Re-Purpose -- Another Word for “Solution”

(I did a painting of my grandmother from World War II, working in a factory. Then
I "re-purposed" it for a juried show on the subject. A real make-over!)

Politicians who flip-flop like to say they “evolved” in their thinking and defend their right to change their minds. Actually, almost everyone embraces different philosophies and ideologies as they go through life trying to figure out who they are and what they believe.

I was once a Democrat, then a Republican, and now lean towards Independent or Libertarian in my preferences. The state of the nation and the world often dictates how we feel rather than devotion to one party or the other.

(a broken stained glass window was given new life.)

Businesses often transform themselves when they see sales slipping backwards and their bottom line turning red. They look at the competition and realize that in order to succeed, a do-over is required. These same problems may signal a merger between a stronger, but similar entity.

(Old colored shutters are used to spruce up this room)

Many companies examine their operations and decide a good house-cleaning is necessary. To cut costs, they may eliminate waste or lay-off non-productive or unneeded employees. They may find new ways to function or to re-purpose unsalable goods and dead inventory.

I’m attempting to do the same. I’m trying to operate smarter and to re-use old canvases that have been taking up space. If there’s anything that breaks down a business, it’s having too much inventory on hand. I’m cleaning up and paring down. If something isn’t popular or profitable, I’m ready to paint over it or pitch it out.

(Old Phone Books make an unusual table or sculpture)

As we age, we may want to do a make-over on ourselves. Sometimes we slip into old habits that aren’t productive. We may be trying to appear cutting edge, but we or our logo and products seem outdated.

Sometimes we need to start from the inside out. What is at fault is not our methods or our product it’s us. We’re failing to do the required marketing. Perhaps we’re plagued by negative thinking that holds us down and discourages success. Health problems may also come into play. Whatever the excuse, it is pulling us back from being successful.

I love to read. It is sometimes difficult to tear myself away from the latest novel or non-fiction book. In addition, I like to learn new techniques. Online classes and local ones are important, but they also cost time and eat up profits. In addition, I spend time online researching ideas for my blogs or for a new painting. My days are full, and marketing and social media take up a good portion of time. According to some experts, marketing should take up to at least 75% of your working day. That leaves very little time for creating and writing.

We all have choices that either keep us on track or distract us. Only you can decide what those things are. Unless you get rid of the distractions it is highly unlikely that you will figure out how to keep your business up and running profitably and productively.

Setbacks and Stumbling Blocks are only Temporary

1st Draft -- Every time I start an acrylic painting, I get discouraged -- They look so awful!

When you feel defeated; you often think it’s over. Whether your sadness is due to a failed romance, a rocky marriage or a business on the brink of crashing, you feel that the end is near.

Even fallout with a friend or relative may leave you battle fatigued.  By constantly dwelling on the situation, your anxiety only increases. You seem to be stuck between anger and self-pity. Sadly, negative thinking is self-fulfilling. When you’re in a dark place, the whole world seems bleak. You feel like you’re drowning, and you can’t get your head above water.

We have all been there at some point in our lives. If it’s any comfort, your situation is not new. If you reach out for help or information, you’re likely to find the solution to your problem, or at least some ideas that will launch you into a new pattern of thinking and behavior.

(With every layer of paint, it gets better and better)

The adage: “When you fall off a horse -- get back on again” is not just meaningless jargon. In fact, it’s the only way to overcome fear, to confront the mistakes of the past, and to discover a new vision for the future. If you succeed, you will be stronger and wiser.

But be careful of repeating past mistakes. Don’t be afraid of change. Find new ways of doing old and familiar things. Once you discover a new formula, and you’ve proven that it works, repeating your success will establish its effectiveness.

Beware of new ruts that can keep you from progressing. Grooves are comfortable and familiar, but you must stay abreast of current styles and trends in order to stay relevant. Drastic changes are never a good idea. “Go gentle into that good night,” as the poet penned, and your customers will go with you. Pull the rug out from under them and they won’t recognize your brand. Cool heads must always prevail when you are evaluating new methods of going forward.

