Last month I took a course that gave me several good ideas on how to keep earning online. I took my research a little further to work towards being consistent in building community, even if that community is online. I intend to work towards this by attending community events for art and writing. I also want to help promote other artists and writers that I know — more information coming in the next couple months.
Individual Ants
I often get distracted by things that sound more interesting, but must stick to the basic building blocks of business, at least for now. A couple weeks ago I had an ant problem in my apartment. Mostly they were in crevices or under items close to their habitat. As much as I tried, I couldn’t figure out where they were coming from. Initially I tried to draw them with natural remedies, and while it was mildly successful, they kept coming back and I couldn’t ever find the source. I even got desperate enough to pick up the ants individually to throw them in the toilet when I read that smooshing the ants actually give off even more pheromones and would attract more ants. I feel creepy crawlies on my skin now just writing this!
I can’t just focus on all the things I’m doing wrong, like picking up those individual ants. I have to lock in to the fear that is holding me back and (while maybe not completely getting rid of it) figure out how to push past it. For me, this looks like knowing when to spend time alone, away from computers, sometimes in the outdoors, sometimes chatting with friends outside of my little corner. I love my little corner, don’t get me wrong, but like any job, I can’t allow my work to take over my relationships with others, the community building and the giving to others.
Focus my Attention
This is part of my business and I need to spend time getting better at it, not just hoping that my income will increase. As a creative it’s easy to think that I should just do this for the love of art…my brain automatically thinks this way. But if I want to create something sustainable that will reach others. I need to figure out the best possible ways for me to do that.
I’m starting this year as a solopreneur. And if I keep earning what my goal is for the year, I’m hoping by next year to hire one or two people to help manage the more intricate details that are challenging or time consuming for me. The work that I put in behind the scenes support where I’ve gotten to.
Coming Up…
But this can’t just be my focus. Sometimes I can slide into the thought process that I need to do what I can to get people to notice me. So easy to do! Yes, to an extent that’s true. But I can’t lose sight of why I started this in the first place. This will keep me going. I need to express why I love the art and writing. So instead of promoting what I’m selling, my goal is to share what I’ve been creating, share what other artists around me are doing, and attempt to expand my own little art community in ways that I haven’t even thought of yet.
Over the next several months I intend to find ways to include both art and writing in social and blog posts, include writers and creatives that I know in my online work, and to build relationships with the artists around me.
Always learning,
Hannah Marie.