2015 Calendar by Shalom Schultz Designs

My 2015 Calendar is online! This year I wanted to focus on encouragement and positivity so I chose 12 simple phrases for each month and matched it with my original artwork to help convey the message. Available in printed form as a desktop or hanging calendar and also as a digital download.

Click here to purchase.2015 Calendar by Shalom Schultz Designs

© Shalom Schultz. All rights reserved.

If You Have a Garden and a Library You Have Everything You Need

 I have had this quote in another style pinned up in my office for a while now. Obviously, it's meant to be kept in a certain context, but at it's heart it is a great reminder to me that sometimes the simplest things in life can bring you the greatest pleasure (especially when that's all you have at the moment...you learn to be very grateful for every good thing). Words of wisdom from Cicero, many moons ago.

Appreciate Life As It Happens...Black & White Art Quote

Wherever you are I hope you have plans to make some memories with friends and family this weekend. Challenge yourself to enjoy every good thing - the sun on your face, the laughter of children, the taste of good food, bright lights in the sky, and the aura of freedom. Drink it all in.

The Clothes Aren't Going To Fold Themselves

As much as I hate to admit it, I am a chronic procrastinator. Oh, not with the things that really matter, I tell myself every day. I keep a day planner and I make a valiant effort to cross off the most important tasks (such as getting a customer's time-sensitive bridal shower invitation order in the mail) in order of priority. I am on top of my game professionally.

But underneath the glossy cover, I struggle to keep the rest of my life in as good of shape as I do my business. Every day I walk through my house in a state of denial: simply choosing "not to see" the clutter in the living room I started redecorating a month ago, or the stack of dishes teetering precariously in the sink, or the weeds threatening to crowd out the flowers I so lovingly planted, and rummaging through the boxes in the back of the cupboard for something quick to eat instead of just making a list and going to the grocery store.

It's not that I don't care...I just don't have the time to deal with it all at once. At least that's what I tell myself. I'll get to those "less important" tasks...eventually. And I do. But by that time, the To Do list has gotten just that much longer. How to break the cycle?

Today, I read the most inspiring article I've come across in a long time that convicted me to, instead of making excuses for why I "don't have the time" to do a particular thing, just adopt an attitude of FINISHING WHAT I START.

For instance, if I'm going to open the dishwasher to get out a clean spoon, it would be more beneficial in the long run to just take 5 minutes to empty it out and fill it again with dishes needing to be cleaned. There, done!

Or to hang my shirt back up in the closet each night before I go to bed, instead of tossing it over a chair. 30 seconds, max. If not, in no time at all I won't even be able to see the chair, for all the clothes draping off it, much less find a particular item to wear when I'm in a hurry.

I don't expect to become superwoman overnight and having a spotless home is not worth trading my sanity for, but I do believe that I can do better than I have in the past. "Finish what I started", I'm going to keep telling myself. If 5 minutes here and 10 minutes there can take the place of entire days devoted to housework, and give me the satisfaction of a more orderly life, it's certainly worth the effort.

To read the article that inspired my new CAN DO attitude, click here.

Who Knew?

Just over 6 months ago, while sitting at my desk in a relatively respectable job as a hotel receptionist, I found myself thinking, "I just don't feel like I'm living up to my potential." I didn't have much to complain about - I had a decent boss, regular hours that worked around my schedule, I wore nice clothes to work and when the long nights got to be boring it was perfectly permissible for me to while away the evening on the internet. I told myself that it was a great job for someone like me who was trying to launch their own business and didn't need extra work stress. But as night after night wore on, the sense of "guilt" grew heavier and heavier. I began to casually browse the "want ads" for openings. That was when I found the advertisement for an assistant teaching position in a Head Start pre-school. Based on my experience volunteering with the children in my church, I knew it was a job I would be good at and enjoy and that would also come with better hours and benefits. I applied and was hired.

Fast forward to today...shortly after becoming a government employee, I learned I would have to earn something called a CDA by summer 2013 in order to keep my position in early childhood education. It would involve gathering 480 hours of work experience plus 120 continuing education credit hours, masses of paper work and a final test and interview before being awarded the nationally recognized credential. Pause for breath. So, OK. Wow. Suddenly I found myself going back to school AND working part time AND running a business, but...absolutely LOVING it!

