#13 - Get my website business off the ground

This item sounds so easy and yet took me way longer than I ever thought it would. I've had this idea to do websites as a business for years, and it wasn't until last September that I began to make some significant progress on it.

Some of the more meaningful steps over the last 6-7 months include the following:

September 2014 - I became a member of Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan and signed up for their business planning course which was offered over eight weeks from September to November.

October 2014 - I quit my job at Wascana Centre Authority and created a Facebook Page for my business.

November 2014 - I registered my business name - Prairie Girl Websites & More - and registered for PST. My business cards arrived too!

December 2014 - I revamped and revised my website.

January 2015 - I submitted an application for a City of Regina Business Licence, registered for a GST number and set up a business bank account.

March 2015 - I received my 2015 City of Regina Business Licence. Ta-da!

#25 - Participate in a fundraiser that involves a physical activity

Well, I never dreamt this would be the next item completed on my list... After all, it's the middle of winter!

You just never know what will happen and maybe, just maybe you (and especially I) should say yes to new and interesting opportunities before we over-think them too much. That's what I did with only a week's notice for a fundraiser called The Coldest Night of the Year (https://coldestnightoftheyear.org/home).

A friend from a walking group I occasionally attend invited me to participate and I jumped in with both feet. Each participant could choose to pay a small entrance fee or commit to raising $150 each. I chose to fund raise and committed to raising $200. With less than a week left prior to the event I thought it might be a long shot to raise any money, but I reached the $200 mark in just a few days. The fundraising continued right up until the walk, and I was surprised to not only get more donations the day of the race but even had one come through after I had returned home. My total raised through online efforts was $400!

It was a bitterly cold day! In fact, out of 80 locations across Canada, we were the coldest - not that that's something to brag about though. Some precautions were taken to ensure everyone would be safe, but the walk went off without a hitch. We had a halfway stop at Souls Harbour Rescue Mission for coffee/tea and cookies and then a yummy chili supper was waiting for us when we returned.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed the entire experience and although I do not look forward to the cold, I am already anticipating next year's Coldest Night of the Year fundraising walk in support of the homeless in our city.

On perseverance...

I have an addendum to my year in review. In the last couple of weeks I have been inspired by not one, but two amazing examples of perseverance.

The first comes in the form of an orphan girl from Africa - someone who was despised, rejected and unwanted. At the age of three, this little girl found a magazine with a picture of a ballerina on it and somehow that picture gave her hope that life could be good. Against all odds this girl was adopted and grew up in America with a supportive family who helped her achieve her dream of becoming a ballet dancer.

To learn more about Michaela DePrince's story, I encourage you to watch a documentary entitled First Position which follows the stories of four young dancers vying for coveted scholarships in the ballet world. You can also read Michaela's new book Taking Flight which was co-written with her adoptive mom Elaine DePrince. (Click on the video clip below to view a trailer for the book.)

The second example of perseverance comes from the life of a 13-year-old girl named Bethany Hamilton who also beat incredible odds after a shark attack left her with one arm. Itching to get back to the water after her attack, she didn't let anything stop her from her dream of becoming a pro surfer. (Bethany's story is chronicled in the movie Soul Surfer.)

Now over ten years later, not only has Bethany achieved her dream, she has inspired young and old worldwide to follow their passions and not give up on their dreams. I had heard of Bethany's story, but not until I saw her and her new husband compete on The Amazing Race did I really begin to learn more about her story. Bethany has allowed God to use her story to bless and encourage countless others. She is a true inspiration!

If you are needing encouragement to keep going in your journey or if you simply would like to be inspired, I highly recommend the stories of both of these young women!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Here are a couple of quotes from Michaela...

"If you have a passion for something, go for it! Never let anybody tell you that you can't do something." -- Michaela DePrince

"Never be afraid to be a poppy in a field of daffodils because that is the only way you can make it." -- Michaela DePrince

And I also have to share Bethany's favourite Bible verse. Considering Bethany's life, the promise of this verse is absolutely amazing!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

2015: The Year of Delight!

It's a new year and it's time for a new word - my theme for the year 2015 is delight!

Having grown up in a Christian home, a verse that always comes to mind when I hear the word delight is Psalm 37:4 which says, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart" - and I believe this will be my verse to focus on this year.

