That's What Makes You Beautiful

Baby Steps to Big Wheels

Often when we have an idea, a dream, or a new venture we want to begin, it's difficult to move from idea to action.  Or we shy away from taking a first step and friends will often advise us to take "baby steps..."

While this is sage advice, often we waver in our baby-steps and end up back at a crawl.  Slowed to a crawl, it's easy to find ourselves stuck.  Maybe we need to expand our idea of baby steps to include moving on to toddler steps, or even tricycles or Big Wheels.  When we've got wheels under us, we can begin to gain some traction.

Whether it's for a business, a project, or a needed change, let's expand our plan.  Get baby-steppin' on over to that Big Wheel and take it for a spin. 

Here’s some sage advice from Julie of  Olivine's Charm School.  It's geared to small business, but it can really apply to so many areas of life.  Consider it handle-bar bling.

1. Write down your dreams and goals for your business in 2012.
Go ahead, I’ll wait...
Ok. Now do you have a long, disorganized, anxiety-inducingly list in front of you and no idea where or how to start? Good! That means you did it right!
Look at your list, and choose one thing that's extra juicy. Now break that task down into tiny little steps that aren’t so overwhelming. Just ignore the rest of the list and only focus on this new, much shorter and less stressful list.

Here is an example from my personal list -
1. Redesign my store web site home page
2. Email web designer and schedule time to start project
3. Find five web sites that have a look I admire
4. Go through three magazines and cut out pictures that have the feel I want
5. Ask two friends what they would like to see on my home page
6. Make a list of my changes

See how suddenly that one task seems totally doable once it's broken down? Now take one of your baby steps, and do it today!

2. Make your work space shine.
For me, it's really important to have a designated work space that is full of inspiration and not full of clutter. This one is simple: just clean up your mess. For some reason, when my work space looks pretty I make more money. It could be Feng Shui, or it could be that when our spaces are cleared we feel good. When we feel really good people want to spend their money with us. Make a vision board for your business and hang it somewhere front and center where you can get inspiration and re-focus from time to time.

3. Surround yourself with successful people.
It's great if you have a huge group of friends that party all night and go to their desk jobs all day, but now is the time to expand your circle to include as many people as possible that are doing what you want to do. I gave this suggestion to someone once on a consulting call and she was sure she couldn’t do it because she lived in a small town and there simply wasn’t anyone around that inspired her. I had her send emails to three people that she looked up to in her field. She sent simple emails that were along the lines of “Hey, I think what you’re doing is awesome”, which is a very non-intimidating way to send an email. She now has a circle of online (super inspirational) friends that she checks in with regularly. Reach out to one person today!

4. Get over your fear of self-promotion.
I understand, self-promotion is scary and intimidating. Today is the day to practice talking to yourself in the mirror about what you do. Come up with your 2-3 sentence cocktail pitch about your business, make it fun and enticing. "I am a personal trainer" is very unexciting and I would not want to hire you. "I am a personal trainer and I mostly work with new moms who are trying to get their abs back!" would make me want to hire you and/or tell some friends.

5. Turn your computer off, put your cell phone on silent and get a pedicure.
When we are starting a new business or trying to run a business it is very easy to put our self care on the back burner, when in reality that should be at the very front. Always, always, always make time to do something for yourself daily. It could be as extravagant as a pedicure or it could be something as simple as taking five extra minutes in the morning to close your eyes and breathe. Because honestly, if you are following the first four steps then you will soon be lost in a sea of business and opportunities. If you don’t stop to admire yourself, relax and enjoy the process then what was it all for?

See More Pins ...

Oh, Pinterest.  Release your irresistible grip on me.

I've got to admit I'm a Pinsomniac... that's why I'm so tired today. 

I love it.  Twenty seven boards and counting.  So much beautiful imagery, so many fantastic ideas, and such a delightful outlet for creative expression.  It's also a place to quietly connect with other like minds.

The thing is...at some point you've to got to stop clicking and pinning, step away from all that grand grandness, and breathe the inspiration and ideas into real life.  Yup, that's the thing.

Economy of Elegance

When I was a little girl, when all the other little girls wanted to be princesses with ponies, my desire was to be "eccentric."  Perhaps I didn't know what eccentric meant, but I wanted to be that lady who had original art on the walls, book shelves filled with scads and scads of books, a baby grand in the corner covered with an exotic scarf, and souvineirs of my travels artfully arranged throughout.  Philosophers, writers, artists and educators, poets, musicians, and dancers would have lively and thoughtful conversations at my delightful dinner parties.

W-e-l-l, things didn't quite work out that way and I'd say I'm more eclectic than eccentric.  I suppose it's debatable though.

Anyone who knows me knows I love finding "diamonds among coal."   I can see the potential in things.  My quest for treasures and bargains seems to be never-ending. I delight in finding amazing bargains and discovering quality, classic items among things others pass by.

I love original art of all sorts and feel strongly about reusing, repurposing, and upcycling.  Take me to a thrift store and I'm a happy gal.  Give something an exciting "second life," and I'm thrilled.