ne of the first things to do when you are starting the process (notice I say process, it took be one year to get to where I wanted to be) is have belief. Belief in yourself, your talent, and your ability to make this happen. I was kind of unexpectedly thrown into my process, so to speak. In April of 2004 I gave birth to my first child. At that time I was happy with my design job I had at a large Publishing House and wasn't planning on leaving. We'll 8 weeks of maternity leave change that and I was in a panic to be able to stay home with her. So what was I going to do? Well, I've always loved illustrations and even though I wasn't getting burned out on design work, it was becoming a very "needy" profession. Clients needed this and that and could you change this or that, revision after revision after revision. An illustration career has proven to eliminate the hand holding of most clients.

So I had my plan. My goal was to be home and working as an illustrator by my daughter's first birthday (April of 2005). There were obstacles. My husband and I worked for the same company in a totally different area or expertise (he was a data guy...think lots and lots of spreadsheets) and he was struggling. He was stressed to the hilt and in the summer of 2004 he found a way out. We had an opportunity come up that would allow him to have his "dream job." Due to his mounting stress, he needed to get out of his job before I left mine. A little bump maybe, but it was not going to delay my plans. Every day I would take steps to my ultimate goal. I spent time researching other illustrators who were where I wanted to be, book publishers for my mailing list, ways to promote myself online, work on new portfolio pieces, etc.

I had the determination to do this and the belief in myself to make it happen. I have to admit that I wasn't 100% confident in my style when I started out. I did both digital illustration and dimensional clay illustration (those of which I do today but they look a whole lot better!). I didn't wait around for myself to get better, I choose to get myself out there and work on my style along the way. I was going earn as I learned. I had to start getting my name out there and get better and learn more as I went along. Start accomplishing something instead of waiting on myself to get better. So many people wait and have excuses for not starting their business. "My style isn't where you want it to be", "I don't have money to do promotion", "Nobody's going to hire me, I have no experience" and the one that get's people (including me) all the time, "I don't have time." Do you have time to change your life? Yes, and if you still don't think you do, you will find it!!

Just remember, "If it's meant to be, it's up to me!!!"

Once you establish what you want, the how your going to do it doesn't matter. It will come and you will be like a freight train barreling down the tracks towards the station (your goal). When I was in the process of reaching my goal, I had a full time job, a newborn, freelance design commitments, marketing coordinator and designer for my husbands new brick and mortar business, plus personal commitments. There was nothing that was going to stop me, I HAD to do this. For my family and my own sanity.

Let me ask you. Whether you're an illustrator, designer, writer, photographer, crafter, artisan, etc, do you believe that you can make a living doing what you love. You may have no idea how it will happen, but hopefully I can share a few things with you that will get you started. Is it worth it? Believe me, it is so worth it!