Put One Foot in Front of the Other

New endeavors are never easy. As one of my best friends' mom would say, it takes guts and hootspa. I think it takes determination. My definition? A skill to endure failure when it comes and being stubborn enough to try again and again until you succeed. We are all afraid of failure at one time or another. I wonder why that is. Are we afraid of what others will think of us? Do we think it will identify who we are and what we stand for? Does it mean we will crumble to the ground and shatter? Maybe, but realistically, we must use common sense. There is the financial aspects and our daily responsibilities to think about. It's not easy juggling work and family, paying the bills and dodging the daily challenges of everyday life. These are all very legitimate reasons to put off a new endeavor.

I have put together a list to encourage you as you work hard to achieve your dream.
1. Don't worry what others think! Don't worry what the news says about the economy. Don't worry about if it makes sense. Follow your heart.
2. Follow your heart but think through it. Make sure you are making good decisions. Don't jump into anything until you are sure it is the right time.
3. You will have highs and lows; you will have good days and bad; you will be encouraged and discouraged. These are all normal occurrences.
4. Everything takes time. Take baby steps. Be patient.
5. Take chances, but be careful of foolishness.
6. Don't be afraid of failure, but be prepared to fail. Every great person--inventors, scholars and even the pauper, has failed before making a great accomplishment.
7. Negative thoughts will always be one minute away from the next; take them in, process them and dismiss the nonsense. Fear of failure, fear of the unknown, fear of what others may think, fear of fear. These are all legitimate, but don't let them keep you from persevering.
8. We all need to take a break at times; don't be afraid to get away from what you are persuing in order to get a fresh start. Sometimes clearing your head helps you to see things differently.
9. Seek council when needed. It is important to be smart about your decision-making. Study, read, collaborate, find resources that will help you to succeed. Don't be foolish.
10. Learn new skills; be willing to educate yourself.
Bonus. Put one foot in front of the other...before you know it, you will living your dream.

So take heart! Use your skill of determination and don't be afraid of failure. Learn from your mistakes and don't let them control your life. Doing something new is never easy, and it may bring you to a place you never expected. Good or bad, this is just another step to building your character and who you will become. Mostly, remember that it's ok to take chances, but be smart about your choices. Look to a new year, a new decade and an evolution of change as we grow accustom to the 21st Century. 2010 is going to be a prosperous year.

Mr. Squid's Handmade Moment

I love this video. It is so cute! Mr. Squid does not let his work get in the way when he cuts his finger off. Now that's diligence! Anyways, Etsy is having a Handmade Moment contest to vote on this video. I think it's a winner!!! Voting ends on October 4th so be sure to visit and vote!

http://tv.etsy.com/contests/handmademoment/vote/HNTWHC33YHZJZJY1

And don't forget to visit http://theneedleblog.blogspot.com/ where you'll find lots of tutorials and some really cute items :)

Diamond in the Rough

One things for sure - it takes work to follow your dream! I know - I know... it was supposed to be fun. Remember the garden? You always had to till the garden before it would grow. If you hang in there long enough, you will see the fruits of your labor! Just remember what you are working for and keep it in perspective. There will be rainy days, there will be droughts, there will be gnats swarming your head. No worry - you have a purpose. Move forward.

Debbie of Nashville. She recently found herself unemployed due to the economy. This might seem terrible to many, but Debbie has turned it around to make it a positive change toward doing the things she's always wanted to do. Taking on uncharted territory, she's traveling to new places, meeting new people and getting a chance to take on challenges she would have never experienced before. Although her future is unsettled as far as her career, she is moving forward...finding that there are many new doors to be opened. These opportunities are opening up a network of newfound contacts for her future endeavors.

This is just one story during a time when the economy has flipped over the apple cart. Don't dispair. You may find that even during the toughest of times, there is a diamond in the rough. That diamond -- it's YOU!

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Diamond%20in%20the%20rough
Diamond in the rough
Someone (or something) that has hidden exceptional characteristics and/or future potential, but currently lacks the final touches that would make them (or it) truly stand out from the crowd.
or, someone that falls into unfortunate circumstances but works to better themselves.

Inkwell

Today is the day! Yes it is! It is the day to take another step toward your dream. I've come to realize that it's not only possible, it's the dynamics of what Inkwell Alley is all about. It's about laying your foundation for success. Think about it. You have the talent...and the dream. You have the hope that it will happen. You may be up against money or the doomsdayers, but the reality is -- it's all up to you. All it takes it you taking another step toward your dream. You do realize that even the toddler wouldn't have walked if he hadn't fallen a few times.

Our biggest problem...fear. Fear that it won't happen, or that we will lose money, or that our product will fizzle, or that people won't buy, or the mindset that it will only happen to someone else.

Chance! Take a chance. Charge! Move forward. Chill! Watch it happen. Words to think about, and words to live by. I have been working on a few projects of my own. Between work and home and new endeavors, it seems like it's almost impossible. But I'm here to tell you that even the space shuttle got off the ground. Can you imagine all the struggle that took? So be encouraged - go back to your writing, your camera, your blogging, your shopping, your craft and take it to the next level. We've moved past everything being supersized--we are now in the time of hyper-viral networking. It's something you can use as an advantage.

Inkwell Alley is all about community and pushing your dreams forward. We love to promote the arts, the artistic, the creative, the dreamer, the entrepreneur...that means YOU! Be a part of Inkwell Alley. We love doing feature friday and look forward to working with you to promote your dream. Everyday is another day toward your future.

