Hey Lovelies,

Everyday this week, I’m posting 5 must-do items to tackle before Summer ends. If you missed the first 5, clicky-click here.

Here’s our next set:

Summer Lovin’

6. Have an impromptu picnic anywhere…think outside the box!

7. Get thee to the local sprinkler park and get wet! That’s an order. (If you see an open hydrant, jump in there first)

8. Do some D.I.Y. outside, think Park, Lake or your local subway platform. Extra points if you get mistaken for a panhandler and get sympathy change!!

9. Incorporate your bathing suit into as many outfits as possible. It’s just not for swimming you know…

10. Find someone to kiss…often

1. silojjsprink.jpg, 2. wrapped up in you, 3. Kiss Me, 4. 232: 365 Le Circus Ballerina

Stay tuned for more of the list…

♥ the alchemist

Lovelies!!! I’m back and relaxed and like Jay-Z says: I’m focused, man!!

I have tons of ideas swimming around in my head and I feel like a recharged battery full of inspiration and I can’t wait to share it with you guys.

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Yes, this has been a great summer filled with surprises and I’m a little sad that it is slowly coming to an end. So, to honor the carefree days of summer I’ve compiled a list of 25 things to do before the crisp days of Fall rush in. Everyday this week, I will post a list of 5 items that I think you might enjoy.

Summer Lovin’

1. Have a water balloon/gun fight!

2. See the sunrise from an interesting location.

3. Walk barefoot in the park, while flying a kite

4. Get a group of friends together and play tag!

5. Do something exciting on the Rooftop, throw a party, take pictures, watch a movie, etc.

1. 09_D3A9599 Songkran 04, 2. Kite Flying!, 3. Playing Tag, 2 of 4, 4. Rooftop

All right!! Here’s the first 5 and I plan on crossing as many of them off the list as I can. Feel free to add your own suggestions in the comments section or let me know if you plan on doing any of the things on the list!! 

♥ the alchemist

This is the second half of a two-segment article. 

1. Learning to Fly, 2. dreams of being someone else.

Okay, if you missed the first part of this article, please clicky-clicky here to catch up.

So, I hope that you took some time to zone in on what exactly is your secret desire. Don’t feel inhibited or limited by boundaries or what others might think of you.

Now that you have some inkling of what you would love to spend everyday doing, this is the perfect opportunity to start putting your plan into action.

Oh, yeah, did I forget to mention that you need some type of plan. Think of it like a blueprint for a house. You need a foundation, a place to start. Really would you hire a contractor who showed up and said, well, I have this really wonderful idea in my head, no, no you don’t need to see it, trust me??

I would hope not.

If you want to be a stylist for musicians you need to figure out what that entails and the steps necessary for you to get there.

I repeat for you.

It’s not a bad idea to look at what others have done but if you spend too much time worrying about the things that you didn’t do exactly like them, you’ll miss the point.

A plan can be something as simple as 3 lines or as detailed as you want it to be. The point is that it has to be viable and flexible enough to accomodate whatever twists and turns that may occur along the way. Because there will be obstacles and some set-backs but you have to try to not be discouraged.

You have to see yourself at the finish line, in order to help you get there. And I don’t mean just a one-time deal. You have to see imagine that exhilirating feeling you get when you win something. Put yourself as the star of your dream consistently.

Now the most important part besides having a plan is you have to constantly visualize yourself achieving that goal. You have to sleep it, live it breathe it until you become it.

That is the key.

What we find hard to do is to keep this up and not let any obstacles or minor bumps in the road ruin our thoughts. When I wanted to make the transition from a regular job to working for myself, I had to sit down and think about how to make that a reality.

Would I have enough funds to survive?

Who were the editors that I needed to be in contact with to increase my freelancing business?

Then I focused and when an opportunity would arise even if it did not take the shape of what I had expected, I looked at it as a sign from the universe.

The funny thing is that even when I just had the idea to work for myself on my own terms, things really didn’t start falling into place until I had set a date in my head about when I wanted to make this transition.

Once that date was in place, everything accelerated to the point that I accomplished this first part of my goal before my deadline. When I started voicing my dreams and plans to others, I made a declaration of that intent which really helped to create an environment of people and supporters who encouraged my ideas and gave me confidence that it could be done.

So many artists, musicians and actors say that they used to dream about what they wanted and now that they are successful; what they had originally imagined doesn’t even compare to the reality.

Make your goal the primary focus of your life: to the point that you help to create opportunities that will lend themselves to your plan. There is really nothing stopping you from creating the life you have always imagined.

♥ the alchemist

This is the first half of a two-segment article

 
1. Dream of Flyin, 2. relocationist

“Life begets life, energy creates energy, it is by spending oneself that one becomes rich” – Sarah Bernhardt

The only way to truly make a change in your life is to initiate that change. Whether you want to eat healthy, live in another country or have a more active social life, the thought will only remain a dream unless you decide to make it a reality.

