The Love List

I've got lots to share today but before I dive into this week's Love List, I wanted to chat about something that's been on my mind lately. I've recently opened up Scott Belsky's Making Ideas Happen and the words just speak to me. (If ya know what I mean!) The jist of the book is basically that it doesn't matter what the idea is, whether it will inspire, motivate, uplift, or improve lives, the idea is nothing without action. Ideas become worthless without actually making said idea come to life.

“Most ideas are born and lost in isolation.” | Scott Belsky

How many ideas have you had in the past that felt like lightning bolts of pure genius, only to be placed on the backburner? How many notebooks scribbled with thoughts, questions, actionable items, only to be half-filled and never executed? How many times have you said you were going to open up that business/ take the course/ switch careers/ launch the product/ write a novel/ fulfil your dream?

Me? Oh, well I think I've lost count.

Could you imagine if we all focused less on generating the perfect idea, and shifted towards executing the hell out of the ideas we already have?

I've dealt (and continue to deal with) my fair share of resistance and procrastination when it comes to the creative process, so I'm definitely not an expert on this one. I decided to take to Twitter + Facebook + hound people for their thoughts on the topic.

My best tip for gettin' stuff done is ____________________.

Some of you said to get off twitter (ha!), a couple claimed music to be their muse, while others simply said "to start". (Which - by the way - I find so profound in its simplicity, and I find is so true for me.)

I'm curious: What's your best tip?

On to The Love List...

IDEAS THAT TAKE YOU BY SURPRISE

Speaking of ideas, last week a massive bolt of brilliance hit me out of nowhere. Well, there's an inkling of an idea I've had for months now, but I took a step back, allowing the thought to really brew, and have been waiting for the right guidance. This idea transformed into crazy, productive energy which completely pushed me to switch gears and dive into a brand spankin' new project.

While I don't want to spoil too much, and it's still in the planning stages, expect something awesome to hit this site early 2014.

BAM! 

BLOGS TO FOLLOW

MEG BIRAM

WILD SISTER

LOVE IN THE MAIL

Can I just say that the majority of the mail I get is bills, statements, and anything but fun? SO THIS WEEK! My heart has lit up like a Christmas tree (maybe not my own Christmas tree, since those lights decided to promptly burn out about 5 minutes after I finished decorating, but I digress...) as I received these two packages this week. PURE DELIGHT!

The first, from my incredible new friend, Natalia, whom I have a SO MUCH MORE to say about, but I will save that for a meatier post later on ;) (But seriously, go check out her work, she is a true gem.)

The second, from Codi of Art of Balance, after winning my very first giveaway! Seriously cannot. wait. to dive into this one, it looks ahhhmazing.

OTHER BITS + BOBS
+ Just received word that this baby is on its way to me. Planning for 2014 just got a whole lot more intentional.

+ "Even if you are in a situation that was totally outside of your control at first, your choice to stay in that circumstance, in that mindset and in that pattern is up to you. The choice to change is yours in every moment." BOOM! Mastin hits the nail on the head with this one.

+ What if each day, you woke up, looked in the mirror, and said something positive about yourself? The Happy Type's post on speaking kindly to yourself has encouraged me to do just that.

+ Pinterest makes me happy.

Makin' me grateful: the holiday season, glowing lights ev-er-y-where, ornaments with meaning, card games that result in tears from laughing so hard, expansion, words that make you think, bursts of energy, listening intuitively, the enthusiasm of hitting the ground running in 2014, vacation plans, and more vacation plans. (Serious wander lust goin' on over here!)

Let me just add how thankful I am for this incredible community - sharing, connecting, growing, learning, encouraging - all of it. Every comment, email, like, share, tweet, I am beyond grateful. Thank you so much for coming here and dedicating even just the smallest amount of time to connecting with me. I appreciate all of you so, so much. 

OVER TO YOU, LOVE: What are you grateful for today?

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