Let it Unfold...continued

I may not be writing in my blog everyday, but I am doing something every day.  I have been sitting with my ideas and stirring things around.  Each time I stir, I find a new scenario to sit with and feel  what life with that particular scenario might be like.  I am asking some tough questions to guide my way.  Two of my favorite questions I ask myself when I am trying to make big decisions that will effect my life, and those I love are;

1. When all is said and done and I am at the end of my life, who will I want around me? What memories and values will I hope to leave with those I love? What regrets of things done/not done might I have?  What would I hope people say about me? What stories would they share? (this is really one BIG question).
2. If money and time were no object, what would I be doing?

I don't want to get so caught up in things that I lose track of who, and what, is most important in my life. I would like my greatest successes in life to be my relationships with my family and friends. If I listen carefully to my heart, and head, I believe my business can have that level of success as well, and add to my personal relationships. And if I walk my business path with integrity and have passion for what I do, I believe that some degree of financial success with also follow.

The first question helps to keep me from getting lost, the second helps me to prioritize.  There are things in my plan that are included as ways to support the rest, or to bring in a little more income, hopefully.  I am not sure I would do these things if I didn't have to.  Although, I believe these things I hold in question have value, I also believe they are secondary and supportive.   Then there are the things I really want to do which should take the majority of my time and focus.  I realize this is vague to the reader.  I am not sure the detail is as necessary for me to share as the process.  It is a work in progress and there is still some stirring to be done.

Now that I am closer to knowing where to put my greater energies, I have another question I am stirring around.  Do I quit my full time job and pray for the best.  Or, do I stay as long as I can while my business gets started.  The obvious benefit of staying with the job is the full time pay.  The downside is that I work nights, weekends, weekdays.  My hours are quite flexible and all have to fit into a 40 hour work week.  Then I have home and family time and all that entails.  And I am spending time each week with my parents who live in another town. I also hope to have a little downtime here and there.  So my time to invest in this business is quite fragmented to say the least.  I do know I have many options and I am confident I will know what to do when the time comes.

I have registered for two more online classes that I hope will move me closer to my goal, both personally and professionally.

So, there you have it for today, doing something everyday and letting it all unfold.  I am not in a hurry, yet have my eyes on the calendar.

Describe the Dream

I am back from my wonderful vacation with friends from the past, now part of my present and future.  After taking a little time to catch up at home and work, I am ready to jump back in to my blog and my dream of creating my business of the heart.  

After my last post, I realized just how much I am trying to do all at the same time.  SO, just as sometimes I need the creativity to flow, sometimes I need to nail down specifics-or at least have a plan to follow.  And because I tend to be a visual person, I made a list and posted it here for all to see, and to keep me on task.

 My first task, then, is for me to begin at the end by describing the dream. I am going to brainstorm this dream right now.  I reserve the right to add/subtract/rearrange anything and everything here.  I also ask the reader to realize that this is not necessarily meant to happen all at once or all the time.  The following are intended to be parts of a larger whole; and I love variety.

(I am also planning this with flexibility of time in mind.  There are reasons in my life I am seeking to leave the structured, but safe, life of a 40hr/week full time job.  The people in my life are my priority, my biggest dream and greatest blessing.  And there may be a time coming soon when I will be at odds with having to punch the work clock everyday for someone else. ) 

The goal, or desire, of my business of the heart is about connecting people and nature; empowering people via nature and for nature. It is about finding a sense of place, and self, in nature; it is about finding the beautiful, the spiritual in oneself, and nature.

It is also about teaching, inspiring, others to spread the word and share the passion of our amazing natural world and the people in it, including oneself.

It is also about telling the story of a place, its natural and cultural history and how they are intertwined. It is about making connections.
                                                                

WEBSITE-

Programs                                                       
 outdoor living skills, nature journaling, drawing, environmental education, nature crafts, outdoor family activities,

Clients: scouts, preschools, garden clubs, local college, park districts, YMCA, homeschool, etc.

Products
photos                                                
photo gifts using my photos/nature themes;    stationary, notepads, mugs, journals, calendars                  
hmmm, my book/poetry     

Clients: individuals, local/state/national parks, groups    

Other business avenue-
Blogs; photography, travel, writing/storytelling, gardening, outdoor families-
professional trainer in natural/cultural history interpretation-local and travel options.
Also, magazine and Internet writing.

Well, there you have it.  I don't think this is all of it, but the bulk of it.  This is the big picture.  Soon I will break it down into phases/priorities/  or maybe just what is easiest to begin with.  For now this feels incredibly good.  I can see the big picture.  (ps. I just learned you can't create a tabbed column entry on a blog. I had to redo everything.)

This blog was my first step.  This post, my second step.  Actually my second step was drafting prototypes of some of the stationary ideas for my friends to critique.  Many thanks to my dear friends for their kind words and support.  This post is my third step then.  It has begun, one step and then another........

Through it all I have family and friends.  Who could ask for more.  Each of you are my true dream.  The reality is, I would like to make a living, too.  I found a long time ago, to be able to make a living at what you truly enjoy is also a blessing.  I have truly enjoyed what I have done for many years and will be doing much of the same thing.  The difference is, I will be doing it for me, on my time.  I like that idea.

Here is my question for you; if you could do anything you wanted to do to make a living, what would it be?  What is your dream job/career/life path?

The Gift of Friends

Anchor Point, Alaska 6/10  by me, Lyn Drathring

Just thought I'd start us out with a picture tonight. 

I am needing to rise above and see the big picture before I get lost in the minutia.

I got a report from my site counter today and was thrilled to learn that there have been quite a few visits.  Honestly, I was feeling a bit lonely at first.  I have had a little trouble getting my comments window to work.  Happily it seems to be working now, mostly.  I have really enjoyed hearing comments from some of those great people in my life.  Maybe someday, more people will drop in for coffee.

I have yet to really get into the nitty gritty of my life/work change questions and issues.  (I am using learning about the blog to sidetrack the topic).  No, maybe that is not a fair statement, since running a blog, or several, is actually part of the hoped for bigger plan.   One thing I know I need is a plan, that and to actually follow the plan. I can see how one can get easily distracted or off task.  I plan on taking one or two more online courses, one about crafting a business plan (ugh, sounds so boring, but necessary), and the other on travel writing (definitely part of the plan). Truthfully, I generally plan on the go. Even when I have a solid plan down in writing it often changes as I move through the it.  A plan is really just a guideline anyway, isn't it?!

For now I feel blessed by the support and encouragement of friends.  Speaking of support and friends, I added a web links list tonight and my first entry is to the website of a good friend and very talented quilt artisan, not to mention a great photographer, too.  I hope you stop in for a visit at ABBY-Q and view all the amazingly beautiful quilts and bags she has crafted.

I also added the online learning site I use.  The other new thing tonight, although it isn't showing up yet, is a favorites list for books, movies, etc.  I really love books and have many I would like to share with you.  It will be tough to thin the list. One I was going to start with, I can't find.  I am not sure I have the title just right and I don't have the author.  So I'll put it here for now,  Repacking Your Bags for the Rest of Your Life.  This is a book I found and used back in the '90s, I think.  It was essential at that time when I was making some other life choices about school and work.  Hmmm, is this a trend?  I'll save that discussion for another day.

Thank you my friends for stopping by.  I am so glad you are with me on this journey.