Essential Edge Live 2016

This is day number four after attending the Essential Edge Live Retreat, whose motto is “BE BOLD OR ITALIC never regular | Dream It. Plan It. Live It.”  My goals for attending this retreat were two-fold: 1) to gain clarity and insights into ways to increase sales; and 2) to network with other creatives to design new opportunities to promote art and creativity.  Both my goals were achieved in this two day retreat.  I’ve attended other small business workshops but being with other creative people made it more personal.

So, how do I intend to use the knowledge I gained?  First and foremost by planning.  We started the process of planning next year by breaking it down to quarters, months, weeks and days.  Simple concept but this will be my first year utilizing such a plan.  I realize the value immediately.  The flip slide of planning is accountability.  Essential Edge has partnered me with other creatives who are holding me accountable to what I say I’m going to do.  This is important for me.  I desperately need to be apart of a community of artists who value truth and honesty with a commitment to learning new skills, growing past yesterday and willing to explore the “What If?” possibilities of sharing with others.

To keep myself on task, I’ve promised myself to keep a daily freewriting journal.  I’m using a bound journal and writing by hand.  To help me become consistent with blogging, my goal is to share a minimum of two blog entries each week.  I’ll share my successes, obstacles and failures.  I feel my late mother’s presence in my life and I hear her voice saying, “Don’t promise what I can’t deliver!”  Momma was a teacher and demonstrated her strong belief that we should share everything that we know.  She told me hundreds of time, “share with the world and the world will share with you.”  I know my Momma’s truth, that in oder to receive I have to give.  I think this is especially true for artists.  Being selfish, and wanting the spotlight to always shine on you cuts off your creative energy, hardens your heart and makes you see the world through antagonistic eyes.  That’s not the road I choose to travel.  So, tune in each week as I journal my journey to make Indigo Fibershed financially self-sustaining, while I have fun dyeing cloth and making quilts.