Has the year not started out the way you had hoped?  Maybe you had a cold and missed your big kick off to the new year.  Are having a slow start towards your goals or feeling overwhelmed already?

Always remember…

It’s not too late to start.  Or start again.  Pick one small thing and get to it.  Then another.  Before you know it, you’ll be on your way.  Right now.  Close your browser screen (after you read this, of course), get out of that chair and take on a task you’ve been meaning to do.  Make that phone call.  Clean that counter top.  Wait.  Am I talking to you or me?  Regardless…

Even if you’re doing great keeping to your goals this early on, remember, at any time during the year, it’s not too late to get started or to re-start.  Each and every day can be a beginning.  It should be a beginning. Fresh and new.  Exciting and hopeful.  Leave any guilt or critical thoughts behind and step out with a new outlook.

Never. Too. Late.

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Q: [Dear Bead Nerd]…you are an advocate for blogging and writing articles, but I have the hardest time figuring out what articles or blog topics would be of interest to my viewers. I sell jewelry and jewelry accessories … After the typical articles (how to clean jewelry, types of stones, etc.) I’m at a loss. How do I determine what to write about, especially ongoing? Could you provide suggestions or cover this as a blog topic?

A: First off…great question. Here are some tips and things to consider when you’re writing your blog:

Know your audience. Who are you writing for? Who are you targeting or who would you like to target? If you are an artist, are you writing for your customer or is your blog geared towards other artists? Or both? If you are a supplier, same thing.

Know your blog’s purpose. Why are you writing your blog? For self-expression and to let people know more about you? To sell product? To bring awareness to your media? The reasons are unending and may be a combination of things. You decide.

Think like your target audience. If you’ve brainstormed the above “Know Your Audience” you have a better idea of who reads your blog…or who you are going to target to read your blog. Think like them. If you were them, what would you want to know about? What would interest you?

Expanding your focus. As you follow these tips and examine your methods and who you’re reaching, you might find that the scope of your blog is too narrow. Expand it, but not too much. If you write for end users, expand to write for peers too. If that isn’t enough, expand to write about your media as a whole. Still not enough? Throw in some interesting information about yourself, your process, your business, upcoming events, etc. Everything is fair game for a blog, but make sure to keep to your purpose.

Finding material. That all sounds great but where do you find material to blog about? Everywhere. Again, thinking like your reader as you go through your day. What would they like to know about? What would interest them? When you’re flipping through a magazine, do you see something that your readers might enjoy knowing about? A new technique? A free project? Something that would make their life easier? An interesting artist? A new tool or supply? What about a color combination you’re seeing around a lot or an exhibit at a museum? What about a youtube video you liked or something inspirational?

Start to look at the world differently…as your reader would see it.

Keep a notebook nearby. Jot down ideas as they come to you throughout the day. When you feel stuck, come back to your notes. It’s best to blog these ideas when they’re fresh because inevitably, you will lose your passion for the idea the more that time passes. Blog them ahead of time and schedule them to publish in the future.

Don’t be afraid to share resources. A common misperception in blogging is that if you show your readers resources or feature other artists, that you will lose to the competition or lose your edge for revealing your ’secrets’. For the most part, not true.

The way blogging works is by linking to each other. Remember…people read blogs for information and entertainment. If you don’t provide either of those, you won’t keep your readers.

If you consistently provide helpful information, resources, interesting perspectives, new ideas and yes, even other artists, your readers will continue to visit your blog.

Be yourself. Find your voice. Don’t be afraid to be creative in your writing. Blogs are not the term paper you had to write in high school. Proper grammar isn’t mandatory, however, think about who you’re writing for too and how they’d take it. Give your work a little personality. Write like you speak.

One note of caution, and this is your own choice, try to avoid extreme personal rants. Politics and religion can alienate a customer base faster than you can blink an eye…even if it’s positive.

Once again, it’s that time of year. The time when everyone ponders new years resolutions. Maybe you kick the idea around yourself because you really do want to turn over a new leaf. Or maybe your thoughts are more along the lines of…I don’t believe in resolutions. They only set you up for failure. Well…on both accounts, I hear ya.

For the rebels out there (like me this year) who aren’t into the whole resolution and goal setting thing this year try this: Make a list of what you’d like to see happen this year and do one thing a day towards those items. That doesn’t mean that you have to achieve one of things on the list each day, but you need to do something that will get you an inch closer. Even rebels can like lists, can’t they? Lists are ingrained as one of our primal drives, if you ask me.

My reasoning with the list and chipping away at it? If you’re not into hard and fast rules/goals/resolutions and you do this little thing…you’ll be further along than if you wouldn’t have tried it.

I like to give a variety of ways to accomplish something because I know that everyone is different. What works for one person doesn’t work for the next and there are unlimited ways to accomplish the same task.

If you want something more structured, be sure to read the five part series on setting goals. This method starts in the last quarter of the year. Even though we’re past that now, there is still some good information that can help you with your goals for the new year.

If that is a bit too much but you don’t like the list idea, why not try setting an intention, or choosing a focal word for the year? One thing that I will add to that…THINK BIG. Do not feel bad if you don’t achieve 100% but set your sights so high that you will be happy if you achieve some of it.

Happy New Year everyone. And happy goal setting and achieving…whatever your method may be.