My Creative Goals For This Year

How are we already in March?! It seems like the older we become, the more time flies. While I didn’t set New Year resolutions for 2021, I have since identified some goals I would like to accomplish in my professional and personal life. The fact that I’m turning 40 come December adds motivation, if not urgency to achieving some of these things. I want to greet my 40th year feeling like I am setting a solid foundation for fully living in purpose and prosperity during the next decade. Although I have sometimes carried the pressure of what other people think I should do with my life, with forty’s approach, I feel more at liberty to embrace my dreams and to act on them. This relates to growing wealth through creative entrepreneurship in all the ways that resonate with me. Today’s post outlines a few of the goals connected to my interests.

Improve My Photography

One consequence of the Pandemic has been the need to pivot. For the past several years, I relied extensively on hiring photographers for the images of me published on the blog. Mind you, I did take a lot of photos including some of myself but I didn’t feel comfortable doing so especially in certain scenarios like when travelling. Late last year I finally replaced my damaged Canon, bought a few new tripods and vowed to level up my self portrait skills. So far I have kept this promise. Most of the photos I have shared on the blog and on social media this year I have shot. I still need a lot more practice to execute the quality and variety of photos I want but I am proud of myself for maintaining the commitment. Even though it’s a great money making skill to possess I don’t presently have any desire to take on the job of photographing others (apart from for my use) . I am focused more on feeling self sufficient and adept in taking photos of myself in different environments.

Learn New Social Media Skills

Creating content for a blog alone is a very time consuming and involved process. Then there are IG and all the social media platforms. I enjoy working on posts for this blog but I don’t enjoy spending as much time on Instagram etc. This may not be the experience of other bloggers but I find social media overwhelming, even more so now when it seems like one perpetually has to adapt to changing algorithms and elements. Since deciding to approach blogging as a career, I have been evaluating how I can approach social media with a new outlook that reduces the anxiety I tend to feel. I have to figure out ways to learn new skills and engage more while not feeling drained. In addition to publishing blog posts more consistently and frequently this year, I intend to launch a YouTube channel and become comfortable producing IG reels on a regular basis.

Have My Writing Published More Widely

From penning stories and poems as a child to working for a Caribbean-American newspaper while in university, writing has long been a creative outlet for me. This blog started primarily as a platform to share my writing and I am thankful that it still serves that purpose. Nonetheless, a longing to write articles for major publications and to author books has persists. I have started a children’s book and put it aside even though it’s close to completion (that pesky perfectionism again. I have contributed articles to a couple of magazines but let the disappointment of rejection discourage me from continuing to pitch new ones. For 2021, I intend to let my renewed commitment to writing and a detachment from rejection open opportunities to have my written work shared with more people.

Launch My Online Store

Owning a store selling my designs as well as curated pieces has been on my agenda for ages. I took several strides towards launching my e-commerce site last year but I did not follow through with it (partially due to dealing with family challenges but also due to a fear of failing). I am throwing away all self limiting beliefs that have prevented me from realising this dream. No more excuses! I am done with allowing overthinking and perfectionism to defer something that’s important to me. Jump high or jump low, by the end of April the Ancestral Memory online boutique will be live. I have to start where I am with what I have. Confidence and lessons will grow from there.

Connect With A Carnival Band To Design A Section

This dream is related to the boutique one but separate. Ultimately, I want to own a Carnival masquerade company - you know one of those that provide the gorgeous costumes for Trinidad & Tobago’s famous festival. It’s a huge undertaking and requires a network of connections. After years of being very impractical, I have accepted that it will be easier for me to wet my feet by designing one section for an already established mas band. Of course there’s no telling when the next Trini Carnival will be, even though we are hoping it will be next year. One thing I know is that this year I will be positioning myself to design for one of the bands I admire. I believe that launching my online store will give me both the confidence and something tangible with which to approach the Carnival company whose team I want to join.

Build An Interior Decorating/Styling Portfolio

This is the final major creative goal I have for this year. Interior decorating/styling has been a hobby of mine for a while now. My style has certainly evolved since putting together my previous apartments to now decorating my house. Becoming clearer about who I am and what I like has bolstered my confidence in making a space that not only looks good but feels good. While I realise that devouring interior design magazines doesn’t make me an interior designer, (there is a considerable amount of training that goes into that title), I do have a knack for creating beautiful, luxurious looking spaces on a budget. My friends are keen on telling me so and encouraging me to provide my services to others. Starting with my home, I will be taking on interior decorating or styling projects and building a portfolio with them. Look out for room tours here on the blog, on IG and YouTube ;)

You may have realised that my creative goals span diverse areas. Over the years, I have come to terms with the fact that expressing myself in various ways is just who I am. In fact, it’s an affliction that runs in my family. Lol. I would even say that many creative people are similar in this manner. I used to internalise some of the stigma attached to this trait. The saying “ jack of all trades, master of none” is one of the negative sayings I thought reflected what a person who wore various artistic hats was destined to be. I have rejected this misconception. I now know that what matters is having a plan, even a loose one, to guide me in nurturing a fulfilling and financially abundant life as a creative entrepreneur. Here’s to execution!

Do you have any creative goals for yourself?