I’m a really upbeat person. You probably picked up on that with a quick glance at my branding.

My natural state of being is joy. If you hang out with me long enough, there will be laughter. And not those tiny little giggles, either. I mean big, juicy raucous laughter that makes your whole body feel good.

Here’s the thing, though. I’m also a human being. That fact still surprises people for some reason. For real, the people that like me are shocked to know that there are times when I am not happy. And the people that are aggravated by me are also shocked to know that my positive nature is truly genuine and there are times that I am not happy.

But, none the less, I am human all the same with a full, healthy range of emotions that come with that existence. I am grouchy in the morning. I am sad when I’m stood up by a potential suitor. I am angry when my kids or I are treated unjustly. I cry when I’m in physical pain. I despair when money is tight and I’m not sure how to care for all the creatures in this tiny house.

And none of that makes me any less of a positive person. It makes me a person. My “secret sauce” for joy is how I choose to take action on my emotions. Sometimes that choice will be to take a few moments in the morning to meditate and pray before I even get out of bed. Sometimes I choose to take a deep breath, take myself out on a date, and feel sorry for any dude that misses out on spending quality time with me. Sometimes I choose to hug my kiddos and take my aggression out on a punching bag in the gym, getting stronger in the process. Sometimes I wail into my pillow and ask for help when it gets too much. Sometimes I stubbornly keep putting myself and my work out into the world and fiercely focus on a glorious, successful career where any financial struggles are just memories I share while being interviewed before my next amazing project.

I heard once that every “overnight” success takes about 10 years to create. Don’t think for a moment that the shining, happy people you meet don’t understand what it feels like to have tough times. And don’t think that just because you are in one of those “less than positive” stretches, that you will be stuck there from here on out.

You are a whole and glorious person living your fabulous life. Even the messy parts.

I work with many creative clients. Lately there seems to be an overwhelming theme amongst our conversations It’s all about “When’s it gonna HAPPEN already?!”

Money’s getting tight. You are having to decide between food or electricity. You figure ramen noodles are cheap and you need electricity for your laptop so you can get gigs and get paid and pay your bills.

You’ve sent out what feels like a million marketing emails with only a sprinkling of responses back.

You are starting to doubt your work, your life, your existence and all you want right now is some RELIEF!

I get it. I really do. The truth is, this part SUUUUUUUUCKS.

This is also the part where you are developing the key factor that will determine your ultimate success. Grit.

The thing about grit is that you can’t just develop it in a comfortable, temperature controlled room, wrapped in a fluffy blanket. Things have to be hard so you have the opportunity to choose to persevere through it.

What good would a superhero story be without a huge battle that needed to be won?

Have you ever seen a butterfly emerge from a cocoon? That little thing has to WORK! Or a chick peck it’s way out of an egg? It’s not like it was say “Ugh, this is too freaking hard and all I have is this weird tooth beak thing to bust out with? Forget this noise…” That bird is like “GET ME OUT OF HERE!” pecking at the shell bit by bit.

Lately I’ve been think of the story from the Old Testament of the Bible of Jacob wrestling with the Angel. To sum it up, Jacob did some jerk moves including stealing his brother Esau’s blessing from their father. When Jacob was returning home and about to face his brother again, he comes face to face with a messenger of God (it may have been actual God but, either way, it was someone pretty high up the ladder.) The two start wrestling, and the Messenger tries to tap out because it is almost morning but Jacob refuses to quit until he receives God’s blessing. Which he does receive in the end.

There are plenty of days where I am frustrated and I just want to catch a break and maybe I just need to go back to hiding out in a safe cubicle and…and…and…That’s when I have to dig deep, quiet my mind, and affirm to myself “I’m NOT going to stop until I get my blessing. Even if I have to wrestle all night long.”

There will come a point in your creative business where you start to doubt yourself. Your choices are getting slim and you are getting frustrated. Those are the moments to hunker down and KNOW only those with true grit will succeed.

You were given the spirit of a creator…and it was not given to you in vain. Push, pull, jump, claw, do what you need to do to move yourself forward.

Tra la Tra la! It’s Christmas Traditions week!

Christmas Traditions week is a newish holiday (i.e I made it up) that is only applicable to “special” families. This is my last week with the kiddos before I see them Christmas Day, so any pre-Christmas Day traditions need to be done in hyper speed.

WOO HOO!! A visit with Santa! Touring neighborhoods with lights! Baking cookies! Decking the halls! Going to movies! Singing carols loudly!

It isn’t so bad. We get holiday overloaded, I’m mildly overwhelmed for a week, and then done. I can go off and do adult things or nothing at all.

I promised myself I would actually go out and be social this year. And also a lot of focus on planning for next year.

But first…WE DO ALL THE THINGS!!!