Now, I go on pinning rampages, spend hours researching trips that are not yet on the books, and fervently document all of my grandiose ideas for pixology. Of course, this quality is not all bad. It enables me to dream big, motivate myself and excite others, and compliment my ever-so-pragmatic Hubster.

On the flip side, it's easy for me to get too caught up in what I want to become, where I want to go, and what I want to do. Today is already past and tomorrow holds the greener grasses. I've been actively attempting to lead a more present life. When I go on walks, I take in my surroundings, the fading of the sky as it curves toward earth, the reach of the trees, and the pressing of my feet on the sidewalk.

In my work, I like to take note of how far I've come. On a weekly basis, I read through old emails from my special people (you!), crunch growth numbers (32% in the last four weeks!) and sometimes, I thumb through my old portfolio, observing my evolution as a designer. It's really quite remarkable!

"Be proud of how far you’ve come and have faith in how far you can go." ~Nesha Woolery

I know I am capable of great things. On the days I fear falling short, I comb through the years and many experiences to recognize my accomplishments.

Sure, the Shoemaker had a handful of longtime loyal customers, ones who knew the quality of his work. For, he was an excellent shoemaker. Unfortunately, the eight bare feet of his children were reflecting more light, as it were, than that of his lustrous craftsmanship. New customers were infrequent and his business began to suffer.

Then one day it struck him. He must create a new customer. A customer with four orders, each varying in size, but equal in quality. In fact, these orders must be the highest quality. As the weeks went on, he began to incorporate these orders into his workflow. He broke down the four pairs into measurable steps. First, evaluating the amount of time each would take to complete. Then ranking the pairs in order of necessity, addressing the most pertinent and least time-consuming pair first. He spent one hour per day, or five hours per week, on these until all four pairs were sewn, laced, and polished.

Upon completing his childrens’ shoes, the Shoemaker threw a lavish party. He sent out personal invitations to all of his current and past customers. He even went so far as to invite the entire village, including the insufferable town gossip—she was, after all, his sister-in-law.

At the party, his four children leaped and frolicked. They gleefully greeted guests as they arrived and boasted about the marvelous shoes their father made them. One after another, the guests began to request the Shoemaker’s services. Several exceptionally enthusiastic guests took pictures of the shoes, and posted them on all of the Twitters.

The end.

“Take the same initiatives marketing yourself as you would for any other client. Even fill out your own creative brief. Give yourself capstones, campaigns, deadlines and goals.” ~Megan Kirby

Let me tell you something. This cycle is bullshit. Absolute. Shit. It begs the question—assuming the premise is true—and presumes you and the other person are comparable. The only person you should ever compare yourself to is you.

“We all have our own paths to go on and it’s silly to compare yourself to other designers, especially when they’ve had a completely different path than you.” ~Erika Dillon

Sometimes fear and feelings of inadequacy sneak into our creative beds, producing nightmarish visions of failure and public humiliation.

I am not without these thoughts. I can go months with enough confidence to tackle the world with gusto. Then, at times, that awful downward spiral is triggered. I hesitate before every move. Question my competence. Wonder if what I am doing really matters. I enter the world of measurement—the only realm where helically-shaped thinking exists.

On some level or another, we all struggle with feelings of inadequacy surrounding our creative abilities. The only way to overcome these is to remove ourselves from the world of measurement and enter the universe of possibility.

“...On the whole, you are more likely to extend your business and have a fulfilled life if you have the attitude that there are always new customers out there waiting to be enrolled rather than that money, customers, and ideas are in short supply.” The Art of Possibility, by Rosamund S. Zander, Benjamin Zander

It’s not about being the best; it is about being your best.

The only time self-awareness gets in the way is when I allow it to become more than awareness. When it grows into The Critical Beast—complete with bulging eyes and hairy feet—ravaging my confidence, impeding my creative process, and crushing my enthusiasm.

In Kathleen Shannon's GLIMPSE interview, she mentions a quote by Ira Glass in which Glass discusses a disconnect, or gap, during the infancy of our creative life. For Glass, that gap exists between our skill level and our understanding, bringing on acute self-awareness of our shortcomings. Yet as we grow in our ability, we move closer to our understanding and closer to what we know the work should be.

When you're just starting out, either newly self-employed or as a recent grad, you're still getting your bearings. It's easy to allow self-awareness to morph into The Critical Beast. While this time can be a bit unnerving and often stressful, it's no place for The Critical Beast. It is a place to be mindful and simply aware. Mind the gap, but don't dwell on it. It can take years to get in the groove, to find your voice, your style, your niche. "...Stick to it," says Kathleen. "It takes time and focus—with lots of milestones and victories to celebrate, and struggles and insecurities to battle along the way."

I would add to that: it is also a time full of new beginnings, big opportunities, and exciting possibilities. It is a time for exploration and experimentation. Enjoy the process and tell The Critical Beast to get the hell out!

Maybe it is obvious—when you want to start something, tell people, reach out—but I found it remarkable. It was like being told I could talk in class! (I may or may not have gotten in trouble for that a few times, but I digress.)

It's funny how many unspoken expectations there are surrounding our work. The culture of the business world tends to promote billable hours over connection. In a service model, billable hours are certainly important. We must have bread! But there's another piece, a big piece. One that even an undeniable extrovert like me loses sight of at times. Connection. I have to make myself attend events, schedule Skype dates with inspiring people, and even invite strangers to be interviewed or to participate in collaborative projects. What's wonderful is that often times real, genuine connection is the seed that grows the business and puts bread on the table.

