Day 28

Here it is, the last day of my intoxication plan, it seems to have taken effect....

Two days ago I completely crashed, literally. I think I kinda tripped, sorta, and ended up on the couch and some how never got up. I was exhausted, busy month, busy weekend. On top of the holiday rush, I had eight different stops this Christmas, it extended through the day after Christmas. So, I took the much needed nap and let my brain check out for a bit. Sometimes you gotta let your life bar recharge in order to finish the game.

It was all good though, I worked twice as hard the next day, yet I didn't feel it. I actually felt as if I could of worked through the night, but I stopped eventually. Got to take the time for an evening with the boyfriend, the dog and food.

I noticed, however a difference in my attitude. Normally I would enter into a level of stress that would consist of personal down beating, but I didn't. I knew I would be working tomorrow and I knew I wasn't putting anything off. Stopping, in the past, would cause a loss of three or four days. It was a process to re-motivate myself in the forward direction.

I also caught myself saying, "after work". Oh you mean, my self employment is a full time job and I don't have to run errands in the middle of the day; or drop what I'm doing to help others? It's not like I am doing anything else, right? Heck no, I'm busy and if you can't understand that, then I don't need to be talking to you. Yep, that is how I feel about Last Minute Clothing. I may not make any money yet, but that will change, in time and with persistence.

So, here they are, the last steps in the program:

Step 10: Forgiveness

Forgive yourself; there will be some goals that cannot be accomplished in an allotted amount of time. There will also be some problems that you cannot fix. Don't let this be your downfall; even Superman can't do it all and he has super powers.

Step 11: Reflect

Take time to notice the things you do different and how it positively affects your regimen. Give yourself a pat on the back, but don't celebrate just yet, your journey is not over.

Step 12: Prepare

Now that you have created your new habit, be ready for what may come next. You may not be able to predict the future; but you do know what you would like to do in the future and you can prepare accordingly.

I have broken many, but not all bad habits and have created many new ones. I don't always know where my path leads but I won't stop walking it. Everyday is a new day and I will live it to the fullest and learn to take, head on whatever comes.

I am still two sales away from 100 and I am almost ready to open up my next Etsy shop, but I haven't stopped working towards these goals. December isn't over and I need to prepare for the next thirty days. I have a feeling things will begin to change quickly and one day I will reflect and wonder how the thought, that I couldn't make my dreams come true, ever entered my mind.

Oh and as far as forming a solid day to day routine goes; I use step three: don't think, just do. Yep, I wake up in the morning and I clock in, to Last Minute Clothing.

Peace Out!

~Christina

Day 26

Well, Christmas is done but my 28 days are not. It is day 26, two days left in my habit forming adventure, two sales away from 100 and two days before a hopeful opening of a second Etsy shop.

Somewhat tough goals, due to very little time, limited resources and a strong desire to lounge around and enjoy what Christmas has brought. Yet with hopeful determination, a mind that has begun to conform around the beauty of my situation and an All Mighty ever just God on my side; I harbor a strong belief that something amazing will happen.

Step 9: Trust and Faith.

Without the faith to trust in my goals, I cannot succeed. There is no point in doing something, anything, even cooking; if I do not believe in what I am doing. Everything is part of a plan and happens in accordance.

Joy and determination on this Monday....

Day 20

During dinner a couple nights ago the movie, John Q came on. A great movie about a desperate father whose son is in need of a heart. The fathers insurance would not cover the surgery and the hospital was not very sympathetic. With time running out and no other options, the man takes the hospital by hostage until his son is put on the list.

The movie taps in to the many problems with our health insurance but there was one line that keeps repeating in my head. John Q (Denzel Washington) tells his son to make as much money as possible when he grows up, even if he has to sell out. He tells his son not to be stubborn like his father and make the money, because things are much easier with money.

Things are much easier with money... oh how true that can be. I always imagine the many places I can take Last Minute Clothing, if only I had the money; how much easier accomplishing all my goals would be. For instance, something simple, a customer of mine still has not received his product, for what reason I do not know. My first reaction to deal with the problem at hand would be to recreate the product and have it shipped overnight or by two day mail. I do not wont an upset customer under my belt. This would cost me at the very least $42.00 for a product that cost $18.95 with a profit margarine of about half that. Since my business cannot afford $42.00 nor my own pocket, I am forced to come up with other ways of handling the problem. Which may result in an upset customer.

There is a lot I am learning from this experience, for one buy the insurance and tracking information when shipping, it will be worth it. I should probably offer other shipping options that the customer can pay for if they wish to receive their package faster. Another, is patience for all I know it is at the customers post office waiting for him and the mistake is not on my part. I hope for this scenario, but am prepared for the worst.

