During the last week of January 2021, I set my goals for 2021. I hope to use this page to log my process on creative goals. Whether I choose to share each day or each week via short copy, chart, or content, I hope this shows progress matters more than product!
June 27-29: Decluttering is nearly done. But happy to be waking up early to work out and write again.
June 24-26: What’s left to donate? Onto packing into boxes!
June 23: Learning to sort objectively. Give space for what’s ahead!
June 22: Goodwill is amazing. So grateful to donate.
June 21: Finding more donations!
June 20: That means today’s smaller stuff to declutter. Maybe because yesterday’s was so standard fare, these are more emotional?
June 19: Today was a good day for decluttering: Bed, table, couch!
June 18: Wrote about new habits: caved and got a couple boxes to help separate what I’m keeping versus donating.
June 17: Hanging with my friend who just moved. She says my problem with decluttering is that everything has a story attached to it. Does that mean I think I’ll forget the story (person, place) if I part with the thing?
June 16: Writing feels so good!
June 15: Gave away books.
June 14: Emotions are so tied to stuff.
June 13: Got a plan for some major stuff, donating via truck!
June 12: How to declutter old tech?
June 11: Successfully sold most of my books!
June 10: Dishes for sale? Toss, I think.
June 9: So many personal items, so little space.
June 8: Decluttering books! Oof.
June 7: Onto papers… again.
June 6: Decluttering clothes.
June 5: Nothing like a MOVE to trigger decluttering. Starting with minimizing my dresser. Why does this feel like strength training too?
June 4: About to have way more time to myself. Intentionally. For the next month.
June 3: 1 more day…
June 2: Creating space for myself!
June 1: Writing after my walk feels good. Missed it!
May 31: Prepping for this week.
May 30: Spent a bit of this vacation writing but not much. Not sure how I feel about that.
May 29: Wrote some more of my book, guess vacationers have different opinions on mornings.
May 28: Prof creativity again.
May 27: Tie-dye with the fam is still creating, right?!
May 26: What’s a ditto of a ditto?
May 25: Ditto May 24.
May 24: Lots of professional creativity coming my way this week.
May 23: Must declutter more now! Changes ahead.
May 22: 2 creatives on the road for 10 hours… Talked about creative process with Cynthia for a bunch of the day!
May 21: Writing for next steps.
May 20: Another day of professional creativity.
May 19: Working on language: I “get” to do versus I “have” to do. Applies to both professional and personal creativity.
May 18: So good to buckle down and work on projects after work/climbing tonight.
May 17: Need to cultivate a journal habit. Maybe after morning meditation?
May 16: The more blogs I write about feeling, the more vulnerable I feel. But that’s good book material.
May 15: Declutter coaching others helps me keep decluttering and creating. We really are social beings. So when social relationships are taken away, emotional resonates. And what holds emotions more than stuff? PEOPLE. Full circle.
May 14: Creators gonna (and gotta) create. Mantra.
May 13: Making creative projects with my godson feels good!
May 12: Serious reflective writing after a walk = best kind of meditation.
May 11: Writing for fun, yes please!
May 10: Really trying to write for fun. Take a break from writing on optimizing.
May 9: Post-workout writing is a satisfying start to the day. Going to crush intentional early AMs for myself.
May 8: Reflective writing outside with a nitro? Happy Kaylie.
May 7: Pantry event is tomorrow. Done all I can do besides show up for a good cause?!
May 6: Took a creative break tonight. Played soccer (really just “Simon says” with stopping/chasing the ball) with my godson instead. Worth it.
May 5: Still pantry-ing for creativity this week. Good progress, and learning less is more for B&W design.
May 4: Stretching my creative/service muscles with this upcoming pantry event!
May 3: Creative work for the pantry after a professional day of creativity and productivity? I got dis.
May 2: Sometimes you just gotta sit on the floor. And write.
May 1: Wrote a lot of questions to self today! Book fuel?
April 30: Still managing to find creative stuff to declutter. Why are papers so hard? Potential? Past? Both, since it’s feeling?!
April 29: Lovin’ this creative nook so much.
April 28: Nincompooped. Some writing but not much.
April 27: Loving the desk, even for making need-to-do stuff done.
April 26: Lovin’ this desk, front and center. Helps me focus!
April 25: Post morning workout is perfect for coffee and creativity.
April 24: Hyped on writing just to observe myself today. Feels good.
April 23: Talking about the book and publishing and life outside with my pal Krista is so encouraging. She’s a fellow INFJ and just gets it.
April 22: Some days it’s just business creativity. And that’s okay.
April 21: I’m grateful work’s been creative.
April 20: Still finding more nooks for creative “stuff”. But it’s not about the tools. Or the vessels. Restless.
April 20: Wrote a whole bunch of the book, leaning into honestly showing up for yourself. It’s healing.
April 19: Writing is isolating. But podcasting brings community. Hmm… Do I need to reframe chapters as podcast episodes to keep going, when motivation is down?
April 18: Loving the different nooks for writing, but I think it’s safe to say creative goal #2 is complete. #1? Much of today’s blog is good book material, on expectations, internal and external.
April 17: Wrote some more about the cost of choosing identities. It can be a form of capital.
April 16: Desk is best.
April 15: Wrote the book’s intro! Really honing the audience.
April 14: No creating today, but definitely used those nooks.
April 13: Making little nooks to get good stuff on, like an armchair and side table in the kitchen while I’m Zooming and cooking. This is my space, so why not?
April 12: Loving this new spot for the table. It’s the focal point of my living room and where I now create! Does that mean habits #1 and #2 are done? Or just actualized for this moment?