Looking back at my life (nearly 31 years of it), I see a pattern of decisions I thought I was making for completely different reasons than what they turned out to be and which have also led to vastly different outcomes than I had envisioned. Yet, strangely enough, I have found happiness in the midst of painful times and been moved by the waters of change when I thought I was planted for good in a place I didn't care for. All evidence, I believe, of the love and faithfulness of God who cares about the smallest details of our lives.

To illustrate my point, I want to share the "autobiography" I wrote today in class as part of my CDA paperwork. I have to admit that the final message of it both surprised and thrilled me:

Hi, my name is Shalom Schultz and I am an artist. Growing up, I was always creating in some way, whether sewing barbie clothes, drawing pictures of my best friends in ball gowns or helping my mom paint and redecorate the living room. When I went to college, naturally I pursued an art degree and have since worked as a graphic designer as well as started my own art and stationary business. Soon after marriage, my husband and I purchased a lovely little yellow house, surrounded by trees and flowers, and lived a quiet, happy life there together with our dogs for the next several years. To the casual observer, I was living my dream and yet I still felt as if something was missing.

Then, one day, in response to a need in my church, I volunteered to lead a class of 4 and 5 year olds for a couple hours each week while their moms met for coffee. Within minutes I fell in love with teaching and the opportunities it allowed me to share my creative skills by investing in young lives. Children possess an exuberance for life and an eagerness to learn that is absolutely contagious. The more time I spent with them the more I realized that my calling in life hadn't culminated with the earning of my art degree and I began to see a whole new world of learning opening up for me.

After gaining several years of volunteer experience, I decided to apply for a position as a Head Start Education Assistant, both for the chance to work more closely with children and for the personal education opportunities. Since then, I have enjoyed the challenge of reaching toward my CDA and after obtaining it plan to pursue a teaching degree - the ultimate goal being to head my own classroom where I can continue with even greater skill to to help children discover the world around them.

Of course, everyone always wants to know where "children" fit into my life plan and while it used to bother me (both because I wanted them and couldn't as well as because I hated being made to feel inferior), I can now with total honesty say that I have faith in God's plan for my whole life. He has shown me in so many ways that while my own sandcastles may be washed away, it is He who created the entire earth and I need not fret over my ability to form my own future. All He asks is that I diligently use the tools he has given me.

Am I giving up on the dream of expanding my business? Certainly not! Don't I realize that you can't juggle children plus 2 careers plus a home and husband at one time? Absolutely, which is why I am at peace with the opportunities I have been given now and have faith that when the time is right for my husband and I to start the adoption process, God will give us the green light on that too.

It's a wonderful relief to to realize that while my hands may be on the steering while, I don't have to be the navigator as well.

The 'Joneses' Syndrom

They used to cluster together at social gatherings and discuss husbands, work, shopping and everything else. Rarely a weekend went by that they weren't mingling as couples at someone's house or apartment, admiring new paint colors, swapping recipes and sharing the joys and trials of being newly married. It was the best time of their lives and as the next year and a half passed by, this group of friends grew very close. No topic was off limits. No secrets between them.

Then one day, A noticed B advancing across the foyer in a hurry.

"Hey, girl?" A smiled at B. "What are you doing this aft--"

"Guess what? We're pregnant!" B announced with a flash of perfect white teeth and a little bounce.

"Oh...wow," said A. "That's wonderful! So...have you guys been trying for a while, then?" Wow, she never mentioned anything, thought A.

"Um, well, we just decided that we would go off the pill and see what happened. And something did!"

So soon? "Wow, so how far along are you?" A hoped, this was what she was supposed to ask next.

B glanced up at the ceiling behind A and squinted for a second. "I am 8 and a half weeks!", she declared with a tiny nod of affirmation.

Wait, what? 8 divided by 4 equals 2. So, OK. About 2 months. Why didn't she just say that? "Awww. That's so great. I'm really happy for you," A beamed and stepped forward to give her friend a quick hug.