So, maybe things would be easier with a bunch of money but what do you really learn? Generally those who have changed the world even in the slightest, start with nothing. They would have never changed anything if they were simply able to throw money at a problem, while indulging in the riches of this world. And really, how much easier are things when you have the money...?

With that said, I reach Step 8: Be Resourceful

Don't always look for the easiest way to solve a problem, look for the best way. This is the only way one can learn to change things. Any, things...

Day 19

Another Monday, and only four days until Christmas....

Oh how I would love to bake cookies, watch movies, wrap presents, lounge around; ya know, enjoy the holidays. Not the plan, even if I wanted it to be. I still have a subconscious, not totally set in stone, but really want to accomplish goal of opening up another Etsy shop by next week. I picked a good time to stat this shenanigan.

A few days ago I was moving right along and had no doubt that the goal in mind would be accomplished. Of course, those tedious habits found their way in. When I begin to fell a sense of accomplishment several things can happen. I will add more things to my list, thinking that I have time. When I realize that I don't really have the time I begin to cut corners in order to finish everything. This leads to a feeling of being overwhelmed and causes me to slow down; a feeling that I created. I am like an evil scientist, the villain and the victim at the same time.

So, I took the slow down as a good thing. I didn't go backwards, left or right; I found a safe spot, let my life bar recharge and am moving ahead. Accomplishing what is important first; like the upset customer in France who still hasn't received his product yet and the customer whose product needs to be shipped today so he can receive it before Christmas. Yes my family is extremely important and I really hope I can finish all the Christmas presents in time and even bake cookies; but, my family won't kill me if I don't. The customers will, they can destroy my business before it even has a chance to go somewhere.

I am off to finish this busy, rainy Monday and yes, I will have another pot of, I mean cup of coffee....

Day 16

A wise woman, by the name of Mom, suggested that I blog first thing in the morning as opposed to last thing at night. Blogging is meant to be motivational for myself and hopefully others. therefore if I wish to motivate myself with all that is Last Minute Clothing, I should begin my day with goals and ideas and words of motivation, rather than last thing at night when all I want to do is sleep.

So, Step 7 and the word for the day "Motivation"

Many people work for others or with others, generally they have a set list of things to accomplish, simple goals for the day. There are always sales goals to reach, quotas to fill and rewards that await them. These incentives are generally set by the company they work for or upper management. I don't have these people setting these goals for me. I have no one to compete with other than myself. This can be tough when your are attempting to find motivation in oneself.

Sure my long term goals are what motivate me. Day to day reminders help keep me going. But what motivates me each morning? I need to target that exact thought and hanker on it, so when I look around and all I see is how I can't do this, I remember why I can. Like in Harry Potter, when he has to find his happiest memory in order to produce a patronus to protect him from the dementors. Or when Peter Pan thinks happy thoughts in order to fly.

With that said, I am off to fly and ward off evil.....

Day 13

Day 13..............

Yup, it has been one of those days. The amount of things that have went wrong today have caused a rise in my level of discouragement. Yup, the space heater shorted out, I left the one item I went to the grocery store for, at the grocery store. A customer got the wrong item. This blog post deleted before it posted, causing me to rewrite the whole thing. Yup, all this stuff all day long...

But, these are just things. They are not things to be completely discouraged over. Many other people go through far worse in life and keep going.

We live in a world of instant gratification, but I did not grow up in that world. Not everything will go the way you want it to when you want it to and you can't always fix it with the click of a button. So, I will deal, and I will keep working. It is the only way I will ever be able to accomplish anything.

Yup, the only way to produce results is to work at it, whatever it is. So I kept sewing, all day, on day 13......

Day 12

Monday...

There's not really much I can say about this day. For one, I kept thinking it was Wednesday, which kept my stress level up, seeing as I thought half my week had gone by. Realizing it was actually Monday didn't bring my stress level down any, as many would assume it would. Apparently I enjoy being stressed out.

I can say, at least, that I still have Last Minute Clothing on the mind. I can't say however, that it was at the top of my list today. I felt old habits creeping in. Distractions disguised as important endeavors. I began to let myself be overwhelmed with the amount of stuff that I need to and have to do and began to do things I wanted to do.

I will say, that I put up a good fight and got most of the stuff done I needed to get done. Yet I could of had a more productive day if I didn't have to fight so much. And, I wouldn't be as tired.

Take each day at a time, for tomorrow may never come, so why wait? Seize every moment and opportunity and don't wait for the perfect time. Don't forget about those you love and remember why it is that you have goals in the first place. Remain Focused (step 4)

Never give up, It ain't the last minute yet...