Somewhere in the middle of nowhere, New Zealand

“A life of travel is not for special, rich or lucky people.  It’s for those who choose to live it.”

Do you dream of places you want to travel, but put it off until “some day” when you have more time and money or when your kids have grown?

Some day may never come. 

Most people have been brainwashed to believe that they don’t have the time, the money or the right to live a life of travel and that travel is for exotic people blessed with unusual jobs or trust funds.

And then, when they finally do embark abroad, it’s only for two weeks to a foreign land where they blazed in on a plane, made a mad dash to check off the “tourist to do’s” and then returned home exhausted.  Two weeks is child’s play!  For a truly rich experience, you need big chunks of time.

Imagine how much you would learn about yourself if you spent a month eating up the epicurean delights of Argentina, swimming with the sharks in South Africa or immersing in the spirituality of Ayers Rock.

You can travel if you want to. I promise you!  Please, read on and take this to heart.

I was born with the travel bug.  You could say it’s a curse, because the adventure of travel is all I ever think about.

My life and business have been carefully arranged so that my family and I can spend a couple months a year exploring new destinations.  Some years we are on the road four months or more.

My husband and I have created our company to enable us travel at the drop of hat.  And yes, this loses us money sometimes.  Shutting down our studio to travel overseas for a month at a time puts a ding in the revenue of our business.  But we choose the fun adventures over money every time.

One of the biggest misconceptions about travel is that you have to have a stash of cash to be able to take big trips.  It’s simply not true.  You don’t have to be wealthy, or even make an above average salary.  You just have to choose travel over “stuff”.

Every year Drew and I discuss getting a new car.  My 1997 Toyota 4-Runner has a lot of miles and a few dents.  Our conversation goes something like this:

Drew, pointing to a car ad in the newspaper:  “How about the Chevy Murano. They’re nice.”

Me:  “Let me calculate the cost.”

After a lot of clacking on my iphone calculator, I say:  “How about a trip to New Zealand instead?  It’ll be cheaper.”

When I’m faced with the decision to buy creature comforts or to take an adventure, the adventure wins out every time!

Most people claim that they want to live the travel lifestyle, but they rarely choose to make it a priority in their life.  Maybe they don’t know how, and it’s not their fault.  Sometime between when we are born and the time we are old enough to buy our own plane ticket, we are infused with the belief that travel is a luxury item, like a Porsche or a diamond ring.

But what if you knew that you could live a life, NOW, where every year you take a few months to explore other parts of the world?

And when you do finally retire, and you’re old and tired, you have a lifetime of memories of all the wonderful places you’ve been!

It’s not that difficult to create this type of life.  You just have to re-program your mind to think like a traveler.

Here’s how:

MAKE THE DECISION

Decide that you want to travel NOW, not when you have money, or are retired, or some other anchor point in the far future.  But now, starting this year.

ARRANGE YOUR LIFE TO MAKE TRAVEL A PRIORITY

You can either cultivate a career that allows travel or convince your 9-5 boss to allow you to take more time off.

Cultivate a Travel-Friendly Career:

There are numerous careers that allow you to take off for periods of time to travels.  They include:

• Nursing
• Teaching
• Writer/blogger
• Artist
• Entrepreneur
• Fishing / Tourist careers
• Massage, personal trainers, tutoring, dog walking; any skill that can go mobile

For nine-to-fivers:  If you have a 9-5 job that only allows a two week vacation each year, there is an alternative:

Train your boss, every year, to let you take a couple weeks extra without pay.  (Be okay with losing that pay.  You’re buying a wonderful lifestyle!)

Don’t ask permission, but rather make the most convincing argument that this is a lifestyle need, and that when you return you’ll be refreshed and raring to be the best employee ever.  Many bosses will surprisingly agree to this if they know that the company would benefit in the long run.

When I had my cubicle job many years ago in the insurance industry, I convinced my boss to let me take a one month trip most years.  In 1997 I convinced him to let me take a four month sabbatical.  I happily bought a round-the-world ticket and went on the trip of a lifetime.

HAVE LESS, TRAVEL MORE

The less stuff you have to worry about, the easier it is to pick up and go.  Stop accumulating worthless junk, electronics and clothing and start unloading what you have.

• Live below your means.
• Get rid of your cable bill.
• Don’t buy that new gadget if the one you have is good enough.
• Get roommates.
• Live in a smaller home (everything costs less when you do).
• Keep your car as long as you can, pay it off and keep driving it until it dies.
• Take good care of the things you have before replacing them with new ones.  (My washer and dryer are over 15 years old and they still run great.)

DON’T SWEAT THE COST OF TRAVEL

My wise mother in-law once said “Don’t worry about money.  It’s just a bunch of numbers on a piece of paper.”

Travel costs money, but you can do it for less than you think.  There are parts of the world where you can travel for very cheap, like Argentina, Nicaragua and Mexico.  In more expensive locations, save by staying in youth hostels or by doing a home exchange.  With a little creativity, you can stretch your money very far.