"Thanks!!!" B squealed before moving on to work the rest of the room, skillfully eliciting exclamations of joy from every female in it.

A watched her friend go with mixed feelings of bewilderment and foreboding. She and her husband hadn't even begun to discuss (or really even think about) the possibility of children yet and there was certainly no room for a "baby" category in the couple's monthly budget at present. But, she had never seen B so happy...maybe they should talk about it. Maybe the right time was sooner rather than later. Maybe all the little nagging details that told her they shouldn't would just dissolve into nothing if she got pregnant too. Maybe nothing else in life really mattered as much as...having a baby!

Infertility is an ugly word

We like to put people, situations, stages of life into neatly labeled "boxes" because as a society we are uncomfortable interacting with those who's lives do not match up to our own ideals - giving them a "name" helps us to decide where they fit in (or don't), what we should or should not do about them.

There are certain people I've learned to avoid because their view of the world consists of:

1) Women who have children: good
2) Women who don't have children: bad

They've viewed the world for so long through such a divided filter that it is impossible to squeeze a thought into their brain that doesn't fit neatly into one of these two categories. Attempting to try is like trying to block machine-gun fire with your own body. Not a good idea. Also, not worth your time.

Then there is another set of people who see the world through similar filters as above (though softened a little with something called "compassion") which look like this:

1) Women who have children: good
2) Women who don't have children: sad

Into this category, falls nearly everyone else you come in contact with. Doctors, family members, co-workers, acquaintances and even close friends. They are the ones who, when they find out that you don't have children yet, are either "sorry" or offer to "pray for you" or want to give you advice on where you can get "help" to rectify this undesirable situation in your life. They are very well-meaning and you can't fault them for feeling empathy toward you. But at the same time, it is comments like these from people you admire and trust that strengthen the walls around the box you have unwillingly and unwittingly found yourself in.

The word "infertility" (which means NOT-fertile, as in the complete absence and lack whatsoever of) is a medical term used to diagnose couples who have been trying unsuccessfully for over 1 year to become pregnant. This is based on statistical data which says that most couples (about 90%, depending on which site you read) who eliminate contraception will become pregnant within a year's time. Everyone else is deemed to be "infertile". Yet, the literary world abounds with stories of couples who tried for years before finally becoming pregnant - some after getting "help" and some by sheer luck. Also, there are many different biological factors which may affect either the woman's or the man's ability to contribute to the fertility equation. In most cases, it is simple a matter of decreased chances of becoming pregnant and not an actual fact that it will never, ever happen. But never mind all this. If it's been a year and you aren't knocked up, girls, you are INFERTILE! Happy?

Of course not. Who wants to walk around with that kind of label over their head? Especially if you are just starting out in your quest to have children and the topic is still very sensitive. Nothing like a prediction of failure to keep up your morale, while all around you people seem to be popping out babies left and right without giving it a second thought (never mind those who don't even want the children they so effortlessly conceived).

But more importantly, since WHEN did your ability (or lack thereof) to have children become the most important defining element of your life? While, mothers are wonderful and necessary people, why are they automatically lifted onto a societal pedestal just because their bodies were able to perform the basic act of reproduction? Before, I start getting hate mail, let me explain that I am referring to the biological definition of a "mother".

Unfortunately, because of this imbalance in human perception of "worth", those who don't fit the mold experience isolation and segregation which all-too-often leads to bitterness and depression. A silent "war" persists in the minds of the "haves" and the "have nots". And it will rage on until you realize that the only person you can change is yourself.

Before this gets too deep, I want to say that my point in writing this first blog post about my own experiences with the I-word is to open up a conversation about the "box" I found myself in, nearly 5 years ago and how I broke out of it. I will be honest and I will be frank. I may post snippets of journal entries and the memories I recall may be laced with bitterness from time to time, but I ask anyone who decides to read them to keep in mind that my experiences are my experiences and that my ultimate goal is freedom, acceptance and happiness.

You don't find clusters of women chatting about the I-word around a cafe table . It's not a popular or fun topic and those unfamiliar with it personally are also uncomfortable with it in reality. But it exists and so, for the silent sufferers around the world, I write to let you know that you are not alone. Life is beautiful and so are you!

