Hello 2019....
Yak-Emma
I cant quite believe that we are here already...It doesn't feel like that long ago I was in my work room, swearing (standard) at the heat and how quickly my printing ink was drying! Now I resemble Joey in Friends, you know the one where he wears all of Chandlers clothes at the same time? yeah that! Also its just dark! it's so so dark! Dark when we get up, dark when we get home, always in the dark!
After the hectic run up to Christmas, everything just suddenly stops and then bang you're in January and unless you're blind, living under a rock or totally into the self love moment (I applaud those who are) you cant miss all the New Year slogans and social media barrage of New Year, New You (I am eye rolling as I write that-sorry D) but I do see January as a reflective time and a time that gives you bit of breathing space to plan and build on what you have learnt from the previous year, in both your business and personal life.
With that in mind I wanted to talk briefly about The Design Trust's dream plan do. I follow the the Design trust online and have taken part in a few webinars over the last 16/18 months. The information they share and webinars have always been interesting and helpful to me, well worth any creative checking them out. I have coveted the planner from a distance, slightly scared that if I got it, I would have to put the wheels in motion to stepping up my game, at the same time hoping that it could be the making of me and my small business-no pressure there then on me or the planner!
The planner comes with space to plan and write notes, but if there is one thing I do well, its make notes and lists! The diary below will be less about the business and more about reflecting on daily/weekly/monthly achievements-sometimes I forget about how far I have come when things get rough. Both from Paperchase (other stationers are available) one from Santa and the other from me, for me....
Personally a favourite of mine is from the book Persuasion, by Jane Austen, 'half agony, half hope' perhaps more a statement than an affirmation. In Persuasion the agony and the hope is felt in a romantic sense, but to me it sums up how I feel about 2019 and taking a bit of a leap, having the agonising self doubt but the hope that if I make it, I am a massive step closer to making my future a better, happier and a more successful one.
One thing that came out of my reflections of 2018 is that I wasn't a practising healthy small business owner. I worked long hours, and didn't use the time effectively at various points, especially on the run up to big events. Sometimes this is unavoidable, and that is okay, but when it becomes a regular occurrence then you need to think realistically how long can I keep this up for? One of my best cheerleaders (S) said, 'you need to look after your best employee' and when you're self employed, that is you.
Both me and Jess have come a long way in 2018, working on new workshops, developing new works, exhibiting at shows and generally just getting a better grounding in what we have and where we want to be. 2019, is all about better planning, more focus on selling throughout the year, having time to be creative which gives us space to expand on products in a more natural way. We have also decided to be more positive in applying for new shows and creatives projects that either way you'll hear about on here! We hope to be releasing each blog on the 3rd Friday of the month, and if needed little pop up blogs when we just cant stop the babbling and yakking!
So enough rambling on for now, I hope that you have all had a lovely, restful Christmas period and that we all have a happy healthy 2019!
I cant quite believe that we are here already...It doesn't feel like that long ago I was in my work room, swearing (standard) at the heat and how quickly my printing ink was drying! Now I resemble Joey in Friends, you know the one where he wears all of Chandlers clothes at the same time? yeah that! Also its just dark! it's so so dark! Dark when we get up, dark when we get home, always in the dark!
After the hectic run up to Christmas, everything just suddenly stops and then bang you're in January and unless you're blind, living under a rock or totally into the self love moment (I applaud those who are) you cant miss all the New Year slogans and social media barrage of New Year, New You (I am eye rolling as I write that-sorry D) but I do see January as a reflective time and a time that gives you bit of breathing space to plan and build on what you have learnt from the previous year, in both your business and personal life.
With that in mind I wanted to talk briefly about The Design Trust's dream plan do. I follow the the Design trust online and have taken part in a few webinars over the last 16/18 months. The information they share and webinars have always been interesting and helpful to me, well worth any creative checking them out. I have coveted the planner from a distance, slightly scared that if I got it, I would have to put the wheels in motion to stepping up my game, at the same time hoping that it could be the making of me and my small business-no pressure there then on me or the planner!
To support the planner I was also lucky enough to get the Design trust wall planner off Santa. This was something I used last year and I can not recommend it enough! not like other planners I have seen/used this one is portrait rather than landscape in orientation so it fits on my wall so much better!
The planner comes with space to plan and write notes, but if there is one thing I do well, its make notes and lists! The diary below will be less about the business and more about reflecting on daily/weekly/monthly achievements-sometimes I forget about how far I have come when things get rough. Both from Paperchase (other stationers are available) one from Santa and the other from me, for me....
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| wall planner, calendar, inspiration board |
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| 2019 diary and world domination note book |
With it being New Year I suppose an affirmation or motivational quote wouldn't go amiss, how about 'nothing worth having comes easy' (Theodore Roosevelt) What myself and Jess are trying to do, isn't easy. It takes a lot of time, money, effort (mental as well as physical) sweat -(not in the current climate) and occasionally blood-lino tools are pretty sharp....
Personally a favourite of mine is from the book Persuasion, by Jane Austen, 'half agony, half hope' perhaps more a statement than an affirmation. In Persuasion the agony and the hope is felt in a romantic sense, but to me it sums up how I feel about 2019 and taking a bit of a leap, having the agonising self doubt but the hope that if I make it, I am a massive step closer to making my future a better, happier and a more successful one.
One thing that came out of my reflections of 2018 is that I wasn't a practising healthy small business owner. I worked long hours, and didn't use the time effectively at various points, especially on the run up to big events. Sometimes this is unavoidable, and that is okay, but when it becomes a regular occurrence then you need to think realistically how long can I keep this up for? One of my best cheerleaders (S) said, 'you need to look after your best employee' and when you're self employed, that is you.
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| my happy place-Seaburn, Sunderland. |
Both me and Jess have come a long way in 2018, working on new workshops, developing new works, exhibiting at shows and generally just getting a better grounding in what we have and where we want to be. 2019, is all about better planning, more focus on selling throughout the year, having time to be creative which gives us space to expand on products in a more natural way. We have also decided to be more positive in applying for new shows and creatives projects that either way you'll hear about on here! We hope to be releasing each blog on the 3rd Friday of the month, and if needed little pop up blogs when we just cant stop the babbling and yakking!
So enough rambling on for now, I hope that you have all had a lovely, restful Christmas period and that we all have a happy healthy 2019!
Babble and Yak
Jess and Emma
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