It’s time to take a look back at my 2018 Goal Setting post and see how things are tracking so far this year.
2018 Planning
2018 Shorter Term / Actionable Goals
Make 3-4 bed quilts for us!!
- My husband and I have already picked out the color palette to use: Kona Cotton Ocean, Astral, Lake, and Sky.
- Quilt 1: Kaleidoscope Plus DONE!
- Quilt 2: Wholecloth: Playful Foxes – Waiting on a template to get started
- Quilt 3: TBD – No idea for this and not sure if I will get to it
Quilt 4: TBD– Scratching this one off the list
Well, I’m not as far along on this goal as I had envisioned, but even if I only get 2 bed quilts made for us, I will be thrilled with that!
Take time for self care!
- Pick one thing each month – reading, baths, walks outside, gym or yoga time, etc.
- Repeat: “Time expands when I need it.”
- Repeat: “It is OK to plan for and allow myself me-time.”
Hmmm, well, I have started reading more in the past few weeks. Or should I say, I read a book in the last few weeks (the first book I’ve read for pleasure in what feels like years). Generally, I have to say I have neglected this almost from Day 1.
Mail something – a note, postcard – to my nieces each month.
This is one I have done OK on, but I think I missed a month. Either way, they are on my mind basically daily and I do get to Facetime chat with them fairly regularly which makes me very happy.
Write a blog post 3 times a week.
I have averaged this goal for sure for the first half of the year, but I am not sure if it will be sustainable for the rest of the year. Due to other life constraints, I am taking on less quilting commitments right now as a result, which I am sure is obvious to my regular readers.
Be online less (this is an evolution of some big picture goal setting, see #4 below).
- I spend a lot of time every day engaging with social media. I really, really appreciate your participation and interaction, and I get a lot out of the online community. But I need to cut back my screen time and realistically what that is going to mean is setting a time limit to my being online.
I would say that while I might be cutting back just a bit on some social media engagement, I have actually be online more due to other behind-the-scenes commitments. I have taken on a bigger role for the Quilter’s Planner and doing more technical editing contract work. I enjoy doing that and will have to see how these new commitments evolve.
Tangentially related: have you read the powerful article by Carrie Bloomston: One Artist’s Story: Why I Quit the Gig Economy and Got a Day Job? The hustle is real. It’s exhausting, it doesn’t really pay, and it’s not how I really want to be spending my time. I have so many thoughts on this and I will be taking some time to think them over before writing more.
Continue to focus on pattern writing.
I definitely have been doing this. For the first half of the year I was focused on finishing up contracts with magazines (which I will share as soon as I can!). The second half of the year will be focused on releasing patterns as rights revert back to me and looking forward to some new pattern ideas that I am excited to try out and share!
Goal Setting 2018
2018 Big Picture Goals
Remember my overarching life goal of seeking mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual balance.
I definitely remember this and currently feel like things are not quite where I would like them to be. I keep reminding myself that life is a journey and the balance will tip and move around. I am trying to be aware and dance with the changes, but I definitely feel like I am using more energy than I am replenishing right now so it’s time to focus on making that better.
Continue to embrace the “seek rejection” philosophy.
- For those unfamiliar with the idea, reaching out and asking for something (magazine submission, for example) can seem overwhelming and hard due to the fear of rejection or being told “no”. Letting myself ask and submit with the risk of being told “no” is scary, and resiliency in rejection is something I want to continue to cultivate within myself.
I am still trying new things and have been humbled with the reception and interest in workshops and options to teach recently.
Be gentle with myself.
This is an area of constant struggle; I can be very hard on myself. I do have to say that seeing this as a reminder feels less like a shock than a few of my other goals, though!
Continue to work on big picture goals while being open and flexible to what life has in store.
Oh yes, this is huge. As I mentioned earlier, things are currently in a pretty big season of fluctuation for me and as such I know I have to say “no” or “later” to a lot of commitments that I would like to say “yes” to right now.
2018 Second Half Goals
2018 Second Half Goals
The only constant is change, right? Taking stock of where things are now, I have a few updates I’d like to make for my short term goals for the second half of 2018.
Short Term Goals
- Make the Wholecloth Playful Foxes bed quilt.
- Make a baby quilt for local friends.
- Meet my remaining commitments for the year (Aurifil Artisan, OLFA Designer, Patreon Rewards, Technical Editing).
- Release 3-4 new patterns.
- Explore limited run printing options for newer patterns to take with me when I teach and have in person events.
- Continue to teach and explore more teaching opportunities.
Linking up with the #2018MidYearReview. I hope you join me in linking up by July 15th!
I’ve never been able to articulate, much less journal, my goals well. I enjoy reading your goals and your thoughts as you process them. I did read Carrie Bloomston’s article and it answered so many questions I have had about how all that work gets done. It was a good article. Thanks for being so honest in your post, Yvonne. I’m cheering you on from this corner of my world.
You’ve done a very thoughtful job of setting your goals and then doing a great mid-year look at what’s working and what’s not, then adjusting (engineer training kicking in?). The balance thing always seems to be a work in progress. Sometimes we do well and sometimes we don’t. I always think that will get easier, but it never seems too. Seeking rejection? Love your thought process there. May you get many more yeses than nos the rest of this year. Good luck with all your plans for the rest of 2018.