Too often, we tell ourselves that something can’t be done, that it is impossible, we’re crazy to think that we can make it happen. The sad part is that we usually don’t realize that we are sabotaging ourselves with the word play that occurs in our head.

The funny thing is that what most of our parents told us was the absolute truth: “You can be anything you set your mind to”

My belief is if you can dream it, you can create it.

This is not to say that just by imagining something that it will make it happen, no. I’m not talking about magic or wizardry.

What I mean is that by consistently focusing your thoughts on a goal that you physically begin to incorporate actions into your life that bring you closer to that goal. 

With a little bit of effort and energy on your part, we all have the ability to make our lives our own.

Let’s first figure out what it is that we truly want to do? This is a crucial step in visualizing and creating. You need a constant goal to focus on.

This is the part that many of us find hard to do. To actually pinpoint a goal and not just some general idea but something pretty specific.

Instead of:

I want to be famous.

For what? Why? You can be famous for something that you wouldn’t necessary want attached to your name. Hello, Monica Lewinsky?

Try:

I want to be a famous theater actor living in New York City with a successful run in a beloved musical with a TONY nomination, living my dream.

Take some time to ask yourself what is a secret desire, that thing that you could spend hours doing and be the most happiest?

In the next part, we’ll talk about ways to set your plans into motions.

♥ the alchemist

1. tak tak tak, 2. Come Sail Away……, 3. For Your Pleasure., 4. technology 

Well, first things first: I am very pleased to announce that I am working for myself and pursuing my creative aspirations!!! I’ve been doing the happy dance at very interesting times.

I have always been a writer and ever since I could string words together I was forming stories based on a very active imagination. 

For me when my creativity is stifled, I tend to feel lackluster and annoyed at the slightest things. Fortunately, I was able to make a dream a reality and leave the traditional job environment behind. No more cubicles and though I haven’t been a member of the corporate work force very long, it was more than enough of an experience for me to realize that this was the perfect time to create the life that I had always envisioned.

What does this mean for stylealchemy and for you lovely readers?

Look for more in depth articles and lots of exciting features to the website and the blog area.

More thought-provoking interviews and adventures.

Ridiculous amounts of visual and mental inspiration.

I am predicting this extremely creative time period as my own modern version of La Belle Epoque. (What a romantic notion, huh?)

So, I am happy for all of you who wish to come along for this wonderful ride.

Stay tuned and if you have any suggestions for this blog or things you want to see, leave them in the comments!

♥ the alchemist

I am so happy that Jabbawockeez won America’s Best Dance Crew!

I love to dance and I remember practicing and learning new steps with friends. I used to love any talent show or school performances that required dance or acting. There’s something about practicing and getting a move down and using that in front of everyone.

The thing that I love about the Jabbawockeez is how tight and precise they are with their movements. Which I know from experience takes a lot of practice and dedication to have everyone be in sync. This crew from San Diego uses masks and gloves to add some drama to their performances. Also, I’m not sure but I think their name comes from a Lewis Carroll poem and if that’s true, then I heart them even more.

Plus, their vibe reminds me of some friends and an ex-boyfriend who used to compete in dance-offs. So, it’s very sentimental to me. Here are some performances. Also, check out MTV overdrive for more videos!

When you click on the MTV link the video will open on another page.

♥ the alchemist

From the moment that I first stumbed onto Samantha Pleet’s designs, I have been a fan of her wonderful, incredible world and unique aesthetic that she has effortlessly created.

I was smitten by her Fall/Winter 07 presentation, complete with dandy-inspired clothes and beautiful photography. Um, hello dandy romper and vagabond vest!

What’s not to love?

Then, there was that gorgeous, dreamy film (She Comes In Colors) for the Spring/Summer 08 collection (which was filmed in her grandmother’s backyard). Another hit in my book.

photos courtesy of samanthapleet.com
So, when I realized that her most recent Autumn/Winter collection was titled Rapscallion 2008, I could barely contain my excitement.

© Tim Zaragoza
Needless to say, I was more than happy to spend a day with this talented designer and see the clothes up close while geting some insight into her design process. Located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn; Samantha’s studio is a bright, cheery space filled with fashion books, personal ephemera, lots and lots of photographs and treasured pieces of friends’ art.

Essentially, it’s a creative haven and a stimulating environment for anyone. Everywhere, you turn becomes a visual treat for the eyes. From the central, common space where each wall is decorated differently (think a bright, blue wall; a graphic white and black wallpaper on another and a chalkboard wall complete with scribblings) to her actual studio room with light streaming in and an inspiration board covering a whole wall. Tacked to it are bits and pieces of imagery, polaroids and sketches, all of which were used for the Autumn/Winter 08 collection.

