Around four years ago I had several career coaching sessions with a jolly nice chap called Steve. We spent a few hours a month talking shop and one exercise was to write down my goals for the next few years. Steve believed that by taking the time to physically put pen to paper and scribe out my ambitions, I was more likely to achieve them.
I found the piece of paper a few weeks ago and am pleased to report that I had in fact succeeded in both the professional and personal goals I had set myself. Now Steve obviously didn’t wave a magic wand and I worked mighty hard to get promoted, however I do believe there is some truth in his advice to commit to goals in writing and have a good think about what it is you want to achieve.
Now my career has done a complete 180 and I find myself in a very different place to where I thought I was heading a couple of years ago. Since joining the Rock My Style team I have started doing things I had put off for months. Thanks to all the exercise motivation back in February I’m hanging out with Tracey Anderson a few times a week. When I wrote a post on Mary Berry I got carried away in the kitchen and whipped up my first cake in three years, and thanks to meeting our awesome baking and craft extraordinaire, Charlotte from Buttercream and Dreams I have been inspired to conquer my fear of the sewing machine.
For all you lovely readers, it would be a pretty boring blog if the RMS team weren’t trying out new things once in a while. There’s only so many posts we can do about Saturday night down our local pub. Also we have to be seen to be doing the things we set our mind to otherwise we realise you would lose faith in us. I have seen Charlotte’s kitchen cupboards and she definitely is clean eating!
Today I turn to these pages to write about the next thing I want to focus on. It’s nothing massively life changing but I’ve been putting off doing a new hobby for ages and I feel like putting this all over the internet will finally motivate me to get my arse in gear. I’m thinking of taking up calligraphy. (Sorry to everyone who thought I was going to say something positively crazy or exciting…) Ever since I commissioned Emily from Em Dash Paper Co to create a hand lettered custom anniversary card for James I have wanted to grab a nib and start sweeping my letters. I’m considering the Melissa Esplin online course but would love to hear any of your suggestions.
As we approach the half way point of 2014 (how the flipping heck did that happen?) have you thought about what you want to try out by the end of year? Are there any hobbies that you are dying to take up but have been putting off? Any career or personal goals you want to commit to? Come and drop a comment below and hopefully it will spur you in to action.
Who wants to blow their own trumpet and celebrate successes you’ve had so far this year? Any medal winners? Fear conquerers? Brand new skill acquirers? It’s time to pat yourselves on the back!
Yes to calligraphy! My Dad is a whiz with a fountain pen and I spent HOURS as a child scribing the same letters over and over again on a sheet of lined paper.
As if we’re now halfway through the year. Thanks for the reminder.
I’ve just stopped and thought and even though the time has flown, there’s such a lot to be proud of. At the end of last year, two friends and I set up Neighbourhood Sewcial with the aim of creating a social haven in Liverpool for like-minded people who love handmade. In just seven months, the group has been on Channel 4 with Kirstie Allsop and featured in two national magazines, then just last week we travelled to the Mollie Makes Handmade Awards as finalists and met the most amazing and inspirational people. Not bad for just starting out.
So yes, thanks to your post Lauren it feels like time to take stock a bit and make some half year resolutions… see where the rest of the year takes us! x
You have been such a busy bee Karen. I love seeing all your instagram updates.
How do I get to see you on the tellybox? Has it been aired already?! x
Sadly I was more blink and you miss me, but we were involved in Kirstie’s Crafty Christmas – our Sophie was at the ‘party’. 6 hours of filming and I got about 3 seconds of face time! (feeewwwwmin) xx
Gutted 🙁 That still makes you famous in my eyes though x
Aaah but at least my mate got her 15 minutes. My lifetime ambition was fulfilled when the advert I was in (totally seperate) was featured in the advert break of the Golden Girls!! What more does one need from life? xx
Ooh Karen congratulations!!! Go you x
Thank you doll face. It’s taken on a life of it’s own!
