Archive for July, 2011

July 29th, 2011

A Short Note of Gratitude

Pinterest Photo

People often asks what inspires me. I could say the beauty of nature-the way the wind makes leaves dance, how raindrops capture the rays of sunshine in little perfect beads, or how animals in quiet ordinary moments seem to hold the key to all of humanity.

And then there are store windows, art pieces, live shows and things that humans made that fill me up with possibility.

But what really inspires me is hope and resiliency.

As one part of my job at Psych Central, I manage social media. It’s a lot more difficult than it sounds. But having the opportunity to connect with people there is so inspiring. When I read about a person’s struggle with mental illness or how they are seeking therapy so that they can become a better person for themselves and their family, it makes me weep.

That type of courage to overcome what most of us would hide from is inspiring.

It’s what makes me want to keep getting better in my own life.

It’s what makes me want to keep doing what I do.

I also feel inspired by you. The you who remind me of me when I was calling out for hope. Someone who had big dreams, but didn’t believe they were possible.

I’m finally beginning to realize that if you only listen to your inner voice-the child who had dreams without fear-and continue to listen to it, despite doubt, despite what your family says, regardless of who wags their finger at you and makes you feel ashamed for what you want to do, then you will get there.

The clouds have started to dissipate and suddenly everything seems clear.

Just keep on following the path, dear friends, believe and you will eventually get there.

CategoryDaily Inspirations | Comment2 Comments »

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July 28th, 2011

How One Blogger Turned a Hobby Into a Career

I believe things happen for a reason and my recent run in with inspiring blogger Annabel Candy is a good example of that. Call it synchronicity. Call it a god wink. Call it mere coincidence. What I know for sure is that finding Candy was sweet synergy to me.

I first spotted her on Problogger. She was a guest blogger, posting the popular, “Getting Over the Blogger’s 6 Month Itch.” I was so intrigued that I ventured over to her site Get in the Hot Spot to check it out. When I discovered that her mission was to help others follow their dreams, I was sold. That’s why I’m thrilled to feature here as this week’s Successful Dreamer! I hope that you’ll be as inspired by Annabel as I was by her. So without further ado, please welcome inspiring writer and world traveler, Annabel Candy.

Where’d you get that fabulously creative name for your blog Get in the Hot Spot

I set the blog up to put myself ‘in the hot spot’ and force myself to write, so the name came from that idea. But there are a few other meanings of ‘hot spot’ that fit nicely too.

A hot spot’s a lively, active place and I want my blog to be a fun, informative centre for personal development with the focus on helping people achieve their dreams.

My personal dream involves travel and a lot of my readers also want to travel, yearning for warmer climates and exotic places. Get In the Hot Spot is a place where people can come to dream, to learn how to start working towards their dreams and to stay motivated. The idea is that me and the readers each enjoy living in our own personal hot spot.

Give us bit of info about your blog. What was your original purpose for writing it and where do you see it going in the future?

The aim has changed. At first I did it to get myself to write. That worked.

Then I decided to see if I could get 1000 subscribers to convince a publisher I had a readership and get my manuscript published. But I had more fun writing the blog than the manuscript!

I’m still working towards getting 1000 subscribers in a year but I have until March 2010 to achieve it. If that works the next challenge will be to see if I can make money out of my blog because that way I can carry on writing it without my husband complaining that I spend too much time on it:)

I’d love to keep getting more readers and help more people to start working towards living their dream.

What is one of the most important things you’ve learned on your journey to follow your dreams?

If you don’t follow your dreams you won’t be happy. If they don’t work out it won’t matter, you’ll be glad you tried and good will still come from that. For me true happiness lies in following our secret dreams, no matter how big, small or silly they are.

Can you describe a huge hurdle in your life and how you tackled it?

I can think of three big hurdles:
Doing an MA in Design for Interactive Media when I didn’t even know how to turn on a computer was hard.
Giving birth to an 11lb baby at home was hard.
Travelling round Central America with three kids aged 1, 5 and 8 was hard.

But I love to take on challenges. I get stuck in and do it. The hard part doesn’t last long when you look back and the final rewards are brilliant.

