practical and meaningful

hard work is heart work

When you are doing something you love, the effort feels effortless.

                                                                                                          hard work can be heart work

identify your bliss and make that your life's work

Ask yourself these questions. What motivates me? What am I good at? What is important. What gives my life meaning?

My list is varied but you can see parts of it shining through every thing I do.

Building things. Shaping people's experiences. Providing jobs. Feeding people. Knowing. Working hard. Loving hard. Organization. Seeking. Documenting. Sampling. Doing good. Creating spaces. Encouraging others. Standing back. Family. Details.  Friends. Meeting people. Making a difference. Believing. Soul work. No regrets. For the long haul.

Identify your bliss and make that your life's work.

my secret sauce

There is  a lot of talk when you are an entrepreneur about what "you" specifically bring to the table in terms of your work and your business. My friend Jan calls it your secret sauce.

This past week was busier than usual with  big events, parties, and catering  ON TOP of the usual cafe, art studios, and crafty work.  I thought about farming out the baking of the rainbow cakes since I had so much going on - but ended up doing them myself. As I was assembling them, I was inspired to switch up the order of the layers, so that each girl would have their own different cake. Had someone else made the cakes, I would not have had the insight to ask them to switch up the layers ahead of time. It was in the moment, and I concede, part of my secret sauce.  What did you do today that was done specifically a certain way, because you did it. Do you know what your secret sauce is?

live from true choice, not habit

My new favorite band is the Civil Wars...my husband and daughter played me one song and I immediately fell in love.  Have not stopped listening to them. In my car, while i work, while i work out, on my computer....cannot get enough.  There is one line that says " I don't have a choice, but I still choose you" and everytime I hear it, my heart swells. It is profound and it is dear.  We get used to the things we do, the people we love, and the life we live.  Habit can kill the romance. Choose who you are, who you love, what you do, and why you exist. Live from true choice.

middle aged...how did that happen?

I was basically a kid (25 years old) when I met my husband. I was living in  a loft in downtown los angeles - pushing my steel bathtub down the hall to the community bathroom, traveling the world taking photos, and making plans for how I wanted my life to play out. I spent days in the dark room, hours gardening on the roof, and money on things such as sunday night dinner parties on the roof.

Almost twenty years has passed and I am in awe of how life has played out and how fast the time has flown. We were laughing the other day because I suddenly realized I am no longer a kid and that we are middle aged....how did that happen?  We have built houses and responsibility and college funds and retirement funds, we own businesses, our daughter is a tween and i still feel exactly the same in my heart as I did when I was 25.  I feel the years on my body and I mark the years in my body of work, my heart carries the weight of life, but my spirit still feels 25.

 

time stands still in travel

5.5 hours on the plane with no internet, no email, no phone calls. Nowhere to be, no car to drive, no one expecting me to respond. 

I have never enjoyed being on a plane as much as this one.

Lately, my head has been overstuffed with details, decisions, stress, business, life…. and I have barely had time to think my own thoughts.

On this plane, I have listened to my music, written blog posts, taken a nap, had a picnic, and watched a movie.

I literally could turn right around and fly home, and land feeling refreshed, ignited, and satiated.  Sometimes a little down time is all you need to start to feel like yourself again. Add in some music and some rest – and you have a vacation.

time stands still in travel....

Download 03 You Are the Everything

the climb

Two years ago today, I bought the Art Studio in Culver City. It is nice to reflect on how far we have come and nice to remember how hard it was in the beginning. I remember one day after dropping my daughter off at the bus stop, this song came on the radio and I pulled over and just wept. It has not always been easy, but it is worth it.

Download 08 The Climb

 

I can almost see it.
That dream I'm dreaming, but
There's a voice inside my head saying
You'll never reach it
Every step I'm takin'
Every move I make
Feels lost with no direction,
My faith is shakin'
But I gotta keep tryin'
Gotta keep my head held high

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waitin' on the other side
It's the climb

The struggles I'm facing
The chances I'm taking
Sometimes might knock me down, but
No I'm not breaking
I may not know it, but
These are the moments that
I'm gonna remember most
I've just gotta keep goin', and
I gotta be strong
Just keep pushing on, but

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waitin' on the other side
It's the climb

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waitin' on the other side
It's the climb

Keep on movin'
Keep climbin'
Keep faith baby
It's all about, it's all about
The climb
Keep the faith, keep your faith, woah

moving, more moving, and moving yet again

For someone who does not really like change, the past six months have been utter chaos with moving things from place to place, into storage, out of my warehouse, into a new space, & into new storage.

I keep settling in, organizing, and then moving again.

This time, it is to start construction on the Cafe which will be next to the Hollywood Art Studio. We should be open in a few months.  Wish us luck !

Entrepreneur's are turning the economy around without going to business school.

I call myself an accidental entrepreneur. I never would have expected that I would own a business - or three!  I am an artist who loves to travel and document the world with my camera. I spent my twenties traveling light with very low overhead and freedom to go as I pleased.  I always supported myself, paid my way through college, and was financially responsible. I started working and making my own money in 4th grade as a score keeper. Soon after, I started working for a family realtor friend - helping her run open houses and also cleaned her house, paid her bills, and did her laundry. After college, I bought a one way ticket to New York City and moved there (I had never been!) I started working young and I have a good work ethic.

I started my first company fifteen years ago and grew it organically. Two years ago I bought an existing business (with an SBA loan) and expanded it by opening a second location. This year I will open a cafe adjacent to the Hollywood Art Studio.  I truly believe that if you can start/grow/expand a business during a down economy and succeed - you will make it in the long run.

My college degree is in Humanities and Photojournalism. I do not have an MBA. There have been a few times where I have wondered if my businesses would be different had I gone to business school. Would I have been scared away from being an Entrepreneur if I had spent two years learning how to be in business and came out of it owning a hunded grand? I do not like having debt and I know I would have gotten a job to pay off the debt - rather than making my own way and starting my business.   Love this graphic from  Tony Shin and his creative team!

Created by: MBAOnline.com" title="" target="_self">

 

Affirmations

When I love everything around me, I am constantly inspired.
When I have money in the bank, I am more able to think, feel, and live life.
When I invite people into my home, I am more connected and loving in the world.
When I am taking care of myself and eating right and exercizing, I have more to give.
Creating jobs and making money connects me to my community and my purpose.
Appreciate your life, find meaning in everything you do.
Eliminate what does not support your true self.
Love your life, work hard, play hard, be AWAKE.

painting by Adele Sypesteyn