December Reflections - 2019 - Vision Cards Part 1

It's time to make the vision cards for 2020.  I use vision cards instead of making New Year's Resolutions because we all know that resolutions don't always get resolved.  Instead I take different areas of my life that I'd like to work on and make collages to help identify goals.  I've been making these since about 2014 when I heard about it from Jamie Ridler.  She has an excellent course on making them if you are interested.  Anyway, before I get to next year, I like to take one last look at the ones I made this year and see how much I have accomplished for each area.

I called this one "Go Places" and it is probably the one that got the least attention this year.  Except for the concerts and our annual Boulder Creek mini vacation we really didn't go anywhere.  We didn't even go to Reno which is something we've done every year for the last four or five years.  I had in mind that we would just do local fun things but money was really tight and so we didn't.



The Health card was very different.  I managed to lose 55 pounds from March to December and that actually is a 70 pound loss from what was my highest weight.  In addition, I am off all the medication I was taking for diabetes and my blood pressure is normal. 








Money is such a tricky thing and some of it is not in my control.  Unfortunately we had a reversal of finances between having to spend money on the studio and a lack of expected income on my part.  I have starting increasing my transcription by taking on work that is not strictly medical in nature and hopefully that will help in 2020.  Asking the Universe to help with the craft business a bit as well. 

Connecting with friends and family was a little more successful.  We did have a few dinners out and got to take a boat cruise around the San Francisco Bay with friends.  I did visit my sister more and talked with her by phone a lot as we went through the process of moving my mom out of her apartment.  Also got to have breakfast a couple of times with my best friend who lives quite a distance away.  Hubby and I also started some counseling to help with our connection with each other.  Even though we've been married for 35 years, I was starting to feel disconnected. 


As far as my Crafty life goes, the studio was the biggest accomplishment.  I love it and have been able to make some videos and start experimenting with different techniques.  I am using a lot more of my supplies than I had been because everything is more organized and accessible.  I participated in four Holiday Boutiques too.  I also did a purge and got rid of some things that I will not use. 





Finally, we have Home.  Again, the biggest thing here was getting the backyard down to bare bones and building the studio.  I did do some deep cleaning to some parts of the house and we went to a flea market where hubby actually sold some of his tools and made some space in the garage.  I have a ton of things that I was going to sell in a garage sale but the year got away from me and now the weather is too unpredictable so that will have to wait until the spring.  We also got our Benny dog and that has made a big change in our home. 


So that's the update on the vision cards I made for 2019.  All in all I think I did pretty well and even though some areas got more attention than others, I feel a lot better about things than if I had just made some New Year's Resolutions that I didn't keep.  Also, by doing it this way I have some actual record of what was done every year since I write it on the back of each card.

Tomorrow I'll show you the ones I made for 2020.  Bet you can't wait. 

Juicy July - 2019 - Vision card updates

Back in January I wrote about the Vision cards I made for this year.

About this time of the year I go back to them and see if I've accomplished anything.  I make notes on the back to document what I have done and what still could be done in the next six months.  

Travel was one of the cards and unfortunately we haven't been able to do much of that.  I don't see it happening this year either but we did make a plan to go to Yosemite with some friends in July 2020.  I'm not giving up on this quite yet though.  We went to some San Jose Sharks hockey games which were new experiences for me so there is that.  

Health was another category and I'm pleased to say I made a big change in this department.  In March I started following a Keto plan and to date I've lost 29 pounds.  Still have a way to go but I'm happy with 29 pounds in a little over three months.  Walking our new dog is helping but also really paying attention to what I'm shoving in my face is the biggest thing.  

Money is an area that needs some serious work for the rest of the year.  We had a small setback because a job I contracted for did not last as long as anticipated.  We'll be okay but it will take some good planning on our part.  

Connecting with family and friends is on my list.  We have gone to a couple of baseball games and out to dinner with different friends so far this year.  This weekend I'm taking my mom to visit my sister who we don't get to see very often.  