If you are worried about spending your savings to go on a life altering trip, remind yourself of what you are working for, anyway.   If not for a great time experiencing all that our world has to offer, than what?  Enjoy life, now!

CHOOSE TRAVEL OVER LESS IMPORTANT THINGS

Take a good look at what you are spending money on.  I have a friend who gets a new car every year and has a big screen television set in every room, but she complains that she can’t afford to travel!

On the other hand, my younger sister works simple jobs so she is free to go to Europe every summer.  Many of her friends are jealous.  But, she’s never owned a cell phone or a car.  She chooses a life of travel over a life of normal!

Never once have I regretted spending the time or money to go on a global adventure. I have enjoyed so many amazing adventures around the world, that if I died today, I would feel fulfilled.  I want you to feel the same way, too!

MAKE THE COMMITMENT

When we decided to travel Australia, we planned six months in advance.  The first thing we did was choose the dates and then bought our plane tickets.  Once the tickets were bought, the trip was a done-deal; there are no refunds.  Everything else fell into place after that.  Buying plane tickets = Commitment!

My challenge to you:  Choose one place that you want to go, and pick a date in the next nine months to go there.  Buy your plane tickets immediately.   Once you do that, you are committed!  Get excited and make a promise to yourself to do this every year.

Adventure, travel, culture:  it’s there for the taking.  You just have to arrange your life to have it.

Please, share in the comments:  Where will your dream adventure take you?

PS:  If you’re wondering why you haven’t heard from me for awhile, it’s because I’ve been busy writing a book called How to Understand Art Licensing Contracts.  Please, click on the link and check it out!Similar Posts:

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“Don’t let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it.  The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use.”  ~Earl Nightingale

An artist friend sent me this two-part question, which is a GREAT topic to cover:

1.)     Was there ever a point in Drew’s career where he felt like throwing in the towel?  and:

2.)    The impressive companies that he’s worked with on listed on his website; did they come to you or did you seek them out?

You would think that these are two separate topics, but they actually mold into one – stay with me on this article and you’ll see what I mean.

Question #1:  THROWING IN THE TOWEL (QUITTING):

Should you continue on when it gets hard, or do you throw in the towel and quit?

At least once a week I threaten to quit and go get a “real job!”  But then I remember how much I love doing what I do…

Being an entrepreneur can be grueling and exhausting.  Instead of a steady paycheck , you have to hustle to earn your pay.  There are times when business is dry and you have to push through it without freaking out about how you’ll pay your studio rent!

Take for example January and February, the two slowest months for our art business each year.  I used to stress out over the lack of cash flowing in those months, but now that we’ve been at it for over a decade, I’m accustomed to the roller coaster.  I know that everything is going to work out just fine.

There are times that everything goes wrong:  ten out of the ten phone calls you made to prospects were duds, a big deal you were counting on fell through, or a client stiffed you on payment.

These are the things that make us want to “throw in the towel”, call it quits, go get a real job.

But if you can push through the difficult times, and stay on a steady, consistent path, you will come out the other side and find success.

To become known as the expert of your trade takes years of commitment. And even the most successful people have to deal with challenges.  Business isn’t a cake-walk for anyone.

“Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.”  ~Newt Gingrich

I asked Drew if he ever thought of throwing in the towel (though I knew the answer already!) and he said:

“Have I ever wanted to throw in the towel?  All the time!  Sometimes I think I should have been a landscaper instead.

It’s hard, being an artist.   Most days I have to hustle, like I’m on a treadmill.

But, I love painting for a living.  It pays off in different currencies. I can surf anytime the waves are good.  I travel anytime I want to.  Every morning I get to walk my son to his classroom.  He will always remember that.”

Don’t quit if you LOVE what you’re doing.

As an entrepreneur, you are paid in different currencies;

Time, ability to be creative, and the freedom to design your own life.  (That’s what keeps me going on this path.)

WHEN YOU SHOULD THROW IN THE TOWEL:

It’s time to quit when you really don’t love what you’re doing anymore.  Not meaning that you’re having a bad week; but that your heart isn’t in it anymore.  Or maybe it never was.

This isn’t only good advice for entrepreneurs, but for employees, too.

If you don’t love it, get out.

Question #2:  HOW TO GET BIG NAME CLIENTS FOR YOUR BUSINESS:

Being able to work with great, big clients comes down to these things:

• Great Reputation
• Known for Reliability
• Ability to Solve problems
• Being good at what you do

You reach the status of all of the above by staying on a consistent path.

The better clients, the best paying ones, COME TO YOU when you have a reputation for being reliable and for getting things done, for being great to work with and being damn good at what you do.

You gained this reputation because you’ve been doing it for a long time.  You got good from doing it for a long time.  The reputation came from pleasing many clients for a long time.

You got there because you never threw in the towel.

You kept doing what you do best, and you got better and better at it.

You became known for being the guy (or gal) who does that thing you do, extremely well.