If you feel you have something you would like to contribute to Inkwell Alley - a recipe, gardening, art, writings (fiction or non-fiction), ideas or anything about yourself, email us at sbassdesign@yahoo.com We would love to hear from you.

Didn't Forget You :)

Did you ever notice that life's challenges seem to suck you in and soon there is no time for anything. Whew. What do I mean? Well, I have a dream...a hope, an endeavor...that I have kept close to my heart. Soon it will be revealed, but for now I work night and day to get things together. By day, I am diligent to work my job. A job that I love but is very stressful these days due to cutbacks. By night, I try to juggle house, kids, pets, husband, friends, reality TV and rest. Added to that is Inkwell Alley, Twitter and of course, our Feature Friday. For awhile I seemed to be keeping up, but then I tripped, and took a small "splat." So I wanted to let all of you know that I haven't forgotten you, and Inkwell Alley is alive and well. :) It is a part of something greater in the future and hope that you will be patient as I scrape myself up off the pavement and get a renewed sense of what's to come.

I realize that this may be an encouragement to you since anyone who is a creative, an artist, a writer or an entrepreneur probably has experienced this at one time or another. The 21st Century can be a bit insane, and at times, it's hard to keep focused, to keep your eye on your dream as you paddle upstream, and to not give up when you are tired and worn. But I am hear to tell you to keep listening to your heart and persevere!

Inkwell Alley's slogan, "It's not who you are...it's what you can become!"

I hope ya'll will take a moment to give me a shout to let me know how you are doing :)

Audrey S Bass

Feature Friday: Debra Weiss

Audrey of Inkwell Alley: I love doing the "Feature Friday", because it gives me the opportunity to get to know more about the multi-faceted people that inspire all of us to continue toward our goals. During the past few weeks, Monica has been chatting with Debra Weiss, a freelance writer living on the East Coast. Debra is a talented writer with a passion to follow her dreams even when faced with "life's storms". She is truly a person that inspires, because she continues to follow her heart and persevere even when it may not be easy. In her blog, I came across something that she wrote, "When we hurt, God is right there beside us. Sometimes we don't see him but He's there. Going through the pain with us. Every tear we've cried, God has seen. Every time our heart's been broken, God's heard the sound." This really touched my heart, because I have found that through every circumstance, you will learn something new. Your hopes and desires for your life will become even more apparent. I found it interesting that Debra is not only a freelance writer but also a web designer and editor. She has the best of all worlds--being creative, being able to write, to edit, to mastermind new ideas... and mostly, a great sense of humor -- as she adds, "when she's not writing, she can usually be found eating chocolate at her blog: http://www.debraweiss.net/." Debra agreed to share a few fun details about herself; we hope you enjoy!
Five Fun Factoids About Me (Debra)
>> I love chocolate. From M&Ms and Kit-Kats to Dove Bars, I have always loved the feeling of chocolate melting in my mouth.
>> I have a rare medical condition called Dysautonomia. It means that my autonomic nervous system malfunctions and doesn't control my heart rate or breathing like it should. My heart rate will go low then high then back to low. It's a pretty interesting condition. You can learn more about it here: http://www.dynakids.org/what.jsp
>> I've been writing since I was seven years old. I write both non-fiction and fiction. One day I hope to be on the New York Times Best-Selling List. (If you're gonna dream, dream big right?)
>> Fall is my favorite season. I love watching all the changes taking place like the falling leaves, the cooler air and sipping hot chocolate while writing.
>> I run Novelist's Café.com (http://www.novelistscafe.com/) where writers can come for daily inspiration. Stop in and leave a comment sometime.

Thanks again for this cool opportunity! : ) Debra

photos courtesy of www.usa-fallfoliage.com and m&m.com Intro written by Audrey of Inkwell Alley; Debra Weiss wrote Five Fun Factoids as well as copy for eating chocolate at blog. Inkwell Alley really appreciates your support and would like to thank Debra for being a part of our Feature Friday!

He Says, She Says

It's funny how when one person (my husband) says one thing and it means nothing but another person (just about any outside reader) says the same exact thing and it means everything. Suddenly all is right with the world--you have confidence, the future is bright, the load is lighter, the road is paved. Unfortunately, as a writer, it's so much about receiving good feedback from the right people, that is, my readers, editors, publishers, agents and my mom. I know, my mom, right? It's like, 'Which word doesn't belong?' It's kind of random that I would have my mom in there (and over my husband at that, 'sorry robert!'), but the fact is, when a highly critical person who has no qualms calling a spade comments deeply and sincerely on your work, it's beyond sustaining.

Anyway, in a sense I guess it's normal to crave feedback because if people don't like what you write, it's going to be a challenge to do what I want, which is reach into readers' chests, grab their hearts and mold it such that it opens the floodgates for emotions, ideas and perspectives that the reader hasn't considered or has been afraid to confront for whatever dark reason. But on the other hand I need to be develop a maverick's swagger with my pen. I need to go for it and not care what people think. People can and will loathe what I write, but that doesn't mean it didn't need to be written. I've received an awful lot of rejection from agents, editors but I can't give up. My psyche depends on entering the realm of the published, where authors flip the freshly printed pages of their books under their noses.

I'm not sure how to conclude this blog entry. I like everything I write to be precisely packaged. But maybe this time I'll let go and just leave you with this thought, the anticipation that the next time I blog I will be a maverick. I will take off the perfectionist hat and let everything and anything on the tip of my brain explode onto the page. And I think it will be quite refreshing for everyone.