I decided that I wanted to be able to take a few months off of my regularly scheduled work program, but I wasn’t sure how to go about doing that. How does one simply stop working but still make the train keep chugging?

BATCH WORKING! I didn’t know that was a thing until I started doing it naturally. And that’s my point here – I think it is natural to do this. Batch working allows a state of creative flow and maximizes our potential to put out cohesive content.

Batch working is pretty simple. It’s when you group together like content and produce that content all together, rather than spread apart over long periods of time.

I’ve recently used the batch working process to write 25 blog posts in one day, and record 24 videos in one day!

It sounds impossible, right? And yes, some people will be more or less prolific in their ability to batch work. I’m particularly well suited to batch working because I focus easily and I love a juicy and hard-to-achieve goal. But you don’t have to be some content-producing mastermind to dive in.

1. Find your purpose first. If you understand your long-term mission, you’ll find it easier to focus on the work that will take you there rather than feeling scattered. Take copious notes here. Draw up vision boards.

2. How can you be a resource to your community? If you understand the ways in which you can give most successfully, you can spend your time doing those things without guilt. Make lists and hone in on what aligns with you!!!

3. Spend a lot of time planning your specific content before you make your content. This is perhaps the most important point. Take the time to write spreadsheets or detailed lists about the exact content you want to make, the long-term plan for it, and how it will impact your community.

4. Clear your schedule entirely by doing the work ahead of time. Emails? Get to “Inbox 0” before batch working. Meetings, social media, etc….do it all in advance so that you can spend the time you need to batch.

5. Write notes for yourself. If you’re creating a lot at once, know exactly what your plan is. Before I was able to record 24 videos in 5 hours, I spent many more hours writing notes for each video, prepping files, and going over my talking points.

6. Motivate yourself to get through the work by reminding yourself of how much content you’re producing. I like to think in terms of weekly releases. For example, by making 24 videos, I produced 6 months of weekly content.

7. Action > Perfection. Keep reminding yourself of that as you batch. You an always scrap something you made later, but you can’t release something you never created in the first place.

8. Creative flow: figure out how you are creatively effected in terms of where you work, noise you like playing (or silence), snacks/drinks, and anything else that soothes you, like candles/scents.

9. Batch! Remember when producing your content to match like-content together. Choose one day for photographing (try 3 images at one location instead of just one!), one day for writing (try creating 10 social media posts in one day!), etc.

10. Long term planning. Create a production calendar with deadlines that are realistic yet challenging. Write your do to list every evening for the next day so that you don’t feel overwhelmed with just the big goals and deadlines.

Find a sweet spot that works for you. It might not be 25 blog posts in one day, but make it 5. We all work at different speeds. Don’t be ashamed of whatever speed you work at.

The important thing to remember when batch working is that it’s all about creative flow and productivity. Set yourself up for success. If you wake up and feel off, don’t push it. Get yourself into the flow and let it happen organically when possible. But always be proactive in your attempts to get yourself into that headspace.

As for me, I’ve got to edit the videos I recorded, write another 50 blog posts, create newsletter templates, upload to YouTube, and produce 10 photo shoots with behind-the-scenes content. Needless to say, I’ve got another 1-2 months of work ahead of me before this “time-off” experiment kicks into full swing

I hope this helps – let me know in a comment!

Lots of Creativity,
Brooke

Read to the end for today’s free giveaway
+ to read my practical tips for an art business!
This is a long one but it sure is juicy!

Folks, I need to admit something to you. I’m not terribly organized.

However, after I started sharing about my work days (on Instagram Stories) and how much I get done, I started getting messages (like, a lot of them) about how I stay organized enough to get all of those tasks crossed off my list. It became too overwhelming to write to each DM I got, so I told everyone I’d make a blog post about it. Here we go!

I say that I’m not organized because in many ways, I’m not. I’m sort of like a confused type A personality. I like things in a specific way, I like to know that my life is in order, but ask me to keep my life in order, and well…I just can’t. Or, rather, I haven’t learned how…YET.

I will be the first to admit that I spend about 20 unnecessary minutes everyday doing something that I should have had organized long ago.

And I work on this, slowly, and not fast enough to make my family believe I’m working on it. I am also highly productive. I always have been and don’t have ambitions to slow down in my productivity. Shifting focus, yes, but not becoming complacent.

All of that to say, the two words – organization and motivation – are not the same thing. They come from different universes and sometimes they commingle. Let’s take a look at some simple practices we can all apply to become more proficient in the art of getting stuff done.

1. 1. PRIORITIES. My decisive nature and enormous passion collide to make it easy for me to choose priorities and let them shine. Be honest with yourself about what you want, how you will get it, and then learn to follow through (yes, I realize that is the whole point of this post – FOLLOW THROUGH – so read on, comrades!). More on this topic in an earlier post.
      
