I’m sure your life is the same way, but mine seems to change by the day. No honestly, by the minute. Does that happen to you too? Last week I had written on Facebook that I had a few announcements to make. Not even an hour later I had some things happen that threw that out the window. I took the weekend to collect my thoughts and make sure I was still solid in my decisions.

First off, making BIG decisions is not easy for me. I hem and haw a lot and play the What If game. I do Pros and Cons, I ask friends, I meditate, and I make a decision and then listen to my gut. I often ask The Universe for signs. I do that last one a lot. Then I have to decipher the signs and the whole process starts again. 🙂

Travel Schedule

One of the things I have always wanted to do since I was little was travel to Europe. For three years now I have made travel plans to go and three years in a row they get squashed. Sigh. I’m not giving up on 2015 just yet, but I will not be going to Spain at the end of April like originally planned. I have stated before that I have put travel on hold until my book is done. This is still true. I am making one exception to this… I was accepted as Press for the Craft Brewers Conference and I am headed to Portland in mid-April. If I can make it work financially, I will hop over to San Francisco too. But for now, this is a business trip that I need to go on.

I will stay in Alaska through the summer and into the fall. I have a big trip to New York and Minnesota scheduled for this summer, and then to Florida in October. Other than that, you will find me doing everything in Alaska that I did not do last year… backcountry hiking and camping, hiking back to glaciers, flight seeing, kayaking, fishing – lots and lots of fishing, and venturing up to the Arctic Circle, to name just a few.

The Lake Airport in Talkeetna, Alaska

 

I love Alaska. I bet you remember when I thought I broke up with Alaska in December? Just like any relationship, I needed time and space away for perspective. Last week when the weather broke (I’m really not a fan of the cold), I started to spend my lunch hour on the Coastal Trail. I have been falling back in love with Alaska this last month and it kinda hit me in the face.

That day I asked myself – could I live here? Could I build a business here to sustain myself? Do I want to? Could I find love here and build a relationship with someone?

For the first time in months, I saw two moose on the trail during my run. Then as I was catching my breath back at my car after the run I looked up in the sky. Not one, not two, but seven bald eagles flew overhead. I’ve seen maybe 4 bald eagles in total in Anchorage – and here was 7 at one time? For me, seeing two of my favorite animals in such a short time period was a sign to me.

The First Announcement

I have realized that I really only like to write about those things in my niche – craft beer, wine, travel, tech, gardening, and fitness. I struggle writing about topics that hold no real interest for me. This goes the same for doing social media marketing and consulting. I fail at sending proposals and following up. It is hard to recognize that and makes me feel like I should buck up and take the work, because it isn’t like I couldn’t use it. But I just can’t – existing friends and clients it is ok. But new work – I have to say no. Saying No isn’t easy!

Alaska Breweries

My 1st Announcement is that I am building a new site that means a lot to me –AlaskaBreweries.com. The site isn’t finished yet, but will be soon. AlaskaBreweries.com will have every Alaska Brewery listed with their contact information. I will take on contributors to help taste and review the craft beers in the different brewery’s lineups – there are over 1000 beers and I couldn’t possibly do this alone. On this site I will also have self-guided and tour-guided brewery tours. I have a lot of people asking me what to do, what to see, and where to stay near each brewery and I will have all that information available as well.

With this I will offer website and social media marketing consulting to craft breweries. I will work primarily with those in Alaska, but will open it up nationwide. I had a successful boutique marketing firm in Phoenix. If I truly want to make Alaska my home away from home, I feel that this is a good step in making that a reality.

The Second Announcement

It isn’t a secret that I have struggled in making the same amount of money being a full-time writer as I did building websites and doing consulting full-time. I write a minimum of 5,000 words a week for clients. I love it – but it can also be very mentally draining.

Last week my friend Heather Stephens sat me down in our weekly accountability meeting. She said you have lost your Focus again. Damn, hate when I lose that. Focus on 2-3 things and if other shit comes up that doesn’t fall into those categories then they go on the list for the next thing to concentrate on. Makes sense! Then she said something that pissed me off – stop writing your book. At least for now. She said since I don’t have pressure for a publish date, it needs to hold for a minute. My goal was to have the complete rough draft done by my birthday, April 5th.

Heather is an incredibly amazing friend!

Alaska’s tourism season has started and hits full throttle by mid-May. If I truly want to see what I can do with AlaskaBreweries.com it needs to be up and running by mid-April. She was right. So as much as I hated it, I stopped writing and put my extra time at the end of the day to building the site and web collateral I need for it, like a logo. I have worked on the plan for months of what I want it to be, now is the time to take those ideas and implement them. Now you see why I need to go Portland for the Craft Brewers Conference!

Now for a small humblebrag… for the first time in the year that I have been writing content for others, I have hit my monthly goal! March 2015 has seen me focused and working a schedule that really works well for me! I have to say thank you to my two accountability partners – Laura Cyra-Korsgaard and Heather Stephens. Both of them are fellow bloggers and businesswomen. I have an hour meeting each week with them separately and talk through issues, brainstorm, and keep each other working towards goals that we have written down and shared with each other. Being a solopreneur can sometimes be an isolating, lonely experience. I’m thankful to have people in my corner that truly knows what it means to raise others up and not push them down.

Laura has a way of just saying what needs to be said – refreshing!

The Funny Announcement

When I asked what everyone thought my announcement would be, I wasn’t shocked to see most people wanted me dating and pregnant. Not necessarily in that order either! Well, my track record for having first dates that don’t end in second dates is still intact. Dating in AK is a post all on its own. I sometimes think maybe I am undateable. I don’t know. I just know that men in AK don’t seem overly attracted to me. Maybe that will change one day. For now, I am grateful for the friends I have made here and for the friends I have around the world. Maybe one day that will change. Maybe!