Until next time,

Shalom

A Fresh Start

Photo by ItalianGirlinGeorgia.etsy.com

There is something therapeutic about finally "putting Christmas away" (yes, I'm just NOW getting to it - 2 days before March). Seeing those bits of colored dust-collectors disappear one-by-one as I pull them off the tree and wrap them in tissue before they go into the box. Sometimes it amazes me that roughly 24 cubic feet of my home (not including the tree!) is dedicated to space for shiny things that only come out once a year.

Now, I'm no Scrooge - I love to get caught up in the annual festivities just like everyone else. For gosh sakes I start listening to Christmas music in July! But when I think that energy devoted to honoring this yearly celebration adds up to about 25% of a whole year (if you start getting ready in November and wind down with cleanup in January...or later in my case), I'm left scratching my head...and exhausted.

So, as much as I loved making my house sparkle with holiday spirit, I'm also enjoying peeling away the shiny layers to find the true "heart" of my home. A place to feel safe, relaxed and loved. A haven from the stress of daily life.

And I'm making a silent vow to carry that spirit with me all year long - even into next holiday season. Wish me luck!

Thoughts on Turning 30

Cupcake with Nonpareils by creativeapples.etsy.com

It's finally here. The day when, from hence forth, I am supposed to dread and deny every succeeding birthday until the day I die. Only, I don't feel any longing for the “days of my youth”. Truthfully, I am happy and relieved to have made it out of my twenties and am now, more than ever before, looking forward to what lies ahead on my path. There aren't many warning signs when you enter your twenties, to advise you that all your hopes and dreams, instead of coming true, may turn to dust before your eyes and/or veer off into scary, itchy, weed-ridden paths you'd prefer not to take. What may also take you by surprise is that some of those paths could eventually open onto breathtaking vistas. You just never know.

I have learned to be grateful for the painful experiences that have taught me valuable lessons, but also to cherish the happy times too. I know now that I am stronger than I thought, but am also very aware that life can change in an instant and nothing – not a cup of hot coffee by a sunny window, a cuddle from my dogs or a smile from my husband – should be taken for granted.

To celebrate this milestone, I've decided to take a quick look back and see what I've accomplished, compared to what I've yet to achieve:

In my 20s, I:
-met my husband
-graduated from college
-got my first “real” job
-got married
-bought a house
-got into debt
-became mom to 2 dogs
-left the rat race
-started a business
-failed in business
-succeeded in business
-became an “auntie”
-decided that my future included adoption
-began to climb out of debt

Not too shabby a list, if I say so myself. It's harder to put in black and white everything I'd like to accomplish in the next decade, but here are some of the more important ones:
-expand my business lines
-give up my part-time job
-build up my savings
-pay off all debts (except mortgage)
-learn a thing or 2 about investing
-finish the basement
-build an addition
-tackle the more challenging landscaping projects
-be more physically active
-adopt a child...or 2
-publish a children's book

Why don't you try making a “Then/Now” list of your own? It might surprise you.

It Doesn't Have To Make Sense Right Now...

"Unblocked" by CitrusTree.etsy.com

Keep dreaming anyway. In searching for a piece of art to illustrate the article I'm linking to, this image of a typewriter immediately struck me as fitting. To the casual observer, it just looks like a bunch of random letters spewing out of the machine. But if you look closely, you can see that the letters which spell "live" are colored in red.

That's how it is with most of life and with our dreams. The pieces of our lives and the significance of the choices we make are not always immediately apparent, but that doesn't mean we should give up or give in to despair. We just have to keep doing the best we can, with hopeful hearts, trusting that the "puzzle" will come together someday. At the right time. When all the pieces are in place. It may be months, it may be years, but it will all be worth it.

Soldier on with a smile!

http://www.christianity.com/devotionals/encouragement/11601265/

Top 10 Reasons to Love March

"Passing By A Rainy Day" by meArtDesign.etsy.com

"When one has faith that the Spring thaw will arrive, the Winter winds seem to lose some of their punch". -Robert L. Veninga-

I live in the Midwest, so if you live close to a beach, consider yourself blessed that you have no idea what I'm talking about. If you still have snow on the ground...well you're next in line anyway.

