Keeping It Real In Hard Times
Let's face it. We are facing some very hard economic times. Life does not stop, does it? And yet, we have to reserve some time for ourselves. If you are like me, the money isn't flowing out of both pockets, so one has to be creative in finding that perfect balance of work and play. Here are few suggestions in offering a way to take some of the edge off our hour, day, month..well you get the point.
Building A Website-Not A Daunting Task!
Create a free website such as the one you are reading this blog on. I started with Weebly.com over a year ago and have never regretted it. I chose the route of building my own site so that I could have the experience and once it was up and running and traffic started to build, my confidence was built and I bought the domain. One of the best things I have ever done! Thanks Weebly!
Start A Small Business!
Why build a site and not have a continued vision for it. Blogging is a good way to build readership and faith in your craft. Those looking for good writing and interesting topics will be drawn to your style and topic, depending on what type of subjects you choose. Do some research and make sure it matches your skill set. Look forward to changing things up for yourself and be open to writing about topics you may not be as familiar with but your hard work will shine through with good, thorough research.
What if writing is not your thing.? No problem! Why not start a local group that volunteers to help those in need in your area. There are always listings and you can start by looking up non-profit organizations that can offer suggestions or may even offer a position with them to further your efforts.
Brighten Up Someone's Day
Vistaprint.com gives you so many options to create your own stationary. Send out personalized notes to friends, family and others to make their day. Tell them hw good o a job they are doing or just say "hi". Referring back to this old school charm is becoming more appealing even in this technology rich era. Send out a card with just an "I Love You" Sign on it. Many Sign Language sites have downloadable images. Go nuts!
Write Out Realistic Potential Hobbies
Make sure that you do not set yourself up for failure. Learning new things is a fantastic way to broaden you horizons but take it one step at a time. Perhaps knitting is your niche. There has been a recent resurgence in popularity for this craft groups are cropping up all over seeking new members wanting to connect with their aunts, grandmothers or old friends. Some like other crafting like personalizing photo books, starting a journal, scrapbooking. Read up on what it takes to be a photographer. Because technology changes so often you will find a huge markets online and instore bargaining all types of digital cameras. Get good enough after showing your wares and you might end up getting a paid gig out of it.
Making A Mountain Out Of A Mole Hill
Get a green thumb. I had one plant which died and then I bought another and learned how to take care of it by going online following simple directions. Now I have 18 flourishing indoor plants that are my pride and joy. Get a few packs of seeds during the clearance portion of the summer season unless you know of another resourceful way to save some cash as you grow your garden. Anticipate the minor expense of flowering pots as the plants grow, soil for repotting, watering can and other aesthetics with additions of a water fountain or small tables.
I purchased a chinese water fountain years ago from a home goods store and it has more than paid for itself. I then added some ancient looking chinese tea pots and purchased some miniature wooden tables that I painted and arranged some of the plants on as they grew. It gives me such a complete feeling of joy everytime I see it because it shows me where I have grown too!
Candles Aflame!
What about candle making? Supplies are not expensive either. You can really have a ball mixing colors and scents into your own personal candle collection. You will need to buy wax, wicks, scented oils and molds. Practice safety first-Be very careful and use extreme caution if you plan on introducing this craft to young one so they ad you do not get burned.
Calling All Cooks!
And bakers.....get a group of friends together to prepare a meal. Have each person make enough of a part of the meal to feed 4 to 6 people. Not over the top expensive but a have a simple plan: spaghetti and meatballs with a salad and garlic bread with dessert. Its kid-friendly, easy on the wallet and if the trend catches on, you now have at least one night of the week where you can offer a hot meal to share with family and friends on a fraction of a budget with time and energy to spare.
For added fun try including a virtual message menu board that everyone can make changes if needed. To be fair, each individual participating can have a turn at selecting the menu for that day of the week. Days and menu plans subject to change depending on budget, scheduling needs, menu preferences. While there are no rules, allow others to opinionate instead of declaring monetary limits or taste preferences unless all are in agreement.
Needless to say this should be made up of a group of folks who get along and can handle the multi-tasking efforts this may create when syncing preparation, delivery, varied dinner times etc.
Important note: Make all allergies known to the group so there is never any cross contamination. We want happy satisfied humans, not sick ones.
Yes You Can!
From crafting to cooking try to have fun out there. Make time for yourself by keeping it real..real time for you!
Enjoy!
Dawn
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