Don’t give up just because you’ve had a few setbacks. Stay on track. Focus your energies and forge ahead.  It’s never a good plan to change proven ideas in mid-stream. Give them a chance to develop. If there’s substance they will float and multiply. If they don’t, they’ll fade into failure and oblivion. Knowing when to “let go” of your sinking babies can save you time and money.

Always have another plan, another baby waiting in the wings to carry you forward. Wise investors don’t put all of their eggs in one basket. Neither should you! Have enough hidden gems in reserve to keep you focused on moving ahead rather than feeling sorry for yourself. Markets change. You must adapt at each turn. Being bored with the process is a red flag. You’re either in the wrong business or you’re focusing on the wrong product. Try something new. Give yourself a break and analyze what’s going wrong.

(Sometimes you only have a vague idea how it's going to turn out)

Taking your business pulse periodically will help you gauge whether you have the stamina to continue.  Don’t sell yourself short either. What drives you? Are you hungry enough to succeed or are you willing to let your hopes and dreams falter? Take that bite out of the apple and go for it!

"Reggae Night" juried into a gallery, and won "Honorable Mention" in online contest

"Namesake" Layers of paint and a dream

Stop the Knee Jerking – It’s Time for Common Sense!

"Vikeholmen Lighthouse" Norway; 16 x 20 acrylic on canvas

I received an email from a friend; a copy of an Obituary printed in the London Times. If you haven’t read it, you may enjoy its wisdom as much as I did:

 “Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:

• “Knowing when to come in out of the rain; 
• Why the early bird gets the worm; 
• Life isn't always fair; 
• And maybe it was my fault.  

“Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

“His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

“Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

"Innsett Kirke" Norway from long ago; oil on canvas (SOLD) Prints available

“It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

“Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

“Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

“Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement. 

“Common Sense was preceded in death,
-by his parents, Truth and Trust,
-by his wife, Discretion,
-by his daughter, Responsibility,
-and by his son, Reason.

“He is survived by his 5 stepbrothers;
- I Know My Rights
- I Want It Now
- Someone Else Is To Blame
- I'm A Victim
- Pay me for Doing Nothing

“Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.”

"Skudeneshavn Norway" 16 x 20 oil on canvas (SOLD) Prints available

How can we apply these gems of wisdom to our own lives?

Reason tells me that to own a business requires sacrifice, endless hours of time, dedication and devotion to duty. Skill building and education are a given. Late nights, early mornings and weekends may be required to give it all I've got. Marketing and exposure are part of the deal. Exhaustion and singleness of mind may put me through a financial and emotional wringer. Failure looms overhead like a whip driving me even harder.

Common sense reminds me that I have a family and outside commitments. I must make trade-offs and weigh my options. The things that matter most shouldn’t suffer at the hand of things that matter least. Youth is here for a short time; we cannot bring it back. We must find a balance and do our best. Priorities must be set. We must find the middle ground.

Success beckons me from the wings. If I can’t do it in eight hours, by golly, I’ll give it 10 hours or 12. This is my business. My baby! The kids will just have to sacrifice football camp and dance lessons. Some day they’ll appreciate it! Once I get over this first hurdle, I’ll have more time. But then another hurdle comes and I'm at it again, consuming valuable funds and precious time.

Common sense measures expenditures against actual sales. What have I spent and what did I get for it? Is the business costing me more than I’m taking in? The adage “It takes money to make money” can only go so far. At some point I must take my losses and reassess my goals, my options. Would an online business give me more “bang for my buck?”

Ego makes it hard to quit. Failure is not in my vocabulary. I fight the inevitable. I struggle on when I should turn back. I see my family floundering and I don’t know what to do. If I give up, my financial dreams and theirs go out the window. 

Common sense cuts to the chase. Either the business is working for me or it isn’t. How much time and money is enough? The only failure in failure is not seeing when it’s time to quit. The ending may also be a beginning of something else. Once my head clears, the pieces to the puzzle fall into place. Solutions materialize. Anxiety dissolves. Mistakes clarify the changes that must be made. Life is a process.

"Anhinga in Paradise" water color, matted and framed.