2019 Resolutions

This feels like deja vu writing a New Year’s resolution blog.  I remember doing this many times before, thinking big toward big ideas and big goals on my horizon.  While it was often optimistic and felt nice every time, looking back, things didn’t always pan out the way I wanted them to.  Because of this, I’ve been readjusting the way I think of goals. Instead of listing aspirations one after another that may or may not happen and are often times out of my control, I’m going to keep things basic and sum it up in three words: Growth With Perspective.

The first word is simple: Growth.  It’s really all I feel I need to focus on.  Sure I need long term, mid term and short term things to stride after, but this concept is more important than all the rest of it.  After seeing the results of the last year, I get how business and concepts grow. Consistent effort over time yields results. Plain and simple stuff here.  Also profound though, because I didn’t naturally understand the consistent element of it. (Artists can be flighty and inconsistent? Who would have guessed that?!)

With a growth mindset the possibilities are limitless.  To be ready and poised to grow means that one acknowledges that they are smaller than they will be and in turn will need to learn, expand and grow to become more than they currently are.  It’s an understanding that we aren’t everything now. It puts us in a student’s mindset and that’s a really powerful space to work from.

The second key word is Perspective.  This is so valuable and can only be gained by time, experience and an open mind.  Last year was a year of experimentation for me. I threw so much spaghetti at the wall.  Some of it stuck. A lot of it didn’t. I don’t regret one strand of the stuff that didn’t stick because it’s all part of the learning process.  If you look at it this way, you never lose, you just learn.

So what I’ve gained is a good amount of perspective on the level that I have been playing on.  There are a lot of places where I won’t be wasting my energy like I did last year so that I have it reserved for other things.  There are also a lot of elements where I’m going to be more courageous and play bigger. I’m still going to be throwing spaghetti (Because that’s all we can really ever do), I’ll just be a little more knowledgeable in where I’m tossing it.

So to put it all together, this year’s resolution is for Growth With Perspective.  Growth, persistence and energy just like last year, but focused and directed with a more elevated perspective.  This is year two of being a fully self-employed freelance artist. I’m excited to see what develops and comes to fruition.  I’ve got goals and aspirations to shoot for, and by staying tuned you get to see all of it!

Here’s to 2019!