Every new year starts that new season of challenges, goals and to do lists. Well as you can see, my to-do slash bucket list is so long that even my “new years resolution post” and my “year in review” post is sluggishly awaiting my attention at the bottom of my  chalk board. I’m one of THOSE people. Not a procrastinator, but an over achieving goal setting, dreamer with WAY too many hobbies, way too many things I want to do in my life time. A dreamer for sure. But I’ve also always wanted to be the girl who was and is know for actually being a do-er. I’m the one with a problem with saying “no.” But I love it all.

On my trip home from Breckenridge with my lovely driving honey, my mind started to explode of ideas and enthusiasm. Probably driving Philip crazy. But hay, it’s what happens at night. My creative flow just unleashes. With that said, here are a few of MY 2013 goals:

BUSINESS LIFE:

• NO MORE DVDS. Switch from DVDs to jump drives for easy sharing and printing for my clients. CD/DVD are so slow anymore and aren’t as reliable. Having your images on a USB will be much quicker to access and more up to date with technology. It’s also nice to have that tangible gift. Also, I want to integrate a program called PASS into my clients experience. It is a pretty neat online transferring system that allows you to easily share all your images with friends and family whether it be through email, Facebook, sending the link to vendors for easy downloads and more. I’m SUPER excited for this. More details to come soon.
• PERSONAL PROJECTS. To get out, be forced to think differently, step away from the computer  and do something for “me.” Let’s face it, we all need to take time out for ourselves to keep us alive and fresh and excited to keep on keepin’ on. Ill be excited to share my 365 day project called “PROJECT LIFE” with you soon.
• BALANCE LIFE + WORK. Maintain a more consistent work schedule to allow my clients to see me more as a high end and successful studio and in turn will allow me to balance better, my business and personal life.
• CLIENT GOODIES. Finish my project of creating a welcoming box/bag for clients who book a wedding or session with me and also a gift bag for my clients who are pregnant with their first little one (and second and third….) {smiles}  More goodies + more spoiling=more excitement and tangible things to cherish that were branded specifically by me, specifically for you.
• TRAVEL MORE/WORK LOCATIONS. My ultimate goal in life is to travel the world, see thousands of places and make money while I’m doing it. There’s nothing better than traveling AND getting to shoot sessions and weddings in fresh new places while discovering more about cultures and places.
• AMAZING “stick to”  WORKFLOW.. I’ve had a system pretty well. But by mid busy season, it slowly disappears. I’ve created a “workflow” chart (similar to Photography Concentrates) for this year to help me stay on track and stay organized. More details about my workflow experience coming soon. (I used to use a million note pads with papers posted all over the place)
• BETTER BOOKKEEPING. Closing out my bookkeeping for that month at the END of that month so I’m not scrambling to do it all at the end of the year, in the hustle and bustle of the holidays.
• FINISH BRANDING. Finish my photography and Banana Who? Booth branding and to GET more personalized. To brand “me” perfectly and be done so I look the way I want, and shoot more of the style I want and can focus on just shooting for a while.
• EASY ORDERING SYSTEM. I’ve got a new program on my iPad that’s pretty intense. Its called “Shoot and Sell” ..It allows me to meet with clients in their homes and see “live” what their canvas or float wraps would look like on their OWN walls before printing. It will blow your mind. Stay tuned for my announcement of this awesome project.
• TEACH MORE. It’s about time. It’s taken me awhile, as the process of learning how to run a successful business (or two) while staying creative and innovative is a bit overwhelming at times. It’s time to spread the love and share as much of my story and experience so I can try to help as much as the people who were role models to me. And my heart has always longed to also be a teacher. So it gives me my “in” to feel like I’m doing a little bit of all I love.
• SHOOT MORE LIFESTYLE PORTRAITS. I love the flare of what children, families and seniors bring and ill be excited to push more for those this year. It’ll also help me get some of my weekends back.
• GIVE A WEDDING. I am the Art Director with local KC magazine EA Bride, and we’ve been wanting to push our program EA ANGELS, that gives a wedding to a couple in need. Ill be the head honcho getting this vision going this year and I am super thrilled to give someone their dream come true who really needs it.

PERSONAL LIFE:

• CREATE MORE. I used to draw often, paint a little and build anything with my hands. Metal, wood, mixed media… They’re all serious hobbies I adored but set aside awhile while learning all about getting my business going. I WILL create more.
• WORKOUT. Workout 5 days a week again. A year round athlete since the age if 5 and I have felt for the first time in my life these last couple of years, what it’s like to not feel completely healthy and active year round. Sitting around staring at my computer all day sickens me (and is honestly blinding me) so I’m sticking to staying moving and staying involved in athletics and health this year. I vow to eat better too. 🙂
• LEARN VIDEO. Get back into video work to make fun things for personal life and potentially work life.
• SEW ON MY OWN. Learn how to use a sewing machine on my own so I can make all sorts of goodies for friends.
• FLIP A HOME. I’ve wanted to purchase an old trailer and fix it up to be my new studio space / traveling home, for awhile. It’s be so cute, so unique and a fun adventure forcing me to get my traveling on even more.
• GIVE MORE. Donate more of my time and money to charity. I LOVE volunteering and fund raising! In both my personal life and my professional life (business). So much to do, so little time.

WHEW! That’s “it.” I laugh at myself. Mostly because I know I will attempt and probably get SUPER DUPER close to achieving them all. It will be a busy season 2013.