When you set yourself a challenge and do it you end up feeling as if you’ve conquered Everest. It’s a real confidence booster that makes you think you can do anything. It gives you a winning attitude which encourages you to challenge yourself more.

Have you ever doubted your ability to be a full-time writer? How have you managed to overcome this fear?

Yes! All the time. I think a lot of writers do.

The only way to overcome doubt or fear is to face it. So I wrote and shared my writing then I got some positive feedback and that persuaded me to carry on.

Like most things writing takes practice. Now I write daily my writing is faster and hopefully it’s getting better too.

What is one advice you wished someone had told you about pursuing your passion and following your dreams?

Go for it. My parents warning me not to become a writer because it was “too competitive”. I want to encourage my kids to do what they love and try things out for themselves. You have to learn by experience.

What do you love best about your blogging?

Two things. When you get a new idea for a post – the aha moment is great.

And I love reading comments from people thanking me for inspiring me and helping them. That’s why I write so it’s great to know when I’ve achieved my goal.

Successful Dreamer

Thank you Annabel for your words of wisdom and inspiration! Please visit Annabel’s website Get in the Hot Spot to be inspired. She would love to hear from you and is open to answering your questions and assisting you in pursuing your dreams.

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July 27th, 2011

An Artist and Marketing Expert Shares Her Secrets to Success

a pinterest photo

Helen Aldous is the genius behind Artonomy-a blog created especially for the creative minded. I signed up for one of her newsletters months ago and was enthralled with the catchy way she made all the boring business stuff creatives despise, fun.

Lucky for me she made time between her super busy schedule to chat about the things most creatives like me fear most-marketing their stuff. Whether it’s your writing or your art pieces, we all need to do the deed if we want more than our relatives to buy our goods and services. Here’s the 411 on how to market like a pro without needing to quit your full-time job in order to do so.

 

What is the biggest mistake creatives make when it comes to marketing and selling their wares?

I think a really easy mistake to make is not dedicating enough time to marketing and selling your work. It’s so easy to think it will look after itself but unfortunately it won’t and you will end up with a mountain of great work and no money.

You have to find the right balance between creating at one end and moving the work along and marketing it and selling it at the other. In an ideal world we would spend all the time creating but you need to find the time to concentrate on the marketing side too. It’s all about finding balance.

 

These days with social media responsibilities in addition to creating crafty stuff, it seems like you need 48 hour days in order be successful and get everything done. What is the most important thing we can do to increase our presence online without killing ourselves trying to do it?

One of the most important skills you can develop today is the ability to filter and focus. Don’t get sidetracked by all the distractions thrown at you by social media. Keep focused, concentrate on the things that will bring you greatest return {i.e. better traffic to your website, and/or sales}. Don’t try to spread yourself too thinly.

Make use of the tools available. Do things like scheduling your Tweets by using software like www.tweetdeck.com or http://dlvr.it/ Set yourself a slot of 15-30 minutes to work on Twitter and then shut it down and leave it alone. Don’t get dragged in by it’s addictive tentacles. . .

 

What do you think is the biggest misunderstanding and myth about business and marketing?

Artists can sometimes feel business and marketing are manipulative or will turn them into a sell out. Business and marketing skills CAN be used in manipulative ways but they don’t have to be. Basically it’s just about telling people what you do. If they don’t see your work they don’t know if they like it. If they do like it you need to be equipped with the skills to sell it for a fair price that reflects your talent and time.

Only YOU will care about your work with the passion with which you create it so it’s really important to develop these skills in order to do justice to your work and enable it to find a wider audience.  Business can seem very intimidating but is a skill that can be developed like any other and puts you in a MUCH stronger position as an artist.

 

What is a secret that helped you skyrocket your business?

As I got older I found I have lost a lot of “THE FEAR” which would have previously have stopped me doing things before I even started. Now I will just throw myself in without the paralyzing kind of “going round in circles” deliberation I used to do. I find I get a lot more done and achieve a lot more.

I love this quote…

“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”

Dale Carnegie

So I guess the secret is just doing it and not stressing about it.

