EtsyMetal Blog Carnival: Finding my Self in 2014

The beginning of the New Year means a new EtsyMetal Blog Carnival post!

This month's EtsyMetal Blog Carnival topic:
New Year's Resolutions What New Year's Resolutions have you made for this year? Which ones did you make last year that were successful? Do you have any advice for keeping resolutions throughout the year?

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Happy 2014 to all!

I am moving into this new year with a renewed sense of "self." That may sound a bit… err, selfish. And to be honest, it is. And I am okay with that. I am in my 4th decade of life. I will turn 43 this May. It has finally occurred to me that it is perfectly okay to focus on ME. That is something that I have not done enough of in my 40 plus years. I may have moments that I have turned inward and done things for me and only me. But this resolution is a bit different. Not so much a selfish act but a self act.

I have spent the majority of my adult life worrying about everyone else. Whether it be my friends, my family or others that I don't know but thought I needed to help. I don't regret the path, but I feel like it is time to divert off this well worn walkway and cut a new one.

I came to a revelation a few days ago about how I have always found a way (consciously or subconsciously) to prevent taking my business to the next level. Whether it was due to first needing to work full time for someone else, then to raising my son, then volunteering at his school, then volunteering for my community, I have always put what I truly want on the back burner. With the new year and my new sense of "self" I have made the conscious decision that 2014 will be about doing what I really want to do. And for me, that is pouring all of my creative energy into taking my art to the next level. I have taken some big steps in the last few days to clear my mental space as well free up my weekly calendar to allow me to take this new year head on! I can hardly wait!

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So without further delay…

Here is my short list of goals for 2014

1. Design and fabricate a weekly item using at least one thing from my current "stash" (Rx3 EtsyMetal Challenge)
2. Create one of a kind pieces for the gallery
3. Submit artwork for publication
4. Pursue additional retail outlets for my artwork
5. Be more invested with art-driven groups

This is the first year in a long time that I have really thought about yearly goals and set them. I am pretty excited to see that my year ahead will be filled with artistically driven endeavors. This, alone, should make these easy(and fun) goals to reach.

Here is to a WONDERFUL 2014!

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Want more inspiration? Keep reading about other EtsyMetal members' 2014 resolutions:

Lou
Konstanze
Laura Jane Bouton
Abella Blue
Evelyn Markasky