Make a Commitment to Yourself

We make commitments to our significant other, our family, and our community, but rarely to ourselves.

When we set our goals for the year we create a plan of the things we want to achieve, but sometimes we get off track and lose sight of what we wanted to accomplish.

We are only a couple of weeks away from half the year being finished. This is the perfect time to pull out the list of goals you wrote at the beginning of the year and do a 6 month review. 

If you have gotten off track, this is the perfect time to regroup and start the second half of the year with a bang.

One way to get motivated and inspired to stay on track is to write down what you want and make a commitment to yourself.

Making a commitment to oneself is the foundation of success.

Download this simple contract of commitment. Its easy to fill out, just add your name, list your goal / goals, your action steps, and steps you can take to overcome and obstacles, sign and date it and then hang it up so you see it everyday.

Click here to download a copy

Are you ready to make a commitment to the next 6 months? Then download the form fill it out and keep it close to your workspace for motivation and to inspire you to achieve all your goals this year!

Are you on track with your 2014 goals?

Production Work is a Necessary Part of a Creative Business

I like creating jewelry this time of year. There is no rush to get items created for shows and holiday orders, and I can just be creative and make a variety of new pieces.

I have been doing a lot of that lately, as I am starting to put together pieces for my new Limited Edition collection. Here is a sneak peek at some of my new pieces.

Pearl and Hardware Pendant

Pearl and Hardware Earrings

Crystal and Pearl Choker

Here are a couple of pieces that are not listed in my Etsy shop yet.

As much as I enjoy creating new pieces I still have to work on building up my inventory for when things pick up later this year.

Production work is not my favorite things to do, but a necessary part of my business. I have several, as I'm sure you do, pieces that are good sellers that I need to keep a good stock of throughout the year.

I have started mixing it up this year, I create a new piece and then I do a couple of my production pieces. This way I still get to have fun creating, while building up my inventory. If I stick to this schedule I should have a nice inventory for show season.

How do you handle your production work?

Who Needs a Vacation? I DO!

It has been a long long long cold winter here in the Chicagoland area. I am really tired of the snow and the cold, this is the first year since we moved to this area that we have had mountains of snow in the backyard.

All of this cold weather has inspired me to start saving for our next vacation.

It is a great time of year to put a little money aside. Every time you have a sale pull out $5, $10, or even $20 of your sale price.

Planning a vacation and starting to save for it, will encourage you to  work your business and get  more sales. Before you know it you will have a nice little chunk of change saved for your next getaway. 

Need a little more encouragement, start searching for a place to take your next vacation or weekend getaway, and create a Pinterest board with photos to keep you inspired.

Where are you planning on taking a vacation this year?

Change is Possible

It's a new year, and we have new goals and resolutions that we set for ourselves. Did you know there is one key ingredient to achieving your goals and forming new habits.

That ingredient is believing change is possible.

Believing you can have a successful business, take on new tasks, or form a new habit is what will make the difference in starting something and giving up after a couple of months.

Once you envision what you want and start making steps toward achieving it, believing in yourself and your ability is what will make the changes you need for success a permeant part of your lifestyle.

Add in group accountability and your success level rises. Having that group support to help you stick with your goals, will also help new habits form.

The more positive reenforcement you incorporate into your life, the greater chance you have to reaching your goals.

Believe in yourself, and in no time you will be exactly where you want to be in your life.

Are you planning big changes in your business and life in 2014?

A Year In Review

Before we move forward it's always good to look back. This is the perfect time to review your year for the good and the bad.

Why do you want to do that, because knowing these things about your business will guide you to creating and achieving bigger more challenging goals.

Things to consider:

Financial
How much you made
What were your expenses
What materials or equipment you invested in
What investments did not work
How did you track your money - did it work? Is it time for a new system?

Production
Did you meet your inventory goals
Is your work space working the way it's set up now
Were the supplies you had adequate

Marketing
Did you meet your marketing goals
What social media worked and what didn't
Was marketing an effective part of your business

This is your personal journey.  Take your time, and no need to share this info with anyone. Use the information you discover to guide you as you create your 2014 plan to help you grow your business.

When you are ready to start your plan for 2014, use my Master Plan printable to help you create a plan for your business.

Click here to download you copy

Do you review your year before you make plans for the new year?