And you got that reputation because you’ve been doing it for so long.

Doing it for so long meant never quitting, even when it got tough.

And that allowed you to get really good, and build up a reputation.

And the big clients come to you like a magnet.

Does that make sense?

In other words, once you become that guy (or gal) who’s got the reputation because you’ve been doing it very well for a long time, the big companies and clients come to you.

Your time spent making phone calls to potential clients is less and less.  Because they’re coming to you.

They come to you because you’ve been at it for a long time.

You never threw in the towel.

You are consistent.

I’m beating a dead horse, but that’s the key to getting big name clients to come to you.

Stay on a consistent path, keep doing that thing you do, and you’ll become great at it and you’ll become known for it.

(And don’t forget how important integrity is…)

Maria xxoo

ARTWORK CREDIT:  The fun, energetic artwork at the top is by my dear friend, artist Al McWhite, who never quit, and is an excellent example of perseverance and “staying on a consistent path”.

“Don’t be discouraged.  It’s often the last key in the bunch that opens the lock.”  ~Author Unknown

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Photo (c) Rebekka Gudleifs

“Tolerations weigh us down; they keep us stuck and prevent us from getting on with our life and moving forward.” Peggy Porter

I stumbled upon a great article by Peggy Porter about how tolerating big and little things in our lives can drain us of our good energy and keep us from moving forward.

It reminded me of a decision I made a few years ago not to tell nay-sayers my big dreams

I grew tired of people telling me that I “can’t” do something.  The final straw was when a close friend, a chronic naysayer of anything good, attempted to crush a dream of mine.

I had enthusiastically told her about my wild idea to create a television show based on the happenings in the surf art studio of my husband, Drew.

“You’ll never get a show going about Drew.”  The naysayer said, cooly.

“But other people do it, even a skateboarder who’s still in high school.  Why not us?”  I said, defending my idea.

“Because you don’t know anything about tv.  You don’t even know anybody in Hollywood.”  The naysayer rested her case.

She almost had me.  There was a split second where I agreed with her – what the hell did I know about producing a television show?  Who in the world did I think I was?

But then I came to my senses, and I made two decisions:

1.)     To stop spending time with naysayers; and

2.)     To only share my big ideas with people who think big

Being the stubborn Slovakian that I am, I refused let her get me down.  I began a three and a half year quest to get my show on the air.  Now, The Paint Shop is enjoyed by 3.5 million households, and that number grows every day.

There are roadblocks and attitudes that we should never tolerate, if we are to be happy, thrive and do what we were meant to do in life.

It’s easy for people to get under our skin, put us down, and convince us that we aren’t good enough to carry out our dreams.  After all, we have our own doubts, anyway.  It’s hard enough convincing ourselves.

Below is my list of the top offending tolerations and roadblocks to happiness and success.

NEGATIVE PEOPLE:  It’s very important to clear out the negative people from your life.  Their feelings and thoughts are contagious. Your life is too precious to pollute it that way.

If you have family members that you love that are negative, than limit your time with them.  You can still care about them and check in with them every now and again, but keep it to a minimum.  That way you can’t be affected by their darkness.

MISERY:  Unless you are a certified Psychiatrist, you can’t help people if they aren’t willing to help themselves.  You know that friend of yours that always has things going wrong?  Deep down inside she enjoys the drama.  Don’t get sucked into it.

DREAM CRUSHERS: These are the people who stomp your new ideas!   They may be well meaning, but they don’t know what they are talking about.

Be polite, but replace your time with them and spend it instead with like-minded folks who will uplift you and your ideas and who want to see you grow.

COMPLICATED LIVING:  Don’t tolerate being shackled to big bills for materials things that don’t matter.  Over-extending yourself keeps you from getting the real gold.

There are big things you want to do with your life!  Write that book, produce that video, take a year to explore Italy.

If you have a large mortgage or car payment, and you over-spend, you are not in a position to take risks where it really matters; investing in doing what you love.

It’s easier to take risks when you have less to lose. Keeping your expenses and your obligations to a minimum allows you to be open to doing that which is important to you.

My big project this year is our television show.  It is actually costing us money to get this on the air.  Production costs are very expensive, and until we get picked up by a major network, we are footing the bill (with some help from sponsors).

If we had a large mortgage, a swanky art studio space and big expenses, we wouldn’t be in a financial position to take a risk with this project.

By keeping our expenses low and not spending like crazy, we are able to take the risk to invest in our future without starving.

JUDGEMENT:  Don’t tolerate being judged by others.  You are perfect just the way you are, skinny legs and all.  There are 6 billion people on this planet, and we all have a different point of view.

At the same time, allow others to have their own opinion and accept it, even if you don’t understand it.  You will form tighter relationships with family, customers and neighbors taking this approach.

