Celebrate your Successes: A Year in Review

In mid-December my mastermind group met for our end of year wrap up to celebrate 2014’s Successes and to set Intentions for 2015. The night before we met, in true procrastination style, I sat in bed and thought about my year.I started by remembering what I was doing in December 2013 so I could really be in the moment and think about how much had changed. Last December my sweetie and I were in full Christmas mode with gift buying and wrapping, tree trimming and meal planning (very unlike us) because his father was very sick.We worked hard to honor his wishes for one last traditional Christmas, and it was beautiful to see the simple pleasure he took in it despite the pain he was battling. It was really his last rally before Hospice.His passing fell in January, and when I initially looked back on 2014 I was thinking “what a good year,” and it was in many ways. It was meaningful to really take the time to reflect, though, and realize I had a great year with all kinds of new things happening all while being on an emotional roller coaster.This to me was a sign that my own internal drive, motivation and wellbeing are returning to their pre-2008 crash levels. I wasn’t knocked flat and left scrambling. I still feel positive about the year. My health feels stronger.That was the most exciting revelation.Yes, it was fun to think about these highlights:

• creating my first 3 original sculptures and revealing them at shows with painter Sheila Cameron

• selling 1 sculpture!
• solidifying the DANK artist collective and staging the inaugural show
• dropping one of my part-time jobs for more studio time (and really protecting and using that time for such)
• designing new jewelry for fun, the Fashion for Foodies line, in an effort to share some of my personal passions
• creating a mastermind group for the type of business support I need
• embracing the idea of graphic design again, upgrading equipment to make it easier, and opening myself to new clients including Madame Doktor Belladonna and The Outside Inn in addition to my regular clients: HAALo and The Natural Professional
• designing a series of postcards and partnering with photographer Erin Thiem of The Outside Inn to celebrate the beauty and specialness of our town and community, which made me proud to participate in Postcrossing

• connecting with Ginger Lazarus, the genius behind Madame Doktor Belladonna, not only as a friend but also as a business partner for our pending Cult of Gemini adventure
• buying my first DSLR camera, taking photos for HAALo and exploring that whole realm tentatively at first… more deliberately now, and letting go of the idea of perfection, being willing to learn as I go and work with my abilities as they are (it’s been fun for me to watch the progress actually)
• making the decision to take back control of my business by reducing consignment, reducing production and showing/selling what I have to free up more time and energy for creating truly new and exciting work
• taking a 1 year break from running so I could truly heal from tendinitis — this was a tough one, but I can walk, stand up straight and move without agony
• continued to learn and take classes
• continued to implement basic organization strategies to simplify my flow and give me ease and confidence in my daily life and business world thanks to The Natural Professional
• got 5 piercings on my ear this year to help with some emotional healing and processing… things that needed to be honored and will one day lead to being written about
• my sweetie and I created Mr. Seymore Art for Nevada City’s First Friday Art Walk

• asking for help and welcoming new assistants into the studio and other partnerships to help with behind-the-scenes administrative things that were stressing me out and slowing me down
• participating in Fall Colors Open Studios for the first time and the wave of redecorating this prompted in my home and studio
• writing several guest blog posts and co-writing The Insomniac’s Guide to Relaxing (which hopefully leads to sleep)

There was also lots of letting go of stuff, clothes, old display items, and social groups that were no longer supporting me.This list represents the things and highlights that reflect the other types of healing and progress being made on an underlying, internal level. That list validates me, yet I try not to get overly hung up on a list of accomplishments (or, worse, the things I didn’t do that I really wanted to do or how I could’ve done those things better, etc. etc.)… I see the list as a benchmark.Healing and being healthy doesn’t always mean getting MORE done, but when I see the types of areas where creativity unlocked for me or think about my general energy level (which usually equates to getting more done) — it is a physical manifestation of the spiritual/emotional work going on under the surface.My word for 2014 was MORPH, and I see that slow subtle changes that may not be visible from the outside have happened. Some significant shifts occurred, some visible, some not.The word that came to me for 2015 is TRUST. I’m already anticipating next December’s reflections to see the places that word opens up.Suggestion: honor your successes in 2014 on a deeper level. Celebrate not only your accomplishments but also emotional growth and evolution.Truly celebrate and honor where you’ve come! Cheers to a successful 2015 on many levels.