      
   2. Write your to-do list THE DAY BEFORE. This changed the game for me. Productivity increased, I was more goal-focused, and I felt better every time I crossed something off my list.

1. 1. The 30-MINUTE swap. Take a moment to look at your normal day schedule. Can you find 30 minutes of time that you spend doing something that doesn’t serve your goals? It could be TV, Internet, meals that could be prepared more efficiently, naps, etc. Once you’ve located those 30 minutes, swap them out for extreme productivity time. Spend 30 minutes daily that you have actively traded to hunker down on your goals and GIT THEM DONE.My personal kryptonite is the Internet (whose isn’t though, really). In order to combat the time I spend, I put a website blocker on my browser so that I can only spend 15 minutes a day on Facebook. That means I speed up the time I spend working on social media, and when I do open Facebook, it isn’t to chat with friends. I go straight to my business page, I post, I reply to comments, and I get the heck out of there.I use the browser add-on StayFocused.
   2. Figure out YOUR productivity hours. My husband is a night owl. Like, up until 5am coding his heart out. My best hours are from 6am-11am. I know this about myself, so I utilize those hours. Of course, your schedule might require you to be flexible with this, but first, identify YOUR hours. When do you most easily enter a state of flow? When do you feel your best? When are you more productive? And then the opposite – at what hours are you good for nothing (well, that’s a bit harsh – when is your energy low)?Once you know those hours, intend to get your to-do list mostly finished inside of those hours each day. If I didn’t prioritize my goals/time in this way, I wouldn’t be able to get half of the things finished that I do each day.

      My schedule is this:

      05:45 Wake up
      06:00 Emails
      06:30 Social Media
      07:30 Misc Business/Computer tasks
      09:00 Breakfast/Reading
      09:30 Creative Work
      11:00 Reading Break
      11:30 Yoga
      12:00 Lunch/Reading
      12:30 Writing
      03:30 Hiking
      05:30 Dinner
      06:30 Family timeIt may surprise you to see that my work day is generally only 8 hours. When I travel, this schedule and my work hours are out the window. But when I’m home, I’ve got an awesome routine.I work fast, efficiently, with a clear mind and I really get things done. Find your opening and try to take advantage of it!

1. 1. Surround yourself with what UPLIFTS you. Sometimes changing our surroundings takes time. Let me share some of my choices with you for context. I grew up in Pennsylvania, went to college in Philly, moved to Los Angeles…all knowing that I hate cities. I thought there would be opportunity there, that it was necessary…some of this is practical, and some of it is sheep-talk (in other words, listening to what other people said because it seemed easier than forging my own path). I made the choice the move away to a tiny town in the mountains and I’ve never looked back. I left behind what I knew for a place where we knew no one and I LOVE IT. Why did I do it?

      – I know I hate cities, so why stay in one?
      – I wanted to be in a place where no one knew me at all so that there was no expectation.
      – I wanted sunshine. A lot of sunshine. I moved to a very sunny place.
      – I wanted nature all around me. I’ve got mountains, creeks, forests, desert. Everything.
      – I wanted a health conscious place where I could find yummy vegan treats. Check!
      – Mostly, though, I wanted a place that I felt joyous to wake up to every day. And I do. So much.

      I know what at least half of you are thinking. But, I can’t do that, because I have ________ (insert family, job, responsibility, etc.). I get it, I truly do. And some would say I made the selfish choice, moving away from everyone I know and love. But you know what? Selfish choices aren’t always as selfish as they seem.We punish people so harshly for desiring a better life. For creating a better life. It is, I believe, those people who create the life they want to live that set an example for others who believe they could do the same (and especially for those who never considered it). Let the life you create be an example to your family, to your children, to your friends that you can choose the life you want to live.That puts practicality aside, of course. This might not be an option for you right now, or not even in a couple of years, but you can work toward it.And if that isn’t an option right now, let’s talk about smaller pieces of joy you can put into your life. Surround yourself with plants, or art on your walls that you love, or frequent outings to your favorite places.The more joy I feel when I wake up, the more productive I am. Simple as that.

1. 1. TREATS! What kind of productivity list would this be without mentioning treats? I am obsessive about rewarding myself. I seek a pat on the back any chance I get. In fact, my husband likes to say that I pat myself on the back because I don’t count on anyone else to do it for me. Fist bump! How do I reward myself? In three simple ways:

      – The SMALL reward: I cross something off of my to-do list. I equate that to-do list with my worth for the day. That sounds massively wrong, I know. And I don’t mean it in a major way, but listen…I work for myself. I have no boss, no one telling me if I’m doing this right, if I’m doing a good job, etc. So, when I finish a task (whether it was done right or not), that gets tallied into my worth for the day. I wish I could find a better word, but it’s not coming. Suggestions below, please!

