Flying

Kelly Rae Roberts' Flying Lessons class started on Sunday.  I was sick all weekend--still have a pretty bad sore throat although it's finally getting better--so I'm just delving into all the wonderful material today.

I wanted to write a bit about why I almost didn't take this class.  Part of it was money; at first I just didn't have it, but then a bit of good luck last week made that a non-issue.  But a big part of why I hesitated was an idea that I shouldn't need the class.  I felt that I've been slacking on my business, on my creative work, on life in general, and I was angry with myself.  I thought I should already know how to do all the things Kelly is going to teach us or that I should be able to figure it out or find the information on my own.  I guess I thought I didn't deserve to take the class because I should have done more, been more, accomplished more by now.

Then someone I didn't know on Twitter--we started a conversation because of Flying Lessons--said to me, "Wow does that mean you now have a clear idea where you are heading?"  I stopped dead.  I read it again.  I went away and thought about it.  I came back and read that again.  I knew the answer.  I have some idea where I'm heading, but I have very little clue about the exact steps to take to get there.  I also somehow realized right then that where I am right now is okay.  There's no actual reason why I should already know this stuff.  But it's stuff I really want to know, stuff I think will be really helpful.  And I deserve all the help I can find to reach my goals.  So many realizations from one small comment!

So.  Here I am in the first week of class, panicking a little because I'm already behind.  And having a hard time settling down to do what I need to do.  But in the first lesson, Kelly said she hopes we're celebrating taking the class, making this investment in ourselves.

Yeah, it is a celebration.  This is a nice long stretch of the road on the way to my dreams!  So, to help me settle my mind and get started, and to celebrate this step, I made a journal for my class notes.  I used a Moleskine Cahier with a cardboard kraft cover, and I glued and stamped and wrote on it.  I created three rectangles on the back for something in the future--don't know what yet--but here's my Flying Journal:

And now I see the runway is clear before me.  Time for me to take off!

I'm Learning to Fly!

I just signed up for Kelly Rae Roberts' e-course, Flying Lessons!  I am really excited about this.  I wanted to take it, wasn't sure I should let myself spend the money...you know the drill.  But I really like her art and her writing, and she's probably not going to be able to teach this again for quite a while (having a baby + just moved, so for really good, happy reasons).  So I decided to go for it.  And judging by how excited I am, it was a good move to make.  I can't wait until Sunday when class starts!

I also signed up--finally!--for Jessica Wesolek's The Art of Digital Photography workshop.  I've been trying to take this for a few years now, and each time I thought I'd be able to, something came up and made me think I shouldn't spend the money.  Well, this time I've spent the money so I can't miss out again, so there!  This class starts July 30, but I wanted to be sure to get in.

And tomorrow, to round out the preparation for summer adventures, I'm buying new hiking boots.  I have been lamenting the fact that my physical self is not up to the adventures I want to have.  I live in Portland, Oregon, one of the most beautiful, adventure friendly places in the world, and yet I can't get out and move around and participate.  My wonderful boyfriend offered to help me get started so I can go on some of the adventures I crave (see this post for a bit more on that). We started with a test walk to see how much I can do.  We bought books on hikes in our area so we can plan increasingly lengthy hikes, and we've put up an adventure wall (you can see a section of it below) to plan adventures and commemorate adventures as they take place.  I am going to be adventure girl after all!

That's probably quite enough for now.  Stay tuned for further excitement and adventures, though, because it's all coming my way!