Heartspiration: Self-Determination

 {image via}

I was inspired today by this post from Tara Gentile, a creative business coach & consultant, and since this thought topic has been on my mind for - oh, about a month or two - I figured what better time to talk about it than now? (I apologize right now for the lack of beautiful, inspiring pics on this one!)

What's all this about? Self-Determination - and I'll throw in a few drops of discipline and consistency while I'm at it. Do you have it? Do you want it?

As many of you who have been reading along over the past few months have known, I left the corporate world I lived in for 12 years, and it's been about 6 months ago now (more about that here). Working for myself has been a wonderful blessing full of adventure, creativity and being able to take the reigns in my life like never before. Instead of being a quiet horse in someone else's carriage, I get to drive the carriage and shout my voice from the top of my lungs (which explodes with rainbows and flowers - just sayin'). Love.

Here's a little story about the journey and discoveries along the way of working for myself...

In the corporate world, I had a mentor. A pretty hard-core business minded one. Savvy. Brilliant. She asked what my passions were - I mentioned a pretty big one. She said 'I don't believe you, because if you loved it so much, you would make time to do it.' I bawlked. I wholeheartedly disagreed. I understood it was her point of view but marched in the opposite direction. (Hey, I'm a passionate creative, yes?)

I figured - 'when I work for myself, my life will look like FITB!'...balanced, gym goer, get my social life back, you name it, FITB for yourself. (I'll use going to the gym as an example because who can't relate to THAT one?) Then I started working for myself and wha? I didn't go to the gym. I had all this 'extra' time and I wasn't going to the gym. It finally struck me like lightening, what my mentor was getting at. Then I realized...I must not really WANT to go because I'm not making time for it. In theory I do, but obviously, if I really wanted to, I would make time to do it, not make excuses. I'd decide to put in the effort and the discipline.

Simple concept, but really, how many of us make excuses to not live the life we want? How many of us blame FITB for not being able to do FITB? Although I still don't whole heartily agree with what my mentor was saying, cause hey, LIFE happens, and it IS truly difficult to 'have it all', if not impossible. Wanting something doesn't mean it's going to auto-magically start happening when your 'excuse' has disappeared. It doesn't mean it's going to be easy or natural. It means you have to fight for it. To have self-determination. To have consistency & discipline. To push past yourself to achieve yourself.

Once I grasped that (yes, simple concept, but can be difficult to muster up the strength over and over again for each new thing you want to add into your life!) then I held the reigns tighter. Got focused & determined. Worked on consistency. And now I've said goodbye to the horse & carriage and am a steam engine.

How about you? What do you have a passion for that you're just not doing? What's standing in your way? How do you need to shift your priorities around to achieve the life you want and need to live? As Nike says so brilliantly - 'Just do it!'.

{PS - FITB=Fill in the Blank}

I Heart: The I Am Project

My good friend Tobe over at the Because It's Awesome blog just opened up an Etsy shop to sell their I Am Project lettering prints which focus on affirmations and inspirations! Not only do I love Tobe and her extreme talent, I also absolutely love the cause that propelled her and her friend's work. I had the pleasure of meeting and working with Tobe at Hallmark Cards some years back, and had a blast collaborating with her on projects.

The I Am Project was started by three friends with a passion around strengthening each others hearts.

The I Am Project :: Our wish is to affirm and inspire the beauty in every woman, to celebrate the uniqueness in each of us, as well as the commonalities that unite us as women. We want to create a space to confront the dark places that come with growth; to witness women being valued for more than their bodies, clothes, or societal projections; to feel inspired by stories and images; and to become more deeply rooted in who we are as women. We want to become a net of resources that will nurture and fortify each others confidence, and fill women with awareness of the extraordinary beauty that each of us uniquely brings to the world.

  

 Pretty wonderful idea, isn't it? This is definitely a cause that I believe all of us women can get behind and feel inspired and empowered to be true to ourselves and celebrate our uniqueness. 

You can purchase these beauties in their Etsy shop in either 5x7 and 8x10 size, and they even have a 'two for' deal going on. I hope these affirmations and inspirations inspire you and your day ahead!

Inspired by: BHLDN

We had a blast in San Francisco over the weekend, attending my friend's wedding. It was absolutely gorgeous! Since that day, it has definitely gotten weddings on my mind. Yes, I have been married for 10 years and already had my wedding day - but I still just love the beauty of it all! I'm such a girlie-girl, and I confess, I still buy Martha Stewart Weddings magazines for the gorgeous color & theme inspiration. LOVE!

My number one favorite store to shop at is Anthropologie. Number ONE. So, today I thought I'd share with you their wedding extension, BHLDN. They've got such wonderful, vintage-with-a-twist items, from wedding and bridesmaid dresses, shoes and jewelry all the way to festive decorations and stationery. I absolutely love the vintage take on things and all the options that allow for so much personalization and personality. It's wonderful to see weddings taking a turn from the traditional confines and becoming a reflection of the couple.

I enjoyed this info from the BHLDN story - "Our roots are with Anthropologie, so a passion for experience and creating one-of-a-kind moments runs deep. But our offering speaks more to the not-so-everyday occasions—ours is a voice that celebrates a woman’s most anticipated milestones. And one that gives tradition a twist. Be you. Be loved. BHLDN."

Isn't everything just GORGEOUS!!! I'm so glad I got married so long ago to where half of the wonderfulness that is out there now didn't even exist! Whew! But I loooove looking at it all, that's for sure! I've added these images and more to my Pinterest board 'Wedded Bliss'. Head on over there and pin any favorites to add to your boards!