      – The MEDIUM reward: FOOD. Let’s face it, I love food. I love it SO, so much. My rewards are usually health based because I try not to eat added sugars or processed foods. But they are still so good! Here are my big food rewards: Avocado toast on THIS BREAD (I make a batch every 2 weeks or so), chocolate nice cream (or a chocolate smoothie – same recipe, more cashew milk), or applesauce.

      – The LARGE reward: TV. Some days I’m just over it. Over productivity, over my routine. So, I plop down on the couch and I watch Merlin or Doctor Who, or some other silly sci-fi show, or even a travel show.

1. 1. NOTHING is better put off until later. In our deepest of hearts, we know this to be true. That is why I don’t procrastinate. That was a lie. I do procrastinate sometimes, but rarely, and I never enjoy myself when I do. I’ve become much better at doing things right when I see they need to be done. From emails every morning to categorizing receipts for taxes, dishes when I finish eating (sidenote: I hate dishwashers) and cleaning when I finish a shoot.

      Make your life a LIFE OF NOW. When you see something amiss, do something about it. I feel good when I do this because I feel proud and productive, and it keeps me physically organized as well as mentally organized. If I know that my possessions and tasks are taken care of, I have more space for creativity.

1. 1. Depression, Anxiety, and downright sadness. This is not a funny point or one that I enjoy pointing out, but I must. I wake up some days and I am not okay. I wake up some days and I feel like my life is a mess, like it’s not worth working for, like everything I do is crap, like no one cares, etc. I’m willing to bet that everyone reading this has had some semblance of those feelings. It is serious and I do not suggest you SOLDIER THROUGH IT. I do NOT suggest that. There are times and places where you must – I just taught a 2-day workshop immediately after getting off a plane from Greece with the flu. Trust me, a large part of me wanted to call it and stay in bed all day, but that was not the time for self-care.
      (It turned out to be a time for losing my voice while piling into a bed with 40 people. And it was awesome…No explanation necessary. If you were there in Maine, you know.)

      Instead, consider some softness toward yourself. When I wake up in those moods, I sometimes try to push through it and get things done. And you know what? I don’t do good work. I just don’t. Listen to your heart, mind and body. When it is upset, tend to it. A day spent caring for yourself is preparation for a much better week ahead.

1. 1. Try the BUDDY SYSTEM. It is much easier, in my opinion, to stay productive when you are held accountable. If you are not a naturally self-starting individual, set up a little team. If you don’t know anyone who fits the role, COMMENT BELOW AND MAKE FRIENDS! Do you have any idea how amazing this community is?! Gosh golly. It seriously is.What I suggest is this: Set a time to meet twice a month on video chat. Talk about these 4 points:

      1. What did you accomplish?
      2. What are you proud of?
      3. What do you think you could have done better?
      4. What are your new goals for the next 2 weeks?I suggest making your group anywhere from 2-5 people so that the calls don’t last too long.

1. 1. Figure out what motivates YOU. I said in the first topic that we would talk about FOLLOW THROUGH. All I can do is tell you what motivates me, what keeps me moving forward. I can also tell you what stops me from moving forward: Fear of wasting money, fear of wasting time, fear of something being difficult. Let me tell you something that on bad days I have a hard time believe, but I know to be true: Time spent getting closer to your dreams and goals is never wasted. Live within your means, yes, but mean to live beyond that. Work for it.I told you about my motivations – finishing a to do list, food, hiking…but those are superficial. What truly motivates me is knowing that I am paving myself a glorious road to my dreams.It boils down to growing your confidence. Anyone, ANYONE..can you hear me…ANYONE can do this. Anyone can decide, at any time in their life, that they are worthy of pursuing goals to get to dreams. ANYONE can change the course of humanity, can make a dent in society, can weave together a better life. Let that ANYONE be YOU. Let yourself sink into your dreams.

The Giveaway!

Well my friends, here we are – the ending. And I want to host another giveaway. This time I’ll be giving away 5 spaces for a group chat. THE BUDDY SYSTEM, hey! Comment below your thoughts on this topic and tell me if you’re interested in being chosen to participate in a Motivation/Accountability Call.

The call will be: 1 hour, 5 participants + me, and we’ll continue the discussion about productivity, business, creativity, and I’ll be there to help each of you move forward with your big goals. 

What motivates you?
What percentage of the time do you feel productive?
When are your most productive hours?

P.S. This is my new desk setup. I had two desks from when I had an assistant and it never really got used. It just sat there gathering dust. So, I made a step toward my dreams and I moved the desk into my bedroom, which is too big and empty, so that I have a designated writing space. It feels so good to make this change, not only symbolically of my continued commitment to my writing craft, but physically.