My crafty business is a top priority and I've done some things to try and increase my presence online and in my Etsy shop.  I have made a couple of sales and I am about to make a presentation to a local sweet shop who rents their back room for parties.  I'd like to offer to make mini-albums for sale to their customers.  Cross your fingers!  I also did the YouTube video of my studio. 

Finally there is Home.  We've done a lot of shifting things around with the addition of the studio in the backyard.  That made it easy for me to take craft supplies and put them all in one place.  We reorganized some of the storage in the kitchen too.  The biggest addition to the home though has been our new dog, Benny.  He is bringing such fun into the house.  

I really like this way of making my goals turn into realities.  It is much better, for me anyway, than just making a list of "resolutions" at the beginning of the year.  I don't feel like I'm failing if I can get at least one thing accomplished.  How about you?  Have you taken a look at where you are mid-year?  

Hope everyone has a great 4th of July.  We will be lighting the safe and sane type in front of our house as usual.   

Just Jot January - Vision Cards

On Wednesdays and Saturdays the Just Jot January follows "Wordless Wednesday" and "Stream of Conscious Saturday" prompts but I think I'll use those days to add posts about other things.  Today I'll share my vision cards for 2018:

I made five of them again and kept the same basic focus areas on each:

I'm calling this one "Smart Money Matters."  With my fluctuating income it is more important than ever that I get a true handle on our money and where it goes and how I can better use it to make sure that we have money enough for us to live a decent life in our retirement.  

This one is "Home Clean Home."  We have a lot of cleaning and decluttering that could easily be done around the house and none of it will cost a lot of money.  The biggest expense I can see for this year would be to clean out and "landscape" the backyard.  Cleaning out the garage and other "catchalls" around the house would go a long way to making things better.  We might even make some money if we had a garage/yard sale.  I think I'll try to plan for that when the weather warms up in spring/summer.

Healthy Living is this card's focus.  I did well last year but toward the end of the year I let things slip by.  I know I do better when I plan meals in advance and when I get some extra walking in.  I really enjoyed walking by the Bay and I think I'm going to give the beach a try.  I live so close there's no reason why I can't get there once in a while. 

My Crafty Life.  Of course with my word of the year being Create, this one had to get some attention.  Making more things to sell on the Etsy site is one thing but I would also like to try making some videos and of course blogging consistently.  I may not make a million but I think I might be able to help increase my income if I do better with affiliate sharing and exploring YouTube possibilities.  I don't want to be one of "those" people who bombard you with the "buy me/try me" type emails though.  I'd like to find some more craft fairs to do throughout the year instead of just at the holidays as well.

Last but not least is "Going Places."  We had such fun with the Big City Hunt last year and going to see the Summer of Love expo that I am sure we can find some new things to explore this year.  I've also seen a couple of train trips that look interesting.  One is called the Amtrak Starlight Express and goes from Seattle to Los Angeles along the coast.  The cost does not seem too bad and it looks like a fun ride.  Visiting Monterey and Carmel also is on my list.  

On the back of each card I have written my intentions and initial "goals."


As I looked at these cards and did some thinking about the year ahead and what I want in my life I realized that I had left out a major component...Relationships.  I made another card which I am calling Heart to Heart:

I have mentioned before that I am an introvert so going to parties and being with a lot of people is not exactly my forte but I do have some really great friends and I do love to spend time with them.  I also want to be conscious of being a good wife to my husband, mother to our children, daughter to my mom, sister, aunt, neighbor, etc.    

How fortunate the first full moon of the year was on January 1 so I was able to send these intentions off to the Universe right away!

I've been doing these cards for several years now, starting with the guidance of Jamie Ridler in her Vision Cards class.  You can check that out if you want to make your own set of cards.  I'd love to hear about them if you do!

