52CP09: Start Now

So, it's not quite as late as I thought I might be! I try to schedule the challenge to post at midnight (my time), and it's just after noon, so not too bad...

This week's challenge is - again - based on events in My Life. Those who follow my other blog know that I've been dithering for months - if not years - about a career change, figuring out what I want to be when I grow up, etc., etc. They also know - and I'm sure you all have figured out - that time has a tendency to get away from me, and my intentions don't always come to fruition as a result. This is a long-standing issue with me. In fifth and sixth grade I was intelligent enough to be in a pilot program for accelerated students that our school district was testing, but I consistently got "B" and "C" marks on essays, etc., because I turned them in late. If I had a nickel for every time a teacher told me, "This would have been an "A" if you'd turned it in on time", I'd have been a rich young girl, for sure! And the trend continues...

I've been mulling over the whole procrastination issue and what stops me from just moving ahead and, while I still don't have solid answers, I have a couple of helpful tidbits that I'm sharing with you for our challenge:

I came across this quote a week or two ago, and it made me think - again - about the possible "why" behind my action (or, more accurately here, my inaction):

We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action.

- Frank Tibolt

I also thought that it would be helpful to have a reminder in my space that I need to plow ahead, regardless of any doubts or hesitations I may have, so I altered a luggage tag (I thought it a fitting metaphor) to put on my "inspiration board", which is a project in the works that I will share a different day when it's complete. Here it is:

I purposely kept it simple, because I wanted it to be something that would be a quick glance-and-be-reminded thing. Here's a better look at the stamped images:

The bird reminds me to soar, the red stamp reminds me what I want to be about, and the black stamp with the gold behind it is the main reason I made this (also the reason I bought this particular stamp set, but that's a different story). The words behind everything say "because you're worth it", to remind me that forging ahead with what I want to do and becoming what I want to be is what I deserve! I also added a clock charm to remind me that time is of the essence, and not something to be squandered and/or wasted:

It is - fittingly - from K & Co's "Life's Journey" collection... I sanded a white mini binder clip and wiped it with some gold to make it more closely match the charm.

Other deets: the tag is from JoAnn's $1 bin, the stamps are from K & Co Madeline (red), Heidi Grace Cherrywood Ln (green), Close to My Heart Vintage Postcard (blue, gray, and black), Inkadinkado Flourishes (bird) and "because you're worth it" from a single Inka stamp.

And that's my story! Something along the lines of the old Nike ads: "Just do it" (swoosh)! Here's Mr. Linky so you can share your fab creations: