I'm on a Podcast!

If you're reading this, Mom, I did it! Somebody asked me to be on a podcast!

If you're reading this and you're not my mom, my friends Shailey and Katie have a fantastic podcast called... (drumroll, please) Shailey and Katie! They're two business-owning, work-from-home moms who are laughing their way through parenthood, and they asked me to talk about my journey to self-employment (because I know nothing about parenthood 😂).

Click here if you want to hear me dish the deets on making the leap toward a full-time freelance career! While you're at it, just block off some time to listen to their other episodes because they're all so good.

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My Bullet Journal

Happy Friday! Since I've transitioned into the full-time freelance world I admit my weekdays and weekends occasionally blur together, but for most people, Friday means one thing: hello, weekend!

Speaking of full-time freelance.. What a transition! I didn't think switching from having a "real" job to working from home would be so challenging, to be honest. It has been a whirlwind! I'm trying to make sure I still keep elements of a routine going because while I disliked waking up at 6 a.m. every day to work in an office full of fluorescent lighting, there were some benefits to having a clear-cut schedule. It's not as hard to know when to work, rest or play when you have a boss and coworkers to be accountable to.

I saw my friend Jordan post about her bullet journal recently, and I remembered hearing about this method of schedule management on The Internets™a while back. So I wanted to try one and see if it helps me feel more prioritized and put together!


I am 100% new to bullet journaling — like, three days new. But here's why I liked the idea of it:

• it's analog. I have never found online calendars to work for me. Even when I set reminders and alerts, I just feel so much more scattered online than I do on paper. Also, how many times have I opened a browser to check my Google Calendar and wound up on Apartment Therapy or Facebook instead... Oops!
• It allows for flexibility. The creator of the Bullet Journal method recommends you don't schedule out your tasks and to-do's for more than a day at a time. I think that's a little extreme — I've been scheduling out my to-do's weekly since I began freelancing, but flexibility is something I need during this season when deadlines get moved or I'm working with clients on a fast turnaround.
• You can keep everything in one place. The idea is that you can keep your calendar, shopping list, themed tasks and to-do's (wedding planning, anybody?!) all in the same place. That makes me feel more sane than having three, four or five notebooks to juggle (and potentially forget somewhere).

I think what I like most about bullet journaling is that it's really customizable — some people get super creative with them and others stick to the nuts and bolts. I learned the basics of setting mine up from the video on the Bullet Journal website, and it's very simple at this point. We'll see what happens as I keep using it!

I'm not sure if bullet journaling will be the end-all, be-all method for me, but I'm going to try it for a few weeks and see if I can get the hang of it. I'll share an update on my thoughts after a little while! What do you guys think about scheduling methods, whether you've used a bullet journal or not? Any tips, tricks, etc.?

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Oh, Hello Again!

I once read you should never apologize for a break in blogging — that you should just be like "hey this is what's on my mind today" without saying "so sorry I haven't posted in a while!"

Well, I haven't posted in a while, so here's what's on my mind today: Taking time to slooooow down.

Between leaving my job to go full-time freelance and planning a wedding, I've been a busy bee lately! Building a business (or two or three) and preparing for marriage are both huge life changes, and I've been adjusting to this new life of mine. I'm thankful — so thankful — and just a little overwhelmed at times!

I've been reading a book with a group of friends, Shauna Niequist's Present Over Perfect, and here's something she had to say:

“Many of us, myself, included, considered our souls necessary collateral damage to get done the things we felt we simply had to get get done - because of other people's expectations, because we want to be know as highly capable, because we're trying to outrun an inner emptiness. And for a while we don't even realize the compromise we've made. We're on autopilot, chugging through the day on fear and caffeine, checking things off the list, falling into bed without even a real thought or feeling or connection all day long, just a sense of having made it through.”

Maybe the "do or die" to-do list you've been carrying around is really just a "do or die trying" list?

So I'm putting less pressure on myself. Or at least I'm trying to!

Spending extra time on a fishtail braid because it makes me feel #fancy, wearing this fun picnic outfit from Modcloth, still knocking items off of my to-do list, but giving myself grace. And time to breathe. Breathing is important, you guys.

I also don't see self-care as a singularly woman's issue, though I notice more women writers talking about it. Food for thought.

Anyway, here are some other things I'm into right now:

- 6 peach desserts that are the definition of summer via Bon Appetit

- Dying to try Glossier's Cloud Paint

- Currently reading this book, which is super interesting

- Artificial light from digital devices lessens sleep quality, via Science Daily

What's on your brain lately? Let me know, either here, on Facebook or on Instagram!

Outfit details: dress c/o Modcloth, statement ring c/o Modcloth, shoes.

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She Sells Things

You must have thought I've forgotten about learning. Or that I fell off the face of the planet. Or worse, that I've been trapped on some remote island with no internet access. 

None of those things are true. But if you thought, "Hmm, Ana hasn't blogged in a while. I wonder if she's been busy opening a mini-boutique," you would have been right! Opening a shop has always appealed to me, and I can now officially say that 2015 was the year that I dipped my pinky-toe into the vast pool of business ownership. 

Turns out there are a lot of things to do to open a business--who woulda thought. But I am enjoying the new adventure! I'm carrying a lot of products from Rifle Paper Co. (insert heart-eyes emoji), some magnet boards, wall hangings, lamps, mugs, coasters, and a few other little knick-knacks.

I've already learned things (look at me go!) through this process, and I'm sure I'll continue to learn a ton more. It is helpful and humbling to have an individual like my mom (who has been a small biz. owner for over 20 years) to help me navigate the process for myself. 

So, where is it? I thought you'd never ask! There is a boutique in my hometown called The Market, which my mom has had space in for as long as I can remember. There are a few women who have space in the shop, and everybody has different things, ranging from home furnishings, gifts, clothes, baby clothes (the cutest), accessories, etc. etc. etc. It's pretty hard for me to remember that I'm there to sell things and not buy all the things. 

Now that I've gotten the shop up and running, I should be back to learning things more often. Thanks for sticking with me, guys!

So if you wanna, look up The Market's page on Facebook, and follow @themarketspringfield on Instagram. Also, if you have any products you'd love to see in the shop, send me a note at shelearnsthings(at)gmail(dot)com, and I'll see what I can do! 

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