P.P.S. Here is a list of ways that I organize my business. I hope this is helpful to any other artists out there!

1. I use an Excel spreadsheet in Google Drive to keep track of prints that I create. I add it to the list no matter if I’m keeping it at my house, sending to a gallery, a charity event, or sending to a client. I keep the following information in that spreadsheet: title, size, edition number, paper type, sold or unsold, who has it, and any additional notes I may want to take.
2. I do the same thing for licensed images! Except for licensing, I write the following information: title, type of project (book, album, etc.), who licensed it, exclusivity, price they paid (this varies based on many variables unlike print sales), date/contract length.
3. Yet another Excel spreadsheet! I do my taxes on a monthly basis, exporting my PayPal, credit card and debit card statements. I then record the following on each line: receipt type (physical vs online), type of cost (based on US tax categories), and what specifically that cost was for (photo shoot, print sale, etc.).
4. I keep a filing cabinet for all of my paper statements and contracts.
5. I keep a folder on my computer called “Stock” where I have every type of stock image separated into their own folders, like “birds”, “water”, “textures”, “smoke”, etc.
6. I have contract templates for licensed image contracts, gallery contracts, model contracts, certificates of authenticity, invoices, and more. This means I can always use a pre-written document so I’m not starting from scratch.
7. I use information packets to send to anyone inquiring about prints, events, etc. They are 1-2 page PDF documents that explain my rates, my topics – anything relevant that they might want to know presented in a beautiful way that they can easily reference anytime.
8. Email templates! I get asked a lot of the same questions, and while it pains me not to answer every email with a long heartfelt reply, there are some emails that I can shorthand. A good example is that I get asked for interviews by students a couple of times daily and I couldn’t possibly do them all, so I have a template that I can send that gives them links to previous interviews I’ve done publicly.
9. This one is obvious by now, but I structure my day very carefully! My magical to do lists! I use the “Tasks” feature in Google Mail to make to do lists in my email browser, but I tend to prefer physical lists. I make them as I finish my work day for the follow day. Like I said, GAME CHANGER.
10. I photograph things that are of importance to me. For example, if I’m fortunate enough to be featured in a magazine, I photograph it. Chances are I don’t have space to keep all that content physically, so I keep digital records.
11. I color code my costumes. Sounds silly? Let me convince you. I have about 50 costumes hanging in my garage. We built a rack just for them! I ABHOR hanging them up. I think I might be allergic. However, when I see my dresses hanging in a rainbow looking so fluffy, it makes me feel a little more accomplished. (I color-code my personal wardrobe as well).
12. I charge my camera batteries immediately when I finish a photo shoot so I’m never low on battery power.
13. I use a password scheme. I use the same root word for all of the websites I access for my business and just change the last few letters or numbers based on the website itself. Here is an example (that doesn’t follow my scheme at all, so let’s not try that…): Root word – Waterm3l0n  | Ending – Fac  This would be a great one for Facebook, as the password would be your root word, Waterm3l0n + your ending Fac (the first 3 letters of the website you’re on) = Waterm3l0nFac. Keep your root word, change the last 3 letters per website when you sign up. You can make up your own scheme! You’ll never forget a password again. You’re welcome.

I hope these quick tips help your business!

I started my career and worked completely alone for 4.5 years. It came to my attention that I was about to fall apart into a million pieces, so I hired an assistant. Things got a lot better. I felt that, while the workload was lessened a bit, the real benefit was feeling less alone. I felt like I had someone to share the failures with and the highlights, like someone really cared about my business other than me (and my Love, of course). And then, a year ago, we stopped working together and I’ve been back on my own since then.

I was nervous about how it would go, since my business has only grown over those years with a lot of different balls in the air. One big thing changed though, from the time I hired someone to the time that ended: I fully realized what having a business is all about.

I stopped seeing business as transactional
and instead saw it as community-driven.

The moment I started seeing every email as a real person with feelings, it became much easier and more motivating to keep up.

Let me just say: running a business can be lonely.

Most of the professionals I know have assistants or even teams to help out with odds and ends. I’ve always been a loner and prefer it that way. I like to know that I am the one doing the work. I also have trust issues, as I feel many people who have started a business do. I don’t trust that others will do the work as well as I can. Delusional? Probably. Maybe. Eh…

Going into this past year I was worried. I really feared that everything would fall apart. I feared I wouldn’t be able to keep up with all the emails or remember all of the things I used to forget. So, here’s my report, and my lessons learned.

My 24 hour email policy has been incredible. I’ve been able to respond to emails honestly, efficiently, and in half the time it used to take me.