1. You can paint your toenails again.
2. A light jacket is good enough - cuter too!
3. It RAINS a lot (instead of snowing).
4. Your car doesn't look so dirty anymore.
5. It doesn't get dark until around 7pm.
6. You may get to fire up the grill once or twice
7. If you peek under the clumps of dead leaves you just may see green shoots coming up.
8. Stores start stocking up on fun new summer-wear.
9. Your favorite shows start to get REALLY interesting.
10. Pretty, multi-colored Easter candy everywhere you go.

-Shalom-

What are YOU waiting for?

photo "Twinkie" by curioush.etsy.com

What is that ONE thing you want to do or be in life that trumps all other goals? Are you visualizing it now? Doesn't it seem like it would be the ultimate culmination of your life's dreams? But how to get there?

I've been in this place many times for many different things and I may obsess over a particular goal for a few days, spending hours online looking up information and making plans and lists on paper. By the time I'm done plotting all the ins and outs, I'm exhausted and I realize that I don't think I have the energy to cover the necessary distance after all. I also start to second-guess myself and wonder if my plan will actually work or not. I'm the type of person that likes to think long and hard about something before taking the plunge and if I don't have all the answers...I may get scared and back away. Move on to safer ground.

But then, if I don't take at least one step forward, what did I accomplish? I've just wasted several days of my life turning over every available stone looking for answers, only to find myself frozen to the ground. It would almost have been better if I hadn't bothered doing the research at all. Then I could have used that time doing something more productive.

Now, sometimes, when faced with a big challenge or decision, we HAVE to do our research and what we find may lead us in another direction. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. In fact, it is SMART to thoroughly research anything that could drastically change our lives (for better or worse). But if the only thing holding us back is fear of the unknown, that's another story.

It's one thing to look at a road map to see where you want to go. It's quite another to actually drive down those roads. The map is only meant to be a guide. It's not going to show you every sign, rock and restaurant...or pothole or detour along the way. But, if you really, really want to get to your destination, are you going to let the "unknowns" stop you?

It's the same way in life, when it comes to reaching our biggest goals. If you woke up one day and decided to walk across America, would you expect to do it all in one day? No. You would do it a few miles at a time. How do you walk a mile? One STEP at a time. I know it may sound cliché, but it really is the most important thing to remember when you're trying to get somewhere and it seems so far away. If you're halfway through and getting tired, look back at how far you've come. If you haven't started yet...what are you waiting for?

-Shalom-

Is Life Just One Big Masquerade?

photo, "Too Shy No. 3" by rosiemusic.etsy.com

I was thinking about this yesterday when a friend had some good news to share and I was anything BUT in a congratulatory mood. Still, if the tables were turned and I was in her shoes, I would certainly want (and expect) people to congratulate me. So I tucked in my frayed emotions and put on my "happy face" and offered up my most sincere-sounding congratulations.

Does that make me a fake, mask-wearing fraud? I don't think so. As much as we are coached these days to just "be ourselves", I think it's also important to know where to draw the line between TOTAL HONESTY and TACT. While we all need to make sure that we have a safe outlet (a good friend, a diary) for our emotions, there is no reason why we must constantly be an open book. It's OK to keep some things to ourselves, especially when wearing them out in the open might darken someone else's day.

But beyond just knowing how much of ourselves is appropriate to show the world, there is a certain truth to the phrase, "If you tell yourself something often enough, you will start to believe it". This can certainly go both ways; but I think it can be a positive thing, if you find yourself constantly bogged down by negative thoughts and decide to "combat" them by forcing yourself to be happy on the "outside". Eventually, after hearing yourself often enough, you may start to feel like things aren't so bad after all.

This takes us back to the original question though...we, of course, want to be genuine in the way we interact with others and so I have found it helpful to learn to separate my "dark side" from my "light side", if that makes sense. The mind is an incredible thing and has an immeasurable capacity for storing all sorts of thought and emotions. Just because you don't "feel" happy, doesn't mean that happy thoughts aren't there and that you aren't being sincere when you express them to others. But if you have been preoccupied lately with unhappy thoughts, it may just take a little digging before you are able to locate the positive/optimistic part of your brain.

