We have all heard about the concept of personal responsibility. How do you define responsibility? I know for some of us hearing “Are you responsible?” brings up thoughts of blame. It’s a “Who did this?” and not in a good way. 

What does responsibility really mean? I looked it up in Merriam-Webster, and found this definition: “the quality or state of being responsible.” Don’t you love it when the definition basically includes the word you are defining? If you look at the word responsible, you will find, among other definitions, “able to answer for one’s conduct or obligations.”

To me responsibility, and particularly personal responsibility, means having the ability to respond. (I know I just used the word in the definition!) It includes no fault or blame to anyone, including ourselves. It is just being able to look at a situation, recognizing that we created it and deciding what to do. We created it, so we can un-create it. We can re-create it. We can totally get rid of it. It is our choice to make changes or answer in whatever fashion is right, no blame attached. That to me is really empowering.

My question to you is, How do you define responsibility?

Do you regularly celebrate your accomplishments? I am not surprised if you don’t. Many entrepreneurs are so focused on what is next that they do not take the time to appreciate what they have accomplished. That is why most of my clients take time weekly to look at what they accomplished and celebrate that. It is part of their weekly Success and Strategies Summit.

What exactly is the Success and Strategies Summit and how do you have one? I recommend setting aside 20 or so minutes once a week. It doesn’t really matter whether you do it at the end of the week or the beginning, what matters is that you set aside the time to do this. You go back and review the week. Ask yourself:  What worked well, what didn’t, what did you learn? And what you learned may be a specific skill or knowledge or it may be something that you learned about yourself. What were your challenges? What adjustments do you need to make for next week?

With the answers to the questions, I then look at what I want to accomplish in the next week to move myself forward on my goals. And, I schedule time for this in my calendar, along with time for any other non-negotiables, like self-care. This sets me up for success as I am prepared to start the week with an intention.

The one other thing I do is go back and look at all the successes I had. If you take the time to look at all you accomplished – big or small – you will be amazed at how much you did. That brings me to celebrating. I love to celebrate all that I am accomplishing. And the celebrations do not need to be big. They just need to be for you, something that recognizes what you did. I like the idea of listing ways to celebrate, putting them in a jar and surprising myself with something.

Do you have a practice to reflect on your past week and plan the next? Do you have a plan for celebrating your accomplishments? Please share on our Facebook page.

photo credit: sirwiseowl via photopin cc

Sweet and Simple Sewing Jessi Jung, Carrie Jung, and Lauren Jung
Martingale; $24.99

Jessi Jung and daughters Carrie and Lauren teamed up to present this collection of fresh sewing and quilting patterns. The collection includes 13 projects, perfect for gift giving or keeping. It was nice to see designs I hadn’t seen before, and I appreciated the hand-sewn and hand-bound journal. 

Look for the book at your local quilt shop or book retailer. Here’s a link toAmazon if you would like to learn more about the book.

Some time ago I read A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink. It’s a good read about why right-brainers will rule the future.

The future, really today, is the “conceptual age.” Pink discusses the “six senses” that one uses to build a whole new mind to thrive in this conceptual age: design, story, symphony, empathy, play and meaning. While I do not necessarily subscribe to his premise in total – I believe we need to engage both parts of our brain – he offers lots of great exercises to get your right brain working. And even though many fiber artists are right-brained, you will find the exercises fun and expanding.

Onto ifs, ands & buts. In his discussion on meaning, one of Pink’s suggestions for creating more meaning in your life is to replace the word “but” with “and.” He says that “buts” can create roadblocks for creating more meaning in your life and suggests creating a list of what you are trying to accomplish and what is in your way. Here are a few examples:

“I’d like to get these new drawings for the proposal finalized, but I’ve got to pick the kids up after school.”

“I really need to create new art classes, but I don’t have time to work on them.”

“I am happy with the design of my new quilt, but the color is off.”

Now replace each “but” in the sentence with “and:”

“I’d like to get these new drawings for the proposal finalized, and I’ve got to pick the kids up after school.”

“I really need to create new art classes, and I don’t have time to work on them.”

“I am happy with the design of my new quilt, and the color is off.”

Two things happen.

First you have not negated the phrase before the “and.” When you use “but,” you devalued all that came before it.

Second, you have, as Pink says, moved from “excuse-making” mode and into “problem-solving mode.” This opens your mind to look for possibilities. It is easy to see that when you read the sentence with the “and” your mind starts to think of how you could solve your dilemma.

In the first example, you might say, “I would like to get these new drawings for the proposal finalized and I’ve got to pick the kids up after school. So I need to make arrangements for someone else to pick them up so I can work.”

In the second example, “I really need to create new art classes, and I don’t have time to work on them. So I need to look at what I can eliminate or delegate.”

In the third example, “I am happy with the design of my new quilt, and the color is off. So I need to pull some colors from the stash and see what I can change.”

I also think the same thing can happen when you use in the words “if only,” as in this example:

“I really need to create art new classes, if only I had time to work on them.”

“If only” negates creating classes and leaves you in excuse-making mode. And, while you cannot make a direct swap with “and,” changing the last part will move you into problem-solving mode. Try it with “I really need to create new art classes, and I need to find time to work on them.”

