Catherine McAtier - WHEN: August 2013

Saturday, 31 August 2013

A Professional Mindset

Day 5 - Still Clarifying the Mindset

TODAY’s challenge:

1. Write a response blog post to this question:

What’s does your perfect day look like?

My Perfect Day looks like:

Autumn Sunshine.

Did you want more?

Usually I'm all about the visual. I listened to a webinair recently that had no visual aids and it was great. The presenter, Samantha Bennett, explained that as her audience comprised of creative folks that she felt that the best pictures came from our own imagination. This had at least 2 great results. 1. I got to appreciate my creative imagination. and 2. My answers were not coloured by someone else's ideas. That really is the way to get the creative juices flowing.

I chose 'Autumn Sunshine' because of the way it makes me feel and the wonderful memories and pictures those feelings evoke. Cosy days complete with sunshine and layers, filled with creativity and happy thoughts. I wish I could show you a picture, but then, maybe I already did.

They say a picture can make 1000 words, sometimes a couple of words can create 1000 pictures. (as Marie Would say it's a tweetable)

Day 6 - Time to prioritise

TODAY’s challenge:

1. Write a response blog post to this question:

What are my three priorities for the next 30 days that will move me closer towards living life on my own terms?

Three priorities :
1. Monetise my free range life
2. Learn about Aspergers
3. Be Creative

Day 7 -

TODAY’s challenge:
1. Write a response blog post to this question:

Which key tools will you turn to regularly to maintain your mindset and how will you use them effectively?

In the spirit of using what I've got, the tools I intend to use to maintain my mindset are:
Meditation - I intend to meditate daily, I'll use the creative sources I've already tried i.e. Jamie Ridler's Creative Visual Meditation and Lissa Rankin's Self Healing Meditation.
Reminding myself daily that the professional mindset gels fully with my authenticity.

Day 8 -

TODAY’s challenge: is to take a break

Failing this one miserably - as taking a break is not really an option as I'm cramming 30 days worth of challenges into 9.

Namaste

Catherine

xxx

In Just 9 days?

Wednesday, 28 August 2013

Am I a Suitcase Entrepreneur? - 30 Day Blog Challenge

I already sorted my label out and it didn't involve a suitcase. And I don't know I've never really been comfortable with the 'entrepreneur' label. Why? Because I equate it with money and sharp suits, and then I think Richard Branson, barefoot and Necker Island - and am forever reminded that there are no rules and stereo types are just that, stereo types.

So I'm getting things in order and taking on the 30 Day Blog Challenge - 30 days to 'create freedom in business and adventure in life. Initially I'd intended carrying this one through to September and giving myself those 30 days to put it all together. Not being one to stick with a method if a better one comes along I've decided to do a bit of cramming - I was always good at that - and cram those 30 days into 9. Which means at least 3+ challenges per day. I did want this blog to be a chronicle of how I put my business together so here goes the fast track version - starting with challenges 1-4.

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 1

TODAY’s challenge: Write a post on why you started your blog, who you wanted to reach, what you wanted it to be all about. Then state why you joined this blog challenge and what you want to get out of it.

The first post I published was back in November 2011 where I suggested that it was All Coming Together. I started my blog to bring all my 'authentic work' together. I wanted to create a place for like minded creatives to meet, share and connect. I wanted it all to be about creativity, design and realising that everything we want and need comes to us in the 'perfect' way. And ultimately I wanted it to bring all my creativity together in one place.

So why did I join in the challenge? Basically because I haven't achieved what I wanted to do with my blog - part of that may be my not realising what that goal really was until I just wrote it down. Maybe more having lost sight of the initial goal, I kind of got caught up in the connections and drawing inspiration from all the great creative bloggers out there.

What do I want to get from this? To end the 30 days with a specific and clear journey in progress, having created order, routine and a blue print for the future. Order and routine are not necessarily ingrained creative characteristics but in order to live my authentic life, in line with my core values, order and routine are key. Especially with our daily realities.

Originally used in a Sunday BS Post

Day 2 of the challenge

Today's Challenge

1. Write a response blog post to this question:

If you woke up tomorrow and were free to do anything you wanted with your life, what would you do and who would you be?

When I wake up tomorrow I will be free to do anything I want with my life. This is how every day begins. Why do I choose to do the things I feel I should do rather than what I (I'm reading Stephen King on Writing and am trying to rid my writing of 'really'.) want to do?

Until now, a major reason for this is that I didn't know what I wanted. I'd figured out what I didn't want. I didn't want to work for someone else - yet continue to do that on a daily basis. I didn't want to sit at the same desk, doing the same thing day in and day out - I may have cut the number of hours and days I do my day job but I still do the desk thing. Before I beat myself up beyond recognition I will stop here because what I don't want is not what I want and is therefore not the subject, and not on the radar.

Today we are talking about what I want to do. I want to work for myself. Now there's a ~~really~~ broad answer. Doing what? Being creative. Again with the broad answer? I want to help people find their creativity and leadership potential and most importantly their authenticity. I want to help those that want to be helped find their authentic fit in life.

Be the Best You, You Can Be

And as for part 2 of the question, I haven't put all this work in to be anyone else but me.

On to Day 3.

Today's Challenge

1. Write a response blog post to this question:

What’s your definition of freedom in business and adventure in life?

Top Tip: You can carry on from Day 2 and the work you did around clarifying what you could do if you could do anything at all.

Freedom in Business and Adventure in Life are one in the same. I spent many years in my life playing different roles and keeping part of my life in separate compartments. I have learned through hours of counselling and finding my authenticity that compartmentalisation is not an option.
My definition of freedom in business and adventure in life
is

AUTHENTICITY

Day 4 - And look how far I've Come

TODAY’s challenge:

1. Write a response blog post to this question:

What is your definition of location independence?

