New Journal Pages

Still doing that thing.

Today's it's a whole bunch of new journal pages.  Actually, it's two new journal pages, but it takes me so long to put them together these days that it feels like a whole bunch.

The first is our January journal page, the links to which will follow after a short, yet riveting, introduction complete with photos.

This time around, it was all about the quotes.

It is always true for me that once I start to talk about the things that feel impossible, they no longer feel quite that way.  Once I name my obstacles and give them a description, I can start to formulate a plan.  Which is how I am trying to view goals for this blog and my little shop.  They are not impossible.  (They only feel that way sometimes.  Until I talk them out with an unsuspecting friend or relative until the wee hours of the morning.  And then I feel better.  And I'm sure they do, too.)

Anyhoo, the entire page looks a whole lot like this:

and you'll find it here (border-free) and here (borderful and colour-free) and here (borderful and colourful).

As for the second page, it looks a little something like this:

This page is for sale in my shop and it, too, contains a quote that I adore,

Say what you know, do what you must, come what may.  ~ Sofia Kovalevskaya

This one strikes me as a rallying cry of sorts.  It gives me a sweet shot of courage to continue forward and boldly face the future.

I hope it does the same for you!

hugs,
Christie

Do that thing -- Progress report

Last week I wrote a post about my grand plan to do that thing.  It was almost a post devoted to the notion of thinking big and taking a leap, until I realized that I didn't have a whole lot of room in my life for leaps.  Instead, I reasoned that doing that thing wasn't so far removed from taking a leap, but with a little more flexibility and (hopefully) a sense of humour.  For me, doing that thing is growing Grace is Overrated, a goal which will have to find its home in between all of the other, mostly non-negotiable, things jostling for my time and attention. 

I mentioned that I'd like to write about my progress as I do that thing, and that I was hoping you'd join in by sharing your progress with some of things you've decided to do this year . . . you know, in between all of the other things you're already doing.

Continuing the conversation

Then, the day after that post, a lovely coincidence presented itself:  Blogger updated its blogs to allow threaded commenting.  Which was the grooviest of coincidences because one of the prongs in my three-pronged plan to do a better job here at the blog was to improve communication.  And now I can reply directly to your comments.  Woohoo!  Not that I couldn't reply before, but it was cumbersome and the replies had to be written as new comments and I tended to shy away until it was too late.

It is perhaps a small change in the scheme of things, but it has me feeling quite optimistic about being able to stay in touch.  It's a bit of a risk because I go through periods in which I really struggle with communication, but my ultimate goal is to reply to as many comments as possible.  I would like you to feel that if you comment here, you will be heard.  So far, I've managed to keep it up for exactly one post, the first in this series.  But that is a good start.

Focusing on the present

And on the subject of starts, which I've been Googling lately, I found one article that has really stayed with me.  It was written by Leo Babauta of Zen Habits and boils down to his four line algorithm for change.  It's a plan that is absolutely reasonable and doable and no doubt very effective when followed conscientiously.  He wisely suggests starting small, changing only one thing at a time, being present and enjoying each activity, and being grateful for each step taken.

These are all things that I try to work on in alternate spurts from day to day.  But, by far, the most sneakily challenging step is the third one, being present in each activity.  It sounds so easy, doesn't it?  So rational, even a relief to have only one task on which to focus.  Yet, in my experience, it requires steel-willed discipline to remain present, to filter out the distractions or, worse yet, the foreboding sense that I should be doing something else, something better, something more productive instead.

So today, as I work on new journal pages for the blog and the shop, I'm wondering, when you're doing that thing, how do you stay focused on the job at hand?  What are your tips and tricks for keeping doubts and distractions at bay?  And on a happier note, what is that thing that you're doing and how's it going so far?

hugs,
Christie

Do that thing

The original title of this post was Take The Leap.  I had a plan, you see, and it involved thinking big, for once, and taking a momentous leap.

I thought about it at great length and wrote draft posts about it and researched it and then, a few days ago, decided it wasn't for me. 

Which was a huge relief.  Because the one thing I couldn't figure out while planning and scheming was how to clear enough space in my life to take a big leap without crashing headlong into my other longstanding, and quite precious, commitments.

So I decided on a different title for this post instead.

Do that thing

Yep, do that thing.

You know that thing you've been meaning to do?  Or have always wanted to do?  Or are already doing, but haven't quite finished yet?  That's the thing I mean.  It's the thing that's at or near the top of your list; you think about it when you're in traffic, or in line at the grocery store, or just drifting off after a really long day.  It's the thing that you're totally going to get to someday, when the time is right, which just might be today, but if that's the case then it'll have to be really quick or divvied up into smaller, more manageable piles.  But you're going to do it, nonetheless.

I like to think that do that thing has a sense of humour.  It doesn't get bent out of shape when plans have to be put on hold for a sick child or a friend in need.  It fully embraces the same active, forward moving momentum of a leap, but it doesn't leave you hanging in mid-air when things don't go as anticipated.  In short, it feels possible, achievable. 

The new plan

For me, doing that thing means growing Grace is Overrated.

I know what I need to do, but I'm faced with a restrictive time budget, as we all are, so I'd like to take a more deliberate approach than I've taken in the past.  For me, this will involve writing about the process because I think it will give me a sense of focus.  I've made a little badge that I'll put up on the sidebar with a link to all of my do that thing posts.  It looks like this:

I'm hoping that you might like to get involved, too, and tell me about that thing that you're doing -- that one forward-moving, soul-satisfying, now-is-the-time thing -- in between all of the other not-entirely-negotiable things you're already doing.

