One year ago today I launched “Inspired Video Marketing” as my full time gig.
(Okay FINE, hecklers, it wasn’t called “Inspired Video Marketing back then).
I don’t remember what thoughts I had going into it. What I DO remember is that half of January 1, 2017 was spent on my bed, listening to an audiobook, wondering what the heck I had done in quitting my full time job to pursue video marketing. I remember being scared, I remember needing to go through the “What’s the worst that can happen?” exercise. I also remember being hopeful. We all dream of doing that one thing, of not being beholden to someone else, but free to pursue whatever it is that we want. And this day one year ago was the day where I stared into that possibility and said “yes”.
The first few months were slow, although I made some awesome friends and connections!
The rest of the year sped up with me giving several speeches, making some videos, some business mistakes and learning through it all.
My biggest project was by far the chronicling of the Pirate Pool, called “Living Legendary” (available here), the editing of which is STILL happening.
I shot my first wedding:
I had my own wedding(s):
Plus a lot more.
And now it has been one year!
That was 2017. But now it is 2018. So I have a question for you.
What are you doing in 2018?
I don’t mean the standard “New Years Resolutions” where we vow to overhaul every single habit we currently have. I also don’t demand that it has to be business/video/marketing specific. I don’t care if you think resolutions are hooey. What will you be focusing on this year to make you better than last year? To make your relationships better than last year? To make your life better than last year? What is a step you can take toward freedom? What is something that you can commit to, big or small? Preferably small! That’s where you start. And add-on. And add-on.
We can grow at any time of the year. But I always love this time because it’s fresh and unwritten. Because everyone is thinking about what lies in store for them and some are willing to talk about it. (HINT: If you want to be my friend, don’t be afraid to talk about this at any time with me!)
So what will you do? Make a plan to release JUST ONE blog post a week? And maybe, just maybe, add in a vlog after many successful weeks? How about deciding to unconditionally respect your husband or unconditionally love your wife? – A bite sized version of this would be to decide to think of 3 things everyday that you respect/love about them. Bonus points for sharing these with them!
Will you meditate? Drink 8 oz of water? Call your mom more regularly? Fast for one day a month? We have so many activities we can diminish a bit without losing our standard of living (how about changing from 45 minutes of Facebook a day to 30 minutes so we can do some ab exercises with those other 15?) that there is no excuse to NOT have a THING that we work on to improve ourselves until it becomes a powerful habit that we don’t have to think about doing.
If you see me in the next few weeks, I WILL ask you about your thing. Or things. Or movements. Or projects. Anything.
If I don’t see you in person, I would love to hear any improvements you are committed to making and would love to celebrate your successes with you via these interwebs.
Even if you found yourself still in your bed at noon today, questioning why you chose the THING that you chose, or you find yourself in bed at noon tomorrow with the same fears, move forward with that thing. Day by day. Action by action. Choice by choice. Because when today of next year rolls around, you’ll be glad you did.
To living your best life,
Katie
(Oh! And if you were curious about me, I’ve chosen to keep a time log (I find I putz), start my MOST IMPORTANT THING as the very first thing I do in the day (I find I procrastinate) and become clockwork in my marketing (I find… yeah well the first two finds sum up my lack in this arena too) )
