getting stuff done: creating my life

Things are mixed up at our house at the moment, though I have to say, thank goodness, things are definitely erring on the side of good.  I have a new client for Get Stuff Done whom I am working with tomorrow and the day after.  I am looking forward to it, because I really think it will help him. 

My art journaling course starts up again on Friday, and I need a few more people for that so I am promoting that right now.  Hub is doing really well with lots of new clients which makes us a happy family financially.

I met up with Lisa Wright of the Wright Stuff today. We had a very productive meeting plotting our next moves towards our Artists At Work idea.  We are pretty certain now that we are going to call it Startism.  And that there will be a star in the logo.  I love stars.

I had a really good meeting with one of my ex bosses.  I was previously nervous as I had felt the last time we had met up, it wasn't that good a vibe.  But it was really good, to chat, talk about the future and all of what we were up to.  All those bees in our bonnets.  He is (starting) to be involved in an idea  - which I LOVE - about getting grown ups to talk to kids about their work, and how they got to where they are.  We are both bees in bonnets about education, how its all funnelling towards academia, and the stress and the pressure of that, when, well, quite frankly it doesn't have to be like that, and there are many paths to follow.  And hearing stories of how people got to where they are might help some kids. 

I also met up with a chap called Mark Sears who is going to be heading up a charity called Project Wild Thing.  Its a film I haven't seen yet (which i really want to) about how little kids play, and how little they roam free.  I feel quite strongly about that too.  Given that when I was 6 I used to play out ALL day.  My son gets supervised visits to the park.  I feel sorry for his lack of independence, and yet I don't trust the traffic.  There were definitely fewer cars in the 70's......

I liked Marks notion or mission of re-wilding.  I think, not just in terms of getting out into nature more, but re-wilding our approach to art and life. 

I like that my art journaling is called WILD art journaling.  We all need to access our wild mind more often.  It feels good and free and roaming.

Lastly I organised a Hanover Baby & Kids Stuff sale.  Which as a rip roaring success.  SO PACKED.  it made me feel really good.  The whole thing makes me feel really good.  Local parents sellling their kids old stuff to other local parents.  Sticky money, recycling, bringing people together.  Its ALL GOOD.

So what, might you ask is bad?   Well, its not much in comparison.  And I am not going to write about it here.  Sorry, but am not going to disclose everything! hopefully its short lived and good stuff can crowd it out and make it smaller and smaller. 

TOday the Scottish are voting.  Its amazing that so many people are engaged in this, are voting, some for the first time.  It is fascinating to hear what people think on both sides.  For me personally I am leaning towards the underdogs winning.  I believe the scaremongering of the NO campaign to be just that.  Each side is committed to working together whatever the decision for the best of all concerned. If I were Scottish I would vote YES.  Because I am an optimist and a believer that change can be a good thing.  But the main thing is that this is politics for the PEOPLE.  Not a whole bunch of sameys who really are just on the side of Capitalism.  I am inspired by places like Iceland who sacked their government and instigated something better for themselves.  Democracy has to be for the people.  I am excited and hopeful that this can influence our whole United Kingdom - which will still be United if we want it, just in a different way, and for it to be a positive inspiring thing for us all.

We can have a better democracy.  It is up to us. 

Went along to a meeting with workshops and speakers at the Wagner Hall in Brighton on Friday.  What a bunch of inspiring lovely folk doing enterprising and beautiful things to make the world a better place.  I found it really inspiring.  I went mainly because, I do want my businesses to help make the world a better place, but I wasn't entirely sure if I 'qualified' as a social business or not.  Turns out the definition is pretty loose, and fundamentally encompasses any business that seeks to place equal emphasis on people / planet / profit.  And doesn't shove all its profits to shareholders for their short term gain at the expense of the community or people the business serves.

A few things really stuck with me.  One was the idea of sicky money.  Of keeping the money circulating in the community rather than big private profit making businesses just taking it away and giving it out to shareholders in another country, or part of the country.

Politics is living large in our house at the moment too, with the imminemt Scottish independence vote.  The chance that there may be a change, that the establishment may or may not be thwarted but either way, a huge number of the population are actually engaged with voting. 

It seems that the rest of us (in England) are sleepwalking into some very bad deals for the country as a whole. 

I feel all compelled to be involved in making the world a better place.  More than I am already.  I also struggle with my various businessess. I do so many things I can't quite decide which to focus on.  Or what to say I am or do.  I teach yoga, I teach art, I teach productivity.  They are, in my mind at least, all linked, but out in the world that is a right mess of things to express succinctly in  any networking scenario.  I feel a bit Jill of all trades, rather than - well, you know, a master of one.  Or mistress of one.  And yet I really don't want to just do one thing.  I  am sure I will work it out one day.  Maybe!!

I am doing my first trial workshop for productivity on Monday.  I have 5 people coming which is rather good.  I am pleased.  I very much hope they all gain a lot from the experience.  I may have one on going client from it.  If indeed I do help him a little.  A gardener who has too much work to handle himself and needs to do something, so that his customer service does not suffer.  I am looking forward to working with him.

At that morning spent with Social Entrepreneurs, I realised that I really wanted to work with these people.  I want Brighton & Hove to be a beacon for Social Enterprise too.