ROADBLOCKS:  Tolerating roadblocks can really slow us down – some are big, some are small.  Examples of roadblocks are:

• Using outdated equipment that causes inefficiency;
• A broken lightbulb, making it hard to see in your workspace;
• Lacking technical knowledge on how to get something done but putting off learning it;
• Keeping a bad employee, accountant or attorney that you can’t get the nerve to “fire”;
• An old website which looks like it was designed when Pat Benetar was popular!

Make a list of all of the roadblocks that are keeping you from getting things done, from being efficient or doing the best you can in your life, and then one-by-one, eradicate them!  You will be energized and free for more growth.

So I have to ask you, what have you decided to stop tolerating in your life? Please, share in the comments!

Maria xxoo

(Photo credit:  The Amazing Rebekka Guoleifsdottier)

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“There isn’t a shortage of ideas.  There’s a shortage of execution.”

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“To Visualize is to see what is not there, what is not real – a dream.  To visualize is, in fact, to make visual lies. Visual lies, however, have a way of coming true.”  Peter McWilliams

Visualizing your future helps to make it come true.   It’s a secret that top athletes and entrepreneurs have been using for centuries.

Some would call that little bit of magic “the law of attraction”, but I think it’s more like this:  when you set your intentions, out loud and in writing, your subconcious mind picks it up and believes it and stores it away.

Then, with that intention stored away, whenever something or someone comes your way that can help propel you to the intentions you’ve set, your subconcious recognizes it and sends a bolt through your body. This is what we call “inklings” or “instinct” or “urge.”

Have you ever had a strong urge to call someone or to do something, and you werent’ sure why?  Often we ignore those urges.  Some of us have been ignoring them all of our lives, so much so that we don’t even recognize them anymore.

We should never ignore our urges - an urge is our subconcious telling us that something we’ve been waiting for has arrived.  Here’s the important thing to remember:  usually it arrives looking very different than you imagined or expected.

And that’s where faith comes in.

Some people have a hard time visualizing.  It takes practice.  I’ve been practicing for years and now I’ve gotten good at it.  The thing that helped me the most was doing guided visualization meditations on a daily basis.  Now I can visualize at the drop of a hat.

Today, though, let’s visualize your intentions for this year through a fun little writing exercise.

This will help you visualize how you want your year to end up and what great things you want to make happen for yourself in 2011.

Write a letter to your mom or your best friend or even yourself; someone who cares deeply about you and will be excited when they hear about all the great things that happen to you.

Date it a year from now, and then write it as if the year has gone exactly as you want it to.  What’s surprising is that as you do this, new ideas will pop into your head that you haven’t thought of previously.

Be as specific as possible with as many details as you can.  Keep it positive and only list those things you want to happen.

Avoid stating the negative.  For example:  You want to kick out that bum friend that’s been living in your basement for free for the past eight months.  Your letter would put a positive spin on it like this:  ”Jack found another place to live and we have turned that room into a new office for me!”

One last suggestion:  leave your logic behind!  Go wild – it’s not like everything you write down actually has to happen.

This exercise is designed to get your creative juices flowing on the possibilities that life could have for you.

If you want more help on this exercise, check out Writing a Letter From Your Future Self and The Personal Excellence Blog.

After you’ve written your letter, go to FutureMe.Org and send the letter to your future self.  I just did with the letter below that I wrote to my friend Bridget.  I’ll receive this letter by email in one year.  Most likely, I’ll forget that I ever wrote it….

And then I’ll be surprised that most everything I wrote in the letter came true.  That’s how these things tend to work.

Grab yourself a pen and and have fun with this.  In the comments below, please tell me the top 3 wonderful things that “happened to you” in 2011!

(Below is the future letter I wrote to my best friend Bridget.)

March 1, 2012

Dear Bridget,

I have had the most amazing year!  It brought many great gifts and a few challenges, all of which I’ve grown from.

First, I learned how to deal with adversity through a few things that went wrong.  Like when both of my laptops broke at once – I had to learn the technical end of things.  Now, I’m an expert at dealing with PC problems!

Then, I got my THE PAINT SHOP tv show on the air.  And though it started out slow, only airing to three million people in Southern California, it’s now aired on National television!  I’m getting letters from artists all over the country who are not only inspired by the show, but energized by the idea that they, too, can earn a living doing what they love.

The show has attracted like-minded Sponsors who believe in our message on the show.  They are covering our costs and have enabled us to create top-quality episodes that we are very proud of.  We are being paid now to create this new art form that we’ve developed though tv.

Another great fallout from the tv show is that we’ve finally dispelled the myth of what professional artists do all day.  People are beginning to understand that the business of art is really about connecting with people, doing the work you love, and executing it to your best ability.  The stereotype of the “starving artist” is being thrown out the window!

We have signed on some very large clients this year as well.  We are doing business with one of the top car companies and the oldest camera company in America.  These partnerships have been lucrative for us, and now we are signing escrow papers for our dream house on the beach.

This year I’ve developed powerful skills in public speaking.  I’m finally comfortable on camera, and now it’s fun for me to be filmed!  That was the greatest milestone of all for me.

