last year – more blogging and more custom work. They aren’t big and lofty goals for my business, but they are the basics of what this company started as and they should be where the focus lies. I honestly believe that if I focus on these relatively small weekly goals, it will pay off in the bigger scheme of things.
I came across this quote, which I thought was perfect for my word – “If you care about the little things, you’ll do the big things well. Do the basics well.” – anonymous
This won’t only apply to work for me, however. With all of the things going on this year, I want to try my best to apply this way of thinking to life in general. In the midst of chaos, is exactly when we have to make the conscious choice to keep the focus on the basics. While trying to decorate a home, train a new puppy, travel, and work….the basics of my life include the people in it. My family and friends. Before when we moved, I didn’t want to have people over until the house was “perfect”…but that’s getting tossed this time around. I want to keep life filled with the people I love, whether or not the surroundings are perfect or the to-do list is done. It’s the people in life that are the foundation, the basics, and too often we don’t make enough time for them since our lives are so jam packed with the to-do list and perfection.
My life goals for this year, are to keep the people in my life a priority over perfection, the to-do list, and technology. People are the basics.
For 2014, my weekly business goals are to blog 3 times a week (including posts about our new home and design process which I am so excited to share with you!!), and to take on at least 3 custom projects a month. I really wondered if I should put myself out there and tell you these goals…as now you can hold me accountable, but I figured that if I am serious, I need to have faith that I can make it happen!
(A little custom watercolor I had the privilege to do recently)