We can’t let this post slide either without congratulating the whole RMS team… it’s been a huge year for you all in more ways than one xxx
You are a gem Karen x
Calligraphy is crazy and exciting to me! Stationery is the best. Despite the fact I have never even considered a calligraphy course, or knew that it existed before this post I think I might have to sign up for this too. My handwriting is rubbish and I would love to get a fancy style for writing birthday cards and christmas tags etc. xx
Yes, yes, yes Sian, you must sign up too! x
Ah great post, I think goals are so important and writing them down is a fab idea – makes them more real. My main goal over the next six months is I want to pass my driving test! I did my first test when I was 16 but had the most AWFUL driving instructor who made me never want to get in a car ever again. That coupled with the fact that I’ve been in London for the past 7 years means I never needed to bother…but we’ve just moved out to Surrey so it’s now time! At the grand old age of 32, ahem.
I’m not sure if this is really a ‘goal’ because I don’t necessarily have to do too much but I do really want to get laser eye surgery by the end of the year too. I’m getting married next year and the thought of getting emotional/crying with lenses in fills me with horror. But I’m a bit scared of this one so need to work up to it!
Work-wise, I’m coasting a bit in my job at a law firm…long-term I’d like to do something a bit more ‘independent’ and something that I’m passionate about (corporate law doesn’t fill me with joy, surprisingly) but I think that one will take a bit longer than 6 months as I’ve no clue how to go about it!
Hi Kate, at least you can set your own pace when you learn to drive when you’re a bit older. Everyone was so competitive at my college to pass first time and after about ten lessons. The pressure can be immense!
Lots of luck with it all x
Thanks. 🙂 I was talking to my SiL and she advised me not to tell anyone I was having lessons so that there is no pressure! I think I may take that advice. 😉
Really good advice Kate x
Kate – I really recommend some form of coaching to figure out what you want to do. It can be really valuable to a) help you figure out what you want to do based on what you’re good at/enjoy etc and b) figure out how to get there
Thanks Claire, that’s a fab idea and something I’ve never done before. Will def look into it.
Don;t know where you are geographically but if you’re Oxfordshire and surrounding area I can recommend someone.
Thanks, that’s really kind but I’m in Surrey!
Love this post, it’s a great idea to have a mid year re-assess! I completely agree with writing things down to help to cement them in your consciousness too – (and from what I recall, you’ll ace calligraphy, you’ve have the most beautiful hand writing since the age of about 7!) 😉
It’s more of a scrawl now Lizzie! Do you remember when we got upgraded from pencils to those red Berol handwriting pens? That was a good day x
Ha! we had that at our school too except I kept getting demoted back to pencil, even now my handwriting is better in pencil than it is in pen (and I still hate those Berol pens)
I used to end up with ink all over my hands Claire! I actually prefer writing with a pencil now.
Ooh I’d love to do a Calligraphy course, I’ve dabbled with some hand-lettering over the last few months and find it so relaxing! Would love to produce something for our wedding next April, perhaps that should be my goal!? Please do let us know how you get on / if you take a course. I could do with recommendations!
Katie x
Will definitely report back Katie x
Not quite sure I’m a baker and crafter extrodinaire but thank you for your kind words!! I do like to give things a try though and quite fancy learning crochet next. I mastered knitting (albeit only squares!) but crochet still baffles me. My other goal for the rest of the year is to get back to baking just for fun rather than just for work as I somehow seem to run out of time. Not good for the diet but guess I can always just give it all away! In addition to setting goals I’m a firm believer in positive thinking and like attracting like so if you believe you can achieve something and talk as though you already have then I’m pretty sure you can. It hasn’t quite worked on the lottery front yet but oh well!! x
I was absolutely petrified of sewing machines (lots of horrendous near-misses with flying needles in Textiles lessons) and then I saw your instagram pic of your cushions. I decided I had to face my fear! Love your positive outlook Charlotte x
Well done! Its nice to make things yourself and means you can choose you fabric. Haven’t attempted anything that isn’t straight edged yet but cushions, curtains and blinds have all been a sucess so far. I read a lot of books on positive thinking a few years back and they really do give you a different outlook on life. Well worth a read. x
What a fab post!
