Having a Clear Direction for the New Year

Hopefully you've been enjoying your holiday season and hopefully it's been Flu-Free! I don't know if I have the flu, but I did catch a Christmas Cold. Be that as it may, I've been taking some quiet time to reflect on the past year, refresh some of my online presence and do a little catch-up reading from one of my favorite motivational writers: Ralph Marston. I very much enjoy reading his Daily Motivator, and through the years, I've collected quite a few of his inspiring quotes. Some of his quotes and passages have inspired me through some challenging times. With the start of a new year - full of hope and promise ahead, and also filled with a list of all the goals plus resolutions you expect to achieve, I thought this Ralph Marston passage in particular could help you in the new year with a different approach...

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Ralph writes:

You have great plans, and yet life is always getting in the way. You intensely wish to move forward, but all sorts of things seem to constantly interrupt and impede that movement.

But do those unexpected and unwelcome interruptions really have to hold you back? The fact is, you don't have to let them.

Sure, you must regularly deal with the urgent, pressing matters that come your way. But that doesn't mean those unwelcome interruptions have to take over your life.

Instead of seeing those interruptions as negative, distracting influences, you can just as realistically choose to see them as positive, empowering opportunities. Just because they weren't in your plans doesn't mean they have to upset your plans.

Decide that there's something positive to be found, and you'll find something positive in anything. Decide that the interruptions won't really interrupt you, but will in fact provide you with additional ways to move forward, and that's exactly what will happen.

Learn to welcome, embrace and empower yourself with the unexpected interruptions. They're always going to come, so make the choice to make them work in your favor. - Ralph Marston

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Clear Direction for the Year Ahead...

Decide where you will go, and then go there. When you live by intention, there is no limit to the rich rewards that life can bring.

To get somewhere, you must first know precisely where that is. To achieve, you must zero in on the specific details of your intended achievement.

Whether it is for an hour, a day, a month, five years or five decades, clear and purposeful direction makes a profound difference. The highest level of fulfillment comes to those who can envision precisely what that fulfillment looks like.

Yes, it's difficult to hone your scattered ideas and desires into a positive, coherent direction. Yet you most certainly can do it, and each time you do the results will be amazing.

Give yourself a clear direction for this day, for this week, for this beautiful and unique life of yours. Give yourself a clear direction and you'll have a workable path to your own special greatness.

In whatever you're doing, choose a direction that will express your highest, most treasured values. Give yourself a direction, and give your very best gifts to life.

Another fave quote...

Best Wishes to you and your family for a happy, healthy and safe new year!

I'll be sharing my 2013 Rewind shortly - Thank you for stopping by and being a part of Focal Point Styling!

DIY MAGNET QUOTE BOARDS & DOORS

Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend!! I'm still trying to balance time to blog with managing projects for homeowners and even some projects around here. One of those projects I did around here last week was in one afternoon: Repainting the moldings (in common areas), repainting the stairway rails & uprights and repainting six doors white. It all was a domino of a project I had started earlier the same day - making a magnet quote board. Although it started with just the board itself, I thought (since the paint & roller were already out) why not try the office closet doors. The board itself came from wanting to use up the blank canvases I have in the garage, and also wanting a place to see the motivational quotes I've been collecting over the years.

I had the canvas, the drop cloth and even the spray glue (left over from the headboard project). All I needed was some cork. I found a rolled cork at Office Depot for only $14, which for the end result size I'm getting, is less than buying a framed cork board (seen at $44)

Although the cork roll fit just right, there was a little excess I did need to trim off.

After covering the canvas with cork, I had put it up in the office, but HATED the color. I was going to have painted it black, but thought this would be a great time to try the magnet paint I had...

eek!! Needs a little something....

And this is the space I look at mostly when I'm sitting at the desk.

Boring focal point for me without something there... lol

Supplies needed.

I gave it three coats. In between the drying time, is when I went upstairs with the tray and roller, to try the magnet paint on the closet doors...

Another space I glance at while sitting at the desk...

Inspired by the "Sephora" bag, it looks more graphic and appealing. It's now a functional space too.

Those motivational quote magnets are about $5, so I made my own of all my faves. Just Google them, and right click image to save. Print onto card stock or photo paper and simply use business card sized adhesive magnets, cut to size and stick into place. You can also take them a step further and mount these quotes to foam board, cut with an Xacto blade and attach magnets to backs...

I had used only a few of these with my cards, so this was a great way to

repurpose these adhesive magnets.

I'd like to have done an inspiration board, filled with magazine clippings, but that type of paper curls too easy in the Florida humidity. And I'm really liking the reinforcement the messages give. I also mixed in some cards and images I've collected. Since the board has cork, it has that flexibility to use either magnets or push pins...

I have old style silver thumbtacks to add to the perimeter,

which should make it look like it's studded...

And the doors are flexible too.

To quote or not to quote it becomes the question...

The doors can even be used as a space to view sample images of client spaces I'm working on... vs. trying to work from a board on the floor, because than Sephora likes to walk all over it =)

Yes - even though I use olioboard, I still get a feel for creating a space doing a sample board, especially when the space is empty and needs to be filled with almost everything.

A photo slicer helped ensure the edges were crisp & straight.

Amazing what you can do with black (and white) paint in afternoon!