I am no scientist or psychologist. I only know what I have experienced and recorded from my life experiences in my personal journals. Sometimes a mask is a good thing. Just don't keep it on too long.

-Shalom-

Why it's a Good Thing to Fail

photo: "Geraniums" by TrilliumStudios.etsy.com

(These are some thoughts I wanted to share, after a recent discussion with some business colleagues)

"Failure will either kill you or make you stronger."

I think it's good to fail, to feel the pain and loneliness of having your dreams dashed and your hard work turned to dust...and then look around you and realize that no one can build you up again, except yourself and you can either sit in your ruins and cry forever or you can make something of yourself. Something different. Something better. You won't make the same mistakes you did before and although you may fail again, it won't be to such great degree as it was before. With each failure, you come back 10x stronger. But you have to be willing to cut off the dying parts, if you want something better to grow there (think gardening - plants pour a lot of regrowth energy into newly trimmed/pruned parts and the whole plant gets healthier over time - every time I pull a dead leaf off my geranium, a new bud grows in it's place).

They say that the the definition of "insanity" is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

How this relates to business: the key to getting sales is really simple - having products people WANT at a price they are willing to PAY and creating paths for these people to FIND YOU. If you aren't selling, it's because one of these 3 key ingredients is missing. It may be painful to admit that to yourself, especially if you have been working hard, but nothing's going to change until you accept that fact and move on.

Having failed many times at various different things, I speak from experience. I haven't "arrived" yet, but I'm a lot farther along than when I first started out in this business (4 years ago) and I've learned to separate my "artistic emotions" from my business instincts. It really has made all the difference in the world.

-Shalom-

Lessons from Bookmarks: Breathe Deeply of Sunshine

Just think about exactly what that means . . . On that first really warm, sunny day coming out of long and dreary winter (like today!), it is SO rejuvenating to just step outside, close your eyes with your face to the sun, and breeeeeeathe in. Try it. You'll like it.

Lessons From Bookmarks: Take Time to Unwind

Continuing with my bookmark series ... The message behind the bookmark I designed here is simple enough. It's important to balance out the craziness of our lives with "down time". We are only human after all and can only go so long or push ourselves so far before we must unplug and give our minds and bodies a rest from the responsibilities of life. If we don't, we risk serious emotional and health problems. Coffee and energy bars can help us get through the workdays, but they are not permanent solutions.

"Unwinding" is probably different for everyone, and is not the same thing as sleep. In fact, if you try to go to sleep before you've had sufficient time to relax, it will probably take you much longer to actually fall asleep, and the sleep you do get might not be the most restful. But don't think of unwinding as merely a tool to help you get better sleep, either. Think of it more as the sugar in a cake recipe. If you bake a cake without it, it will most likely come out looking fine, but it sure won't taste as good. Remember, you work hard and you deserve a little time to yourself, a little sweetner. It will make everything else in your life seem worthwhile, if you actually give yourself a break once in a while.

For me, the perfect way to unwind after a long day (and since I work evenings, this means the time right before I go to bed) is by curling up on the couch with a hot cup of chai tea and my latest book under soft, diffused light. I read for about an hour or so and by that time, my entire body - inlcuding my mind - feels relaxed. I like to wait until I get to the point where I'm having trouble concentrating on the words on the page or on anything I have to do the next day - REALLY tired. I have learned the hard way that trying to force myself to go to bed when I'm not tired, results in me laying awake for hours and being uncomfortable. So this is not only something that is one of life's simple pleasures for me, it also helps me sleep better.

There are other ways to unwind, that don't result in sleepiness. For instance, I consider taking a long walk through my neighborhood at a brisk pace a good way to unwind as it releases stress and leaves me feeling refreshed and healthy (notice I said walk, not run). However, I never get on my computer to unwind as I associate my computer and being in my office with work. But working in my garden or sitting down with an embroidery project are good "time outs" for me. I cannot say, however that watching TV is a good way to unwind, unless it's for a limited period of time, because the constant flashing lights and colors coming at you tend to keep your brain alert and leave you with eye strain if you stare at the TV for too long. This is not the case with a book, which is simple black text on a neutral background.

