The Power of Words and the Strength of Actions

"Do not wait; the time will never be "just right". Start where you are and work with whatever tools you may have in your command, and better tools will be found as you go along."

~Napoleon Hill

So once again, it has been awhile since I have posted to my blog and rather than give my usual apologies and fall into the trap of possibly not posting again for awhile, I will instead say that I have seen the errors of my ways and will work to be more diligent about posting.

It's amazing how powerful words can be in helping you to overcome obstacles, refocus on what's important, or see something that you weren't able to see while you were living your life. I have always been a fond believer of writing down how you feel which is why I started this blog in the first place. I wanted this to be my place of refuge where I could write down the fears that I have when it comes to pursuing my dreams, the accomplishments I make when I let go of that fear and take a chance, and the setbacks that I might experience along the way.

That being said, I always felt that whatever I wrote had to be perfect. It had to have this profound feeling to it in order for me to feel that the message had been conveyed the way I thought it should be. Having the mentality that it had to be "perfect" has prevented me from posting some stuff that I now realize is amazing just because it came from my thoughts and how I feel about certain things. Waiting around for things to be perfect and for me to have accomplished a certain thing only leads to these long gaps between my posts. I can't expect people to support and encourage me when I'm not giving them insight as to where I'm at in the process.

While looking to purchase my home, one of my main requests was to have a space that I could solely dedicate as an office/sewing space. While I would have loved a large space, the space in the house I ended up purchasing wasn't big, but I knew that it had potential. Unfortunately, it became the catch all room for when other rooms were being utilized or when company was coming over and I could just close the door and pretend it didn't exist.

Yesterday I sat in that room and saw that not only was I cluttering up a room with unnecessary items, I was also blocking the one place where my creativity was supposed to be allowed to explore and not be held back. I've been debating on what paint color to choose to the point that there is no paint on the wall. I've been deciding on the perfect desk to get to the point that my sewing machine is still in it's carrying case and the folding table has become a second make shift catch all space. I went to Ikea yesterday in an attempt to purchase a desk and while I saw a couple of nice ones, my mind kept going back to the clutter that was already in the office, which made it harder to imagine anything in there.

So the plan for this week is to tackle the office head on. A place for everything and everything in it's place. Once that is done, I will decide on a paint color, purchase the paint and put it on the walls rather than having it sit in the can staring back at me whenever I walk by. After that, I'll be able to see how much space I have to work with so I can take measurements and decide what I need to purchase in order to make the space more efficient. Instead of waiting around for me to have the perfect office, I will create a space that works perfect for what I need it to do now to get me started back at designing, sewing and writing.

I'm also going to revamp my vision board to reflect more of who I am and where I want to be. The first one was great in helping me get started in thinking about how I wanted my life to be, but the new one will be more focused on enjoying what I currently have while building up to the other things I want. I also need to make sure it is put in a proper place on the wall so I can see it everyday and internalize what it represents.

The power of your words helps you remember the power that you possess within as well. They remind you that while you may lose focus sometimes, you can always find your way back and be stronger and more determined than you were before. The power of my words along with the strength of my actions will help me get to where I am meant to be.

Sincerely,

Ebony
(Conquering the world, one stylish step at a time)

Imagine That

"We always attract into our lives whatever we think about most, believe most strongly, expect on the deepest level, and imagine most vividly"

-Shakti Gawain

As far back as I can remember, one of the things that I use to think about most was growing up to become a fashion designer. I believed it to be true with every fiber of my being and expected to be successful. What I didn't imagine, was that life would somehow find a way to intervene and put obstacles in my way. What I believed to be obstacles at the time, I now view as things that happened to prepare me for the skills it would take to not only dream, but to be able to take action.

Not too long ago, I put together a vision board. I had been hearing the term for quite some time and thought it would be fun to try. It's amazing what you go through trying to figure out what truly matters to you most and what makes you happy. My vision board included both pictures and words to describe what makes me move, have passion and take pause. Completing the vision board allowed me to say out loud who I am now and where I want to be in the future. I have left some open space on the board since I know that I am always finding new things that excite me and would like to add them to the board.

One of the first things that came to fruition after completing the board, was the purchase of my first home. The home I have on the board was of my dream home, which while it may not look like the house I'm in now, it is the beginning of what is to come. I can look at the board every day and know that if I continue to work hard and stay focused, that someday, the house on the board, will be the house that I build. The board also gave me the freedom to say that no matter how hard people say it's going to be or how scared I get, that I have to follow my dream of becoming a fashion designer and to someday own my own boutique. I know that life will find a way to intervene, but I will find a way to overcome.

I've started attending fashion events and making connections that help to invigorate me and find my way back to the creativity I pushed aside. I now eagerly await the arrival of every fashion magazine that I've subscribed to so that I can flip through the pages and marvel at what fashion is truly all about. To me, fashion is about expressing yourself through the use of fabric formed together to create pieces that are a reflection of what art is to you. It's a way of letting your creative ideas wander around like like walking pieces of art.

My passion lies in designing dresses. While I can draw other things, my hand naturally wants to create a stunning masterpiece that wows the crowd. I've tried to fight it telling myself that dresses are too hard of a market, but I can't deny that it's where my natural talent lies. So intead of working against it, I will find a way to work with it. If there are no events that warrant someone to wear my dresses, then I will create an event. No longer will I tell myself no when I haven't fully exhausted all other options.

I feel like I did when I was younger. Letting my imagination run wild and not setting limits has opened up the floodgates of creativity for me and the sheer excitement alone is enough to have me floating on a cloud. The thought of being able to draw and sew has made the days more joyful than they already were. My sons love to watch as I take a blank piece of paper and add life to it. I love to see their eyes sparkle with admiration to see their Mother doing something that she loves. It's an indescribable feeling.

In order to attract what I want, I now think it, believe it, expect it and imagine it as often as I want and need to. Imagine that!

Sincerely,

Ebony
(Conquering the world, one stylish step at a time)