April 11: Talked shop with Marissa about the book! Creating challenges as part of the book’s structure and sense of community. Had an excellent Kaylie Day. Reorganized my living space. Once I’m done logging here, I’m onto writing and reading.
April 4-10: 0/7 days of non book-writing. But I’m making proactive steps to make time for it time again. 1/7 day of adjusting my space. Reclaiming it.
April 3: Felt like a Kaylie Day!
April 2: WIP.
April 1: Tablin’!
March 31: Everyone wants space… and time… to create. And pixels aren’t enough.
March 30: Writing backstory!
March 29: Spring idea: attempted reading in a tree. Onto writing there? Kid at heart.
March 28: Today’s run led to a ton of book writing, giving context to my overachiever-ness.
March 27: Felt strange without a notebook on my person.
March 26: Writing about feelings is vulnerable but good.
March 25: Talking creativity isn’t the same as doing. Learning that all over again. But at least I bring it up with fellow creative friends? Why do we sacrifice our art for more in-the-moment, not-about-us needs?
March 24: The notebook, the table. Is that all I need?
March 23: The book has an easy pitch… if you’re talking to overachievers! Qualifying my audience.
March 22: Loving the kitchen table for creating!
March 21: Addressed the empath’s struggle of writing/spending time on myself for myself.
March 20: WIP.
March 19: Today I saw my best gal pal and her bf, and it was SO GOOD to be surrounded with creative energy, fueling an upcoming launch of something special!
March 18: More personal writing.
March 17: Writing about feelings is hard. But still writing, right?
March 16: Writing more. I think I’m realizing self-induced assignments make mean think. You can’t force feeling, so I need to refine my prompts.
March 15: Felt like a Kaylie evening with getting good stuff done.
March 14: Yesterday, I got a table from my boyfriend’s fam, now removing even more. As I declutter today, I’m seeing I use the exterior of spaces more, so does that mean the interior is for creating?
March 13: Getting more comfortable sharing this website. Welcome! Let me know what you think, comments always welcome.
March 12: Writing late again!
March 11: Writing before bed!
March 10: WIP.
March 9: Writing at the day’s end feels rewarding. Maybe I’ll make this my routine, coupled with reading?
March 8: Writing more for myself and using creative techniques like stream of conscious writing at work feel good!
March 7: Today felt like a Kaylie Day with writing, helping the pantry, and running.
March 6: Writing! Note taking!
March 5: WIP.
March 4: Easier to create when everything else is done… but why can’t I prioritize myself?
March 3: Small steps, Kay.
March 2: WIP.
March 1: WIP.
February 28: Loving the openness of my apartment right now. It feels like possibility.
February 27: Examined some core Qs/themes of the book with my pal Kaitlyn today.
February 26: Reorganized a corner of my kitchen for a creative space?! Perfect for coffee/tech.
February 25: Mapping out apartment reorganization!
February 24: Slowly tackling small problem areas but still using lap-desk or kitchen table to create at the end of the day.
February 23: WIP.
February 22: WIP.
February 21: Hinted book on blog!
February 20: WIP.
February 19: I have some ideas on how to convert my kitchen into a more creative space. How multipurpose am I comfortable with?
February 18: WIP.
February 17: WIP.
February 16: WIP.
February 15: No, toting notebooks around isn’t enough. But having prompts/continuing to ask myself questions is, for this stage of book writing.
February 14: Realized I own notebooks for each goal. Is that enough?
February 13: The minimalist in me hates that there will always be piles. But the creative in me knows that once everything is taken away, that’s when space for making art is formed. A true white space, so to speak. So, I reorganized not to distract but to enjoy my feelings of space more.
February 12: Core Q: Am I asking the right qs in my book? In my life?
February 11: Caught up with my friend KT. We discussed opportunity cost and PURPOSE, one of the key gains of discarding poor habits/responsibilities.
February 10: Told more people about the book. It’s helping make it reality.
February 9: It’s class letter writing time! Having fun sharing bucket list goal of writing the book. Seeing how we can all help each other.
February 8: Told the fam about the book!
February 7: Book writing via chart!
February 6: It feels amazing to write for myself. This practice turned into book writing this morning.
February 5: Decluttering sometimes feels like procrastination. So I’m re-using spaces lately instead of carving out new spaces.
February 4: WIP.
February 3: Taking over the kitchen with creativity. Because ART.
February 2: The table now also holds my newly arrived espresso/coffee maker. This is either my favorite spot or too many things place. But at least this machine works?
February 1: I am attempting to use a table as a desk, but I know it’s doing double-duty. Papers are still the hardest to declutter, even 2 years after minimizing.
January 31: Blogged, as promised. Published minutes before midnight, but still.
January 30: My run led to 2 creative discoveries, including a blog prompt on why I run AND my book’s hook! Stay tuned.
January 29: Despite the digital nature of my work, I want a desk.
January 28: Declutter thought for the day: when there’s “nothing” physically left to take away, you must turn inward. No distractions mean no mental blockage… right? Not necessarily.
January 27: Didn’t create for myself but attempting to edit this site on my phone isn’t too hard but slow. But I’d rather have a laptop.
January 26: Playing with nooks in an apartment… Finding comfort in typing on the bed, but I know that’s “supposed” to be for sleeping. Or can I capitalize on the reading/boyfriend-clothes-dumping chair as the place to create?
January 25: Attempted a Kaylie Day on Monday. I habit stacked by working on well-being course and this log you’re reading now… but got side-tracked by food pantry work and forgetting dinner until 9pm. And yes, this is my first public note that I am writing a book in 2021. In fact, that’s my core goal for the year!
January 24: Published first post of 2021 (please note: this is an exploring goal and will found on the explore log).