Drew and I are having a lot of fun creating new things together, and life is just getting more and more exciting.

I can’t wait to see you and hear about how 2011 went for you, too!

Life is Good – your best friend, Maria

“See things as you would have them be instead of as they are.”  Robert CollierSimilar Posts:

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“Lately, I’ve been looking at seminars (From Christine Kane’s to the SMartist Conference ).   As a sole supporter of many and major financial responsibilities, I’m wondering:

1.) Do they really work or is this another way for other artists to make money?

2) I have very, very, very limited funds, how do I choose a good one versus the fric-frac?”

I’m glad she asked!  There really are unlimited avenues to grow in your craft, business or career.  And it can become overwhelming when trying to make the right choice.

If you want to skyrocket your personal and career growth, there are many tools you can use:

SEMINARS (WORKSHOPS), COACHING and CONSULTING; all three are designed to lead you to greater knowledge in your intended subject.

BUT, are they worth the money? Yes they are.  But just like any product on the market, there are good ones and there are not-so-good ones.  Assuming you found good tools, and you are committed to learning and growing, YES, they can be worth every penny.

Often artists will ask me how they can get started into Art Licensing.  First they ask if I will represent them (and I can’t), next if there’s an “Easy” way, (there’s not), and lastly, is there a free option to getting the information needed?

Yes and no.  There’s a plethora of blogs out there that cover every topic you can imagine.  Most bloggers, like myself, give away a lot of valuable, free information that will help you a long your way.

But, if you REALLY WANT TO STEP IT UP, if you want to grow in your life, whether you are an entrepreneur or an employee, you must learn more than what’s offered in free blogs.

And that means you’ll have to pay for it.

I see a great reluctance in the art world when it comes to spending money on additional training and mentoring.  So I have to ask this;  Why would someone be okay with spending $50,000 – $100,000 on an art degree, yet not be willing to spend $100 on one hour of consulting where an expert could solve a problem for them?  It’s mind-boggling to me.

There’s something to be said about the fact that anything that you are willing to pay for, you are much more committed to.

Education is a testament to that – if you are excited to plunk down $5,000 to learn sculpting from the infamous Laguna Beach sculptor Richard McDonald, you know two things:

1.)  You’re fully committed to doing the work required to become good at it, and;

2.)  You’ll complete your training and emerge at a much higher level than you started with.

Most seminars, books and workshops are an inexpensive way to keep yourself educated, up on the latest new thing, and to sharpen your skills. I read dozens of books a year and take many seminars, always learning new tricks.  That’s how I keep up with technology, which changes almost weekly.  (This Saturday I’ve signed up for a WordPress Seminar so that I can get better at handling my blog.)

If you are having trouble with one specific area of your career, a consultant can help you make the best decision at the time. In many cases, a consultant can save you years of work, just by honing in on what you need and teaching you what you need to know at the moment.

If you are serious about taking your career to an extremely high level, working with a good personal coach will get you there.

Most of the successful people I know didn’t find success on their own – they had help from others who were steps ahead of them.  A great example is one of my favorite authors, Jack Canfield.  He is co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and other books.  He has worked with many coaches.  And he IS a coach.  As a matter of fact, most professional coaches have their own personal coaches, because they are on a continual path to excellence.  And they know that a coach will help lead them down that path…

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COACHES AND CONSULTANTS

COACH:  Coaches have long been employed by professional athletes, actors and musicians.  Just in the past five decades or so, coaches have emerged for business growth, marketing growth and now personal growth.  Coaching is one of the fastest growing industries in the world right now.

Working with a coach is usually long term;  3 months, 6 months or a year. This is required because they assist you along your path of growth, which must be consistent over a period of time in order to see results.

A few years ago I hired a business coach for 12 months because I had a weakness when it came to keeping track of our business financials.  ”Ralph” cost me $600.00/month, but was worth every penny.  He helped me to become something that I wasn’t:  I am now proud to say that I am a “numbers person.”!

Last year I worked with a writing coach to help me write a book proposal.  She gave me insights into the world of book publishing that I never could have learned by reading about it.

Hire A Coach If: You are truly serious, committed and willing to do what they lead you to do.  The results can be phenomenal.  You can go from good to exceptional with the help of a personal coach.

Don’t Hire A Coach If: You aren’t willing to do the work.  Often people will go into coaching, thinking that they will be given a magic pill that makes all their dreams come true, only to find that in the end, they still have to do the work required to up-level their career.  Then they blame the coach.

Warning:  There are some bogus coaches out there.  Do your homework – call their clients and get references.  Or find a referral from someone who has had a great experience with a coach.  There’s usually a contract involved, at least with the busier coaches, so be sure you’ve got the right one before signing on with them.

CONSULTANTS can help you with a specific need, sometimes in just one session.  Their fee is usually hourly and can range from $75 – $500 / hour, depending on their level of expertise and how available they are.

I’ve hired many consultants to help me at different times.  I am not worried about the cost because I know that their time is going to save me more money in the long run.

