Goals set and Ready to Go ! 2009 - Part 1

I will split this post into two for you, the first one being the lead up to working out where I want to go and the second being the examples and steps I took to get there which will come tomorrow..

Up until about 3 years ago, I never really set many goals. I kinda just went along assuming that things would work out for the best and I would get what I wanted out of life. After my second child I realized as I was getting older things weren’t quite happening for me the way I wanted, all these other people were doing great things and creating beautiful artworks which I knew that I could do just as well (if not better in some cases) so I decided I had enough of excuses and I was going to do something to pave my way even if it was only baby steps at a time.

Not long after first starting this blog in September 2006, I also came to the realization that I needed to make an Artplan for 2007 to give myself direction. It was a new concept to me, as I said, I never really planned much and I had a small baby plus a toddler to contend with so I didn’t go into too much depth but it was my first step to planning out where I wanted to go. Had I not taken that first step I wouldn’t be where I am today. Skip through a whole bunch of stuff from then to now, and so here I have come with a magnificent plan for 2009.

Firstly, it’s important to know, I really wrestled with everything this year, I had a lot of life changes and challenges in 2008 and in the past few months I have really been feeling like I have been struggling and failing with it all. Not matter what I did, I felt like I was always backfoot running to keep up. As I was sitting down try to think about what was happening around me it suddenly it hit me that I am already working hard, I can’t work any harder than I am already, something needed to change I was investing my time in the wrong areas or something? Not really sure to be honest but I knew that I can’t go on the way I was.

During this time I picked up a book called “The 10-Minute Life Coach” by Fiona Harrold. I figured why not, it was on one of those book stalls relatively cheap and a thought entered my mind you never know it might just be the thing that changes my life! Give it a go !

So, before I go further, I can definitely recommend Fiona’s books and website. It’s not all wishy washy and found it very logical way of thinking and what I liked best is that you can do it all yourself you are holding yourself responsibile and accountable which means of course you can change it ! You are in control. Could go on about this but look at her site and see for yourself, if your at all interested.

Not long after reading Fiona’s book I also had the opportunity to have session with business coach Joan Weir who I heard about via the Business Women Unite website. Joan's session was fantastic. I had already began to think about some of the topics we discussed about and had already started to implement a few strategies in my business. One of the things Joan and Fiona got me to recognize is that I need to action things and set tasks to achieve what I want. I am the one who has to do hard yards here and work this out for myself, alot of the work is done right here in the planning stages. There is no magic bullet, no one can do this for you. You can't skip a step, What works for others doesn’t necessarily work for me and I needed to set time for myself to work out what I want to do and where I want to go. And now was the time to do that.

One of the things both ladies talk about is having a vision. Basically everything else revolves around that, I needed to sort mine out and so I asked myself, What Do I want to Do ? Where do I want to be?'

The answer didn’t come straight away, in fact I was blank, I didn’t know, I sat on this for a while, took my time, wrote little things down as they came to mind (more about that tomorrow). The result was that I worked out that: I am already doing what I want! I want to be able to work from home with my family around me. I like having a home business, I don’t want someone else to raise my children, I enjoy preparing meals and all that comes with it. I want to be able to have art regularly in my life. So the issue is not what it’s that I need to find a way which makes it work for me. Financially, emotionally, physically and most importantly needs to help me to raise and support my family.

Organising

Towards the end of 2008, I came up with a system of organizing work, family - life. I trialed having diaries, online tasks etc etc none of it worked for me. I came up with a system of printing out daily calendars from outlook and sticking them organized in “DAYs” on my fridge via Velcro and bulldog clips. It allows me to allocate tasks to a day rather than a week or month. I can add to it regularly I don’t have to find it, I can be reminded of regularly. I can add shopping lists etc to it as well as work and art tasks, drs appointments whatever I want. I can go on about it but this post is already long enough, so lets just say it works for me :) .

I had experimented last year with the fact that if its not on my “day” then I just don’t get to it. One big list is too overwhelming, if I write things down and allocate them to do on a day they generally get done, if not I re-write them on the next day until they do. So basically what I needed to do was to work out what tasks and goals I have for the year and allocate them to a day, month. That way they will get done. So I had my actions and ways of being accountable to getting things done, I just needed to work out what exactly I needed doing, removing anything that didn’t involve moving me towards my goal and helping me with my vision. That is how I will get to what I want.

Tomorrow I will post the actual steps I took work out my goals. While I will include some of my personal and art goals but it will talk more about my process rather than the goals themselves. Hope it keeps you interested, until tomorrow…

Links:

Fiona Harrold - http://www.fionaharrold.com

Joan Weir Business and Personal Coaching - http://www.businessandpersonalcoaching.com
Business Women Unite - http://businesswomenunite.net

Latest Painting

Here is my latest painting :) Its one i started a probably about a month or so ago and finally have finished. I ended up painting over it a couple of times as i was playing around with different effects and styles and just couldnt get the clouds right.

When i did the grasses down the bottom i was thinking about my recent visit to Monet and how he used so many different colours next to each other in his paintings, so i added some blues and pinks in there which i normally wouldnt have done. It made some really nice effects a bit hard to see in the photo.

Here is also my fabulous new easel which i received as a christmas present which is abosolutely fabulous and i absolutely love ! I can't wait to create all sorts of masterpieces on it. What i also loved about the easel is that i can position so that i can get some distance as i paint and walk backwards and forwards, something i haven't done for a while.

I have finished writing down all my accomplishments for 2008. I have decided i am not going to post them. Just because i am not sure it is really that interesting to anyone as much as it is to me :) I will say thought its such a good process, i urge you all if you havent done it yet to force yourself to do it. It takes a while to get going but once you do, you realise all the things you have been doing over the year its really does help give you direction and just celebrate all you have done.

Happy New Year

Welcome 2009!
Well, here is how I brought in the new year, fireworks at Gosford waterfront. I had a quiet night but a good one, its the first time in quite a few years that i seen the fireworks a great start to 2009.

My boys are away at the moment, so i am using the time to get organised. The last 3 days i have moved from room to room cupboard to cupboard, sorting, throwing out, cleaning and basically getting to all the things i havent been able to do but wanted to for months. I still have an ever mounting pile in the studio and office to sort out. That will be my job for tomorrow. Once i clear the clutter i am hoping that i will then be able to sit down and sort out my goals for 2009.

I am looking forward to moving onwards and upwards and starting a new chapter of my life :).
Talking about that, let me make special mention of the great photos in this post. I can't claim the credit, they are from my wonderful boyfriend Grant who is amoung other things a great photographer :) I am definately taking the time to enjoy the simple but more important things in life atm which was one of my goals for 2008.

Looking forward to a fantastic 2009, and looking forward to sharing it with you all! Get prepared everyone its going to be a good one !

Tree Girl Revealed

Tree Girl - Belinda Lindhardt, Ink and Wash 8X10inches, 20X25cms

I can finally reveal this one :) It was a christmas gift for my very dear friend Marion, of whom i wouldn't nearly be half as sane as i am right now without her friendship.

So here it is i hope everyone is having happy and safe holidays :)

Happy Holidays to all my Readers

Well the holiday season has began! or the silly season as some people call it.

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank all my loyal readers of 2008, its been a tough one for me but thanks for sticking with me looking forward to a fantastic 2009! I sincerely hope its a happy and safe one for you all.