Some other ways to unwind, even if they are work, but not what you do for a living could be:

• Cooking
• Sewing
• Painting
• Writing in a journal
• Playing an instrument
• Singing
• Bubble baths
• Going on a picnic
• Taking a bike ride
• Going out for coffee and conversation
• Visiting your local library

I'm sure there are many others, that I cannot think of at this point, but however you unwind, make sure that you are getting what you need out of it and enjoy yourself.

Lessons From Bookmarks: Perspective is Everything

I recently designed a line of bookmarks with little inspirational messages that I made up and I thought it would be interesting to explore the meaning behind each of them. If you are like me, you get a little thrill up your spine when you see a piece of art or good graphic design paired with the perfect written message. I love to collect samples like that and leave them all over my house to remind me of what's truly important in life. That is what I was aiming to do with these bookmarks - to share universal wisdom through art. I may have penned the words, themselves, but the truths behind them are timeless:

Perspective is Everything. The concept is just like reading the sentence. At first glance, it doesn't look like much, but if you chew over it for a little bit and look a little further in, you will start to understand the full meaning behind those 3 powerful words.

I'll give an example to make it easier to understand: a friend of mine recently called me to share the bad news she and her husband owed a lot of taxes this year and it was going to take some serious planning and reorganizing of priorities in order to get themselves in a position to pay it back. They had also experienced some medical hardships in the past couple of years and so had been more distracted than usual and had not payed close enough attention to their finances to avoid this situation in the first place. My friend called me, knowing that I would listen and be sympathetic, but that I might also have a different perspective on the matter. She was so overwhelmed by the enormity of the circumstances, just recently discovered, that she couldn't see past the problem.

When she asked me what I thought they should do, I first told her that I was very sorry for their situation and I realized that it was going to be a challenge to get through it, yet not impossible. I then grabbed my calculator and punched in a few numbers. Then I asked her, "Well, you've been thinking about getting a part time job, right?" (she has been a stay-home mom all her life, but currently only has 2 teenage boys left at home). She said, yes. Then I told her that based on my calculations, if she got a part time job, working only 10 hours a week, and put all her earnings toward paying off the tax debt, it would be gone in about 2 years. There were a few moments of stunned silence on her end of the phone, followed by a timid but hopeful "Really?"

We also discussed that it would probably be best for them to consult some professional advice for this matter as well. But it felt SO wonderful to be able to take some of the heaviness off her burden, just by having a different perspective. One of the last things I said to my friend, before we hung up was "Really, when you look at it, getting rid of this debt is only a matter of a few extra hours a week spent outside of the home and some numbers being pushed around on paper." And that is the truth. It doesn't have to become any bigger of an issue in her life than that; and she once she has a plan in place to deal with the problem, she will be free to enjoy her life and look forward to many other good things.

I don't claim to be a financial expert, or even a deep well of worldly wisdom, but I do know that sometimes all you really need is to see things from someone else's perspective. So don't be afraid to ask.

Enjoy Your Trip!

(Photo courtsey of freefoto.com)
"Life is a journey", they always say. So why do we only see how far away our next "destination" is? I'm as guilty of this as anyone, so I thought I'd come up with a list of little ways to recognize what makes up the "journey"; since probably 90% of our lives are spent on the trail to the next big thing and only 10% of them actually enjoying our accomplishments.

The Journey of Life is . . .