One thing you know now that you wished you knew way back when?

That you can get a lot done when you break it down into small chunks. I used to put myself off doing things because I only looked at the enormity of the task and whether I could complete it perfectly. I just wouldn’t start it. When I had kids it meant that I just didn’t have the time to worry about perfection like this and had to grab what time I had to do things. Then I realized I could get massive things done by doing them in small chunks every day.

I love that old saying “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” We are all super busy and hectic in our lives but you can still achieve your huge goals if you keep plodding on.

 

Marketing, branding, and selling online can be intimidating. How does one make it less so?

I think it really helps if  you try and change the way you look at it. Words like “marketing” and “branding”can sum up images of pushy corporate advertising forcing you to buy something you really don’t need, but if you think of it as just “spreading the word” about your work it seems less intimidating. There is a world of difference between trying to sell stuff to people in a pushy way and organically spreading the world about what you do. People will be interested to see what you are up to. If you just make a contact and brighten someone’s day, great. If you make a sale that’s great too.

 

Tell us about Artonomy. How’d you come up with the idea? How long did it take you to get from brainstorming to fruition?

Artonomy has really grown organically. I am lucky to live in a town with a thriving artistic community and many of my friends are artists and musicians. As I run a web design and marketing company I was often getting asked questions about this area by my creative friends and realized a blog containing this information would be really useful to artists to have access to online. www.artonomy.co has been running for just over a year now and has grown into a really nice community of people who drop in and hopefully a good repository of information for artists.

If you want more information on Helen and her fabulous website, go here.

Who is Helen Aldous?

“I love to help artists and creative folk get online, sell their work and make a decent living from their creative skills. It is possible!”

I combine working as an artist printmaker and illustrator with running a web design and online marketing business from the wilds of West Yorkshire, UK.

I’m also in the process of creating a site providing easy to use, elegant, websites for artists. http://artfolio-artists-websites.com/ which will be launching soon.

CategoryCreativity, Inspiring People | Comment3 Comments »

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July 26th, 2011

Ever Feel Creatively Called?

It kind of feels like a pull. A loud urgent desire to get something done. Sometimes it comes when I’m still and quiet and I hear the word, “Paint!” coming from deep within. Other times I’m biking while staring at the beautiful effortless architecture of a rose.

Usually, it happens when there’s not a tape recorder, camera or canvas in sight. So I pedal fast, memorize the phrase, capture the image, and pray that the lines of poetry, sparks of inspiration or visual of my next painting will stay long enough until I have the means to write it down or sketch it when I get home.

These days my infatuation has been roses. They are in full bloom now. And also there is something so enigmatic about them. In fact, their petals draw me in so much so that I have in the past been late for class because I could not resist sticking my nose in them, feeling the soft petals against my skin and inhaling their sweet scent.

I decided to buy myself some white roses at the farmer’s market this weekend and they have been a constant source of inspiration.

Here’s a close-up:

I also was inspired to paint using my new set of watercolors. This time I did it free-hand based on an image of a flower I noticed while biking.

Orange floral painting

Another shot:

Painting

What have you been creatively called to do lately?

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July 25th, 2011

Making the Right Decision

Players like to analyze the strategy and outcome of a game. Why this move was beneficial and why that one led to a player’s downfall.

Sometimes we discover clues to help us make future decisions by investigating the past.

Situations that may need your attention?

  • Deciding whether you should take one job over another.
  • Knowing whether you should quit the job you have to start your dream job.
  • Anytime you’re caught between a decision to stay in your comfort zone or take a giant leap into the unknown.

You can write pros and cons lists, ask others for advice, or wait for the answer to fall into your lap. But if the question lays unanswered for awhile, you may need to dig deeper.

Investigating Your Life for Clues

One of the benefits of going home for me is having the chance to explore the “me” of my youth. I have about 5 or 6 full journals with evidence of who I was. As if time suddenly stood still, I’m back to that clueless, sensitive girl in her teens and “looking for love in all the wrong places” young woman of my twenties.

