Author: Michelle

What Company Are You Keeping?

They say “Misery loves company”. They also say “Keep company with good men, and you’ll increase their number”. And this one “Tell me what company you keep and I’ll tell you what you are”.

What company are you keeping? And by that I mean, what blogs are you reading, who are you following on twitter, who are the friends you are hanging out with, what are you filling your heart, mind, and soul with?

I have been focusing a lot lately on the power of words and the impact they have on me as well as those around me. I have been doing a lot of reading, blogs, books, magazines, and occasionally the dictionary. (Yes, I realize the dictionary is a book, but it’s not something you would normally pick up to read on a regular basis.)

One of the things I have found lately is there is a commonality running through my reading, interactions, and viewing. There have been a few books, posts or articles that I have read that have not been in my normal mainstream of interest. And that is intentional, I do that to challenge my view of something or to learn about a topic I am not familiar with. But for the most part I find that what I read or focus my attention on, pretty much fits right with where I am currently in life. Which got me thinking, if I change what I’m reading or who I’m hanging out with, or what I’m watching, does that also affect my circumstances? Attitude is everything (or so they say). So if that is the case, if I stop reading about other people who are pursuing their dreams yet feeling frustrated, or who are in a difficult spot right now (lost job, big move, new area, physical limitations) will this change the circumstances I find myself in? Is it self induced or do birds of feather really flock together? (Okay, okay, I’ll stop with the quotes now – but they do help illustrate the point.)

I have to be intentional about what I am feeding myself, mentally, physically, and spiritually. Otherwise it is just too easy to fall into a dark place and stay there for an extended period of time.

So how about you? What company are you keeping? What are you feeding yourself?

And as a side note, just exactly who is “they”?

Timing Is Everything

Those that know me, know I am not the most patient person in the world. I’m early for appointments, I hate to be rushed, and waiting for something is not one of my “gifts”. But these last few weeks I have been learning more about waiting than I expected.

I’ve been in the process of setting up & opening my Etsy shop ~ making items, photographing & displaying, advertising, and having design work done. Dean has been looking for job opportunities ~ tech and photography/videography/production work. I’ve been trying to educate myself more in the area of writing ~ reading a lot. And in the midst of all that we’ve been waiting and waiting some more for a settlement to come through as well. Not to mention the regular waiting that accompanies everyday moments of life ~ lines in the stores, traffic, appointments, you get the idea.

The journey from point A to point B is not short or easy. It has involved waiting, rejection, hope, hustling, praying, editing, hard work, long hours, sleepless nights, and… yes, more waiting. And then it happens. Right at the point where you are almost beyond frustration, ready to throw in the towel, and run away to a deserted island, the pieces start to fall into place.

A picture tweeted, leads to a sale. Which then leads to a word of mouth recommendation, leading to another sale. A stop at the Chamber of Commerce opens up doors and connections to an entire geographic area,  and a photography shoot. A friend recommendation results in a day job that could possibly lead to more jobs. And a simple question asked in passing reveals an untapped resource with enormous potential.

Stay tuned, as I know there is more to come.

Small Spaces

I’m learning to work in small spaces.

If you know me in real life, you know that I’m tall. 5 feet 12 inches as a friend used to tell me. 🙂 So I don’t do well when it comes to working in small spaces or having to handle small things (like tying itty bitty bows). I’m not claustrophobic, I just need room to stretch out and be able to put my long legs somewhere. So having moved from a house with 4 bedrooms, 2 living rooms, and a 2 car garage to a 3 bedroom, 1 car garage apartment has been, let’s say a challenge. So when it comes to working on my projects, if it takes up more room than my lap, I don’t have the room to spread out like I used to.

So I’ve learned to adjust and work in small spaces now. A chair in the corner of the living room has become my writers corner. The right end of the couch has become my knitting nook, and a 1/3 of what would normally be a bedroom has become my craft area. This room also serves as Dean’s office and Amy’s art room. So you can see we all are working in small spaces.

But what I’ve found is that it’s not the physical space that limits my creativity. It’s that space in between my ears that I allow to place limits on what I think I can accomplish. And while that may be a small physical space, it is vastly larger than I usually give myself credit.

How about you? Where do you find you work the best? Wide open spaces or do you have a small nook somewhere that you find your creativity can run rampant?

* One of the few times I’ve actually had enough leg room on a flight. First class from ATL to LAX.