Let’s Show What Honestly Goes Into Being A Creative

I’m sure you read ” Creatively Honest” & wonder where I’m going with this. I’ve learned the hard way from trying to make everything look perfect in my life, especially on social media, that the weight of that pressure can make you feel like you are drowning among the filters & beautiful things. What do you feel when you look at other women’s Instagram feeds when their lives look like your dreams? I immediately look around my house & wish I was there haha. I am just as guilty too, I try to show only the pretty. You might see a beautiful shot of me knitting with a delicate blanket, it will look dreamy. But I promise you, just out of frame there is my 3 year old son playing with his Rescue Bots or Paw Patrol. I’ve learned to be creatively honest with how I show my life.

The Magic Number

As a small business owner one of the biggest dilemmas I face & often my most unpleasant is figuring out just how to price my items. I have found this to be a very common problem after talking to many different types of small business owners, everything from photography to handcrafted pieces like mine to small boutiques that re-sell items. We all must determine that magic price that will make us a living, make our time worth it & cover all our overhead.

Find Your Lessons Where You Can Get Them

Tonight, I had to go through the always dreaded task of backing up my phone & pulling important things off of it due to it malfunctioning. Seriously folks, I hate this part. I am the kinda girl who will fill up a 32gb external card & her phone memory on the regular.

As I was going through all the old text messages looking for pictures I might have not saved, (don’t want to miss any of the kiddo’s adventures with his grandparents!) I forgot just how much happened in the last year, both good & bad.

Choose Life, Even When It Is Hard

I just read that September is National Suicide Prevention Month. That combined with some recent song releases like Kesha’s “Praying” & a couple others, it has me thinking of some of my personal battles & growth.

In the past, I haven’t talked much about this part of my life. Mostly because I didn’t want to appear flawed, feel less than or embarrassed. I felt the need to look perfect to others.

Over the last couple years, I have slowly been more comfortable being vulnerable & open about even the things I am not proud of. I am not who I was 10 years ago, I have learned from it though. If this can help anyone give suicide a second thought than I don’t mind being an open book.

Where Advice Goes To Die

I used to think that people would change, even when they weren’t really in the place to want to.

That when they came to me for help, if I just said the right things, listened harder, was there anytime they needed me…I could help them learn from what I already had to learn the hard way.

That my help would inspire them take a different journey to a happier life.

It’s never too late to learn something

Some of my favorite childhood memories isn’t remembering exactly what was said or one specific place &  time.

When my Mom, Dad, younger sister & I got into our van to drive from one location to the next it was not uncommon for it to be a 20 hour drive or longer.

My sister was always reading or sleeping. I would sleep, listen to music, journal & read poetry.

When my Mom needed to take a break from driving I would sit in the passenger’s seat, than my Dad & I would talk.

“I Told You So” …Says Every Parent Ever

So, I have come to the realization tonight, not one that I am even sure I want to write down because it is not reassuring or flattering.

I have realized that no matter what I do, I am going to mess my kid up. Or I should say, my kid will mess up.

The Road I Was Meant To Build

Here’s the thing…as a creative person I burn bright when I’m inspired. My fingers can’t keep up with everything my brain is designing.

There are weeks & months that I don’t stop. Whether it is creating new pieces, adding new limbs to Every Bit of Sunshine’s tree by branching out (yes I’m that corny, says the Midwest girl) with new charitable options & starting our Creatively Honest blog.

Then I get burnt out. It seems like with the creative process it ebbs & flows. I’m trying to figure out if it is better to push through when I am not inspired, or let myself focus on something else in my life until I can come back with fresh eyes & drive.

When You Let Yourself Dream

I spent my entire childhood traveling with my family. In 10 years, we saw most of Canada & all of the states except Alaska & Hawaii.

My Dad’s work required him to travel & my parents decided it was going to be a family adventure. My younger sister & I were homeschooled, we drove from place to place in our family van & lived out of hotel rooms.

We kept our house in Nebraska as a home base that we saw every 6 weeks or so.

It was really unique & I loved it. We stopped the summer I turned 18, we were all just ready for a change.

The Road Less Traveled

I am getting ready to start the journey of homeschooling my son this fall with preschool. I get a lot of questions about why I would choose this right off the bat instead of giving public school a chance first.

People have a lot of curiosity about this when I mention it. I am reminded that it is still a bit of the road less travelled.

A Man Who Really Lived

Do you ever have one of those life experiences that shakes something deep in you? Almost like a wake up call but you’re not sure of the outcome yet. What this change will bring.  It’s just an ember, an idea that is growing. It will flourish if it is nurtured.

This happened to me last night. I was at the wake of a dear man & family friend. He had been friends with my Dad for 39 years, much longer then I’d been alive. To give you an idea of his personality, it was dynamic. Bigger then his body.  Like someone else said, he had a way of making you feel like the most important person in the room while you were talking to him. What is amazing to me, he was that way with everyone & it was so sincere.