Since I wrote the journals, I’ve devoured each, pouring over every word as if they were the latest fiction novel often forgetting the protagonist was me. After the third read, I’d go back and look for clues. I’d ponder who I am by reading about who I was, all the while trying desperately to forgive and accept the person I had completely forgotten about in my present life.

Well, this time I discovered something else.

I randomly flipped through an entry I wrote on November 17, 2003 .

“Tonight was one of those nights that I felt so appreciative of being here [in California], like I made the right decision. I got to say almost everything that has been happening has conformed this. I have had so many positive experiences and am happier learning more about myself and how to appreciate my life.”

I don’t remember writing this. But was blown away by reading my realization of making the right decision. And looking back, I definitely did. It was so validating to read that.

After I read that passage, a few papers fell out of the journal. One was a note written by a psychic I saw over ten years ago. In it, she wrote:

“Her life choice seems to be leading her away from safety and choices she once knew, a general calculated move is on its way with some connection to the mainland. Also, she needs some time away from her friends in order that she gain some new perspective elsewhere. Affirmation: Oftentimes negativity is a test put before us by the force in the Universe that wants to see balance within you, rather than accomplishment.”

I think seeing this journal passage and the note was serendipitous. The timing was quite impeccable as my husband and I have been tossing and turning over a decision that’s haunted us for the last few years.

And reading it, made me realize that in the past,  I had made one of the most difficult choices in my life-to move away from the “safety” the psychic talked about and because of it, reaped the rewards years later experiencing happiness and gratitude for my life.

 The affirmation really hit home.

At the time, I didn’t really understand it. In fact, it’s only on my birthday this year that I really got it.

There is a lot of negativity all around us. I would be lying if I said that not only was it around me, but it was all too tempting to swallow that pill and adopt it as my own. I think the struggle to maintain positivity is something that has been my main obstacle for most of my life. I hadn’t realized that challenging myself to resist negativity so that I could be positive was my goal in life. Forget about accomplishments! If I only understood that earlier. I wonder if I would have been torturing myself with trying to get straight A’s or winning awards and scholarships.

If I only knew that that was what I had to do in life, I wonder if I would have made more of the “right” decisions sooner.

Either way, it was an “aha” moment for me. My purpose became clear. I was validated in my past decision, which gives me courage in deciding my present one.

What about you?

Have you discovered something about yourself or found the answers to your greatest dilemmas by searching within?

Much luck on your journey ahead…

xo,

Brandi

CategoryFinding Your Purpose, Inspired Life | CommentNo Comments »

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July 21st, 2011

If You Can’t Say Anything Nice, Don’t Say Anything At All…

So I won’t (say anything not nice, that is).

In fact, I’ve only got love for my Twitter followers, Facebook friends and the special few who hop on this blog every once in awhile.

This post is dedicated to mushy (a word a college friend used to describe my favorite topics) love stuff.

A Pinterest photo

Looking for the Jewels

Every now and again, I like to scope the web for new fodder. I’m like one of those crazy folks with their metal machines digging for gold in the sand. Except instead of a fancy machine, my little hairs on my arm stands on end and I get all tingly inside with excitement.

Granted, the jewels have been even more rare these days with all the new blogs out there.

That is until I serendipitously fell into these two love-at-first-sight blogs.

 

Two Rubies and One Diamond

 

99 Red Balloons via Pinterest

This Blog Makes Life Better, Sweeter

I can’t get enough of Sarah Wilson’s inspirational pieces of wisdom on life and living with an autoimmune disease. Wilson’s an Australian media personality, journalist  and blogger, and former Cosmopolitan editor with a fiery spirit that makes you want to nod your head in agreement or shout “heck yeah!” when you read her posts.

  • This post in particular is about TM or transcendental meditation.*Especially for those on the road to better meditating.

A Springboard for Creativity and Awareness

A bunch of fabulous writer Tweeps recommended Melissa Crytzer Fry’s blog. It came with so much rave reviews that I had to take 5 to hop on over her sight. In a few seconds, I knew why they were so in love.

Fry intertwines between photos of her hometown with words of writerly wisdom. My favorite combo. Love how she finds meaning in the ordinary.

Making a Difference

My third find is not a blog at all, but a mission.

