Before long, April will be over and a quarter of the year will be gone in the blink of an eye. It’s insane how quickly time can pass while still creeping by at the same time. I wanted to talk about some of my goals that are in progress. I know I mention them at least once a month, but it always feels good to check-in and really see the progress (or where I can improve!)

Health Goals

I have no qualms about sharing my weight; especially when I know I am improving from where I was in 2020. Currently, I weight 284.5lbs At the start of the year I weighed in at 307lbs, so the progress is happening! I still have my 80/20 process of cheat meals (80% of the time I make wise food choices and stick to the new diet…) but I don’t beat myself up over when I decide to stop at McD’s for breakfast, or have a sugary snack. Exercise still hasn’t become part of my routine, but I feel like once I get my Career Goals accomplished, I’ll have more time to do other things.

I’ve found affordable and stylish Rx glasses at online shop Zeelool! Highly recommend

In other news, due to a new development with my eyes called a Pterygium I’ve transitioned from wearing contact lenses full time to glasses. Although the condition has definitely gotten me down in the dumps and caused much discomfort, I have been enjoying my glasses. My 2nd grade self wished I was introduced to cool frames like this back in the day; then maybe I wouldn’t have been so self-conscious about it.

Career Goals

So, what are my current career goals? To find a new position that works better for my family and I. I feel like, at times, people out grow their employment in places where there is minimal to no room for advancement. It forces you to make decisions that will further your growth. I don’t like having to job hop every 3-4 years, but the way the economy is now (and the very limited benefits on most jobs), it is forcing me to do so. This month, I’ve had a few couple virtual interviews; sadly none that progressed into a job offer, but in the meantime, I’m grateful for a small raise at my current position.

I’ve learned that you have to be very specific in your prayers to God. I pray now that He not open any doors that He doesn’t want me to walk through. I don’t just want ANY job, but the RIGHT job for me and the goals I have for my future. God has never let me down and I don’t expect Him to now. In the meantime, I continue to keep my eye out for career opportunities.

I never saw myself as being a full-time freelance artist and I’m not going to start dreaming about it now. There is a lot that goes into owning your own business and I don’t think it’s something I’d want to dive into. This is not to be confused with actually making money from hobbies! I like the dependability of using my art passion at a 9-5 job. I want to be as worry-free as possible when those bills roll around every 30 days. I want to insure that my family is taken care of.

Art Goals

I feel as if I’ve bounced around quite a bit when it comes to art in the past 4-5 years. While in college, my range was very limited as there were graphic design requirements to fulfill. I had to miss the opportunity to learn about other mediums of art. Once I graduated, I took the time to explore all the ones that interested me. This is how I taught myself about watercolor painting. From there, I discovered gouache painting and even dabbled in alcohol marker illustration. I decided to take what I’d learned there and apply it digitally with digital illustration. I like being able to utilize all these different mediums to offer a wider range for freelance work, but now I want to focus on 1 or 2. Since graphic design is such a big part of what I do professionally; I’d like to spend my free time focusing on other things that aren’t on a screen.

My love for gouache and painting in general is deep and something I will no longer ignore.

Ultimately, I’d like to produce prints of my work, sticker sheets and cute pins to sell online. I don’t expect to be able to fully support myself with this income, but I’d like to attempt it. I’ve always been an art collector of these items and I’d like to have them with my own art as well!

Social Media Goals

In a sense, all of my goals work together and social media plays a part in that as well. My priority is to not get burned out trying to accomplish everything, but to plan accordingly so it becomes a smooth routine. Currently, I upload once a week for my doll hobby channel, DollieLovex3. However, this may change in the next year or so as I shift my attention more towards my art goals.

I’d like to grow my art social media outlets and overtime help promote sales of my art + commissions. One way I plan to do this is to make consistent posts across Instagram. I’d like to start an art focused YouTube channel, too.

24″ iMac computer in Purple

I’ve already made changes to aid in reaching these three goal categories. The first was a revamp of my current room into a welcoming artistic space for me to work. I recently was able to upgrade my old computer with a new 24″ iMac! With this new work horse piece of tech, I can work more efficiently with less pitfalls. I’ve been enjoying it a lot; setting it up, installing and learning new software and more.

I’ve also parted with a few of my collectable dolls. I’m sure to narrow the collection down further to those that I enjoy the most. Not only is it a space saver, but money back into my pockets to invest in other studio purchases (like my new desk and decor). It’ll be a slow process, but one that will be surely worth it.

The Fusion Craft Station sold by Hobby Lobby

I stopped in recently to stock up on more gouache paint brushes at Hobby Lobby and came across my ideal drawing desk! Not only was it great quality and spacious, but it was 50% OFF, making it priced around $170 USD. The one I have saved to my Amazon Wishlist was more than double that. I am so happy (and blessed) to have found this deal and it was the last one in stock at the store! It took me a few hours to put together myself, since I took my time and made sure everything was secure, but I love the outcome and can’t wait to start using it!

Overall I am tired and I often feel defeated when things just don’t go my way (even after several attempts), but I try and hold on to what I asked God to do in my life. I still have so much to be thankful and grateful for while I work towards a better life physically, mentally, and emotionally.