New Opportunities are Waiting For You - It's Time to Step Out of Your Box

As you are planning your new year goals, make sure you are creating opportunities that are outside your normal comfort zone.

You want to create goals that challenge you and make you feel a little uncomfortable. Taking yourself outside of you box of everyday activities will get you excited about your business for 2014.

When looking for new opportunities for your creative business consider these ideas.

• Cultivate rare and valuable skills that will set you apart from what other people are doing.

• Create a flexible plan. When looking for new opportunities have a plan A, B, and C.

• Always look for new ways to challenge yourself. When things start to get comfortable it's time to shake things up.

• Keep an open mind and be proactive about pursuing new opportunities.

• Review your goals often. Knowing exactly what you want and your strategies to get there are important to keeping you challenged.

• Work with the intention to succeed. The more effort you put into achieving what you want the greater your chance for success.

New opportunities come in many forms, you have to actively be looking for something you really want to grow in your business and creatively.

Don't limit yourself to what you know, step out and try something new. Let 2014 be the year that you succeed beyond your dreams.

Do you have plans to explore new ideas in 2014?

Work Backwards

Last week we talked about creating a Master List (Wish List) to make goal setting faster and easier. Today is a goal planning process that will help you take those plans you created and make them reality.

Making those goals reality starts by working backwards.

• Choose your top goals from the action plan of your master list. 

• Start with one of your big goals and work backwards as if you already achieved your goal.

• List three steps it took you to achieve your goal.

• List the steps as if you had no obstacles or excuses. 

Do these steps for each of the goals you want to achieve in 2014. 

Now you know what it's going to take to make each goal a reality, and where you have to start. Take each of those three steps you created for each goal and break them down into a more detailed plan.

Work out all the steps involved, keep the details simple, and add your steps to you calendar. 

This process makes it easier to see what you need to do to achieve those big goals on your list. As you achieve those goals your wishes from you master plan will start coming true!

Have you thought  of all the steps involved in achieving your goals?

A New Idea to Create Your Master Goal List

A master plan is a good place to start your new year goal planning process. 

You need to know what you want, before you can create goals that will help you get what you want.

Starting a master plan not necessarily about your business, but more about what you want in your life for you and your family.

The place to start your plan is to list all the things you want or wish for. When you list what your heart desires, you will be more motivated to create goals that will help you get those things you need and want.

I have created a master plan worksheet to help you get started. click the link below to print out your copy.

Click here to download

You start this whole process by listing of all the things you want or wish for, for you and your family. This list is not about your business, it's about all those inner desires that you dreamed about but have not made a plan to pursue.

Once you have that list, give yourself dates you want to achieve them. Even if those dates are in the next few weeks or years from now.

Now that you know what you want, it's time to create a list of all the ways your business can generate income. List everything, even those things you thought about but put on the back burner. This will be the list you will use to set your goals and action steps for the new year.

When choosing your goals make sure you choose one or two of those ideas that seem really challenging. If you really want to generate income this is the year you want to push yourself, so it's time for some new ideas.

Planning out your goals should be a fun process. Take your time with your brainstorming list, use color to make it interesting, and doodle around the edges to help you generate ideas. You will find that as you go through the process the ideas will start flowing, and you will have a list that inspire you  to try new things.

Hang onto your list. You can use it all year long to generate ideas for expanding your business, as well as crossing things off as you achieve things on your wish list.

Do you have a lot on your wish list?

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Get Ready, It's That Time of Year Again

Every year as December rolls in planning for the new year is on our mind. We want to have our goals ready so we can start the new year off with a bang.

As we get into our planning phase, we start with lists, state our goals, and create an action plan. This process can get a little mundane over time, and the goals we set seem to be the same from year to year.

This month I am going to share some new ideas for generating goals that will get you excited about trying new things and making more money. 

Watch for new posts each week during the month of December with ideas to create goals and an action plan that will challenge, excite, and make you look forward to 2014.

I will also have a few posts about marketing your business, planning your new ideas, and motivating yourself for the new year.

The first post will be up tomorrow.

Have you started you goal planning for 2014?

Who Keeps You Accountable?

As an entrepreneurs you have to hold yourselves accountable for getting your work done and achieving your goals. You also take care of all the nuts and bolts of your business like accounting, marketing, and all the creating.