• being snuggled in on all sides, between my husband and my dogs
• the scent of creamy coffe mixed with honey and cinnamon wafting upwards as I stir
• warm sun on my face during an early spring walk
• the first green spikes of hardy perrenials poking up from the barren earth
• laughter among friends in between outakes of a song practice session
• the newest issue of a favorite magazine in the mail
• seeing a promising new sketch on paper at the end of a brainstorming session
• coming home to a hot, delicious crock pot dish
• driving around town with the windows open and the radio blaring
• wearing flip-flops instead of socks
• getting lost in the 75% off clearance section at a favorite store
• being generous with my time - putting a smile on someone's face
• staying up til 5am with a book I can't put down
• finding a fabulous new blog that promises waves of future inspiration
• a new pair of shoes or earrings
• song birds in the morning
• cooking with my husband (I chop, he cooks)
• wearing my favorite color - pink
• looking at old pictures and tearing up or laughing, again and again
• playing the piano or singing as loud as I can when I'm alone in my home
• seeing the pride my art students have in their work, after they apply what I've taught them
• when the seed packet displays return in the stores
• the feel of a freshly mopped, smooth wood floor beneath my bare feet

I could go on and on, but it's getting late. The important thing is that each of us take time to pay attention to the many moments that make up our days, because those days stretch into lives. A life well-lived is a life that is lived in full. Enjoy your life!

I Don't Wanna Go To Bed!

It's after 2am and I feel like I'm just getting started. All day long I rush around doing everything that is necessary to run a house and fufill my obligation to others, so that by the time normal people would be pillowing their heads, I'm itching to go into my office and have a long rendezvous with my computer. I kiss my husband and dogs goodnight, pour what's left of this morning's coffee into a mug and nuke it for a few minutes (yes, I do and it's really not that gross), make sure the pot is set to turn on at the proper time the next morning and that my husband's lunch is prepared; then I close my office door behind me and it's blessed silence without interruption for 2-3 hours, sometimes more (depending on the size of the coffee cup). I've never quite figured out what it is that turns me "on" at this time every night, but I've come to accept that it works for me and I get a lot of "my work" done this way, so why fight it? When the morning comes, it will take every ounce of willpower to roll myself out of bed before noon (and this is true whether I go to bed at 9pm the night before or 2 am the same day), so I figure while I'm awake and kicking that is the time for me to spring into action. It's amazing how much you can accomplish with several hours of uninterrupted time: get halfway through a brand new digital tracing of a sketch, redesign a whole web page, get a ton of that pesky online marketing stuff out of the way, update my business files, do some serious research on a new topic, and the most rewarding part is being able to actually cross some things off my To Do list before I do finally crawl into bed.

I spent a large part of my life up until this point (still a few years shy of 30) trying to figure out why I was so different from other people, and was constantly miserable. But when I realized that true beauty is in accepting yourself for who you are and then expressing it joyfully, I became a much happier person. Staying up late to get things done is just a small part of how I feel I've "matured" as an individual, but now that that's out of the way and I have found a consistent schedule that works for me, I am now free to work on all the other parts of me that need "polishing". Even if you don't know exactly where you're going yet, once you start to figure out who you really are, you'll know you're at least headed in the right direction.

In Preparation for Spring

I feel it - even though everything outide is still brown and the air is chilly and I'm wearing socks and sweaters constantly - an inner sense that the earth is changing. As someone who hates winter and cold with a passion (even though I live in the midwest and should be used to it by now), I always look for the earliest signs of spring, long before most other people would: tiny brownish-red buds forming on the naked brances of the trees in my yard, the sun that feels warm (not just bright) through my car's windows. And I am tempted to peek under the clumps of dead leaves in my empty flower beds for those first yellow-green spikes from early bloomers. It still feels like winter, but in only a few weeks, Spring will popping up everywhere and there will be no stopping it. Just knowing that the end of winter is in sight, puts light in my heart and a bounce in my step. I feel a new energy and my hands itch to start making lists for plans well into the summer months. Already I have some new flower bulbs lined up, ready to go into the ground as soon as it's safe. And I also am seeing my house - really seeing it - in a new and very dirty light and realizing that it's about time I gave it a thorough cleaning. One thing I always have to do to welcome a new season is buy a new silk floral arrangement - this time it was yellow dogwood blossoms on an irregular branch. It looks very lifelike and spruces up my kitchen just enough to inspire me to get going on the rest of my house.

Life goes on and on, and just when we think it's out of anything useful, it recycles it'self all over again and if we are lucky enough to be a part of that process, we should be very thankful.