I hired author and fine art guru Alyson Stanfield to help me work out a situation with a museum that wanted to exhibit Drew’s work.  I wasn’t sure how to handle some of the details.  Rather than make a costly mistake, I tapped into her expertise.  She had years of experience with museums and understood details such as who should pay for transport of the artwork and other things that only someone who worked in that field would know.  One consulting hour with her saved me a lot of money and trouble.

I’ve also had consulting time with bloggers Srini of The Skool of Life and Henri of  Wake Up Cloud.  Both guys are experts in their field, and my time spent with them was extremely helpful.

A consultant can give you access to experience and knowledge that you do not have.  They know how things work in their niche.  In that sense, they will save you big dollars in the long run.  THEY HELP YOU SOLVE A SPECIFIC PROBLEM that may be over your head.

Remember this:  A good consultant will let you know if they can help you or not.   They will turn you away and refer you out if they aren’t the best person for the job.

I offer consulting services for creative people who need help with negotiating deals or with problem clients, because this is what I’m exceptionally good at.  However, if you ask for consulting on an area that I’m not qualified for, I will refer you out.  I don’t want to take your  money unless I know for a fact that I’ll provide value.

HOW TO CHOOSE SEMINARS, COACHES, CONSULTANTS?  WHAT SHOULD YOU SPEND YOUR MONEY ON?

Think about your weakest area, or the area most important to your growth.  For some it may be unrelated to your actual craft – like time management.  For others, like my artist friend Katie Staib, it’s becoming a highly skilled sculptor like Richard McDonald.

Choose one area to work on this year, and then start looking for seminars, workshops or a coach to help you.  Do your homework and ask others who have done the program if it was helpful.

If you need help in just one particular area, with one situation, hiring a consultant can help.

Seminars, workshops and retreats could be just the thing to send you into expertise level yourself.

Whatever you do, don’t NOT DO SOMETHING, unless your dream life involves sitting on the couch eating potato chips.

Spend your precious time learning new ideas, crafts and skills.  Life is more exciting that way!

Once you find the thing you want to do, Sign up and put your money where your growth is.  Because that’s how you know you’re committed – when you’ve paid for it!

Then, once you commit to your new learning tool, give it everything you’ve got.

And remember, in the end, it’s up to YOU to make it work for you.

Here’s to our growth this year!  Maria xxll

.

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“I have come to believe over and over again that what is most important to me must be spoken, made verbal and shared, even at the risk of having it bruised or misunderstood.”  Audre Lorde

Drew and I were driving up to San Francisco when I received a blog comment from a reader that hit me like a punch in the stomach.

I admit, I have a very soft spot that needs to toughen up.  Criticism eats me alive.

It put a damper on my day because the reader, Anthony, totally misunderstood my message.  And that’s my fault, as a writer.  Now I worry that others might misunderstand as well.

After my nine year old put in his two cents (keep reading for that), I was compelled to write this follow-up post to clear things up.

Anthony mentioned how he appreciates my blog but was critical of my BREAK ON THROUGH TO THE OTHER SIDE post.  He wrote:

“…as an artist who is working on becoming one of these self existing entities, your post came across as privileged, out of touch, and even a little condescending.

Obviously many other people are really excited about your story and what it means for them. Unfortunately, the  parts of this post that spoke to me were “six figure income” and “Drew had been a professional artist his entire life…”

He was referring to my personal story on how I went from working a corporate job I didn’t like; to creating a job doing what I love in the art world.

I went out on a limb when I wrote that post.  It was difficult because I bared a lot of personal information.

And what was most disappointing was that someone would see me as privileged!  It means I’m not doing my job as a writer.  I’ve not made myself clear.  So here goes:

Far from privileged, my first job was at 14, cleaning houses.  I had to pay my way for everything, including my cap and gown rental so that I could graduate from high school.

It took years for me to stop thinking that Happiness is a Four Leaf Clover…

I dreamed of living at the beach in California and eventually made my way there, across the country, a few years after high school.  After 15 years working a good-paying job that I did not care for I finally created an existence that is off-the-charts joyful.

Now  I work with my husband and do what I love:  travel, write, manage Drew’s art career and spend as much time as possible with my son.

Everything I have I created for myself.

If I can do it, without a good upbringing, money or college degree, anyone else can, too.

My message was one of hope, not bragging.  And I’m so sorry if it came across otherwise.

On the other end of the spectrum, I received a slew of mail from people telling me that my post gave them hope and some said it inspired them to do what they’ve been putting off for many years.

Anthony questioned why I felt the need to mention that I earned over six figures in my old job and that it was probably easy for me to quit because I most likely had money saved up.  Wrong – it’s just the opposite.

The more money you make, the harder it is to leave a job you don’t like.

The money is an anchor, the benefits are chains.

I felt the need to mention money because I wanted to inspire others who were in similar situations.

I wanted them to know that it’s possible to make that big of a leap; to go from making a lot of money to making nothing, and then build it back up again.

