Looking Forward to 2013 and a Look Back

Starting off the new year right is important to me. I've read a few different people's approaches to setting goals and resolutions and I've taken advice from a few different people I admire. Step one was to look at 2012 and see what I've accomplished. I called out 4 important things i did each month.

It's important to look at all you've accomplished before setting goals for the new year because it's positive reinforcement for yourself. Lets be honest, when do you really give yourself much praise? Last year my main accomplishments included starting to date my wonderful boyfriend and moving in with him, completing over 30 freelance design projects and getting a new full time job. I traveled to Crested Butte, CO, Las Vegas, NV, Tahoe, Maui, Hawaii, Santa Barbra, CA, Portland, OR, Lyndon Center, VT and Yosemite National Park. I sold my first 2 greeting cards! I learned how to wakeboard and started running.

I need to cut out some of the things in my life that are taking up my time that I don't enjoy or feel obligated to do. The biggest thing in my life that I can think of is my freelance work. From this point forward I am not taking on any freelance work because it's "extra money." I don't need the money, I have a full time job. I will only take on freelance work if it will be an asset to my portfolio in my quest to become an art director. Or if I truly enjoy the work and client. Other things that take up my time that I don't like doing are laundry, fixing/setting up computers, going to the post office, writing contracts and invoicing.

2012 was full of fun relationship things, it's been awesome. In 2013 I want to reintroduce more of the things I love into my life while still doing fun relationship things. I want to attend art shows and museum exhibits, I will run a half marathon in September. I also want to travel internationally this year.

My main goals for 2013 are:
- Save for a downpayment on a house
- Create and sell more greeting card designs
- Extend my brand and work towards becoming an art director

 My phrase for 2013 is "Spend less, Create more."

Crushing the Ninja List

I made a Ninja List to keep track of all of the wishes, goals, dreams and fun stuff I want to do in life. Today I crossed off number 47. 


47. Get a French manicure with a weird color

Focusing on Myself

I set a goal at the start of 2011. I wanted to create an art licensing collection each month for the entire year. I've had a pretty hectic few months full of a lot of bullshit upsets, and as a result I have fallen behind on my goals.

Why is it that my personal goal gets swept under the rug the moment my life has a hiccup? Well I say fuck that. I am making some drastic changes in my life to make sure I meet the major goal I set forth this year. I can't keep putting my dreams on hold. Here are the four things I'm going to do for the next 86 (that's ironic) days to help me meet my goal. (My birthday is in 86 days, and yes I will be drinking on my birthday.)

-Quit drinking
-Give up online dating
-Make a list
-Quit shopping 

WTF? You might be thinking, how the hell will this help you draw more cupcakes?!? Yeah, I thought you might ask. First off, drinking is stupid. Fun, actually, really really fun, but stupid. I'm not an alcoholic or anything but I like to drink, the amount of time and money I spend on drinking could be spent on painting, designing, entering contests, social networking, real networking, getting inspired, making new friends or sleeping. All more productive then being hung over, and getting fat. 

Giving up online dating. (Cough, cough, oh God.) Yeah, it's time consuming. Why am I spending a few hours a night a few times a week with some weird stranger, talking about the same stupid crap over and over again and never feeling a connection? Not to mention if I spent a few hours a day a few times a week painting, well geesh I would be light-years ahead of where I am now. So again I say fuck it. If Mr. right is out there, he can find me, I'm sick of looking. So fuck off, because I'm awesome.

Make a list. I'm pretty sure I have ADD and my mind is in hyper spazz mode 24-7. I've got freaking awesome ideas zipping around in my brain like a caffeinated ninja. They come, they go, they come again. I'm capturing those thoughts in a massive creative "ninja list." why a ninja list? Why not, ninjas are awesome and they smell like cinnamon bits. 

Quit Shopping. Time is money people. The less crap I buy, the less I need to work doing side projects to pay for that crap I don't need. This leaves more time to crush the list.  

I'm really nervous to post this list to my blog for the world to see. But if I post it, then it makes these decisions real. Also, by no means am I going to hole up in my art studio every spare second of my life and work my self to death. I'm an artist, I need social time, inspiration, sunlight and a break. I'm starting a new job this week and I plan on kicking some major ass at it. I'm so excited for the new challenges of working as an Art Director for a San Francisco startup. 

So with all of that said, for the next 86 days I'm going to have a new focus: myself. Weird I know, but it needs to be done and has been a long time coming. 

2011 Yearly Goal Check In

My Goal for 2011 is to create 12 licensing collections, one for every month. So far, I am on track despite some major upset in my life.

I started a new job at Flip Video last October and I was well settled at Flip by the start of 2011 when I set this goal. Unexpectedly all of Flip Video was laid off on May 19, 2011. I need to figure out what my June collection will be. I'm thinking about finishing a Halloween collection I have been working on.