Thursday Thoughts: Almost There

When I am working and in a creative flow, I'm often listening to my Disney Pandora station. Yep, I could listen to Disney-type music all day, every day. One song that has been playing frequently is "Almost There" from The Princess and the Frog. I LOVE the message from this song. It's all about a young entrepreneur with a big dream and how she knows that she needs to work hard to make it happen. What a great message for young kids! One line from this song has been reverberating in my head like a mantra: I believe in modern-day fairytales and that everyone can have a happy ending (although the definition will vary greatly from person to person). This song lyric reminds me that owning my own business is my fairytale, but I have to put in the hard work to make it happen. No one else is going to make it happen for me. If I want to find new people to create something for, I need to go out and find them.

I am finally in the stage of my business start-up where I'm starting to see the effects of the hard work I put in throughout this year. Not only am I a better designer, but people know what I do and think of me when they think "I need stationery" or "I need a new logo". That is a BIG DEAL for me! But after doing a little happy dance after I get off the phone, I remember the hard work has to continue so I can cultivate the rewards of today 6 months from now.

So there is your inspiration for the day, now go out there and make your fairytales a reality!

Thursday Thought: Halloween is nearly here!

Halloween is nearly here! As we make the final preparations to our costumes before heading out trick-or-treating, I thought it was only appropriate to dedicate this week's Thursday Thoughts post to my favorite Halloween movie. Not only is it a Disney classic, Hocus Pocus has remained a must-watch every Halloween, even 10 years later. The Sanderson Sisters are hilarious to watch for everyone young and old (SJP pre-Sex & the City!!!). One of my favorite quotes from the movie is by the head witch (played by the one and only Bette Midler) for all those night owls out there... Happy Halloween everyone!! What are you must-watch Halloween movies? Share in the comments below!

Photo taken during my trip to Newport, Rhode Island during the month of October.

Thursday Thoughts: October is here!

Can you believe it?? October is here! The real beginning of my FAVORITE time of year. No joke. I live for pumpkin picking, cider making, costume designing, turkey cooking, family gathering, merriment making... you get the idea. I look forward to these three months ALL YEAR LONG. The sad horrible part is... I can't decorate! Currently my house is filled with packed & half packed boxes, so it would be silly to get out our holiday decorations, let alone go pumpkin picking. I can't wait to get down to California so I can put up my burlap & glitter leaves wreath and officially announce that FALL IS HERE!

Have you seen the spooky new additions to the Etsy shop? Chloe (above) is the star of the new Halloween card that you can instantly download to mail this season. Hosting a Halloween bash? There's a new scary invitation perfect for a holiday party.

How do you celebrate the arrival of fall in your house? Share in the comments below!

Thursday Thought: On Courage

It's no secret I love Disneyland. Really all things Disney. But one of the reasons I love the world of Disney so much is that it all started with a dream. An ambitious entrepreneur who put everything on the line to make it happen. His motivation and dedication is something we can all learn from. One of his quotes that has been resonating with me a lot recently relates to courage. It's so easy to second-guess ourselves. Sometimes I avoid even starting a project for fear of rejection. How silly is that?? I've had moments where I wondered if following this "dream" was really the right decision. But I've come to realize, it's something that many people battle. With Walt as my model, I've dug deep to keep following my dream. And through that struggle I've found a renewed sense of faith that this is truly what I am meant to me doing.

One more thought to leave you with on this subject:

What if it doesn't work out? Ah, but what if it does.

- Peter McWilliams

Thanks for joining Thursday Thought! What gives you the courage to follow your dreams?

Thursday Thought: On Motivation

To keep all of you (and myself) motivated to stay strong through the end of the week, I bring you Thursday Thoughts! Inspiring quotes are so important to stay focused and keep perspective. Today's thought is focused on motivation, specifically confidence. Being honest here: launching a career in a field with little work-related experience is terrifying. The biggest barrier I face everyday is myself, and believing that I can do this.

So for all of you hitting a road block this week, remember half the battle is believing in yourself. Never underestimate the power of positive thinking!

How do you stay motivated when you feel faced with an obstacle?