A peaceful Sunday, playing around with composition. I feel like this quote from C.S. Lewis really captures some 2020 feelings, so I thought I’d offer some cheer with the free printable.  

The composition is 8x8” (7 in. square with 1 inch border). You can print out on 8.5x11 paper and leave as is, or cut down to frame better. 

If you do download, and use in your home - I would be thrilled if you tag me so I can see what it looks like in the wild.  
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IG: @southernbeebrooke | FB: @southernbeedesigns

NC just released a mandate requiring face masks to be worn in public. I thought I’d make a free printable sign to display that isn’t so cold and ominous.

This artwork is the intellectual property of Southern Bee Designs. You may print this for personal use. Please do not claim this as your own, or sell this image for profit. Thank you. 

Something funny for your Sunday. 8.5x11 printable

Ahhh. I love the promise of a fresh start that every new year holds. 
Instead of resolutions, I rather like to look inward and answer some questions for my upcoming year. That way, instead of just a win or a fail - I look back on how I chose to handle those situations. I can mark my growth.
Some questions I've asked myself  this year are:
• What can I accomplish?
• What negative habits can I reset into positive ones?
• How can I use this new year to bring as much joy as possible into it? 
• What can I provide to better take care of my clients?
• How will you make time to care for yourself? 
• What are your goals for your business this year? 

I see a lot of you planning, listing and bullet journaling - thinking these same thoughts, and becoming intentional with your answers. In response, I wanted to offer a little something to help spruce up your notebooks/journals/lists... because really, it's easier to keep journaling if it's pretty right?

All the months are individual .png files with a transparent background for ease of use.  Just click the download button to download the .zip file. 

I'd love to hear some of your goals or intentions for 2018, and if you're downloading the printable months - how you'll be using them. 

"Busy" seems to be a default state of being for many people, including me. When I was working a 9-5 AND running my business from 6-midnight - I could legitimately claim to be so. Now that I am running my business full-time, I am no less "busy" working on projects and managing the day-to-day, but I have noticed how staying in this mindset has been affecting my life. And not in a positive way.  

In my marriage - my patient husband has to constantly remind me to turn off the screens, and be present instead of trying to squeeze in just a little more work. In my friendships, I've noticed how absent I am - sparing only time for the bigger events - which hardly nurtures that much needed bond.  With my physical health, I have to set a timer to remind me to get up and stretch - my busy-ness locks me in my little office cave, stuck in a sitting position, and putting on pounds. And finally with my mental health, daily isolation paired with the fear that I'm not able to accomplish as much as I should is hardly a beneficial combination. 

*Cue breaking point, and binging on motivational books and podcasts.* My current favorite words of wisdom are "Slow growth is still growth" from Lara Casey's book Cultivate. In the book, Lara talks about how her life was on a similar, unfulfilling path - and the steps she took in order to control its direction. She listed where time and heart is typically invested: friends, family, money, career, spiritual life, health, environment, recreation, romance - challenging herself to nurture the areas that were withering. I related to this advice on so many levels. 

I hardly have it all together, but I have come to terms with the fact that all the elements that make up life, can never be wrapped in a perfect bow. There will always be something askew, and if I wait for that perfection - the only thing I'll be gaining is a long list of Would've, Should've, Could'ves. Real change, long-term improvement and personal growth cannot be instantly gratified. "They require commitment, tending, tilling, weeding, and the ability to let go of the need for perfect results."

So in the spirit of personal growth, I'm sharing a pretty, free printable, with Lara's advice. May it give you a little encouragement when progress seems slow.