When things get tough, or challenging to complete it can be easy to put those things that are not enjoyable on the back burner, because no one is going to tell you that you have to take care of it now.

Here are three tips to make yourself more accountable and guide you to achieving your goals:

Decide what you need to accomplish - Set you priorities and your objectives

Write everything down - write down your goals and your action steps or tasks. This gets you ideas out of your head and helps you get them into action.

Tell three people - This makes your plan real and motivates you to follow through.

Set completion dates - When you know what your tasks are and when you want them done you are more likely to do them.

Now you have a plan that will make you work to reach your goal. 

Try this: Create 3 goals for your holiday sales. Write them down and create a plan, tell a few people about them to help hold you accountable, and give yourself dates to achieve them as motivation.

This is the perfect way to start your holiday season, and be accountable for achieving your sales goals.

Have you set your goals for the holiday season?

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Finding or Creating a Group that Will Help You Succeed

In the last post I talked about the purpose of a mastermind group, and why you should consider being a part of one. Today you get to decide if you want to join an existing group or start one of your own.

There are many different kinds of mastermind groups, for business owners, managers, artists, crafters, moms, or even weight loss. They may not all be called mastermind groups, but the focus is still the same, for everyone to succeed.

You can easily find a mastermind group to join by asking friends, family, and your peers about groups they belong too. You can check sites like meetup.com, they have several options especially if you want a group you can meet with in person. You can also try Google.com for mastermind groups looking for members.

Be sure you know what you want from a mastermind group before you contact the leader of the group about participating.

Here are a few questions to consider:

Do you want to meet in person or online?
Do you prefer morning or evening meetings?
What topics are important to you?
What do you want to be held accountable for?

Once you have the answers to these questions you are ready to make contact. Talk with the leader and other members of the group to make sure the group is a good match for you.

Joining an existing group may not be what you are looking for, maybe you are ready to start your own.

If that is the case you can easily set up a group with these 5 simple steps.

Pick a niche or topic. The more specific you define your group the easier it will be to find the right group members.

Decide how many people you want in the group. The best groups are between 4 - 8 people. It gives everyone the opportunity to participate in a meeting without the meetings taking all day.

Find the right members. You want people who are ready to make positive changes in their business, have a positive outlook, and ready to receive and give support.

Decide how your group will meet. Do you want it to be a local group where you can all meet in person, or an online group. These days it is easy to have group members from all over, with Skype, Google+ Hangouts, Facebook, and other social media sites.

Decide how often you want to meet. Meeting once or twice a month is best, to keep the ideas flowing and to really hold you accountable in meeting your goals.

Once you have your group in place there is an abundance of information about starting and running a mastermind group online.

Are you interested in being in a mastermind group?

I would like to start a group of online shop owners with a creative business that are looking to have a successful 2014. If that is something you want to be part of, Email me and lets see if we can get something started additionsstyleblog@gmail.com

Mastermind groups are an important part of business, share this post with your social community.

Is a Mastermind Group For You?

As independent business owners and artists we spend a lot of our time working alone. When you are looking for new ideas or trying to get inspired occasionally working alone can make it challenging to generate ideas that will help you grow your business or as an artists.

One way people are doing this is working with a mastermind group.

Being part of a master mind group offers a combination of brainstorming, education, accountability, and support. The benefits of working with this type of group can bring you and the members of your group greater success.

As a participant you challenge each other to set important goals, and more importantly, to accomplish them.

The group requires commitment, confidentiality, willingness to be creative and brainstorm ideas/solutions, and to support each other. This is the essence and value of a mastermind group.

There are six factors you should consider for a mastermind group:

Commitment - You want commitment to showing up to the meetings and commitment to participating in the conversation.

Two-way Sharing - Sharing includes asking for help and giving help to other members.

Follow Guidelines - When you are trying to create spirit, harmony, and trust within your group you need to have a set of guidelines that everyone agrees to. Setting boundaries and a safe place to discuss your business will create a group that works well together.

No Competitors - It is challenging to open up when you have a competitor in your group. Having people from varied backgrounds make your group more diverse.

Similar Skill Levels - When the group members are working at similar levels, it is much easier to generate ideas that will benefit the entire group.

Varied Skills - It is nice to have a group of people with a variety of skills. If you have someone who is knowledge about certain subjects such as social media, or running an online shop, or branding, etc... it will benefit the entire group.