As I look ahead to the coming weeks and months, I have a picture of what I think delight will mean to me - travel, fun, enjoyment, little to no stress, less pressure... But this is just my view. God sees all, knows all and is in all, and I've noticed that most of the time He does things quite differently than how I would.

Just like my year of joy was full of enjoyment and my year of perseverance was full of pushing through to grasp what was ahead, I look forward to seeing, watching and delighting in this coming year. Stay tuned for delightful updates the whole year through!

The Year in Review

My word for 2014 has been perseverance, and what a fitting word it has been. It has been a year of continually pressing through to the next step — with my jobs, with searching for a new home and my move, and definitely with starting my own business. It hasn’t been easy but, as the saying goes, nothing worth having is.

This time last year, I had applied on 30+ jobs looking for additional part-time work as I knew my hours would be cut at Wascana for most of this year. Perhaps I was overqualified for the jobs I was applying on, but more than likely God was holding off and preparing the way for a great part-time job for me — the one I got at Hansard.

Even that wasn't easy though. As much as I wanted the job, there was the waiting for applications to be reviewed, then the call for an interview, an interview in three parts (actual interview, grammar/punctuation/spelling test, and a transcription test), the week-long wait for all the other applicants to be interviewed, the call that I was accepted for eight days of training, then the eight days of training during what seemed like the absolute coldest and wind-chilliest days of the year (I really thought they were trying to break us and see what we were made of!), the eight-hour days of learning the Hansard style for all things punctuation, and finally the wait to see if we were chosen to be new Hansardines... What a process! But what a rewarding position it has been.

In late March I began the process of searching for a new place to call home. And again, what an interesting journey it was. It's truly amazing to see some of the offerings available and the price tags attached to them. I had five basic criteria:

1) quiet!
2) top floor
3) balcony
4) off-street parking
5) away from a busy street

God met three of the five criteria when I viewed a 2nd floor apartment at my current building. It was almost all I wanted it to be, but the timing wasn't right. We were up to our ears in work hours at Hansard and I just didn't see when I'd have time to pack, clean and move. So I let the chance go and half-hoped, half-assumed God would hold the apartment for me (it had been available since January!) or provide something even better. When I followed up with the landlord the next month, an apartment was still available, but it wasn't the same one. It was better! I got a top-floor apartment and it was at the back of the building — all five criteria were met!

And up next was leaving my job at Wascana and starting my own business... Again, perseverance was needed. Mostly that was due to the fact that I had originally planned to leave my job at Wascana at the end of the previous year (2013).  When we found out that the renovation work would be going ahead and I wouldn't be doing much in the way of bookings (75 to 95% of my job), I decided to continue a bit longer.

After the cruise this summer, I came back to work planning to give my notice within a few weeks, but SURPRISE! My boss gave her notice first! She left near the end of August and with September being a busy month, I persevered on. I felt that the absolute longest I was supposed to stay working at Wascana was Thanksgiving (mid-October) and it turns out I did stay right up until that time. It was hard to leave, but I needed to leave. It's hard (if not almost impossible) to chase your dreams part-time.

So, onto starting a business! I went into this a bit naively thinking that all I had to do was hang a shingle and my customers would form a line. Awesome, but unrealistic. Thankfully, I became a member of Women Entrepreneurs and learned quite a bit from a 8-week business planning course. It's taken longer than I thought it would to get going, but I am starting off on the right foot and am thankful for that.

These verses are very fitting: “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”—Romans 5:3-4 (NKJV) Bring on the character and hope!

I wonder what the next year will hold for me...

It's 12/12/14 - the 2nd anniversary of my blog!

Two years already? Wow! I've been looking back through my posts and am SO glad I began this blog to celebrate everyday life and capture the memories made while accomplishing items both big and small.

I've mentioned it before, but it seems like if I don't make a list of fun things to do, then days pass by and more and more things get chalked up to that big imaginary "one day I'll do this and this and this" list while I'm busy doing the things that have to be done. The thing is, what if that "one day" in the future never comes?

While in Italy last year to celebrate my 40th birthday, I heard over and over things like, "Live Life!" and "Enjoy Life!" and of course the infamous, "Carpe diem!" meaning "Seize the day!" Everywhere I looked at the locals, they were not just doing the 'duties' of life, they were enjoying life. Frankly, it was inspiring and life-changing for me to see and hear these things.

