I'd Like to Add . . .

Good morning! It's 7:16 (which is early for me) and the reason for my relatively extra early rise is that I am meeting Jake for coffee this morning. It's always a little easier to get up early when you have something great to look forward to. Hey it's a lot easier and better to do anythig when you've got that. What kind of great stuff can I be looking forward to everyday that I have been neglecting to, I wonder? How much more enjoyable could my life be if I chose to look forward even to seemingly small and little things? How much better if I chose to look forward to hope instead of burnout or disappointment or even simply just how tired I am that morning? I'm thinking a lot.

So I didn't quite get up as early as I wanted to this morning.  I had enough time to get ready but not enough to sit down and write, so I'll do it now.  It is still technically morning (10:30) albeit not early.  Something on my mind today-I've been very worried and on edge lately.  Basically just kind of unhappy.  Because of a variety of things.  I wrote about a week ago about how it feels like I'm under a lot of stress to choose what to go to school for and what I should be doing right now with my time.  I am excited about learning ways to make a job out of creativity, but I also don't know where to start with that, so I'm trying to learn from others who have succeeded in the way of profiting from creativity and artfulness as well as brainstorm myself. Something I struggle with when I think of making a career out of doing something artful is that I feel like it doesn't have a deep impact behind it.  Not like some people see being a nurse or pastor or teac

Okay, so I'm not technically writing this in the early morning.  It's actually 8:23 AM and I'm gonna be leaving for work in a minute here but I thought, "Heck, might as well start it." because I'm excited to start this.  I didn't exactly get up early enough to write very much because I didn't exactly get up "early".  7:30 ish is when I got up although in my defense, that is earlier than lately.  A step in the right direction, right?  I think so. Well, work beckons so TTFN.

In the interest of keeping your interest, I'll cut a story short and tell you that I came upon a podcast/blog/website of this guy, Sean (seanwes.com), wherein he and his partners/buddies talk or write about everything from hand lettering (his main niche) to creativity and professionalism in the design business (which happens to be an interest of mine).  Listening to one of his podcasts (aptly named "It all starts with writing") Sean talks about his resolve to get up early and write every day and how it sets him up for a more successful day and thus, life.  He groups them together in the phrase "early rise, daily write" and says that he likes to group them together as well (e.i. he likes to get up extra early and write in the morning before he gets to work or anything).  Obviously this may not be a great idea for everyone but Sean, who says as a night owl, he finds himself staying up late to get things done and then getting to bed too late, this is a good idea.

Lately I've been realizing more of my own potential than ever before. I owe most of that realization to Jake, the most encouraging person I know.  And encouragement is contagious.  As he's been encouraging me to discover and create productive outlets for the things I enjoy, I've realized that they are very possible and that when I actually move toward them, things happen.  Things change.  Things shift.  I can be dynamic if I really want to.  And that's got me realizing my effect, not only on inanimate things, but on people as well.  Not in this "Yeah, I'm pretty cool cause I have power over people" kind of way.  In the same way that all people have influence and impact.  Most of the time, I don't consciously realize what kind of effect I have on other people, but sometimes I get glimpses.  What encourages me most about it is that it doesn't make me feel proud or powerful.  It's more of a humbling experience when I realize the places God has put

Disclaimer: I wrote this last Thursday and deliberated on whether or not to post it all week (mostly due to it's negative and whiny nature) and finally decided to post it because this is honestly where I was at.  I am in a little less desperation this week. Even though I have no more decisions made or clarity on these matters than last week, and even though I do still feel pressure, I have more peace now.  And sometimes that's enough. __________________ Wow.  Life sure is quite the little shove-you-down, steal-your-wallet, kick-some-dirt-in-your-face and then tell-you-to-get-up-and-go-to-work brat.  I'm not Miss Brightside today. I guess lately I've been in a sort of rut, mainly because it really sucks when you feel from all these different angles like you have to go get a degree but you just don't know what to go for at all and what you'd really love to do you don't have to go get a degree for.  And don't get me wrong I actually like learning