find your passion!

I am by nature a very passionate person.  I don't know if it's my Spanish blood or a nod from my astrological sign Leo, but the passion is definitely there.  My kids would say, "That's just how God made you, Mom!"
There are many things I am passionate about.  At the core of my passion is design; it's all about expressing my creativity.  I absolutely love to create!  Whether it is redoing a single room or an entire house; designing and sewing costumes for a local performing arts group or for my own kiddos; making handcrafted jewelry (buying new beads makes me giddy); or even writing, I am passionate about the entire process as well as the finished project.  That's one of the things I love most about designing:  the ability to see a physical change for the better.

No matter your call in life, you have to have PASSION!  What are you drawn to?  What makes you feel giddy as a schoolgirl (or boy) when you do it?  Is there a certain activity or person you are drawn to?  Whatever it is, find your passion and make time to express that which you love!  It is so important!

 

Tips to feed your passion:

• Decide to be passionate.
• Make time for what you love.
• Learn more about your specific interest; take a class.
• Surround yourself with like-minded people.
• Give of yourself: your time, talents and passion

Quotes to inspire you:

Above all, be true to yourself, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it.--Author Unknown

Chase down your passion like it's the last bus of the night.-- Glade Byron Addams

Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.-- Harold Whitman

If there is no passion in your life, then have you really lived? Find your passion, whatever it may be. Become it, and let it become you and you will find great things happen FOR you, TO you and BECAUSE of you.-- T. Alan Armstrong

Passion that is so deep within that all we need to do is release the passion inside so that we become energized with a newness that all will want to share in.-- M. Lee

I would love to hear your comments.  What are you passionate about?  Take time for your passion.  You are worth it!

Carrie

design bloggers conference 2011: the business of blogging

Dan McCarthy, CEO of Network Communications, Inc. gave an informative presentation at the Design Bloggers Conference in Los Angeles.  He reminded us that social media is the single best platform for sharing information.  We write blogs because we want to share our creativity and passion with others.  Social media allows us the opportunity to begin a conversation.  Dan shared with us some key tips to creating a successful blog:







Describe your Blog
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 The description of your blog is key.  It needs to be one line that describes exactly who you are and exactly what kind of work you do.




Get Help
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Look on the web for helpful information.  Here are some links Dan recommends.

• http://www.problogger.net/
• http://MackCollier.com
• http://www.chrisbrogan.com/




Be Authoritative
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Be authentic and authoritative.  Be confident when you write.  Make yourself the authority on the subject you are writing about.



Have Focus
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Business strategy benefits from focus.  Identify your focus and remain consistent.



Know and Claim your Identity
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Claim your Google identity.  Here is a link at Online Media Pros I found helpful for doing just that. 



Connection + Talk = Community
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Talk to who you track (influencers).  Create a contact schedule on a spreadsheet.



Tag, tag, tag!
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Tag videos just like you tag written content.

One of my favorite things that Dan said was,

 "Creativity is a fundamental path to self-discovery; it is not self-indulgent."

Follow the conversation on Twitter via @StudioCInterior using the hashtag #dbc2011.  Let me know what your thoughts are. 

Carrie