I’ve never, in all my career, assistant or not,answered emails
as thoroughly, thoughtfully and quickly as this past year.

The only thing that changed was a commitment to the people behind the emails. I wanted to show them that I care and that my responses hold heart. I wanted to show them that their words are important, no matter if they are offering me a job or not, kind words or criticism, or if they’ve sent 3 emails to bypass the word limit. I see you…

Here is a great example of how my organization and emailing has helped my business. Years ago, you would be lucky if you heard back from me within a month, let alone a day. Even with an assistant, emails would get missed and never remedied. But now, since I started my new email policy, I get an email at least once a week solely to say how grateful the writer is for my quick response and professionalism. I’m not saying this to assert that my business is somehow better; but for me, I’ve grown leaps and bounds, and it is showing (and bringing in more business recommendations). That really means something.

I deal with emailing creatives a lot. I have to, to invite speakers for my Promoting Passion Convention. Only about 1 in 15 people will email me back within a 48 hour period. Maybe about half will write back within two weeks, and half will never respond. I am astounded at how difficult and alienating it is to get in touch with creative professionals, so dealing with emails in a quick and professional manner can really go a long way.

Another thing that I’ve decided to do this last year, which was easier than years past, is to say no better. I’m still absolutely awful at it. I’ve already agreed to 5 things in the first half of next year that I’m regretting. But, I did get better. I’ve turned down about 25 jobs (some big, some very small) for this new year in the past few months alone. First, it has been easier because I’m not paying an employee, so I had the extra financial wiggle-room. I know this is a luxury and I very much appreciate what a fortunate situation that is to be in. Second, I started to truly value my time more. Life is for living, let’s not forget that.

I started noticing that there is a very direct correlation between my organization and my health. When I am organized (for example, finishing taxes on a monthly basis instead of all at once, or keeping my office clean), I feel more clear-headed and ready to be inspired. When I can easily settle into a routine without worrying about all the loose-ends, I am so much happier.

My business has never been better. Period.

As a creative, that is important for health, wellness, and sanity. Most importantly, it is essential for my inspiration. To reiterate, these are the ways I managed to do it all on my own (after years of practice, mind you):

1. Behind every email is a person. If you met in a coffee shop, chances are you’d feel a lot more kindly to that person, so imagine every email is a coffee shop encounter. A really good one. And respond as though you were standing there in person. Emails can be annoying. And not every email is worth the time. But most are, because most are really nice people with kindness in their hearts. Call me a hippie, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that we are good to each other.
   
2. Say no so that you carve your career into what you want it to be, not what others want it to be. That will lead to a healthier and happier life, and will earn you more expertise in what you want to do.
   
3. Give priority to organization so that your creative brain isn’t distracted by clutter. 
4. Write a comprehensive, timed to-do list at the end of every work day for the day ahead.

The past year has been transformational for me in these regards. With that daily to-do list, for example, I am hyper focused. I also feel a greater sense of accomplishment as I work my way through my day.

I’ve become really good at taking care of
myself without feeling disadvantaged.

I used to look at other professionals and whine that I don’t have help and therefore I can’t achieve what they can. Yes, that is a valid argument in some situations, but not most. I’m a one-person show and heck yes, I’m proud of that. You should be too, no matter where you’re at.

Let’s face it – most of us are not in a position to have a team of people working for us. And, something I’ve come to terms with is that right now in my career, I have no desire for that. I’m much happier when I’m working alone on the whole. I don’t aspire to hire a team. Maybe in the future I will, and I’m open to that mindset changing. But for now, I’m going to keep blasting the Alice in Wonderland soundtrack in my little office while chain-drinking tea and smiling dreamily at my imagination. Alone. Because as entrepreneurs, we can do that.

What changes have you made that
give you a healthier creative life?

Will you take any of these changes
and apply them to your business?

This was a year of extreme breakthrough for me on many levels. Professionally, I learned what I don’t want to do anymore and what I want to do more of. Cosmically (sure, why not), I learned where my position is in this life and how to better ascertain that (spoiler: it’s wherever I desire it to be). Creatively, I finally brought together ideas I’ve had brewing for nearly a year (more on that later). I learned these lessons by committing to one simple directive:

Pursue your PASSION and pursue it WELL.

Think about people who you think are really talented, who attract people to them, who really have that special something. Now imagine that person doing something other than what you know them for. Do you naturally assume they will also be good at that thing? I certainly do. Take Tim Burton, for example. I think he is a mastermind director. I had no idea he was also a sketch artist. And you know what? I think it’s brilliant work. The reason for this is simple: he is not talented because he found the one thing he is good at. He is talented because he has a vision and he is smart enough to apply that to anything he pursues.

The people who I admire are not talented or naturally good at one thing. They bring with them a fire/passion/charisma/drive that permeates the medium they work in. It flows through everything they touch. And that is why they are golden; that is why they themselves are geniuses and not just the work they produce.

This is a concept that I have spent a long time internalizing this year. I desire to be good at something just as anyone does. But, I don’t want to be known for one thing. I don’t want, for example, photography to be the only thing I ever do well. I want every passion I have to shine with the excitement I have for it. I want everything I do to have a piece of my soul in it.

Sort of like creating horcruxes, but not evil.

Let me explain how I’ve tried to embody that idea this year, and what the catalyst for it was.

I spent years trying to write a novel. I managed 80,000 words, and it was really, really hard. I was lost, I was confused, I had no sense of direction or plot, I didn’t know my characters, and it was simply painful to get to the end. I loved trying, but I loved reaching the 79,999th word even more.

“I’m done!” I thought fondly. And so I sent the manuscript off to my friend Ksenia, who promptly got back to me with the following advice:

“I know it took you years to work on this, but this is not a draft of a novel. Not yet. It’s more of a summery with some expanded scenes, something you write BEFORE you write the first draft. So it needs a lot of work before it will become a book.”

Needless to say, I had the stuffing knocked out of me for a minute. Literally, one minute. And then I put the stuffing back in, with extra care around the heart, and my world abruptly changed.

AND THIS IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS.

You make a choice, right there in the moment, right away, in a single instant, to be better.

When I read those words, I felt their truth. I felt the guidance. I felt ready to make them disappear.

I told you earlier that the lesson I learned was to pursue your passion and pursue it well. Up until this point in my life, my guiding force was “pursue your passion”. It wasn’t until this year that I put emphasis on doing it with integrity, with grit, with determination and with hours of hard work.

I received Ksenia’s feedback in mid-May. By June I had a book list to read and I was ready to be a student of writing. I wanted to learn CRAFT before I sacrificed my VISION. And I was not going to be so egotistical as to believe I was above any of it. I became a student in the most serious way.

I used to say I was a reader. The reality was, I just wanted to be a reader. I read about 1-2 books a year – that’s it. In the past 6 months I’ve managed to read 23 books, some fiction and some nonfiction, all teaching me how to be a better writer by studying craft. All of that was in between hosting my yearly convention, recording a 26-hour long Creative Live class, exhibition openings and more…all completely alone while traveling for a solid 3 of those 6 months. I say this because we are all busy. That is not an excuse. You make time for what is truly most important, and you don’t make time for the rest.

I made the time. And it was really hard, and I spent a lot of dinners with a baked potato trying to scrape in another chapter to keep moving forward.

Though let’s be honest, I love baked potatoes.

At some point I went from wanting
to publish a book to wanting to write a book.

I went from wanting a pat on the back for penning a novel to deeply and irrevocably desiring to craft a piece of writing from my imagination. There is a very, very big difference between the two, and it is one that is hard to admit.

My education has become obsession. I returned home from my final trip of the year at the end of November and I’ve spent every day curled by the fire reading, writing, and brainstorming. My Love sits with me for hours a day as we talk about the motivations/desires/traits/conflicts for my characters. We mull over the most whimsical, surreal settings we can think of. And in all of this, I have the most spectacular revelation:

I CAN DO ANYTHING, as long as I do it well.

I can make anything happen to my characters, create any type of setting, give any motivation and write however my imagination tells me to…as long as it is done with integrity and craft. That is the most liberating thing to discover.

And the funny thing is, I discovered that a long time ago. When I took my first picture I had spent the week learning how to craft my imagination. When I uploaded it, I heard from people who connected to it, who understood it, who felt understood by it. I already knew what it was like to stare into the unknown, but to do so with heart and integrity.

I had forgotten.

My friends, this is the most beautiful journey. It doesn’t matter what you ambition is. Pursue your passion, and pursue it well. 

Share two things with me: 1) What are you a student of? 2) What object would you turn into a Horcrux?

Post Script!

Here are my favorite books from this year:

1. MYST by Rand and Robyn Miller, for the world-building. I still think about it on a weekly basis and wish I could exist in those books. (It is a trilogy).
2. SABRIEL by Garth Nix, because it came the closest to my own sense of storytelling and prose. (Also a trilogy).
3. STRUCTURING YOUR NOVEL by KM Weiland, which was the most helpful novel-writing book I read.
4. AMERICAN GODS by Neil Gaiman, which is quite a tome and mixes mythology with the mundane beautifully.
5. HARRY POTTER by JK Rowling, which I had read as a child as well but DANG, that woman can WRITE. Period. (I devoured the whole series).

In a league of its own, however, is THE FIFTH SEASON by N.K. Jemisin. WOW.