I don't know that location independence is what I crave most. In fact I know it isn't. My location independence is not being tied to a mortgage with the option to pack up and move at a month's notice.

This means that I cannot make that rash decision which I will later regret and it means there is time to prepare some kind of plan. Don't get me wrong I'm all for spontaneity and running off to Paris at the drop of a hat should the right offer arise. (who ever done anything at the drop of a hat?) But my life needs some kind of structure and routine, or at least it does for now.

I'm going to go all new aged here and say, For me Location Independence is more about being able to work in my own space and not in some battery hen like environment. And my own space is free from any falsely imposed restrictions, a no rules environment. And my own space is wherever I choose to be. And in case you didn't get it I like my own space. It has taken years for me to be this comfortable in my own space and I am not giving it up for anything. Don't have to, it's portable and I take it with me wherever I go. The old 'Dirty Dancing' scene comes to mind here 'this is my space'. It's not necessarily very big but it's home.

In working my way through this blogging challenge I find myself smiling at how far I've already come on this journey. Since I decided to use what I've got I'm realising just how lucky I am, I hadn't realised just how much I had.

A little deep digging is worthwhile when it uncovers stuff you forgot was there.

Namaste

Catherine

xxx

Perhaps not a Suitcase Entrepreneur
more of
An Authentic Champion

Monday, 26 August 2013

The Return of Authentic Weekly BS with some Handmade Monday on the Side

So, I've swithered over this decision for a while now. I started the month joining the August Break, and I managed to get to day 15. Did I enjoy
the experience? Yes, thank you Susannah Conway for bringing so many creative folks together. I really enjoyed seeing what other folks brought to the screen, especially the Brandi Girl Blog colour palette for each day, and I shall continue to follow and share the great finds. I've come to realise that I really am not a joiner, never have been really. I only lasted about 6 weeks in the Brownies. And my track record hasn't improved much since then. What I do enjoy is sharing?

Part of the reason I chose to do the August Break came with the title, thinking it would be a break. I'm not really one for taking pics every day so it was really becoming more of a chore than a break. That and as I seem to be getting my creative act together, it's important I find my voice here on my blog. In order to do that I need to write and get my stuff out there.

So the thing that I was most sure about was my Sunday BS. My Sunday BS is a great tool for me. I get to review the week gone by, plan for the week ahead and share some of the great stuff I've found on my journey. And it feels right to bring it back tagging on to Handmade Monday with a look at my and others' crafting antics.

I could review the 3 weeks gone by in depth or just give the cliff notes. It's been an eventful few weeks, we discovered that my son has aspergers and that my depression is more work related than I've given credit to. To be honest I don't like to give much thought let alone credit to my 'day job'. I think Lisa Esile summed it up when she wrote about her depression. She's begun to see it as a call for change. Don't get me wrong I know there is the whole chemical imbalance thing going on but if you can get yourself to a place of acceptance - no, acceptance isn't the word. If you can make peace with yourself, give yourself a break and realise that some days will be harder than others to deal with. And 'yes' there are some times it's best to give in to the dog, save the energy you would use for the fight and recharge your batteries. If it seems like I just skimmed over the whole aspergers thing believe me it is way up there in playing the starring role over the last year and a half of our lives, but it is something that really opens a whole new avenue and not one that can be covered in a few lines. I'm sure I will write lots about it as time goes by and as my knowledge and understanding improves.

On the old Feedlysphere I have quite a backlog of posts to read/skim through. I would say my major find was Miki Strong's Unemployable Woman. As much as I relate to Maya Angelou's Phenomenal Woman now and again I definitely resonate with Miki's Unemployable Woman. I am loving the whole Connection Collaboration and Contribution vibe echoed at Handmade Harbour and most recently at KnitnRun4Sanity with the introduction of BloggingBuddies. Sometimes I just want to smile out loud with how much I love the blogging community. (that's a tweetable)

And I am not blind to this serendipitous arrival as I have been spending time getting myself organised at linkedin and people per hour.

My crafting this week has been a little sparse to say the least as I've been doing so much organising. I've arranged a display of my Unique Handcrafted Ribbon Jewellery as a reminder, to me, of what I can do. I'll be adding my textured art soon.

In the meantime I'm off over to Handmade Harbour to see what all you other lovely creatives have been up to - and then a 'quick' cuppa as my Crafty Mag has just arrived.

Namaste

Catherine

xxx

Monday, 19 August 2013

Handmade Monday - I'm back on Etsy

This is a short and sweet piece to announce my return to Etsy. It felt appropriate to make the announcement on a Handmade Monday.

I've changed things up a little. I'm using the same logo and banner as here for my shop header and renaming it Catherine McAtier. It's the label I was born with and is one thing that has definitely stayed with me throughout good times and bad. So I thought I'd give myself some recognition.

Taking baby steps at first I've only added 12 pieces so far, some of them you may recognise already. The plan is to get the content right and work the bejeesus out of the promoting - that is way up on my list for this week.

Using advice from the Etsy Site itself and knowledgeable sources like Craft Blog UK I'm feeling pretty chuffed with the whole thing. The proof now, as they say, will be in the pudding.

I would be delighted to hear your comments on my shop - descriptions, pictures, pricing - all comments welcome. Nothing like a little constructive criticism to start the week off.

In keeping with the Handmade Monday ethos I'm dropping over to Handmade Harbour now to check out what you other lovely creatives have been up to. You should check it out if you haven't already. And anyone who knows me, knows I'm not really one for 'shoulds'.

Lots of Love

Namaste

Catherine

xxx