Now that you have the basic idea for creating and participating in a mastermind group, you need to decide if a mastermind group will be good for you.

Answer these questions:

Are you ready to grow personally and professionally?
Can you commit to meeting regularly with a group of your peers?
Are you ready to create to a more focused plan and achieve your goals?

If you like the idea of working with a group that will inspire and guide you to greater success, then being part of a mastermind group should be in your plans for 2014. Thursday I will share some ideas for joining a group or starting your own.

Does being part of a mastermind group appeal to you?

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Do You have a Back Up Plan?

Journals by PrintStichAndPaste

We all want everything to be perfect, but as we know that's not always the case.

It only takes a few minutes to put a simple plan in place so your business is covered if something happens.

To get your back up plan started, start by making sure someone knows your passwords and can access your online accounts.

I recently read in the Etsy forums about someone who had paid for an item and waited almost 6 weeks with no contact from the shop, and when they checked the shop again it had disappeared. They don't know what happened or if or how they were going to get there money back.

If something happens in your life and you are unable to tend to your online business it is important that your customers don't feel like you abandoned them.

When you are ready to come back and run your business again, you want your customers to still do business with you.

A few other things to consider creating a back up plan for:

• If your computer crashes

• Something happens with your home or car

• If you or someone in your family were sick for several days or weeks

Making a plan now and having everything in place, will give your peace of mind.

Do you have a back up plan in place for your business?

Summer Goal Review

Tomorrow is the first day of Summer and I can't believe how fast the year is going by. As you prepare for all your Summer plans and activities, it's also a great time to take out your yearly goal list and do a quick review.

When I go over my goals this time of year I am always a little surprised to see all that I have accomplished and goals that I really need to work on.

When was the last time you pulled out your goal list a did a little review? 

Now is the perfect time to regroup and get back on track if you need too, or if you are ahead of the game to add a few more goals to work towards.

How often do you review your goals?

26 Prompts For Social Media

Doing social media can be so time consuming, and sometimes it can be hard to think of things to post.

Today I'm sharing a cheat sheet of prompts for creating interesting content for your social media sites.

• Express how you feel about creating

• Talk about people you meet in classes you take or teach

• Share highlights from classes you take or teach

• Talk about some positive feedback you got from a customer

• Share stories from you studio

• Tell your followers about your creative process

• Share your knowledge about...
  ~ the tools you use
  ~ books that have helped you
  ~ your supplies and how to take care of them
  ~ techniques you have tried

• Share helpful links, resources, blog posts, and videos

• Give ideas for starting their own business

• Make recommendation

• Ask for feedback

• Do a poll

• Have people vote on their favorite________

• List something and have people share their thoughts

• Do a true false post, or a thumbs up or thumbs down

• Tell a funny story

• Share a inspirational story

• Review products, classes, online info

• Do a "how can I help" post

• Do "how to" posts

• Share Pinterest finds

• Share one of your products

• Give gift ideas

• Invite a conversation
  ~ ask what they are creating
  ~ ask for recommendation

• Promote your new products

I hope this list helps get your creative juices flowing, and posting on social media will be an easier process and not a chore.

What is your favorite thing to share on social media sites?

Dream One Size Bigger

What does your dream business look like? Do you have a large studio space, employes, making lots of money?

Have you taken the time to sit down to picture what you want your business to look like in 5 year or even 10 years? Most people don't plan beyond a year, which means that they are dreaming too small.

It's time to dream one size bigger! 

Have a planning session with yourself, or some journal time. Imagine what you want your business to look like in the future, write it all down everything you imagine, and then start a list of goals and action steps that will get you where you want to be.

If you push yourself to dream big, to make your goals one step beyond what is comfortable, it will force you to grow and believe in the greater possibilities.

How far in the future have you planned out for your business?

Summer Plans

My usual plan for Summer is building inventory for shows and holiday online sales, and getting organized. This summer will be no exception.

Finding time to be outside and visit with friends and family is also high on my list.

My priority this Summer will be making lots of jewelry and working on creating a routine, so I can have the time I need to enjoy the season.

Having a routine will also help when things pick up in the Fall and Winter making me more productive, which is one of my overall goals for the year.

What are your Summer plans?

8 Strategies For Getting Things Done

Procrastination is the main reason we don't get thing done.  We like to blame not getting things done on not having enough time, but in reality we are not always using our time wisely.

