About this time last year we were scrambling to get our “Holiday Giveaways” organized. It was our first year in business and we thought we had to do what majority of online, photography-related companies do: employ marketing at its highest level during the holidays. I think it was our first day in when I realized we had done exactly what I never wanted to do: conform. So this year we are doing quite the opposite. We’re gearing up to spend more time offline.
Our December 9th registration day is still on the calendar and we are fully prepared. Our teachers are waiting with great anticipation to see who their new sets of students are and we are excited to add to our alumni. We trust word will continue to spread about our available January classes even if our marketing isn’t applied like a hammer to the head.
I read an article recently on Forbes.com titled The 25 Biggest Regrets in Life. An excerpt reads,
“We are all busy. Life happens. There’s always something to distract us from getting around to certain things we know we should do. Soccer practice. Work. Home renovations. Getting that next big promotion.
And with the explosion of always-on smartphones and tablets delivering a fire hose of urgent emails, not to mention Twitter and Facebook (FB), in recent years, things have only gotten busier.
In the backs of our minds, we know we’re neglecting some stuff we should do. But we never get around to it.”
It continues on saying…
“Here is a list of the 25 biggest [regrets] we’ll probably have.”
And then the number-one regret we will (so Forbes.com tells us) have:
#1. Working so much at the expense of family and friendships.
It wasn’t even surprising to read. I read something similar recently in an article that surveyed hundreds of successful men in their 60′s. The number-one ranked regret was they wished they hadn’t worked so much and instead spent more time with family.
So with Thanksgiving right around the corner I’d like to commission us all to do the following as we head into this holiday season:
1. STOP and review what you’ve accomplished this past year. What are ways you have grown as an individual this past year? What risks have you taken? What have you learned? How has your art transformed? How has your business grown? What trials have you pushed past? What are all the things that deserve celebrating? Then be intentional in celebrating! Pick a night to go out and order champagne and celebrate. YOU ARE ALIVE.
2. What are things on your to-do list for the end of 2013 that can be put on hold or pushed back a bit so that you can fully immerse in the holiday season? What are things you can log-off for a period of time (social media, email?) so that you can spend less time online and more time with friends and family and yourself? BE INTENTIONAL AND DO IT.
3. What is something you want to do in the month of December you have wanted to do all year, but haven’t made the time for? Read a book? Work on a personal project? Have a full-blown stay-at-home-and-wear-your-pjs-movie-day? Paint? Write a friend a letter? Anything that feels unproductive but freeing. Most likely it’s the first thing that came to mind. Neglect work and to-do lists and chores and do it. YOU WON’T REGRET IT.
It’s a little ridiculous where this blog post has gone all on its own. This was supposed to be about where we’ve been this past year and where we’re headed in 2014. I even wrote out a fancy bulleted list of things to cover that I started on weeks ago, but we can talk about that later. We are, in fact, growing and going places, but what we care most about here at DEFINE is taking care of ourselves and loving those in front of us. That is the only way our art can flourish and the only way we can live without regret- at least without what Forbes.com promises will be our number-one regret.
Happy Holidays, DEFINE!
Sending so much love to each of you,
Jess Cudzilo
We’ll continue posting on our blog through the first week of December, and then The Define Journal is going into hibernation for the rest of the month. Our regularly scheduled posts will be back in January 2014. Don’t hesitate to contact info@thedefineschool.com if you need us- while our team is slowing down for the holidays, we will certainly still be around!