I'd like to change out the desk, but no can do right now ($$$) - simple paint projects were a great way to give the space a simple (and functional) update.

Thanks for stopping by!



EASY TO MAKE FRIENDSHIP QUOTE WREATH

Hope everyone enjoyed a project filled weekend! If you've got time for one more, here's one to try: an easy to make friendship quote wreath. To help update the look of my moms holiday decor last year, I repurposed two grapevine wreaths I had. If you don't already have grapevine wreaths, they can be found while thrifting or picked up at a craft store like Micheal's. By simply spraying the wreaths white, it refreshed their look to make some simple winter wreaths for my mom's town home. To add a little subtle shine, I also added a few frosted branch picks that can also be picked up at the craft store. If red is in your decor for the holidays - mini berry picks can also be added. These wreaths really helped to dress up the front & back door of my moms town home, but I hung them both on the inside using removable Command Performance hooks. 

Since my mom loves her friends, and also loves friendship quotes, I personalized the wreaths with some friendship quotes I thought she might like. I found the quotes online (google searched "friendship quotes"), retyped the ones I liked in some simple fonts, and printed them (more column style) on white card stock - but any craft paper could work.



I kept it simple, but you can also easily hot glue clusters of glass ornaments or pine cones in every other space. After using a hole punch at the top of the cards, I had attached them with wire (because that is what I had on-hand), but it could look even more charming with ribbon. The card stock is sturdy enough to form curves and follow the circle of the wreath.

My mom and her guests enjoy seeing the quotes when visiting during the holiday season. Since these are "non- Christmas specific", they can stay up all winter long - or add shells to them and stretch their display out through spring & summer.

Over the weekend, I had worked on a simple centerpiece I created for a holiday dinner party for 25 guests. I'll be sharing those pics and some DIY info on them tomorrow.

My Centerpiece Prep & Planning

Colin Cowie Style & Inspiration

Have a GREAT week!

LINKING THIS POST TO

Under The Table & Dreaming - Sunday Showcase

The DIY Showoff - Project Parade



Keeping The FOCUS

Today was a different kind of FOCUS. Today was the day to take myself to Work Force One for a job assisatance appointment. I didn't know what to expect, although I imagined long lines. That was not the case. Ironically, no parking was to be had in their lot, so I had to park at the CHURCH lot next door...

(hmmm... no room at the INN?)

As I walked across the parking lot, seeing several people in sweats and hot pink nylon hoodies, smoking cigarettes and yappin' on their cell phones, I couldn't help but wonder, what jobs they had previously that put them here? My mind began to wonder on downer thoughts and I had to talk myself out of beating myself up. So I said, "Snap Outt-of Et", like Cher did in Moonstruck... I smiled with a friendly hello to a stranger... to which I got no reply, an evil eye, and turn of cheek.



That's OK.
That further fueled my ambition to tell myself, "I do not belong here."

The building had an open plan, large spaced area, with several low profile cubical walls. It also had SEVERAL computers lined against the wall for people to use for their job inquiries. And it had a small, but open waiting area, where a young blonde girl sat with her arms crossed in front of her. I had to wait a moment, so I engaged in a conversation with her... I asked her questions... she politely responded, but asked me none. She too lost her job just two months ago... but only had worked at her place, a financial institution, for two years.


And that's OK.

The representative I had the appointment with came to get me, and was a little (for lack of better words) cold (unfriendly?). I tried to break the ice to offer my hand for a shake, pleasantly smile, and asked her, "What's your name? I'm Lynda. Nice to meet you." We walked through the maze of chairs, tables, and cubicles to get to her office. Her name was Martyne.

A smile can be contagious... because that seemed to be all it took to break the ice.

We ended up having a really nice discussion and she got to be VERY helpful. Martyne asked what I thought was something I may have working against me and I replied school: because I didn't finish. I let her know I studied Interior Design at the Ai of Ft. Lauderdale, but was unable to complete the last year because of WORK. She let me know, if I were interested in trying to complete my schooling, she could help. It may not be to the level I attempted, but she can at least help with certification or AA at a local school on their list.

She let me know, since I have more of a non-traditional job, I would be better off starting my own company, and she could help. She was VERY impressed with my resume (because I included photos of my work down the left margin). It's not a resume she typically sees in the unemployment pool these days. She gave me her number to call her at her extension and she would add me to the confirmed  schooling list WITHOUT having to go through a three hour orientation. 

After we talked, she asked her questions, and I filled out some paperwork, she not only said, "You've been doing everything you can" (LinkedIN profile, LinkedIn Groups, searching through Monster, CareerBuilder, TheLadders, and HotJobs... I've even Googled positions to see what pops up, I'm on Facebook, I'm on Twitter, and I'm even blogging, so I've established an internet presence". I've even expanded my creative abilities to write for examiner.com for the Home & Living section. She said, "you're so creative, you will find something great, but it will just be needing to look in ways and places out of the box.

I let her know my next move was to create a visual executive resume through VisualCV.com. And I'd also like to start a website on intuit to showcase a portfolio of my work. She suggested then adding that link to my resume. She also suggested a way to start-up a company of my own may be to make flyers for the neighborhood, host a presentation IN my home: OF my home, and let people know I could do this for them.

New hope and inspiration to FOCUS on next...

I received some more recomendation letters and notes this week...

It helps to keep the focus.

Hope you all had a wonderful day...