Goodbye 2014: A Look at an Amazing Year

Well I've been on a hiatus from blogging lately, but I need to get back into the groove. So many exciting things have happened in 2014!

1. Promotion - In January, I was promoted at my "day job" from seasonal key holder to Assistant Manager. It's a job I enjoy, but it isn't my career goal at the moment. I went full time to gain the income I needed to support headshots, acting classes, paying bills, and reducing debt.

2. Busch Gardens - I auditioned and booked roles in the live entertainment events of Howl O Scream and Christmas Town at Busch Gardens in Tampa. Due to the need to work more than my full time job would allow, I transferred to another store and became a part time manager. This allowed me to keep the freedom of pursuing my passions. Howl O Scream was an amazing experience and I met so many talented people. We all still keep in touch and hopefully will remain friends for a  while. Our characters were cannibals fresh from the mental institution, which was a joy to portray. We used improv the ENTIRE time we were on set. We did have our beginnings to our madness which was reset several times during the performances, but that made it more enjoyable for the viewers. Being in the atmosphere really helped me develop this character and maybe even turn her into a short horror film with the others. For Christmas Town, I was Santa's helper, Dimples the elf. This required a LOT of improv skills, but was so worth it. To see the magic in each child's eyes was simply breathtaking.

3. "White Angel" - In the spring and summer, I worked on a superhero feature film in Daytona. For this film, I was portraying a bully turned snake villain. The latex makeup was stunning and I built a great relationship with the cast. Can't wait to see the finished product.

4. "The Legend of Kate Kensington" - In the fall, I booked a supporting role on the upcoming thriller, "The Legend of Kate Kensington," where I play the main character's sister in flashbacks. This role required deep emotion and really pushed my limits. A piece of the scene can be found on my reel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtTdPOwFGbo&list=UU2u9UpH0OZO-2qzxBH9K9vA

5. "Migraine Hell" - In the summer, I announced I'd be pursuing my first writing to come to life. "Migraine Hell" is about a chronic migraine patient's follow up appointment that goes hell-ish. I'm very excited to film this in January 2015.

6. Indiegogo - For my first film, I launched an Indiegogo campaign that fell flat. I did most of the steps I thought would help it become successful, but it wasn't. I did two promotional teasers to build hype, an interview type video to show each cast and crew and why they wanted to be a part of this project, and of course used social media to share as much as I could with proper hashtags. The crowdfunding process is extremely difficult and stressful, so I will not be doing it again anytime soon.

7. Bouncy Boxer Media - For my self-publishing, I used my Bouncy Boxer Media name, but this year I decided to expand it to film. In 2015, I'll be using this company to make as many things as I can. Every beginning filmmaker starts somewhere. For me, it'll be in YouTube videos, short films, a web series, and spoofs. I want to tap into many aspects of filmmaking to see what my niche is. So far, I'm loving producing. I have control over the start to finish of the project (which being a control freak and a writer comes in handy) and I learn so much. I've built some great relationships with established filmmakers who can help me learn so many things.

8. Balloons! - Toward the end of 2014, I made a connection with a special events company to learn balloon artistry. This will become a side gig for 2015 to make extra money for debt payoffs. It's challenging, but I will learn more with each balloon. Kids love it!

9. Brand Ambassador - One of my other side gigs was to be a brand ambassador for marketing companies. I loved every gig I booked and look forward to many more!

In closing, 2014 was pretty great. I started to challenge myself and make goals for the future. Now 2015 will be about putting plans in place to reach those goals and learn everything I can. Keep a look out! I'm excited!

Projects, Health, and Living

So many things are coming for 2014! I've been slowly getting back to the groove on my writing  as well as adding more ideas to my notebook for the future.

Once I get new headshots (drastically cut my hair), I can submit for more acting opportunities. I've been taking a class with an independent filmmaker and love it! I've made some great friends and have already done two projects in film.

Now that I have insurance and a steady paycheck, I'm getting into debt annihilation mode. I've also started a 52 week savings challenge to save money into a couple accounts. Determination is the key.

As far as writings, my fiction novel is coming along with 5000 words so far and a great beginning to a heart touching story. I'm so excited to share it this summer. I've also been beginning a feature film screenplay but I'm unsure how it's going to go. The only way to find out is to type!

Migraines have been taking a vacation (well not fully) thanks to the wonderful Florida weather. I've been reintroducing foods like dairy to my diet and taking notes on my body's reaction. Cooking has been taking a back burner lately but I'm getting back into the groove.

What have you been working on lately?

Little Engine Post

Write 3 lines that each start with “I think I can…”
Then write 3 lines that start with "I know I can..."

I think I can finish a 5k.
I think I can make it today without a major migraine attack
I think I can achieve my daily goal.

I know I can smile all day because I'm blessed.
I know I can continue to be creative and inspire others.
I know I can be the person my dog thinks I am.

What are your lines?