Suddenly September - 2016

September 2 --

The prompt for today in the Blog-tember challenges is to share your current goals.  Each year at the beginning of the year I make vision cards to help me focus on the year's goals.  The areas I focused on this year were our house, our finances, travel, my craft business and my health.  In June I went through them to see how well I have progressed.  That post is here.

In the final four months of the year I want to pick up on some of the things that have not gotten as much attention as others.

Home

In our home, we have done quite a bit to the outside but not so much on the inside.  My goal is to do some deep cleaning.  I just cleaned out my drawers of some old clothes that I no longer wear and when we got our new bed, I did a good cleaning of that room, but there are still a few spots that need some organizing.  I have two bathrooms and the kitchen and living room that need to be gone through as well.

Finances

With our finances, I need to do some advance planning for our taxes this year.  My husband just retired and has gotten on Social Security disability and is now also getting his union pension.  I need to see how that will affect what we need to pay.  Our taxes are always tricky since I work from home.  I'd like to be able to pay down some credit cards as well.  Takes some creative juggling sometimes.

Travel

I think we've done a good amount of traveling this year, but I'm going to keep that one for next year too.  There are some places close to home that we can see.

Craft Business

In my craft work, I just finished a class about running an online business.  I'd like to be able to expand in that area because my transcription work is ever changing and I'd rather not have to go out in the "real world" to work if I don't have to.  I am also participating in another vendor fair this month.

My health

Most important, though, is my health.  I tend to let things get away from me, especially if I am dealing with my husband and his problems.  We just went through another pretty big surgery with him having to have a stent placed in his left leg.  I know what to do and how to do it, I just need to focus on me.  He is going to be out of town for a little over two weeks and I'm going to use that time to get back to me.  Hopefully I'll be able to keep it up once he returns.

So, goals in a nutshell:  Clean the inside of the house, figure out our financial situation, work on selling crafts and getting my website organized and start on a healthy eating/exercise program.  I can do it!

What are your current goals?

 

Jubilant June

June 29 - Half a year gone already.  Seems like just yesterday it was January and I was making my vision boards for the year.  Now we are almost at the end of June and I am reflecting on what I/we've accomplished so far this year and what needs work on for the next six months.  Using my vision boards I can see that there actually has been quite a bit of progress!





Starting with the "Home" card, I think this is where we have made the most changes.  We got a new mattress, and purged some things from the closets, but most of all, gave the outside a much needed facelift!

Isn't she pretty?  Next comes yard work, but we need to build up our financial reserve a bit first.  For now it will be just making some dump runs and using the weed whacker to clean it up. 

The other card that has gotten a lot of attention is Travel.  

I really wanted to get away, just my husband and I, for a few days to relax.  I guess we could have picked a calmer place than Las Vegas, maybe somewhere in the mountains?  But, I knew that he's been wanting to go to Vegas for a while now so that's where we went.  We did get to see the Grand Canyon, and we did spend time with each other, without the distractions of our usual surroundings.  Maybe later in the year we'll go to Carmel...

The next card is about finances.  

You might think that we are deeper in debt now because of the home improvements, but with a bit of creative money juggling, we actually are not that far in the hole.  We were able to shave $4000 off our "pre-remodel" debt and now that hubby's Social Security Disability has been accepted, we will have a better income than we have had for the past year. 

Business is another card.  

This is one of the areas that I think I need to focus on over the next six months.  I have two things going on, the transcription business that is my real job and the crafting business that I want to be my real job.    

I have read the book by Marc and Angel Chernoff about being happy and successful and found that a lot of their ideas I was practicing already, so I know I'm on the right track.  Here again, organization and planning will help, so I have made an inventory notebook of a lot of my crafting tools (stamps, punches, templates, etc) so that will help when I am looking for something particular and so that I don't buy duplicates.  I also participated in one vendor fair and have an application ready for another.  They won't buy what they can't see, right?  