The young and talented Eva Black, featured in Volume Two of GLIMPSE, advises to "work hard and make connections." Business is more than just a bottom line; business is connecting. This is great news! For those of us (me) who don't know everything there is to know about business, we can simply listen to our intuition, invest our time in people, and continue to create great work.

I've been on a quest to find more uncommon reads lately, steering clear of the formulaic business and design blogs, which have become increasingly more predictable and uninspired.

While snuggled on the couch with my little dog, The Hubster, and the most delicious cup of french press coffee, I opened my Reeder app on my iPad and found a lovely article from the newly discovered website. The article explores true discovery and development through the process of getting lost.

With the launch of the Women in Design (co) website, I am so totally lost. I've never before sold products, contacted strangers to participate in collaborative projects, disclosed so much through emails and blogs posts, or really, ever launched anything aside from other people's projects.

I remember the first few client projects I took on when I had just started my website design business. Like many of you have (I am sure), I agreed to projects with confidence, only to turn around and wonder how the hell I was going to accomplish what I promised. There were a few blunders and breakdowns—a missed deadline or two, frantic phone calls for troubleshooting and critiques, and some sacrificial cash money for hiring out work at the very last minute—but in the end, I was better for it. I would bury myself in it, lose myself in the unfamiliar realm.

What began as a desperate move to pay the bills turned into intention; a desire, not only to hone my skills, but to gain momentum. Back in August, when I decided to fire my clients and take pixology in a new direction, I intended to get lost. For I will never truly know what I am capable of without first getting lost, engaging my inner compass to navigate new territory.

Prompt: When was the last time you got lost?

Tell me a story about the last time you got lost. I would love to hear from you. Just reply below!

I worked in the Magnolia neighborhood of Seattle and, since I didn't have a car, I rode my bike to work every day. The route took me right past a coffee roaster at the bottom of a very steep hill. I would stop, get an iced caramel latte, then slog up the hill. Thankfully, I worked at a place where sweatiness wasn't a deal-breaker.

Though I may not remember the lattes, the atmosphere, or the people with any sentiment of nostalgia, I will no doubt remember that place every time I get a whiff of roasting coffee beans. That nutty scent is so specific and now tied to a place in my memory forever.

After reminiscing about the coffee roaster and summers up at college, my mind wandered to the present. What elements or characteristics do people immediately associate with me and my work? Even though I smelled the beans of another roaster, I thought of that place in Seattle. The olfactory is quite powerful, as is a well-executed brand.

As I write this, I think it would be fun to do a little exercise. Below are my quick word associations I hope are paired with both myself, and my business.

Personal

• SCENT: AE Bohemian (for her)
• STYLE: Casual yet intentional, natural, minimalistic with classic elements
• PERSONALITY: Approachable, engaged, genuine, and a splash of humor

Business

• AESTHETIC: Simplistic, engaging, approachable
• WORK / PRODUCTS: Intentional, educational, unconventional, community oriented, longevity of value
• VOICE: Authentic, learned yet affable, with a splash of humor

What elements or characteristics do you want people to immediately associate with you and your work? Comment below!

Yesterday morning marked the great announcement of Women in Design (co), my community building initiative, featuring curated artwork from a small collection of female designers.

Yes!

I am absolutely thrilled with the first set of designs. With great pleasure, I present Collection One. The designers were to create a 10x10" letterpress print, communicating the rhythm and feeling of our favorite song.

The Details

All pieces will be printed with enthusiasm by SWASH on Crane's Lettra (Pearl White) 110lb paper. It's the sexiest paper around.

15% of all profits will be donated to The Boys and Girls Club Music & Arts Center of Kennewick, WA. Read more about this great non-profit.

If nothing else, please visit the website and Pin, Like, or Tweet your favorite ones!

Of course, I was skeptical at first—it really couldn't be that simple—but after using it on a daily basis for over two months, I've seen a significant improvement. It actually works. And smells good. And of course, there are no harmful effects.

We are (or rather, I am) often quick to dismiss solutions that seem too obvious or too simple. As I am working on launching my Women in Design (co) website next week (eek!), I have had to continuously remind myself to KEEP IT SIMPLE. Even though the site really isn't all that big, there are still a good deal of moving parts and pieces to put in place, providing me ample opportunity to create a complex beast.

I do not want a complex beast. So, I look for the honey. With each task, I think through the options and pick the most effective one. How can I both accomplish what I need and put in as little time/effort as possible? (I promise, I have not been smoking anything stinky—efficiency, not apathy!) Really, no matter if I am writing, designing, or launching a collaborative website with curated artwork, I must find the solution that uses the least amount of energy, while delivering the utmost meaning and usefulness.

Since signing up to receive the weekly broadcast for Uncommon in Common, I committed to being a founding member. As a token of gratitude, I received a fun package in the mail. In it there was an article written by Kathy Sierra titled, The API of You.

She leads her article with a fascinating finding: "Willpower and cognitive processing are coming from the same pool of resources." Our problem solving and discipline use the same reservoir of faculties. If you "...deplete it over here, [you will] pay the price over there."

We are bombarded all day, every day, with distractions and attention grabbers. Since this reservoir is limited, we must protect it—coddle our creativity. Sierra suggests we first identify the "cognitive leaks" throughout our day and "avoid drains." How very true!

I recently took a hiatus from Facebook and frequently disconnect while writing and designing. Honestly, setting those boundaries is relieving. During those times I don't have to pay attention or be available. I give myself permission to focus. I allow myself to not just ignore, but abide in blissful ignorance, not receiving phone calls, texts, emails, and notifications.

When was the last time you shut off your phone, logged out of Facebook, and closed your email in order to focus entirely on the task at hand? Before we are able to create for others, aiding in their endeavors, we must first put on our own oxygen mask.