Growing Grace is Overrated is what I'll be doing and it has three components:

1. That little project that's been in the works here for the past year and a half.  This is the year that I'll post journal page 52, a year's worth.  Except that I don't want it to end there and I don't think it will, but I'd like it to evolve.  And I think I know how.
2. The shop.  There are two new journal-related categories of items I'd like to introduce.  
3. Communication with you.  This is something I should be so much better at by now.  I have a plan for this aspect of the blog as well, which involves being more open, less self-conscious, and more conversational.  It starts with this post.

To sum up

What have we covered?  Hold off on big leaps for now, do that thing instead, grow the blog, keep the printable journal project alive and kicking, develop new items for the shop, communicate better.

It's still a lot, but I think I'm up for it -- not as a momentous leap, but as an evolving, one-thing-at-a-time, just-do-that-thing-already endeavour.  I'll keep you posted.

hugs,
Christie

Shop update - new journal page

It still feels so very brand new, adding a new item to my little shop.  Now there are two journal pages for sale there.

I've just added this new page in each of its usual variations.  It includes prompts about looking ahead and looking back, a to-do list with a loving touch, and the ever-present lightning round, which asks, among other things, snowflake or ray of sunshine?

There's also a new quote by Robert J. Flaherty that I absolutely adore . . .
  

There's a saying among prospectors:  'Go out looking for one thing, and that's all you'll ever find.'

Mr. Flaherty's dad was a prospector and so was he before becoming a filmmaker, so I guess he'd know!

Even though it's not quite how he might have meant it, I think I'll spend the rest of this holiday season looking for joy and happiness and I wish the same for you!

hugs,
Christie

A cover page -- finally

It feels like another piece of the puzzle.  Another step toward what these journal pages might become.  And I have you to thank -- you, who have emailed and commented, very sweetly suggesting that I get a move on already and make a cover page for goodness sake, like, how hard could it be?

Okay, so nobody worded it quite that way, but I often wondered myself, what was the hold up?  Why the creative block where the cover was concerned?  And now that it's done, I can say that I quite enjoyed the process and feel quite happy and grateful to have had your gentle nudges in the right direction.  The only thing left now is the usual trepidation when posting a new piece of the puzzle . . .

I really, really hope you like it.

As always, you'll find the usual variety of downloads here (border-free and colour-free) and here (borderful and colour-free) and here (borderful and colourful).

hugs,
Christie

P.S.  I also re-jigged the blog a little over the weekend.  If you have a sec, I'd love it if you'd stop by the home page and take a quick peek!

One new journal page, two announcements and one update, but not in that order

Announcement No. 1 (with rambling preamble)

One question I am asked on a fairly frequent basis is whether there is a cover page hidden somewhere among the increasingly long list of journal-related posts on this blog.  I usually answer the question depending on how optimistic I feel.  If I'm feeling particularly optimistic I might mention that a cover page is definitely on my to-do list (which it is) and that it's only a matter of time before I get around to producing one.  If I'm feeling overwhelmed by life in general (my default state) I write instead a sadly garbled paragraph in which I mention the to-do list, but then add that the chance of ever getting that far along said list is exceedingly remote.  I never say never, out and out, just varying degrees of no and never.

Then, a few weeks ago, I received another very sweet email on the topic and I must have been feeling exceptionally optimistic that day because I committed to producing a cover page.  In the near future.  Like, by next week or so.  Ever since, I have wondered how, on earth, it's going to come together, but come together it will.  Possibly by next week.  Fingers crossed.

The Update

Thank you so much for your comments and well wishes for my daughter's surgery.  With a huge sigh of relief, I'm pleased to report that the surgery went really well and that she is recovering beautifully.

The New Journal Page

Today's page looks at a few of the things on your to-do list that are no big deal and one thing that, actually, come to think of it, is kind of a big deal . . .

There is also a bit of room to think about beginnings and endings and ongoings . . .

This is what most of the page looks like, with a blurry backdrop of bucketing-down rain . . .

And you'll find today's page here (without a border) and here (with a border, but no colour) and here (with a border and a splash of lovely colour).

Good.

Now on to that final announcement.

Announcement No. 2

Announcement No. 2 is actually a link.

To my new Etsy shop.

Yep.

I did it.

And now I must exhale.

There's even a new shop banner and everything!

And things for sale.  There are also things for sale.  Well, there's only that one thing for sale right now, but if you know me at all, you know that I could perhaps best be described as tentative.

Here is a photo of my first page for sale:

And here is how I envision it working:

As I have said before, I have no plans to stop posting free printable journal pages here at Grace is Overrated.  I'd like to post them at the rate of about one per month, with about being the operative word here.  Sometimes more than once per month, sometimes less.  I'd also like to take a run at selling my work, tentatively.  So what I plan to do is post free pages here and add supplementary pages over at the shop.  I also have future plans to expand beyond single journal pages, but progress, while encouraging, is slow.

The pages for sale at the shop won't be posted here as free pages.  So, if you'd like the opportunity to add extra pages to your collection, then consider stopping by the shop, but if you'd rather just hang out with me here at the blog, that works too!

For today, I'm posting one page here and one there.  I hope you'll take a look at both!

hugs,
Christie

A quick update

Tomorrow is a big day around these parts.  Our nine year old is having surgery.  It's fairly minor, but will nonetheless require several days' hospitalization.  Unfortunately, our local hospital does not perform the type of surgery that she needs, so we'll be headed to a larger city, which complicates our plans.  I had hoped to have a journal page posted by now, but it just hasn't come together and time is not on my side this week.  As soon as we move beyond this hurdle, I'll be keen to get back here and post a new page.

Before I go, I just want to thank you guys, so much, for reading along during the last four posts.  Your comments, as always, touched my heart and made me feel that writing about the experience was a good thing.  How to express myself here is still very much a work in progress and I am forever grateful for your support and kind words.

I'll be back soon.

Hugs,
Christie