Get Real

It’s July already. I can’t believe it. I feel like someone pressed the fast-forward button on life.

I want to enjoy summer, but really I’m already looking for to the end of it. Exciting things are coming up around the end of summer. My world and my family will be different by fall. But still I want to enjoy these summer days and not wish them away. But I am looking forward. I can’t help it.

Be present, be present. I remind myself daily.

I left my part-time job at the UofU 3 years ago this weekend to go full-time with Bellano Web Studio. I almost made it a full 36 months of solopreneuring. But damn, it’s hard work working for yourself. Wearing all the hats. Doing all the work. Promoting yourself (that one is the most exhausting). Saving for taxes. Doing your accounting. Building your network. I just wanted to make pretty Web sites. 🙂  I still want to make pretty Web sites.

I technically officially made it 35 months of full-time entrepreneurship. Back to 3 days a week at a J.O.B.  So far I’m loving it. It’s nice to spend the whole day doing work that I enjoy and getting paid. And I’m not giving up Bellano by any means.

I’m a creative entrepreneur. With a safety net. Three days of steady pay and 3 days of hustle, dreamer, empire builder. One day of rest. I think it’s a good balance. For now.

How many lifetimes do you think we can fit into this one life we get here on earth?

Some of the chapters of my life feel so far way and different from right now that they seem like another lifetime.

Just how many layers are there to life? It constantly amazes me. The layers within myself amazes me.

Keep learning. Keep growing. Keep evolving. Keep peeling those onion layers. (“I have layers. I’m like an onion.” Shrek)

I love routine. I’m a planner. But I’m also a spontaneous, jump off that cliff without a net, follow your heart kind of girl.

Follow your bliss. Listen to your heart.

Change keeps things interesting.

I miss blogging. Let’s see if I can get back to it.

Happy July!

M O N D A Y:

Monday, Monday
So good to me
Monday morning
It was all I hoped it would be

I really dig Mondays. And this is the first Monday of a new month. The first Monday after my birthday. So it’s almost like New Year’s Day here for me! I love fresh starts, they make me feel like I can take over the world. Or at least take over my little corner of the world. I let my goals and intentions for the new week soar and my imagination run wild with possibility. Five things I’m doing this morning to make sure I own this Monday.

1. Morning Mantra – I’ve been reading “Thank and Grow Rich.” She suggests each morning you say or think to yourself “Something amazingly awesome is going to happen today.” I have a reminder set on my phone for each day at about the time I wake up. You can change the statement to something that feels good to you but the point is to start the day knowing something awesome is going to happen and then you are looking for it subconsciously throughout the day which as a result helps to me mindful of the little things that are awesome each day. My awesome things have ranged from a new client, a phone call from a friend, the Raiders winning a game. Keep your eyes open to whatever your awesome things are during the day and then you will having something for #3 in the evening.

2. Gratitude – I’ve been using the 5 Minute Journal app for about a month or so. I love it! Each morning I write 3 things I’m grateful for (large or small) and 3 things I’m going to do to make the day great and 1 affirmation. In the evening I add 3 Amazing things that happened that day. And anything that would have made the day better. And you can add a photo for the day. This app is awesome to keep me focused on what I’m grateful for and remember the amazing things that happen each day.

3. Mindset Journaling – I try to do this for a few minutes every morning, but it’s especially important on Mondays. It’s a little bit affirmations mixed with goals and intentions. I sit down and write about what I want flowing into my life as if it is already is. I also write more of what I’m grateful and gratitude for the things I want to come into my life. I used to think this would take me so much time and put it off, but 5 minutes is great on a busy morning to get me started.

4.  Post on IG – Instagram is my jam. It’s my favorite place to hang out and engage. I’ve been struggling with my business page IG presence…I worry about it too much. It’s hard to stay “on brand” for me because what fun is that? Who wants to follow a feed that is all one thing? All Websites or inspiration or business tips, etc. There are a lot of elements to my brand and some of that is just my creativity and personality. I try to mix it up and demonstrate my brand, my work, my personality and what’s going on in my life. My Bellano Web Studio page is here and if you’d like to follow along with the real life including the grandbaby you can find me here as well.

5. To-Do List – I use Basecamp for design projects so I keep a overall to-do list there for non-project tasks as well since I’m there everyday. But I would like to find a great to-do list app that I love. I’ve tried several and not found one that I really love. Do you have any recommendations?

Do you love Mondays or dread them?

