Being productive even when you are not sure what lies ahead

It’s been a week of transitions as you might expect. So much familiar here and yet things aren’t the same, and that is okay.

I am enjoying the sunrises and sunsets and the mountains, so much more dramatic than Oregon’s were. Not better just different. We had a little rain yesterday and that was wonderful. I love the smell of rain in the desert, very different than in Oregon. In Oregon the wet earth smells like trees I think and I like that also.
I love how being away from the familiar reawakens my senses when I return. Does that happen to you? I guess maybe that’s what vacations are for? Although this was not really a vacation, it certainly was more pleasurable than hard.

My week has been filled with unpacking, filling the refrigerator, and setting up my studio. Getting my computer set up and ready for classes and for remote work.

Before Covid, I was a graphic designer, writer, and photographer. I had pretty much forgotten that. And the thing is, I need to make extra income so what would I rather spend my time working on, something creative of course! so I need to tap into all of the vast experiences I have had in these areas and build on them instead of starting something completely different. The photos today are 2 pieces of one of the last big projects I did for the nonprofit For The Child in Long Beach. The project was 4 wall murals created in Adobe Illustrator for walls in the Long Beach Courthouse in the Child Care Center. Such a fun project! It is rare for me to get large projects like this one and for this nonprofit I had 2, the other was a vehicle wrap for a 35 foot motorhome that was used as a mobile care center for the organization. They are a wonderful organization that supports abused children in the Long Beach area.

For most of the last 2 years I have spent all of my time drawing and painting. My skill level there has improved and my graphics skills have gotten rusty! So I am revisiting projects I did, articles I wrote, and programs I used daily like Adobe Illustrator. I spent all day doing tutorials yesterday. Illustrator has changed a lot since I used it last. They have made it a little more user friendly which is nice. Just like drawing on paper, drawing on the computer takes practice. My skills are improving and I am once again looking forward to creating in this way.

Working remotely as a designer has really gotten easier these days also. So many job boards available to connect one with opportunities anywhere in the world. For years I have worked with clients I had in other cities before I moved back to Ridgecrest by email and now I can grow that network to include people I only work with via email or Zoom. It’s going to be interesting for sure.

As you can see, I have no time to be bored. I am what they call a self-starter. LOL

I do take time everyday for some meditation, quiet time, and readings, as well as walking with the dogs. They love their walk and so do I!
I would have to say I have a full life. With covid lockdowns, I have gotten used to being alone. I need to make time for friends, I know that, and now that I have recovered from the trip home, I will.

I have a lot to think about right now, but that is how change happens most effectively, rather than just waiting for life to change you, I find I like it better when I am the one instigating the change!
So right now my adventures are about making a life I can take with me and that is key to my future plans which are in the works.

I hope you are having a positive and productive January and that your own plans for 2022 are coming together.

Have a Happy Day

Cheryl