Creating my way to Success

If you're a regular reader of my blog - you will know that I am always trying to grow and develop it and my ultimate goal ( success for me) would be to have this blog as my 'job' or 'business' - something that would provide an income for me so that I can continue to do what I enjoy and make a living from it.

My attitude is that lots of other people have made their blogs their business - so why can't I?

A few weeks ago, I came up with a plan to commit to time and effort consistently and persistently on my blog.  I launched myself into it, wrote lists and ideas, then once I'd got everything out of my head and down onto paper, I stopped, stepped back and realised that I still hadn't got there with a plan that was going to work.

You know that feeling when you know something isn't quite right, but you just don't know the answer yet - but it's hovering around just out of your reach?

Well - I eventually reached something and have decided on a way to refocus.

I've been inspired by other Bloggers - for example Danielle over at Blissful and Domestic who last year really settled into her 'niche' on her blog. I watched as the theme of her blog became clearer and more defined, and as it did so, her blog grew.  It's been inspiring to watch this progress in Danielle's blog.

So returning to my own blog - I've looked closely at defining 'what' my blog is about.

Sewing - is my craft and is what I show and tell on my blog - with lots of tutorials, which make use of my training as a teacher too.  However - I don't want my blog to be just a sewing blog.

Yes I do have an (ever growing) knowledge and skill with sewing, but the important part of that to me is to encourage others to give it a go too; to show that Anyone Can Sew.  I am a teacher, and to help others to learn and grow is what I really do enjoy.  

I looked at my blog title:

Creating my way to Success

And decided to break down my blog into areas defined by this title.

Creating - This is what I am all about - getting creative, with not just my craft of sewing, but with other crafts and indeed with my whole outlook on life - exploring creativity and finding my own way - indeed 'creating' my own business and job!

My Way - this part refers to my own creative outlet - mainly sewing. In the form of tutorials, clothes upcycling and also new crafts I'm learning - like crochet and quilting.

To Success - the building of all of this into a business, and form of income. Motivation and Inspiration being the foundation on which to build.

So having defined what my blog is - I've then looked at my posts and tried to keep a balance of these three subjects. So my overall plan turned out like this:

Monday – Round Tuit linky party– a chance for everyone to show off their creativity - I always get plenty of inspiration from this each week.

Tuesday – My tutorials, and my own creations

Wednesday – Exploring Creativity - sharing some creative things and ideas that I find that inspire and amaze me.

Thursday – My Creative Space – What I’m up to creatively - linking up and visiting others too

Friday – Success stories, my own learning

Saturday – Clothes Upcycling 

Sunday – Weekly motivation

I've started out this week, following this plan.

As I've said before - I believe that

Consistency and Persistence

are the key to success.

So putting this plan out here for all to see is my way of keeping myself accountable.

I really do believe that it's possible to create your own niche in the world - doing what you WANT to do. One of my favourite quotes is:

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the 

world; the unreasonable one persists in trying 

to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all

 progress depends on the unreasonable 

man." 

 George Bernard Shaw

I want to be that unreasonable person that adapts my world to me. I want to show my kids that they should dream big and that they can achieve anything if they put their minds to it.

I want to finish this post with a poem that my Mum showed me recently and I just LOVE it!

Believe in yourself and don't let anyone tell you you can't!

It Couldn’t Be Done by Edgar Albert Guest

Somebody said that it couldn’t be done,

    But, he with a chuckle replied

That "maybe it couldn’t," but he would be one

    Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.

So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin

    On his face. If he worried he hid it.

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

    That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you’ll never do that;

    At least no one has done it";

But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,

    And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.

With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,

    Without any doubting or quiddit,

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

    That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,

    There are thousands to prophesy failure;

There are thousands to point out to you one by one,

    The dangers that wait to assail you.

But just buckle it in with a bit of a grin,

    Just take off your coat and go to it;

Just start to sing as you tackle the thing

    That "couldn’t be done," and you’ll do it.