A Less Stressful Way to Achieve Goals

If you really think about it, long term goals are super scary. One of mine is to be debt free. At this time, I can hardly imagine that coming true. Today, I took an hour to brainstorm and reflect on anything without using a computer and here's what I came up with:

1. How to achieve a debt payoff goal: Focus on the small things. By making just an extra $20 a month in payments, you are just that much closer to achieving that goal. Break your payments into how many times you get paid. For example, I have a $100 month payment to my old landlord so I plan on sending $25 a week. Seems less scary, right? By rationing out your payments, you don't get as stressed about making that monthly payment. If I had a car payment, I would do the same. When you break it out, it's easier to make an extra payment because it doesn't seem very large compared to your paycheck.

2. How to achieve a savings goal: Just like a debt payoff goal, trying to build a large savings can seem overwhelming. I decided to cap a budget amount from each paycheck to go toward bills and the rest is instantly put into my savings account. It may only be $10 a week, but once debts start going down, I can move more toward savings rather than debt. Watch your account grow and grow! Choose the right savings account for your goals. For example, if you already have an amount that could give you more interest, talk to your banker about making a switch. Some money market accounts require at least $1,000 to get a better interest rate. The same goes toward an investment portfolio. Talk to an expert to get the best return for your type of investment style. I'm aggressive so once I get back into investing, it'll be more into stocks than bonds. I'll still have a CD or bond that I can contribute toward to have a "safer" investment in case my main investment tanks. Always have a back-up!

3. How to purchase a home after a set-back such as foreclosure: My first home is currently being foreclosed and I'm okay with that. The problem is I'll have a very difficult time purchasing again in the next few years. My current situation makes it seem I'll never own a home again, but there's always hope. I was searching on Zillow and found some very low cost condos near a beach. The properties are very dated, of course, but I love a project. Since they are lower costing, I can set up a separate savings account to purchase the property (or similar) without financing. This will obviously take a while to accomplish, but when it comes to home ownership, I'm prepared to start small and build up. Some banks will let your purchase after 2-3 years depending on how your credit bounces back. Work with a lender as well as a finance expert to get your credit back on track. The more cash you have to put toward a property, the less risky you seem to a lender.

4. New career path: With my migraines, it makes it difficult to be on my feet all day or stare at a computer screen for the same amount of time. I need a more flexible career path so I made a list of what I want to do rather than what I can do. If you just do what you can instead of what you want, you won't be happy. I've written down real estate agent (flexible hours), teaching (requires both sitting and standing plus I love helping people learn), teaching English as a second language (opportunities to live overseas for a bit), getting back into banking, moving up in retail (would require some good shoes for standing so long), and purchasing small condos for short-term renting (very risky industry). When I make plans, I definitely do my homework so stay tuned to what goes on. Getting my teaching certification is already in progress and I'll be working on my real estate license plus TESL/TEFL certification early next year.

5. Family planning: Right now I'm 27 and in no position to give a child a great living situation. So for now, I choose to remain childless and work on my situation. In a few years, I will definitely begin the planning, but only once I get my debt/income situation under control. In the mean time, I'll work hard, enjoy being just me and my pup, and travel. There are still so many things I want to accomplish before I have children. If you notice my typing, I am not planning on having a spouse. That's because I am completely comfortable being just me and that's okay. If I meet the man of my dreams, great. If not, that's fine too.

So what do you think? Did that lower some stress on your situations too?

Affirmation: I accomplish little tasks effectively

Reflection:
Doing little things well is the foundation of my success
www.affirmationstation.com

As a spoonie, sometimes it's the little things that make the most impact. When you're three spoons down, getting the laundry done, cooking dinner, or freshening up the bathroom can make a world's difference. I try to take my life one spoon at a time, which means I look to the little things often. Today, I have a tutoring session, going to do Zumba (if spoons allow), and plan on getting some more accomplished with my Headache Diet Grocery Shopping Guide. With each little task, I can evaluate my spoons and move on to the next. If I focus on the big things too much (finances, career situation, living situation), I'll stress out too much and ultimately cause a flare. Yes, keeping up with the bigger items are very important, but it's the little things that build up to it. Here's an example:

Goal: Debt free
To accomplish this goal I need to focus on each bill. Paying little by little and working with each debtor will help me get to the final payoffs.

Goal: Getting back on my own
To accomplish this goal, I need to gradually purchase the small stuff we never think of (dishes, hangers, furniture, etc) so I do not freak out and have to buy it all at once. This helps lower the stress which can lower the chances for flares.

Goal: Build a long lasting career...in something that works for me
This one is a bit difficult. I was a banker before and had a flexible schedule, but my migraines made it difficult to keep a full-time schedule. I constantly had to use personal/vacation time to make it up, which isn't good. For now, I am working part-time in retail, tutoring students in math, and hoping to create some revenue from my books. Will either of these create a career path? You never know. I am also looking into being a certified teacher in business, science, or math (or all) so that's another possibility. I can use my degree for something and feel accomplished by molding young minds. For now, I can't stress on it. I need to do what I can, pay what I can, and see where the wind takes me.

It's all about balance. By accomplishing the little tasks effectively, you are ultimately helping the big picture become brighter. So if you find yourself looking to the big things, write down each small task to accomplish it and take it one task at a time.