I come from a hard-working farming family, and if you grew up on a farm you'll understand that the work - the things to do that must be done - never ends. I have nothing against this upbringing; in fact, I would want do the same thing if I had kids of my own. However, whether I missed the memo on enjoying life in the midst of life, whether it's my my personality (serious) or my birth order (firstborn in a long line of firstborns), whether it's my generation (Gen-X) or something else, I didn't seem to understand or recognize the very real need for balance between work and fun in my life.

I am thankful to have learned this lesson now and will continue to practice this enjoyment of life each day. There are so many things to be thankful for - the basics of food, clothing and shelter of course, but also the general things we often don't think about in any given day. Some of my favourite things to be thankful for (and smile about!) are sunsets, ice cream, all green lights when you're on your way to work, children's laughter, lilacs blooming in the spring, a good night's sleep, hearing "My Girl" by the Temptations on the radio, the first rain in the spring, a bright blue summer sky, and so much more!

God bless you this Christmas and all throughout 2015!

Hooray! It's My Birthday!

Another year has come and gone, and while I haven't accomplished near as much as I wanted to on my list, I know I've accomplished more than I would have without having it. And, I've decided that I'm going to continue adding to the list and keep working on it throughout my 40s. I'm having such a good time, why stop now? So without any further ado, I give you the '40 Things & More' list! Happy Birthday to me!

The '40 Things & More' List!

1. Go snowshoeing.
2. Serve a meal in a soup kitchen.
3. Eat something I've never tried before.
4. Visit a town in Saskatchewan that I've never been to before.
5. Plan my dream 40th birthday trip.
6. Start running again.
7. Visit a US state I haven't been to before.
8. Read a classic novel.
9. Create and complete a scrapbook for one of the trips I've taken in my 30s.
10. Do up a will.
11. Complete one of my cross-stitch projects.
12. Go kayaking.
13. Get my website business off the ground.
14. Take a self-defense class/course.
15. Go horseback riding.
16. Visit a museum or historic site in Saskatchewan that I haven't been to before.
17. Give blood regularly.
18. Attend a Victorian Tea.
19. Ride my bike in the city.
20. Stop and smell the flowers at a garden I haven't been to before.
21. Try an activity that's new to me.
22. Walk a portion of the Trans Canada Trail that I haven't been on before.
23. Learn more about my family history.
24. Visit a park in Regina I haven't been to before.
25. Participate in a fundraiser that involves a physical activity.
26. Simplify some area of my life that needs simplifying.
27. Learn how to change a tire on a vehicle.
28. Explore Regina's backyard - see what's just outside the city limits.
29. Learn more about Canadian history.
30. Visit a natural site in Saskatchewan I haven't been to before.
31. Learn to play the guitar.
32. Visit a Canadian National Park I haven't been to before.
33. Climb Wascana Hill in Douglas Park and watch a sunset.
34. Visit the observatory at the Science Centre.
35. Attend Mosaic - a multicultural festival held annually.
36. Play my first solo concert on the bells.
37. Attend an outdoor movie event.
38. Go fly a kite!
39. Play a mini golf course I haven't been on before.
40. Go on dream 40th birthday trip!
41. Attend a Regina Red Sox baseball game.
42. Visit Saskatchewan's only lighthouse.
43. Run a 5K.
44. Visit the Great Sandhills in Saskatchewan.
45. Visit a Canadian province or territory I haven't been to before.
46. Attend the annual kite festival in Swift Current.
47. Visit a major US city I haven't been to before.
48. Watch a sunrise.
49. Try another activity that's new to me.
50. It's a surprise (even to me!) - I'll know it when the opportunity presents itself.
51. Take a ballroom dancing class.
52. Watch an old black & white movie I haven't seen before.
53. Experience a WARM birthday!
54. Experience a WARM Christmas! (not necessarily in the same year as the previous item)
55. Attend the annual Dickens' Village Festival in Carlyle.
56. See the polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba.
57. Visit the east coast of Canada.
58. Jump out of an airplane! (in tandem, of course!)
59. Experience a 4th of July in the United States.
60. Visit a US National Park I haven't been to before.