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One of the things on my mind currently is that I would really like to get back to my personal blog. I miss it. So here I am.

Today is one month from 52 and my list of 50 things for my 50th year is still not complete. Ugh! Oh well, no time to dwell on that, I guess I’ll need to make a new list for 52.  One month to plan a new list.

This is what is currently happening around here.

Reading:

• The Universe has Your Back, by Gabrielle Bernstein. I’ve been reading AND listening to this book. It’s awesome.
• Still planning to get back to War & Peace. It’s a life goal. 🙂

Watching:

• Life in Pieces (CBS) – Have you seen this show yet? Seriously so funny! If you need a laugh check it out, the second season just started.
• Shameless (Showtime) – Love this show.
• The Ranch (Netflix) – because Sam Elliott…need I say more.
• JT & the Tennessee Kids (Netflix) – huge crush on JT! I’ve watched this at least a handful of times. It’s great to have on in the office while I work and ready for spontaneous dance breaks.

Thinking:

• Do we ever have ourselves figured out? I’m still pondering all the big questions in my life.
• About Italy and planning a trip for October 2107. Which also means a lot of saving $$ which I’m really not that good at, but I’m going to make a plan for a 2 week trip and budget it. Maybe that will give me incentive to save the money.

Listening:

• I’m in the middle of my second time listening to The Universe has Your Back.
• Podcasts: Being Boss, Biddy Tarot, Magic Lessons
• I’ve been hitting shuffle on my phone a lot lately. This brings up such a wide variety of songs it’s a bit comical. From Justin Timberlake to Prince to KISS to Magic Mike XXL Soundtrack to The Civil Wars to a country song that I’m currently obsessed with, Tennessee Whiskey.
  • I’m really an 80’s hairband kind of girl with a strong love for KISS so the above mix is still ironic to me and sometimes cracks me up while I’m having a dance party in the kitchen.
• If you really want to see me happy you can find me watching this video (which is how I found Tennessee Whiskey). I have a real cougar crush on Justin Timberlake, so glad he grew up and brought sexy back.

Working:

• Over the Summer I designed several custom WordPress sites for teachers.
• November brings projects for a blogging network, a food blog, and a wedding venue.
• I’m going to rewrite my Create Your Design Plan eBook and planning to relaunch that the first of December.

Dreaming:

• About Italy
• And the future

What’s up with you?

 

I’ve been on my own now for 3 and 1/2 months. On my own as in self-employed, without a J.O.B. Solo-preneur. Business of one.

It’s a bit lonely.

I’m feeling a bit un-moored. Adrift even.

However, the flip side is freedom and flexibility. And no alarm clock and no commute.

I wouldn’t change it and I’m not second guessing my decision to leave my 8-5 and go full-time with Bellano Web Studio. Not even for a minute.

But I need to work on my scheduling. I seem to either work like crazy…as soon as I get up in the morning until it’s past a reasonable bedtime. OR I spend a big chunk of the day not being very productive. Granted sometimes there are business and marketing tasks that don’t feel productive and aren’t project related work and then I feel a lack of accomplishment.

As much as I hate to admit it, I need a schedule!

I haven’t set an alarm clock for 3 and 1/2 months and it’s really been lovely. So nice to just wake up when you are ready. I have strong night owl tendencies and do not love mornings. When I wake up at 9:00 to 9:30 though I feel like I’ve missed out on a couple of productive hours. And I’m really not productive past 10pm so I’m not making them up on the other end of the day.

So here it is, the day Thauna decides need she’s needs to rise at 8:00 am and start setting an alarm clock to make it happen. Really people (she says to herself) how hard is it to get up at 8:00 am? I used to have to be to work by then and that was after a 40 minute commute. I can do this. And I think it will make me feel more productive and in control of my day.

Next up a schedule. Granted it will be flexible. I have drafted a schedule for next week and we’ll see how it goes. I’ll report back. No more willy-nilly I’ll work 12 hours one day and 2 the next. I got stuff to do! Lots of it!

Big dreams and plans do require a to-do list. And a to-do list does need some structure.

I’m so blessed to be able to do what I love and work for myself. These past 3 and 1/2 months have been great and I want the upcoming months to be even better. More productive and more grounded and centered.

I think a schedule will help me to feel more centered and find some balance. Even if it’s a loose schedule. I need to remember some days that it’s ok to quit working and go read a book.

If you work from home and have any time management tips I’d love to hear them! Please share. I think this will be an ongoing process to find and then refine what works best for me.