When I opened the email containing Anthony’s comment, we were driving North on the 5 freeway.  I said out loud in the car, to Drew, defending myself:

“I wrote those details about the money and our lives because I want people to know that we are just normal people, with normal problems.  That we had to make things happen for ourselves because no-one else was going to.”

“I want people to know that it wasn’t easy, but it was great.  And it’s still not easy.  Every day I question what I’m doing, and if it’s the right thing.  But I’m doing what I love now…”

Emphatically, I added, “I just want people to know that they can do it, too.”

From the back seat my nine year old son, Dylan, piped into the conversation.

“Mom, then why didn’t you just write THAT?”

Sometimes kids are so brilliant.  Why don’t we just say what we want to say, without writing more than we need to?

So, here’s my message, short and simple:

I want everyone to know that they can design a lifestyle that they love, no matter what obstacles there are.

Here’s the most important part (please take note of this):

There’s nothing extraordinary about me or Drew.  We had no help from anyone.  We had very little money in the bank when I jumped out of the corporate world and into the art world.  Neither one of us finished college.  We are not Stephen Hawking smart.  There is absolutely nothing for us to fall back on.  (And that’s the really scary part, if you let it scare you.)  But we did it anyway, because we decided to live life on our own terms.

I’m telling you this (again) because I want you to know that if you want to, you can create your own possibilities, too. You can create the life that you dream of.  No matter what that is.

The first thing to do is to decide what a great life FOR YOU looks like.  (It’s different for everyone.)

You don’t have to follow my path, but please, follow yours.

That’s all I have to say about that.

Maria xxoo

PS:  The start of a New Year is the perfect time to spend a few hours thinking about what you want from your life.  Not goal setting, but life-setting.  Dream up the dream for yourself.  And then see what happens.

Need a kick-start to help you design the lifestyle of your dreams?  Get my LIVING THE DREAM 32 page e-book at the Store.  Or, get it free just by signing up for my awesome newsletters!

“Anybody who writes doesn’t like to be misunderstood.”  Norman MacCaig
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Tomorrow we will drive up to the snow in Big Bear, and while we are enjoying the evening glow of the fireplace in our cabin, we’ll have our annual exercise of writing down our wish list for 2011.

It’s exciting writing down our goals, because the new year brings with it a fresh slate.

If you didn’t finish everything you wanted to in 2010, or if you feel disappointed about achieving less than you had planned, you still get a new start!

On my personal list for 2011:

Lose 7 pounds (this will bring me back to my wedding day weight!).  I’ll do it by juicing, switching to a 50% raw food diet and exercising every day.  I remember that when I was in my best shape it was when I was surfing almost every day – so I’m going to buy myself a new wetsuit and get back into it.  (One thing to help me with this goal:  I’ve joined the Live a Healthier Life in 21 Days Challenge. You can, too!  And it’s free)

Spend the summer in Europe.  I am itching to go back to Europe and spend few months in one spot, where I will be inspired to write and Drew will paint and Dylan will pick up a new language!  We are looking for a home exchange in either San Sebastian, Spain or Peniche Portugal or even Bierritz, France.  We want to be where the surf is good and the culture is rich.

Finish my e-book series for artists. This was one of my frustrations this past year.  I didn’t reach my goal which was to finish my 3-book series by December 15.  I’ll go easy on myself and make it happen in 2011.

Make time for the important stuff. I have a habit of getting side-tracked by unimportant things like Twitter and cleaning the house and reading too many blogs.  I want to make better use of my time so I can focus on my family, the big projects (like my e-book series) and be more efficient so I work less and play more.

There are many other things to go on my 2011 list as well, such as the small house projects that Drew and I want to complete, minimizing our belongings for a more simple life, and all the other places we will visit besides Europe.  Oh, and as a separate exercise, we go through this process with our business, too!  (Setting new goals, reviewing 2010 and strategizing for 2011, etc.)

Most people don’t bother to write down their goals, though they carry them in their heads.  But writing them down tends to create a little magic – you end up reaching your goals when they are down on paper. Even when you write it then forget about it.

The reason writing down your goals makes them happen is this:  You have to KNOW WHAT YOU WANT SO THAT YOU CAN WRITE IT DOWN.  You can’t write down what you don’t know.  If you don’t know what you want, then you can’t get it. To get what you want, you have to decide what you want.

Get it?

So, that’s why when you write down your goals, or a list of what you want, it’s likely to happen.

Try this:  Write down your list of goals, then file it away.  Six months later, pull out your list.  You’ll be surprised at just how many you’ve made happen!

For the creative person who could use a little help setting resolutions, I’ve put together a list for you:

FIVE NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS FOR CREATIVES:

1.) I RESOLVE TO PROMOTE MYSELF SHAMELESSLY. I will always have photos of my work with me to show to people I meet. I will introduce myself as an artist, and I will have a business card ready to hand out and make it easy for people to remember me and what I do.

