Getting Started

“The secret to getting ahead is getting started.” -Mark Twain

Here we go. It’s a new beginning. A time to reinvent myself, to reshape my skills, to make leaps and bounds, to stumble and feel frustrated, and to carve a new path. I’ve been working for a nonprofit organization for the past 7 years and recently made the decision to travel, do freelance work, and make time for art that doesn’t have a purpose, exercise to keep my body happy, and see the things I’ve been putting on bucket list after bucket list.

I’ve been playing with the idea of starting another blog, but wasn’t certain what I wanted it to be exactly. Today, for whatever reason, I realized I couldn’t keep dragging my feet any longer. If I want to write more, I need to write more. If I want to tell stories, I need to tell stories more. If I want to get creative, I need to give myself permission to fail. So - here we are. Writing, beginning the story with no particular end or destination in mind.

Ideally, I’d like this to be a platform to share photos I don’t share in other venues, write stories that are too long for social media word counts, and celebrate both victories and failures along the road.

I hope you enjoy following along!

To kick this thing off - let’s talk about this past week.

It’s been a week since I quit my job. I’ve been trying to do less. Take care of my body. Say no to things that are more stress than I’m ready to handle. Let my mind decompress after years of expectation and feeling rushed.

I went on hikes with friends. Did absolutely nothing. Painted the RV. Hung out with the dogs. Played Catan with friends (and no one even got too mad!). Celebrated birthdays. Went climbing. Created illustrations for hours with no real purpose. Went for walks and runs. Read. Started a 30 day illustration challenge (see one of my favorites so far below). And (drum roll) rebuilt my website!

I’m starting to put together a game plan for what I want my work life to look like. What are the things I loved most about my old job? What things do I do in my free time already? What projects have I gotten so lost in that I forgot about time and space?

As I move through this process I’m excited to sift out a strategy for a balanced life that opens the door for more inspiration, more fun, more leaps, and (hopefully) a lot of good stories.