My word ... COLLABORATE

Last year my word of the year was 'Rhubarb' - a fruity choice but not terribly conducive to following any form of set direction. In fact, I would go so far as to say that many of my goals 'crumbled' due to such a lack of binding substance.

This will not happen in 2014. No No No...

The year, albeit only two days old has already begun with a differing outlook - a barrel-load of commitment and a rolling stone of change!

My word is COLLABORATE.

Here's how I see it going:

Business
I work OK on my own, but it's when I'm teamed up with others that I shine. I love to get my teeth into new projects and sprinkle them with ideas and possibilities. I bring creativity, enthusiasm, knowledge, entrepreneurship, companionship and a bit of sparkle. Likewise, those I work with light the fire within me, give me the courage to push beyond comfortable boundaries and deliver promised results. Collaboration gives accountability and drives productivity. I want more! Are you looking for a partner to help you deliver in 2014?

Pleasure
Being a part of something special makes my soul bloom. For the past two years I have worked with other artists on collaborative projects and watched with delight as we have all put out our shoots and grown together. This is set to continue with projects underway and plans unfolding - but I dream of more! I have the germ of an idea seeding within me which I hope to share soon ... watch this space!

A word of caution to myself
I do like to say a big fat "Yes" to exciting invitations - it is, after all, the path to adventure. However, as I have learnt to my cost in the past, there are only so many balls I can simultaneously juggle. This is my little word of caution not to overload at any one time... Listen carefully Lisa and choose wisely!

Anti-
Before I go, might I share my anti work of the year - the one that I'm trying my level best to not only avoid, but fight against. I am preparing my defences against the might of the dreaded demon Procrastination. May it beaten into submission once and for all!

eRROR

Having an error message pop up on screen just as you are about re-start your blogging habit is not terribly auspicious is it? Plus, it appears I left cAPS-lOCK on too (and I've got a sore throat and aching limbs but that's a whole other topic).

Is this a message from the stars or simply just an unfortunate quirk of fate?

I think I'll go with the former as that sounds far more intriguing (and allows for a long and rambling blog post!). It could be the title of my new book. One of the main characters whispered his secrets to me last night as I lay in bed listening to explosions that were seeing in the New Year. I did watch for a little while as the sky above my town lit up in celebration but my bed was just so cosy and tempting... Maybe it's going to be the recurring lyric in a catchy tune set to take the charts by storm...

OR - it's the clanging chimes of doom? I mean have you read what it says? The compile time user-agent  is gonna get me!

I was going to write about my word for 2014 in this post, but got distracted (an all-too-regular failing which I will try to remedy at some point this year too). However, ANTI-PROCRASTINATION is not my word of guidance, much as it runs of the tongue so delightfully. You'll just have to wait until the next post to find out what is!

Tootles!

Staying resolute

Happy 2013!

I read an interesting article today in the Entrepreneurs' Circle monthly magazine. Guest writer Vic Johnson talked resolutions.

He made an interesting point, one I've heard before from my good friend Leanne Flower but it's always useful to be reminded.

It's about maintaining a positive attitude toward our goals and hopes for the year ahead. Vic uses the classic January example of weight loss. He points out that setting a goal to lose weight is negative in itself, plus it speaks volumes of future angst and torture. It's hardly a good starting point. How much better instead to picture yourself in the mirror in February clear-skinned, toned, glossy-haired and sparkly-eyed - a vision of health and fitness? I don't know about you, but I feel pretty good about working towards becoming this February girl.

To help, I'm writing myself a long list of positive verbs - build, grow, commit, make, test, create, learn and above all, I'm believing in the beauty of my dreams rather than thinking too much about the slog I need to do to get there. With the shining touchstone of success guiding me through the tough times it all feels so much easier.

2013 begins for me with a clear(ish) plan with some SMART goals and a rough idea on how I'm going to achieve them. However, I never like to set anything too much in stone (it takes far too long to chip away all that concrete). I believe a spot of by-the-seat-of-your-pants flying is often the magic dusting required to take a project to an elevated level. Being able to shift the plan at a moment's notice to embrace that exciting vision that just popped in your head can lead to the remarkable over the mundane. It's a method of working I highly recommend - never stop asking questions. I know I'm not the only one who thinks like this...

"Don't think! Thinking is the enemy of creativity. It's self-conscious, and anything self-conscious is lousy. You can't try to do things. You simply must do things."

Ray Bradbury

(Artwork above is something I made the other evening after a fun planning session.)