Talk About It Tuesday: 5 Year Goal Check-In

I've talked about how I got started art journaling on the blog before (right here actually) but I didn't share much of my first journal in that post like I did my subsequent ones. I did this for various reasons, some of the pages are personal, some were only half completed.

This one I was hesitant about sharing in case I failed, but when I stumbled upon my old journal while tidying my office I knew this was perfect to discuss here on the blog. I was asked to respond to the question "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?" by my senior AP English teacher.

Senior year was a tumultuous time for me, like it is most seniors; but I'm going to step out on a limb here and say mine was a little more of a whirlwind than some. I was kicked out of my house a few weeks after I turned 18 when my parents decided they were finally through with each other, my business took off not long after that for the holiday season and I was literally drowning in orders, I started my first real job, and I came to the realization that the 4 year college right after high school thing wasn't for me (that had always been the plan). I have had an interest in art since a young age but I'd also constantly been presented with the stereotype of the starving artist and told that art was not a "real" career so I'd done my best to explore other avenues. Nothing ever clicked or seemed to make me feel as fulfilled and happy as creating though, but I was young, I thought I had years and years to pick a "grown-up job."


I had finished all of my core classes ('cept english, you have to take that every year) and requirements for graduation by the end of junior year so in my senior year I decided to pile on the electives (art 1 and 2, ceramics, digital art etc.) and try to enjoy myself before I had to make the decision of what I was going to do with the rest of my life. Instead of "getting it out of my system" so to speak, it only rekindled my passion for making which had fallen to the wayside as I'd focused on academics through my formative years. Basically when my teacher set this prompt for this page I had to take a long time to think about the subject legitimately even do some soul-searching (although even as a theatre kid I think that sounds a bit dramatic)

I eventually came up with these three goals for myself, In 5 years I would;

1. Know what career I wanted
2. Design my own clothes
3. Have made "Cwafty Creations" a well know name

I was pleasantly surprised to see that I'm more than halfway there!

1.  I decided on a career in propmaking, which you can read about here. Since my life goal is to learn to make anything I figured a job that requires a vast array of creative skills would be right up my alley.  
2. I took a costuming class my first semester at college to further this goal and it did wonders. I had a great teacher and she taught me some valuable lessons about sewing garments. Since that class I have made myself a few pieces of clothing and altered/ upcycled many. One day I will have an entire closet full of RaChil Luke designed pieces but for now I'm just happy to have invested the time and energy to learn how to clothe myself. 
3.  I think this is the one I am most proud of. I started my business because there seemed to be a demand for the crafts I made but I never imagined it would come this far. I've had my shop open for 4 years now and combined with this blog I've made a good little following for myself so far. I was getting coffee at my school cafe the first week back from winter break and a barista recognized me and said "Oh hey, I follow your page on FB." That made my day, I walked around grinning like an idiot the whole morning.  Sure it's local, but this girl is not someone I know really except for seeing her at her place of work. It made me feel like I've already "made it." I made sure to thank her for the support and then had to calm myself down to keep from hyperventilating.

I can't believe how much progress I've made in 3 years but I know that I can only go above and beyond my own expectations now (If I keep progressing at the same rate). I set goals that were the right balance of attainable and challenging.

Do you do well with long term goals or are short term goals more your thing? I try to do my best in short term but I always end up with too much on my plate.

 Til Next Time!