How to get balance between the necessary, and the other. You have written some words that will give so many of us deep thoughts, and even now, well and truly in the “retired” category, I am always so busy. Some of this is happy, some feels like a chore, and I need to learn to say NO to my own ideas , when I do something for others. It can so easily take over your life. Carrie Bloomston, what powerful and meaningful words. Guess I do not need to feel guilty when I have not posted on my blog for a while, this week should see at least one, with a lot of photos. Your goals, some for others, some for yourself, well done to write them down and look back at the ones you can give a tick.
I have recently found audio books helpful in my need to read. Headphones on when I walk on my lunch break and plug in during my evening commute. Our library is a great resource.
Setting creative goals is such a tangled web! I admire you for continuing to do that, and for sharing with us your journey in that regard. I have come to a simpler goal: work every day for at least 3 hours. It can be pattern work, sewing and piecing, quilting, doodling for more ideas, finishing existing projects, and of course, planning the work (which is what I think traditional goal setting aims to do).
Thanks for the link to Carrie’s article. I will always be voting for fewer pieces in a fabric line, and a longer arc to sell them (think: V & Co. ombre). Love her candor, and it’s a good reminder for all of us in the industry about the harsh realities of dollars and cents.
PS I’m a total Audible fan; because of this, I’ve “read” a ton of books this past few years!
I’ve read that article from Carrie – really liked how honest it was. And it (plus something else I read recently) are helping me make some decisions on how to best balance my time moving forward. I like the ‘seek rejection’ thought quite a bit! Good luck with your 2nd half of the year goals.
I still have to reevaluate my plans for the rest of the year… you always keep it real, and now I need to try and find that balance. I wish I was as organized, I’m working on it, so we shall see how the rest of the year goes. I think I need to read the article everyone is talking about!
That kaleidoscope quilt is really gorgeous. So worth all the time and effort to piece and quilt. All the best for the next 6 months plans and do take a little more time to read!!
Thank you for sharing these with us. Your thought process is helpful and gives me a lot to think about. If you get the chance to put it together, I’d love to hear your expanded thoughts on the article about leaving the gig economy for a day job. That article confirmed some of my suspicions and definitely has me reevaluating some of my goals. It seems like an already difficult industry is moving in ways that are less conducive to people making it.
I really admire your willingness both to review and hold yourself to account and to share this process with us. I hope that you are able to meet your goals for the next part of the year (including the being kind to yourself bit!). The Carrie Bloomston article was fascinating – thanks for the link.
I like that you are willing to edit your goals to be more reasonable rather than put undue pressure on yourself to work double-time to complete things. This is something I have always struggled with myself and am trying to work on this year. There is still something wonderful about crossing a task or project off of a list, though!
Balance is so hard! I feel like my pendulum has swung really far in one direction as of late. Hopefully it will come back to the other side soon! And I am super excited to hear about new patterns coming out!
If I share some of my being gentle on myself with you (I am rather good at this), will you share some of your pattern-writing focus? 🙂 I almost feel I need to wait for our annual office shutdown at Christmas before I will have time!
You have great goals. I think you’re doing good with them. Life happens, and we always have to re-evaluate. Good luck with your updated goals for the remainder of the year.
I so admire your intentional and thoughtful approach to goal-setting! I look forward to seeing new patterns from you, and it’s been fun to see your enjoyment from recent teaching engagements.
The Carrie Bloomston article was so interesting. As you know, I’m someone who has dipped a few toes into the quilting industry as a sort of “side hustle” while maintaining my full-time job. I don’t foresee myself doing much more than what I’m doing right now for many of the reasons discussed in that article. The gig economy seems to be growing in all industries, but it can be so exhausting. It certainly makes me realize how fortunate I am to have a secure day job.
I really admire how thoughtful you are about all you do. I’m especially glad we both got a bed quilt done – that’s been on my list for a long time!
I know you to be as responsive as anyone else I know on social media and I totally appreciate that. That said, I understand the need to cut back some – we all understand that and finding that balance can be tricky.
Anyway, just wish you the best as you navigate transition and participation in the community. OH, And I did read Carrie’s post. wow. I wasn’t really shocked at the realization that one has to work really hard in the industry and that still might not be ‘enough’ – but it was touching to read her post. I’m glad she’s in a good spot right now.
I admire how articulate you are, you touched on many of the same feelings that I am having right now. I have started writing my mid year review post 4-5 times now and am having trouble expressing how I am feeling (without sounding whiny).
I’m wishing you more teaching possibilities as this seems to be resonating with you now. I am always awed by how much you accomplish and the fact that you are even doing this as it is a hard row to hoe. Your thoughtful posts and comments have also helped to make my day and these goal setting posts encourage me to think about where I want to go as a quilter, how I would like to grow.I wish you all the best in finding the balance and rejuvenation that you need.
Thanks for the reminder to do a review. I think I am on track… but then again… maybe not in all areas. 🙂 Blessings!