I’d love the idea of a career coach – I’m just about to take a career break for a few months and am hoping to get some ideas about my next step, so am very interested in these kind of posts. Can I ask how you found Steve and whether you’d recommend a coach? I think sometimes just knowing your goals is half the battle!
My goals for this year weren’t really work-related, but were to clear our (immensely) cluttered house and to run a 5k. I’m signed up to do a 10k next week (eek!) and the house received a massive clear out in January which was VERY therapeutic.
I also wanted to do some more yoga and photography and have made a start… but definitely more to do the second half of the year! Roll on the rest of 2014 and good luck with the calligraphy!
K x
Thanks Katie, Steve did a lot of work with the company I worked for. I’ll have a hunt out for his details and send them across if I can find them. It was a great experience, I was a new manager and had been on all the courses but hadn’t got the experience to put it into practice. There was a lot of role play!
Congrats on the house clear-out and good luck with the 10k!x
Thank you very much!
K x
[…] by Charlotte’s post on frivolous spending and Lauren’s post on half year resolutions and, with a plan to turn my spare bedroom into an office like Charlotte, I’ve decided that for […]
My Mum is an absolute demon with a pair of knitting needles and I would love to learn those skills so I don’t just sit in front of the TV in the evening! And having lots of snuggle scarves is never a bad thing…
You’ve stolen my hobby! Ha ha. If I do it with you we can compare and contrast;) I had thought about striving to complete an MA but now I think goals don’t have to be so overwhelming. Reading this has made me realise that I’m not actually sure what I would like to achieve this year. Achieving a sense of calm wouldn’t go amiss though:) xx
Sending you lots of calm vibes Han! x
Katie- I did the Melissa Esplin course. It’s quite straightforward and takes things at a steady pace. You do have to complete it within a given time frame but that wasn’t too much of an issue. The equipment was super cheap but it does take tons of practise ( of which I haven’t managed yet! ) when I do find time to do it I find it really relaxing. Lots of luck to everyone who is out to achieve their goals xx
This post fills me with fear! Where has the year gone already?! All I have done is bought a house, I wrote a note to myself in my diary along the lines of “how is the book going? How is the excercise plan?” And I have to say it made me feel so guilty as I hadn’t achieved any of my goals yet so by Christmas I have to get off my backside and stop dreaming and start doing!! Great post! It’s motivated me for sure!
Oh no Jill, the post wasn’t designed to fill you with fear. Buying a house is a pretty big achievement!
love this post Lauren, I too really want to learn Calligraphy!! I have been following this lovely lady on instagram, she does online courses only as she’s in the US the beginners kit isn’t yet available to ship to the UK but after asking she did get back to me to say that they were working on shipping world wide soon… http://www.brit.co/shop/catalog/calligraphy-for-everyone_10210/
Thanks so much Catherine, just had a peek at the site – the pink envelopes with the black lettering are to die for! x
Oh my goodness, I think my lunchbreak may be lost to this today!
Half way through?!?! Holey moley!! Totes not prepared for that bombshell!
So far my only real goal this year is to learn to drive – much like Kate above I started when I was younger and had a horrific instructor. She didn’t know that way around where we were driving, and by accident took my on the motorway during a lesson!!
So I’m looking to remedy this and be driving come the end of the year, also looking to purchase my first car 🙂
I’m taking it easy this year:- getting married in November 2013 made last year big enough so I’m ready for a rest!
You can learn calligraphy for free if you sign up to The Fourish Forum. It’s run by Erica McPhee, and she has added a comprehensive series of ‘How to’ videos to the forum.
Just google Fourish Forum!
Hope this helps,
Sx
Thanks so much! I’ll look into this right away x
[…] this is blatantly the cheats way to calligraphy. I started preparing for this before my post about upgrading my handwriting so I apologise that the result above has been achieved by a bit of […]