I am hoping at some point to be able to transcribe less and craft more, but I still have some learning to do about different techniques and how to incorporate blogging and a website into my creative endeavors.  I'm thinking about adding videos and showing how I make some of my projects. My main goal is to be able to continue to work for myself from home and not have to go back out into that jungle.  

And last but not least, is the Healthy Me card.  It seems that I just get started on a healthy program for myself and something happens to derail me (or I should admit, I allow myself to be derailed).  I need to realize that I am worth taking the time and effort to be the best person that I can be and also to know that I am pretty darn good right now as well.   

I am taking steps to get more activity into my life, as I feel my joints starting to stiffen up from sitting so much and I already have bad knees and diabetes.  I know I am capable of following a healthy eating plan because I have done it and had some success.  

But it is important to have mind and spirit health as well as physical health and to that end I am going on an "Inner Excavation" with Liz Lamoreux.  It is a six week exploration of self-care and the inner me.  I started it last year but didn't finish.  I'm hoping to get farther along this time.  You can read all about it here.  Feel free to join in!  

And that is how we end the first half of 2016.  I am sure there are many more adventures awaiting us for the next 6 months, after all, we still have 8 concerts to go to, include ADELE, that I just was able to score tickets to.  You will remember what a hard time I had trying to get them when they were first on sale.

How about you?  Did you have goals set for this year?  Are you meeting them?  Love to hear about your experiences!  Leave me a comment :)

 

Jazzy January 2016

January 9 - Vision Cards

For the last three years I have been making vision cards, something I learned from watching Jamie Ridler.   She shows us how to use vision cards to channel your focus on the things that you want to make happen in the year ahead.  She makes 10!

I made three the first year...

Health 

Craft Business

Our House

By using these cards to remind me of the things I wanted to work on, I was able to work toward some goals for each area.  While I did not accomplish everything on my list, I did make some movement in each area. 

In 2015 I made four cards:

Our House

Healthy Me

Craft Business

Finances

Our house and fixing it up remained one of my priorities, as did getting myself healthier.  

Increasing my craft presence by blogging and getting out there selling my creations was still a desire and I added a vision card to remind me about planning our financial future.  We are getting older!

Again, each area got some attention.  In the "Home" area we got a new fence and had a clean out of the backyard.  For my health I had a physical and started taking steps to lower my blood sugar.  In the crafty sense, I participated in some blog challenges and had a table at two craft shows.  Financially, we got some credit cards paid off and plans for our retirement started.  Not bad.

For 2016 I have made five cards.  I love the process of deciding my focus points and then gathering pictures and words to bring them to life:

The process

Our House

Finances

Our house is still a big one but this year instead of just concentrating on the outside, I want to do a huge cleaning and reorganizing project.  The dynamics have changed with the kids mostly gone so it is time to get things more functional for two instead of five.


Finances are still a big issue as well, with Bill turning 65 this year and with his Workers' Comp claim coming to a close, thank goodness.  We will be experiencing some income differences I'm sure and I'm going to need to keep on top of what our options are.

Health

Craft Business

 My health is also still a priority.  Healthy eating with the Hungry Girl plan and continuing to monitor my diabetes is key.  I am still not a fan of exercise but there is a new craze called "housewalking" that I may try.

As far as the crafty business, I need to organize the space I'm in and concentrate on making more items, in addition to finding new ways to get the word out there about all the neat stuff I can make.  Adding some new products will help there.   

Travel

                                                                                                                                                                    

My fifth card is Travel.  We did some traveling in 2015 but they were quick trips and for specific purposes (the family reunion in July and Oregon at Christmas) and they were fun but not relaxing.  I have something more like a romantic getaway to Carmel or a splashy trip to Las Vegas in mind.  (The finances card is going to come into play for this one as well!)

Well, those are my vision cards for this year.  I usually do a follow up after about six months to see how I am progressing.  

What about you?  Ever try making vision cards for your goals?  Love to hear about it!