Next time you find yourself saying “but” or “if only,” give “and” a try. It has made a difference for me. Let me know how it works for you. Leave your comments below, or go over to our Facebook Fan Club page.

Photo credit: ucumari via photopin cc

Longing for a Longarm: Should You Purchase a Longarm Machine?
Sue Allen Clayton
Manorville Press; $4.99 (Kindle)

I work with professional quilters, including many longarmers, as well as a lot of people who would like to have a successful quilt business. In this book, Sue takes a light-hearted and realistic look at owning a longarm, whether that is to start your business or to quilt your own quilts. From her own personal experiences, Sue shares the pleasures and pitfalls of owning a longarm. You will learn about physical and space requirements, the tools of the trade, and money matters – what your longarm costs and how much you will make. A plus is the good introduction to the emotional challenges that go along with running a longarm quilting business. Sue also shares her personal resource list. This should be your first read if you are serious about buying a longarm.

Look for the book at your local quilt shop or book retailer. Here’s a link to Amazon if you would like to learn more about the book.

My sister recently adopted a greyhound, and this majestic dog is a wonderful addition to her family. Do you know anything about the greyhound racing industry? The dogs chase a lure, which is traditionally an artificial rabbit, around the track until they cross the finish line. If they are successful, they only look forward, never to the side, and do not stop to enjoy the view.
They do not think about people in crowds, they do not think about what is for dinner, they do not obsess how their mother liked their brother better. They remain maniacally focused on that artificial rabbit and, yet, they never catch it. The lure of that rabbit is all those greyhounds care about.
Think about that rabbit as your vision for your business. A well- thought out, well-articulated vision will provide you with a focus for your attention and action. It needs to be specific enough to keep you from being distracted and ambitious enough to keep you challenged. Like the greyhound chasing the rabbit, you will never catch that vision because as you get close, your vision will become more expansive and aspirational.
Here is where the analogy falls apart. That dog chasing the rabbit does not need to reflect on success, measure how far he is come or could go. In your case, you need to periodically assess your progress to give you the confidence to keep moving forward.
As you look at your year, take time to look at your successes and celebrate them. Look at what worked, what could be improved and where you want to go. If you need some help, try the book recommended in this week’s ezine.
Please share your thoughts below.

I just love Quilt Market. It’s inspiring to see new fabrics, new notions, not to mention all those quilts! While space does not permit a full review, here is a highlight of some of what I saw.

• Downton Abbey® was the rage, and not just on television. Andover Fabrics showcased its new Downton Abbey line at a packed, standing-room only Schoolhouse where they were joined by the show’s head of costume production and head of set design. The line features collections for the major characters.

• Blue and navy are trends right now, as is gray as a neutral. Gray is also moving toward the warmer, tan side. You could see this in a number of booths, including Michael Miller, pairing the gray with citron.

• Use of social media was big. Lots of people were shooting videos, posting on Facebook and Instagram, and using hashtags. Moda had a good time with hashtags shooting a video of its designers saying “Hashtag, show me the Moda!”

• Bernina introduced several new products, including its new top-of-the-line sewing, embroidery and quilting machine, the Bernina 880, which features a full 12 inches to the right of the needle, a 1,200 stitches per minute speed, a bobbin with 80 percent more thread capacity and a seven-inch color touchscreen with scrollable navigation, and more. Also new, and available in the spring, is Bernina’s longarm machine, so watch for more on that.

• Stella Lighting introduced its new Stella Edge, which clamps onto the table edge. This LED light features the same Tri-Color Spectrum technology as in Stella’s other two lamps.

• Clover introduced its new Perfect Press Collection by Joan Hawley. This line of 10 products is designed to bring great basics back into your pressing station. I particularly liked the Hot Hemmer, a hand-size ruled, heat-resistant surface that lets you measure, mark and press straight hems, round, interior or miter corners. Also useful is the Dry Heat Pro Finish Pressing Sheets for use with heat-sensitive projects including vinyls and laminates. And, if space is an issue, you’ll love the 2×4 Mighty Mini Board, a compact ironing board that’s also perfect for small items.

• LaviShea introduced new scents to its popular Lotion Bars. The moisturizing lotion bars melt with your body heat and do not leave a greasy residue making them perfect for handworkers.

Please share your thoughts on your favorite finds below.

Modern Holiday
Amanda Murphy
C&T Publishing; $23.95

Christmas holidays will be here before we know it. Amanda Murphy is offering 18 ideas for a handmade Christmas, whether that’s a quilt or home dec item. You will find lots of fun ideas, including her Christmas Gifts quilts featuring three dimensions with bows made from buttons or yo-yos and the use of Dresden blocks refashioned as wreaths. I loved the Holiday Forest quilt filled with triangular trees and snowflakes in four designs. The home dec patterns included a fun Advent package calendar, Christmas stockings, and pillows using the four snowflake templates. It was fun to see the designs done in non-traditional colorways.

Look for the book at your favorite book retailer. Here’s a link to www.Amazon.com if you would like to learn more about the book.