You can train yourself to procrastinate less and get more done. 

Here are 8 strategies to motivate you when you need to get things done.

Get Fired Up - This strategy works well when your at the end of your rope and have to get something done. Start by thinking about the consequences that can result from putting things off, and then kick yourself in to action.

Get Organized - getting rid of unnecessary clutter makes it easy to stay on task. There is nothing to distract you and keep you from being productive.

Prioritize - When you declare your project a priority you will be more motivated to get it done.

Find Freedom in Routine - It can be liberating to not have to worry about what you are going to do next. Create your to-do list, set time limits, and stick to it.

Get Comfortable - Wear clothes that are comfortable, and have a comfortable work space. Both great motivators for staying on task.

Use Positive Self-Talk - The messages in our head have a great deal of power over our behavior. When negative thoughts pop in your head, change them to a positive thought. The more you do it the easier it will become.

Focus on Dates, not Due Dates -Think of the day your project will end, not as a deadline but as a day you send it, turn it in, or just stop working on your project. Having a due date or deadline will make you feel rushed and unmotivated.

Break Down Your Big Projects - Chipping away at a project with mini action steps will keep you motivated as you work towards your bigger goal.

Breaking the procrastination habit only takes applying this common sense habits to your everyday life. We know they are important to incorporate into our workday, but until you apply them you will struggle with procrastination.

Start small work on one thing at a time until you have mastered it, and then try another idea.

Need a little help keeping track of all the things you need to do daily, print out this to-do list to make planning your day a little easier.

Printable to-do list

These are all steps I need to work on, but I need to put more effort into creating and keeping a routine.

Which strategy do you struggle with?

Get More From Your Time

It's so easy to go through your day working on projects and crossing things off our lists, but are you connecting to your future in the form of your vision, dreams, and intentions?

Expanding your awareness of time can make your life more fulfilling, and let you experience everything as you work towards your dream.

Here are some simple ideas for expanding your awareness of time.

For a moment you really want to remember take a moment and check in with all your senses. What do you see, smell, hear, taste, and feel?

As you move through your moments throughout your day, stop and ask yourself, "How might I experience this moment a little deeper? Accept the moment a little more fully?"

It is easy to split your focus and think about other things while you are working on something else. Be in the moment. As you walk in a room take a moment to notice where you are and then begin your task.

There are ways to be creative in everything you do, from doing laundry to cleaning the bathroom. Allow yourself to create in everything you do, and feel gratitude for your creative abilities and all the ways they can be expressed.

The easiest way to experience your time fully is to just stop and take a breath. Simply breathing deeply enhances your perception and grounds you in the moment.

Remember that the time you put into the work is the same no matter what the results. Inserting yourself into the moments will let you experience life, your business, and your art in new ways, and create lasting memories.

How will you expand your time?

Tips for Creating a Space That will Inspire You

It does not matter if you have a studio dedicated to your craft business or if you work at your dining room table, how you organize and set up your space is all that is important to keep the inspiration flowing.

When you feel inspired you do your best work, so having that feeling every time you want to create will help you produce pieces you love.

Here is a list of ideas for creating an inspiring space.

Create an inspiration board. Make it as big as you want, and then fill it with images that really inspire you. I am lucky to have the space for a large inspiration board right over my desk, but a small collage in a frame that you can move around is an easy option. Click here for ideas to create an inspiration board.

Have a dedicated spot for contemplating your ideas. A comfy chair and some light for sketching and writing is all you need. Using the same spot when you want to regroup and gather your thoughts is good practice. Every time you sit in that spot you will be inspired.

Creative organization will help keep you be ready to create. With so many cool ideas out there for staying organized, you should find a few creative ideas for creating a space that will inspire you to work. Click here for a few ideas for creative organization.

Hang an inspiring quote in view of your work space. Put up your favorite quote, read it often, and make the words part of your everyday life. Try this idea: Put your favorite quote into action

Create rituals that let you know you are ready to start working. Get a cup of tea or coffee, light a candle, pull out the supplies you want to use, take a deep breath, and then start working. Having a daily ritual will trigger your brain that you are ready to work and inspiration will flow. Here are some ideas for creating a creative space.

Choose one or all of these ideas for creating a creative space that inspires you.

What do you have in your space that inspires you?