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?

My Mind is Spinning

My 'to do' list is growing and I seem to be trying to focus on too many things at once.  Soooo, other than finishing two blog projects I am already in the middle of, I am done with arranging, and rearranging the blog. 

Just so I remain accountable to my current blog task, I am trying to learn how to get links to two specific businesses as an affiliate member.  I have signed up and been 'approved' but I can't figure out how to get the links to work. Someday you will see two advertising banners or signs show up on this page. 

What this means is I advertise a business on my blog and if someone clicks on the business and purchases a product or service, then I get, well I guess it's sort of like a referral fee.  When I open my, not sure what to call them so, professional blogs, I plan to have affiliate marketing that relates to the themes of those blogs, nature, photography, etc.  I am practicing here among friends before I goof up among clients. Thanks for being my guinea pigs. (sorry, don't know how to do a smiley face here)

I have definitely decided that the two conditions I have for which affiliates I choose is that I have personally used them and would recommend them to a family member or friend. Beyond that, I don't know much about it all, so I am learning.

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On another note, I finally added an actual list to my life list page.  This is a list I began over a year ago.  It was inspired, in part by the movie the Bucket List, but more so by a motivational speaker I saw at a workshop. This particular workshop, the morning key note speaker was Dan Thurmon. He talked about living life unbalanced, on purpose.  I have added his website to my favorites and I would strongly suggest you take a look.  

Anyway, his message was rather contradictory to what I thought I knew, or had learned. I have spent many years and even led women's retreats and adult education programs and talked with friends about living a balanced life.  'If you think of life like a wheel and things like self, family, friends, health, spirituality, work...are all spokes on the wheel...all connected in the center, at your core'  And of course, the way wheels work, you don't want any broken spokes if you want to keep everything moving smoothly. Well that can be pretty overwhelming, trying to keep your eye on everything all at the same time and give each 'spoke' equal attention all the time.  I do still find it helps to at least identify which spokes are on your wheel of life. However, lately I am not trying to focus on each one all the time, although I am mindful of all as they are a part of me.  

The speaker also talked about his life list, which was inspired by another great guy. Hence my life list. It is a pretty big damn list.  I allowed myself to brainstorm, no criticizing or denouncing my list choices.  Everything goes on it.  Now the idea is that I don't have to be/do these things forever.  That was a freeing realization for me. And they are in no particular order.  I also get to keep adding to it as I go.  I like that.  New desires and hopes and dreams seem to keep popping up. 

Currently, my life list and 'wheel' focus is on how to go about the business of creating a business.  I need to get my mind around exactly what it is I want to accomplish. Or better yet, what I want the end result to look and feel like.   If I can look at where I am going, then I somehow know I will get there.  If I get caught up in looking at all the details along the way, I am going to drop the ball, or break a spoke on my wheel. 

It is interesting to me that although this spoke may seem work related, it is truthfully a spoke of spirit, of soul.  This is the essence of a dream I have had for such a long time. In many ways, it has images from childhood dreams contained within it.  It has the potential to fill my cup to overflowing. 

So before I continue spinning 'round and 'round with my thoughts, I will stop for now.  Next time I will begin with the end by trying to lay out what I want this dream to look and feel like.  For now, I am off to play with friends for a few days.  And in fairness, that too, should get full focus!