2.) I RESOLVE TO CULTIVATE A KILLER WEBSITE. I will love it and nurture it and keep it updated weekly. My site will clearly demonstrate what I do and how to reach me. My sites’ URL will bear my name (i.e. www.joejohnson.com) so people can find it easily.

3.) I RESOLVE TO OPERATE WITH COMPLETE INTEGRITY. I will do WHAT I say I am going to do, WHEN I say I’m going to do it, 100% of the time. I will earn a reputation for being reliable and upfront, and dependable. I will become the person that people come to because not only do they love my art, they trust me and can count on me.

4.) I RESOLVE TO EDUCATE MYSELF IN THE BUSINESS OF ART. I will read at least 3 new books this year on marketing art, selling art, the business of art, etc. and learn new, better ways of doing things.

5.) I RESOLVE TO CONNECT WITH OTHERS AND SHARE INFORMATION. I will spend more time with other creative people, sharing information and ideas and exchanging pricing strategies, tips on techniques, and anything else that will help a fellow artist (and myself) be more successful. I will be generous with my time and information. I will come to believe that the success of others only helps with my success, and vice-versa.

Write these down, in your own words, and add your own to them.  Go easy on yourself, get excited about the new year, and enjoy your life to fullest.

Maria xxooSimilar Posts:

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Thank you!

“You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.”  Walt Disney

In the movie “The Castaway,” Tom Hanks’ character confides that while he was marooned on an island for all those years, he almost gave up hope.

But he just kept breathing and going.  And one day the tide came in and brought him a sail.  That sail was brought to him in the form of the trashed side of a port-a-potty.

You never know when the tides going to bring something wonderful to you.  Sometimes it will arrive disguised as disaster or grief.

Often it ends up being the answer to something you’ve been asking for.

Now, I’m not stuck on a deserted island right now, but I feel like I am.  My life has been turned upside down.  I can’t get any work done, I’m losing Twitter followers and I’ve been forced to write this on an old clunky laptop belonging to my nine year old.

It’s my computer that’s causing all of this strife!  It’s broken, and it’s rendered me helpless.  (And my PC repairman says he can’t figure it out…)

In difficult times we have to remind ourselves of the following truths:

It’s not the end of the world

Everything is going to be okay, and;

In the end, this is going to show itself to be for the better.

One great thing about getting older is that you learn how to handle adversity.

And more importantly, you come to realize that when disaster strikes, it often ends up being for the better.

You look back later and say “Thank you, God!  If that horrible thing hadn’t have happened, I wouldn’t be in the great place that I am now!”

I came to realize the beauty of disaster long after my first marriage dissolved.  It was a very happy marriage, or so I thought.  I believed it was forever.  Then, just a few years after saying “I do” he had an affair and ended the marriage.  And I was devastated.

I became sick and depressed.  I lost so much weight that my clothes didn’t fit.  I believed that my life was over.  There was nothing left for me.  Eventually, I moved to San Clemente and started a new life to begin my healing.

That’s where I met Drew, the man who showed me how to live the life of my dreams.  The year was 1996.  And here we are, still happily living an amazing life together.

The point of all this is:  Thank God my first husband ended the marriage.  Or I would have never known that it was possible to live doing what I love and traveling the world with my loving, peaceful family.

Yet, at the time of the divorce, I couldn’t see that there was any possibility of happiness in my future.  I was blind to the reality that better things were ahead.

There have been countless events that seemed awful or frustrating at the time, but ended up being a blessing:

• When Drew broke his face on the reef surfing Pipeline and was unable to work his job in Hawaii, he was forced to move to San Clemente and make a big change.  It was that move that led him to his success in art (and to me).
• When the V.P. of the company I used to work for relentlessly harassed me (I now thank him for making it easy for me to quit my job in insurance)
• When Vans turned us down to be a sponsor for Drew’s PAINT PEN TECHNIQUES DVD (Converse ended up being sponsor and we formed a strong working relationship with them.)
• When we convinced the CEO of Nirve Sports to let us shoot a video at their headquarters and during editing found that the sound hadn’t worked.  We didn’t dare ask to re-shoot – we were forced to come up with a solution.  (We covered it with a voice-over, and found that it was so much cooler than the original sound!)
• When I got stuck in Bangkok for a week and was forced to explore the city alone.  (It became one of the most memorable trips I’ve had.)

Really, the list could go on for pages.  Just about every single difficult event has ended up being a good thing in the long run.  Usually, though, I don’t see the wisdom of the situation until much later, when I look back on it.

Now, I’m not sure why my computer problems are happening.  My Toshiba laptop is only a year old.  Maybe the cosmic wisdom here is that it’s forcing me to organize my contacts and my back-up systems.  Maybe I’ll switch to a Mac and that will open a lot of new, creative outlets for me.

I’m not sure what it is, but I’ll let you know when I figure it out.  In the meantime, I’m not going to let it ruin me.  I’m just going to roll with it and know that it’s just a bump in the road!

Maria xxoo

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