My business was built on the foundation of happiness. I’ve spoken about this before on Promoting Passion, especially since joy is the foundation on which our lives should be built. When I started photography I had no desire to make it a career. Only when the realization presented itself that it could be what sustains my life did I intentionally begin to pursue it. I was “naïve” and “young” and “didn’t know better” – all of these descriptions that those “older” and “wiser” and more “experienced” used to describe me (and still do).

I didn’t approach business traditionally. I rarely asked myself “What will make money?” and then decide to pursue that. I did it backwards in a way that made others uncomfortable, perhaps because they never took that risk themselves, or because it was a truly risky thing to do. Instead of seeking money, I sought joy. I asked myself what I would do every day if I could, and I devised plans to make that type of work benefit me.

I had no idea if it would be good or terrible or really horrible. It was all of the above at different points. But mostly it was good, and sometimes great, and often very blissful. I am not motivated by money – I never have been and daresay never will be. I judge my wealth by my happiness. Thank. Goodness.

I do, sometimes, need a reminder to stay on that happiness track. Sometimes I veer off. We all do. We often don’t even realize it. We say yes to a few too many things our hearts aren’t in and then we find ourselves side-tracked and unhappy.

This year I’ve spent 100 days at home and 81 on the road, if I’m doing the math correctly at the time of writing this. That means that almost half of my time has been spent away. I love what I do, but I don’t always love how it takes me away from home. I am very attached to the sense of home and a feeling of closeness to my love and my space and my down time and my cats. It is more a part of me than you will ever know. So this year has been hard in that regard. I said last year I wanted to travel less. Unfortunately, life doesn’t work like that. I can’t simply say I want to stop and then stop. I took more and more jobs because they seemed so lovely at the time, but now that I’m booked through November I’m feeling pangs of regret at my constant YES-ing.

I had a real breakthrough a couple of weeks ago when a friend said “I thought you said you were going to travel less!” – a phrase I hear all the time. But for some reason, hearing it that time, I changed my response. Usually I’d start to unintentionally place blame elsewhere – “Oh, yes, but then X came up and I’m doing that…”, or “It’s just so hard to say no!” or “I’ve always wanted to visit X place!”

All of those responses are perfectly suited to place myself out of control of my own life. I wanted to take it back and make decision for myself.

The next day I got an email: a convention I was meant to speak at changed dates suddenly and they wanted me to confirm my attendance, even though it was smack in the middle of two other huge trips. I wanted to say yes so badly. I felt physically sick at saying no. I love the people running it so much. But another part of me, the part that I don’t let come out very often (and the part my friends are always telling me to nurture) jumped out. That part took care of me and looked ahead at my happiness. She said no. She said she had to take care of herself.

Suddenly another email came the very next day, and again I said no to the opportunity. I’m not turning everything down, but I am making sure that I don’t suffer next year. My experiences are rich, much richer than I ever would have imagined they could be. But they are draining, and my joy fades, and while I can keep a smile on my face while I travel 40+ hours alone in one go, frequently, and I so truly see the light in all things, I suffer. My body hurts, I feel less sharp, I miss home. I miss home. I miss it so much.

This is the year of taking back my life. Of saying yes when I feel that glow of inspiration well inside of me, and of saying no when the opportunity doesn’t make me soar. That is so hard. I am a people pleaser. One of my biggest flaws is my constant desire for affections. But sometimes personal health comes from social sacrifices and telling people no when you want to give them a big hug and say yes.

You will understand. I know it because I know us, this amazing community, and no matter if you are introverted or extroverted, shy or not, physically ill or mentally, we all have something we need to tend to. We all have moments we should have said no, or wish we said yes. Or, that we wish we had said yes to different things and no to others.

Do you have a hard time saying no?
Do you ever feel trapped within your plans?
What was the last big change you made to create more space for happiness in your life?

I’m in the process of moving, so I’ve gone through each room in my house to see what stays and what goes. After all, moving will be much easier if I know that I actually want everything that I’m packing. Somewhere between lamenting over old photographs and packing a suitcase of old clothes for Goodwill, I realized the metaphor in the process of “out with the old, in with the new”. One might argue that I am a chronic metaphor-er. I see them everywhere and I revel in deep thinking about seemingly mundane things.

This one really stuck, though. What if, I thought, we treated the chapters in our life like moving from one house to another. What if we only brought along the best parts of ourselves and left the rest behind?

Chances are, if you are a passionate person desiring to live life as fully as possible, your chapters come and go very quickly. You find something you want out of life and you go for it…and then something new appears. My life shifts constantly. I attribute this constant shifting to my desire for a stationary and calm existence outside of my passions. I love being home, having routine and being able to settle. My brain, however, is constantly working. I never stick with one passion flow for very long. I amble from one photograph to the next. I want to make films and the next day I start writing a book. I love an active brain.