A writer friend gave me the heads up on a new way to make a difference that’s not just about philanthropic, but an investment too.

Kiva is a nonprofit organization with “a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty.” Essentially, Kiva helps people get loans and helps donors not just donate money (for as little as $25), but invest in an individual. It’s quite inspiring.

It’s hard to believe that knocking off your daily coffee expense could help fund a small business. But it can. Go here to find out how it works.

Find any blogs lately that have you drooling in their deliciousness?

Are there any charitable organizations that inspire you?

Share the goods below.

CategoryInspiring Links | Comment2 Comments »

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July 20th, 2011

Shake Off the Grind with Joe Wilner

I call him the inspirational expert because life coach, speaker, and writer Joe Wilner blogs to inspire others. You know, kind of like what I strive to do here. I became enamored with his writing first from Psych Central where he writes Adventures in Positive Psychology. And then fell in love with his personal development blog Shake Off the Grind.

Because his writing hits so close to home for me, I wanted to bring him over to The Inspiring Bee. I knew that his ability to empower others to find meaning in their lives was a gift. And I wanted to share that gift with you.

In this Q&A, Wilner chats about his blog and about following your dreams. Read it and be inspired!

What do you think is the number 1 thing that holds people back from following their dreams?

I think a general fear of failure is the main factor. This may stem from believing that our dreams can’t become a reality, or that real talent is something we’re born with instead of something we practice and develop through hard work. I also believe that somewhere along the way people are told they aren’t good enough and this can really have an impact on their confidence and willingness to even try.

What can they do to remedy that?
In order to push past our self-imposed limits we can learn to take calculated risks and start to do things that initially caused us fear. Little by little we can start taking bigger steps, and we can actually start to enjoy taking risks. It becomes a way to engage in life.

We can begin to examine our belief system and what core beliefs we hold about ourselves and the world, and how these are impacting us is crucial. At some point or another we will all need to challenge our assumptions and reposition certain beliefs in order to free ourselves from limits that have been imposed upon us from our environment and past mistakes.

What may surprise people about being successful and achieving their dreams?

In my opinion, uncovering what success really means to someone can offer surprising insights. You might find out that what you truly value and desire isn’t what you expected. It can be sort of staggering at first to really grab a hold of our life’s mission and purpose, and people need to recognize the amount of effort and self-discovering this can take. Becoming in touch with our purpose and meaning is a process, but a very worthwhile one.

Who/what do you find inspiring?

I find it inspiring when people are doing what they love and living life to the fullest. I really admire people who can fearlessly approach life and follow their passions. I also find great inspiration from people who are truly happy. I think we can all find greater happiness and learn to live with passion. I strive to do this in my life and love when I see this happening for others. It offers me encouragement that I can do the same.

What helped you in your life find your purpose? What obstacles did you have to overcome to get where you are today?

There was a time when I was very insecure and uncomfortable with who I was and where my life was headed. I was settling for less even though I had big dreams. I didn’t think my dreams could be a reality. Little by little though, through much soul searching and the help of extraordinary people, I learned that there is always more possible then we first realize. It just takes continual growth and a willingness to push past our limits.

I really had to explore my personal beliefs and start developing a mission, vision, and values statement. I needed to discover where I wanted to go and how I was going to get there. I feel I’m on this track, at least for now. ?

How did you come up with Shake Off the Grind? Can you tell us a little bit about you and your website?

Shake Off the Grind was started initially to focus on professional development and to help people uncover their calling or dream vocation. It still incorporates this theme, but has adapted to focus more on pushing past self-imposed limits and developing the courage and faith to live a life of purpose and meaning. I write about what I find inspiring in my life and try to share this with others to offer inspiration and empowerment. I really want to help people realize they can do more than they believe, and really work to uncover their potential. SOTG is a place to find continued support, encouragement, and inspiration to stay resilient and focused on living the life you desire.

Didn’t I tell you he was inspiring? Thanks to Joe Wilner for offering up his wisdom and insight to help inspire others to live a meaningful and purpose-filled life. The life they were meant to live.

CategoryInspiring People | Comment4 Comments »

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