2020: New things I tried

We often make goals to “try new things” or “be more spontaneous” but then do neither. Last year I kept a list of all the new things I tried to see how much I’m trying/learning/growing/etc. Considering the year was weird thanks to covid, I’m quite proud of myself for the things I tried!

Here are some of the new things I got around to:

(Business: this was the year to “pivot” and try new things! Covid changed the way a lot of people do business and I enjoyed exploring new ways to grow mine.)

Joined a few different networking groups (I was able to keep this up all year and it was a great source of motivation and accountability)

Started incorporating videos of myself in my instagram stories (I read an article that talked about how we are overloaded with images whereas videos make us pause because it’s a break in the overload)

Did a virtual interview with Michele Mateus Photography (see her website here).

Held my first instagram sale

Participated as an artist in the New West Cultural Crawl (October)

(Personal)

Started yoga (In January, I bought a yoga pass to work on strength and flexibility. Only used it until March but worth it!)

Tried a new fitness class (Orange Theory - this happened in January and I loved it! This is my usual style of workout)

Tried a float tank (After Orange Theory I tried a float tank. This was weird but also relaxing. I can see why people love it)

Bought a yellow sweater (I NEVER wear yellow but I was influenced by Jen Pistor - see her blog here)

What about you? Is there anything new you got around to trying in 2020? Is there anything new you’d like to try in 2021?

New word for 2020: Discipline

As I hopped into bed last night, I thought about my word for 2020: streamline. I chose that word because "I knew that my focus for the new year had to be quality over quantity. To take on less projects but ones with more value that really speak to me. To find more efficient ways to get things done faster while still being true to my standards."

Then covid19 hit and all my plans were cancelled or postponed! Talk about the universe giving me what I wanted: you want less projects? HERE YOU GO!

I am bummed that my events have been postponed  but I also realize that it was actually a good thing. I was ready for a few projects but also a little overwhelmed.

Anyways, we're going on a month at home and it occurred to me that my discipline sucks. I'm not being harsh on myself, I'm all for giving myself grace. But I think maybe I give myself too much grace. I will literally stop what I am doing to go nap because I'm just too tired (I'm never tired enough that I can't finish writing an email...common girl).

Last night I played a game on my phone for three hours and I didn't even notice the three hours had passed. The day before I did the same. Now don't get me wrong, the game was fun and brought me joy. But when I was done playing, I also thought, I could have played the game, read, and worked on a personal project that would have filled my soul and made me happier than this game.

So last night while I was loathing myself for going to bed so late because I was addicted to a video game, it dawned on me that I really aught to change my word for 2020 to DISCIPLINE. It's like we're in a wrinkle in time where the universe is giving us all the time we want to get those projects we've always wanted to get done and somehow we're not doing them. I have been doing a lot to be honest. I have a million projects on the go. But the things I dream about the most are the ones I have been skirting around because they require me to dig deep and it's much more satisfying to tick the easier back-burner jobs and goals off my list.

Today I woke up rejuvinated and on a mission to not waste this precious time. I can't change the situation we're all in and stressing about it isn't going to get me anywhere. Might as well put my energy into finding the discipline I need to get successfully get things done!

How are you coping with your new covid19 normal?

Obstacles are detours in the right direction

One month ago I was writing about how excited I was for how this year was shaping up. As of today, almost every single one of those plans has fall apart. We live in uncertain times, things are changing from day to day.

I am bummed that some of the events I signed up have been cancelled but in the grand scheme of things, it'll be fine for me. There are a lot of people who can't put food on the table because those events have been cancelled. My heart is bleeding for so many people right now.

I'm trying to be positive and think "obstacles are detours in the right direction". Maybe those events weren't meant to be. Maybe when they're rescheduled they will be even better than before! Maybe the universe is asking me to focus on other areas of my business that I haven't been focusing on before I make the time for these events.

Whats happening in the world is definitely forcing businesses to rethink how they function and how they do business. It's forcing the world to wake up. The catalyst for change is usually something big and scary. These are scary times we're in and I we will come out of it stronger. Just remember to have courage and be kind. Help those in need. Help your community. The only way we're all going to get through this is by being a community of caring people.

Stay safe friends!

Word for 2020: Streamline

Last year I did a lot. My word for 2019 was ENERGY. The thing with energy is that the more you do, the more energy you have. Which can be great! But sometimes, when you're super motivated and energized, you commit to more than you probably should. Or at least I do. I learned a lot because of everything I took on last year, but I also found myself burning out after intense bouts of work.

I didn't really have to think much about my word for 2020: the word just naturally popped into my head as soon as I started thinking about my 2020 goals. I knew that my focus for the new year had to be quality over quantity. To take on less projects but ones with more value that really speak to me. To find more efficient ways to get things done faster while still being true to my standards.

I'm really looking forward to 2020! How about you? What's your word for 2020?

30 DAY INSTAGRAM CHALLENGE

During September, I challenged myself to post to instagram everyday and create one story a week. I wanted to try something different and learn a few new things. In an age of social media where people post daily, this might sound like an easy task. However, it’s not! As an entrepreneur, I wear many hats which means I don’t get to dedicate all my time to making jewellery. As such, it’s essential I manage how much time I spend on non-jewellery-making tasks (such as social media).

I did a lot of research and got some great advice before and during the challenge. I want to share what I learned through this experience in case anyone else finds it useful!

Here’s what I learned:

  • Less is more. A posting challenge doesn’t have to be 30 days to be successful. In fact, starting with a shorter challenge might be best. Jenna Kutcher from The Goal Digger Podcast has a couple great podcasts on challenges (listen here and here).

  • Plan ahead. Life is busy and if you’re looking for something to post last minute, you probably won’t end up being true to your brand/style. As mentioned in the podcasts above, people lose interest quickly and if you aren’t posting things of value, you will lose people. I used Later.com to schedule posts.

  • Know your style. If you’re not sure what your style is or want to make some changes to improve on what you already have, check out what some of your favourite influencers are doing and play around with a couple of your photos. Later.com and thepreviewapp.com let you see what your feed will look like ahead of time which is essential if you have a certain style. For example, I like black and white with pops of minimal colour so I wanted to make sure this combination was balanced. Also, keep in mind that your brand/style isn’t just about the photos you post but also about the words you choose. IMPORTANT: you don’t want to end up with a feed that looks just like everyone else’s, so be inspired, but also keep your brand/style top of mind.

  • Find your tribe. Although I don’t have any metalsmith friends, I have a lot of entrepreneur friends who I’ve had great business strategy chats with. I found my metalsmith tribe online (especially at the Metalsmith Society - check our their instagram here). If someone gives you a good idea, mention them! If you find a cool resource, share it! Let’s support each other!

  • Hashtags. Some people hate them so much that they just don’t use them. I will admit that they aren’t my favourite thing, but they are essential. After you’ve found your tribe, see what kinds of hashtags they’re using and start using any new hashtags that apply to your business. Some people may only ever see your posts if they follow one of the hashtags that you use. If you don’t use hashtags, only the people who follow you may see your posts.

  • Stories are important. Apparently some people only look at stories instead of scrolling through feeds. Stories are the place where I started posting things that don’t “match” the style of my feed and even then, I still aim for a certain look when possible. There’s a ton of things you can do with stories and I’ve barely scratched the surface with my story attempts. It takes time to make a story that doesn’t look super amateur, and even when you think you’ve gotten the hang of stories so they don’t look “amateur”, you may still screw up! Which brings me to my last point…

  • Relax. The point of a challenge is to have fun and learn. The only way to learn is by trial and error. So who cares if you make a couple mistakes (that most people won’t even notice)!