If that is you, or if you can stick this metaphor out, I think it can really help.

Imagine you are cleaning out a room in your home. You have 3 piles: Stay, Go, Unsure. We all have the unsure pile, don’t lie! What if right now you looked at your life critically. What activities do you pursue, what does your career look like, how are your relationships, etc.? Start to think about each piece of your life as an object you can put into a pile.

If you come across something in your life that you know is toxic, put it in the GO pile. If you cherish something in your life, put it in the STAY pile. If you are unsure about something, ask yourself if it serves you and your ultimate life goals…and then categorize it. No indecisiveness. Gut reactions.

Sometimes we realize certain people don’t serve us, or a career pursuit isn’t turning out to be what we had hoped, or even that the things we surround ourselves with don’t bring us joy.

Sometimes we realize that things we didn’t put a lot of emphasis on are actually more helpful than we realized, or that a certain passion deserves more attention.

Life evolves so beautifully. We can enact change whenever we want to. Let this article serve as a shifting moment. Start to categorize your life and start making piles. You may even pull out note cards or post-its to write on so that you can physically move them into piles.

I’ve done this exercise myself and wanted to share it here so you can see exactly how I put this into effect. I used YELLOW post-its for STAY, RED post-its for GO, BLUE post-its for ADD (meaning I want it to become a yellow post-it! They are things I don’t do enough of and want to do more of).

My list could easily continue…

STAY: Retreats, Promoting Passion Convention, inspiring video games, mentoring sessions, nonprofit work, yoga…

ADD: Discovering new places, creating a new fine art series, trying new techniques, regular poetry writing, talking to strangers, making a documentary…

GO: Frequent interviews, wasted free time, driving when walking would suffice, fear of social engagements…

Try this exercise out and let me know if you find it helpful. For me, even though a lot of this is something I know instinctively, it helps to see it written out. I look at my red post-its and I actively remember to do away with those things that don’t serve me anymore. I see the yellow post-its and I feel good about decisions I’ve made. I see the blue post-its and I am motivated to do more with my life.

Tell me, what are you STAY, GO and ADD lists?

Did you find this exercise to be helpful? Share below!

I have made some active changes, like walking to the grocery store instead of driving,
filming more of my creative process, and reading 50 pages of fiction every day!

I did some purging, like scraping away old Facebook groups and making a donation pile of gear.

For my STAY list, I made some changes, too! I added a SPEAKING page to my website so that my
motivational speaking services are actively promoted. Hoorah for taking control!

This year I’ve taken a very active role in trying to make my business something I’m proud of. I love thinking about business because it is an extension of who I am. I choose to see it as branding and marketing, though both in non-conventional ways. When I say branding, I really mean figuring out who I am, who I want to be and how to manifest that. And when I say marketing, I simply mean building a community. So this year I chose to do more for my business, but sometimes I get frustrated with how theoretical it can all become. Learning about oneself and having goals for business are very important in a successful career, yet sometimes I just want a few concrete steps that I can take to make my business more successful.

When I went on this mission, I became a lot more responsible in the process. I found motivation by wanting to be my best self not only when presenting my business to other people, but also in how I ran it behind the scenes. These are the five ways in which I started to transform my business…things anyone can do to liven up their work life.

1. Visually interesting documents.

When you can show a client what you do and the information associated with it, instead of telling them via text, it will be more memorable, show that you put time and effort in that part of your business, and it will look great for branding.

2. Photograph your work in print.

If you are able to create a nice visual presentation of your accomplishments – whether it is photographing a magazine feature, a gallery show, a session with a client for BTS material, or something else entirely – you are sharing part of your process, and your success, with whomever is there to look at what you do.

3. Answer your emails.

I used to be terrible at emailing. I would lose emails, wait months to get back to people, etc. If it’s bad, I did it. But then something happened. I had one of those selfish, aha! moments. I began emailing people for various reasons – to tell them I admire them, for charity projects, to do business – and I wasn’t getting responses back. I felt lower than the ground I walk on. I felt like they thought my time didn’t matter. And that is a horrible feeling. So now, as a courtesy to others and to make myself more sane, I respond to my emails (if possible!) within 48 hours.

4. Create personalized products.

I’m not just talking about business cards, though that is a perfect example. Anything from personalized stationery to wax seals, greeting cards and more. It can be really fun and make someone feel special if you send them something personal with a purchase.

5. Diversify your content.

Don’t limit what you do to one social media site or one way of communication. Share video, behind the scenes material, and finished products on various sites like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, etc…The more ways you can show who you are, the more likely someone is to connect with you.

Will you try out any of these recommendations, or perhaps you have an idea that you practice to make your business more successful? Share it below!