For her latest collection, Samantha first found inspiration in this 1976 black-and-white mug shot of a dapper David Bowie. Which then led to a search for turn-of-the-century police mugshots and other notorious riff-raff and interesting vagabonds and rapscallions. Eventually, this idea evolved into the present collection a successful blend of modern silhouettes with playful details complete with names from a bygone era like: Mischief Romper, Treason Jacket, Riff Raff Vest, Bandit Blouse and Hellion Dress.

For the lookbook and fashion show, the models (all friends of Samantha’s) were photographed as if in a police line-up complete with a frontal shot, mug shot and profile view and a description of the crime they were booked for. What makes this collection even more special is the use and colloboration of many of her friends and family, including husband Patrick McGovern. (The two have started a men’s line which debuted this past January called Patrick Pleet).

While Samantha keeps a cabinet of curiosities in her house, she has a wooden trunk filled with childhood treasures and other bits of inspiration that she keeps on top of an archive closet in her studio. During, the day she pulled out a wonderful blue cape and an actual cap with a feather affixed to its side and perhaps the most special piece of all: the very first Samantha Pleet creation, a dress that she made and sewed with the help of her mother for a play she was in as a child. These are the kinds of things that keep Samantha inspired.

© stylealchemy.com
Samantha’s definitely come a long way from wearing her own designs into her favorite stores (including TG-170) and having people compliment and order pieces as a result. Since graduating from Pratt** and debuting with her Fall 2006 collection, Samantha has been living the dream of many young designers which is to start their own business and have their designs be recognized.

Click to view our exclusive video featuring a behind-the-scenes look into Samantha Pleet’s studio.

Special thanks to Samantha Pleet for her time and to David Hartman of avant16.com for his wonderful video skills!!

**editor’s note: in the original article it stated Parsons which is inaccurate. Samantha is a Pratt alum.
♥ the alchemist

Anyone who is a fan of the awesome wardrobe_remix group on flickr, must be familiar with Sarah of sherbetone and all of her wonderful outfits that she effortlessly puts together with thrift finds.

stylealchemy: Sarah, thanks so much for agreeing to do this interview. You’ve become sort of a Flickr/Internet sensation with your wonderful pictures showcasing your incredible sense of style. First and foremost can you tell us about your trademark fringe and your Flickr name: sherbetone

sherbetone: Is it my trademark? I feel so flattered that you think so – since it seems they’ve come back in fashion again and many women have them! I suppose it is. I’ve had bangs (or fringe) for about seven or eight years now. Initially I cut them in very short when I was doing a Rockabilly, Bettie Page-ish thing in my overall style. At that time I was completely obsessed with Pin-Up and Burlesque. I dressed exclusively in fifties fashion. And I liked them so much they’ve just sort-of stuck. I actually have a terrible cowlick in the center so they have to be thick and heavy at all times to avoid a wayward stray.

As for my Flickr name, it’s a blatant plagiarizing of Haruki Murakami. I was reading The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle around the same time I joined Flickr. In the story there is a particular female character that dresses entirely in the style of the sixties (hair and make-up included). The protagonist remembers that this particular style was called ‘sherbet tone.’ I was particularly infatuated with the idea of such a woman – perhaps because I’ve always been fond of decades past with respect to fashion as well.                   

sa: What led you to start posting your outfits online?

st: Um, well I have always been a fan of fashion photography. It was a sort-of evolution that started with Vogue and led to Fruits. Once I discovered street fashion magazines and eventually websites, I didn’t relate to high fashion magazines in the same way – street fashion just seemed more relevant to what I was doing in my own personal style.

Also, I love to sit and watch people. I can do it for hours on end – and often times I am carefully noting their personal sartorial traits. So, when I learned about wardrobe_remix it was almost too perfect. At first I only looked – never posted. In time, I decided to test the waters and I liked the feel of the community of w_r so much that I continued to post.

sa: Your style is so unique, how has your personal aesthetic evolved? How would you describe it? Besides the fringe, do you think you have a signature style?

st: A couple of months ago, when asked a similar question I said: ‘An 80s revival of 50s pin-up with quirk and a dash of overseas influence. I have lived in both Italy and France, so I garnered quite a bit of inspiration from European looks.’  While I think that portions of this are still true, my style is ever-changing.  I suppose at this point, I don’t really adhere to any one decade.  Though one trademark of my style is the inclusion of vintage (which is often thrifted). 

 Thrifting is actually probably what played the biggest role in the development of my personal style.  When I was in high school I was just completely disillusioned with the idea of style-determined castes.  At some point about half-way through the four years, I decided to stop striving to fit a mold I could not afford.  I started to thrift.  And it is not as though things fell beautifully into place and I was an instant fashion plate.  It took time to figure out what worked for me.                     

sa: What are your top three places to shop?

st: Salvation Army, Goodwill Bin Store, and Gabriel Brothers (which is similar to a TJ Maxx, but much cheaper).

sa: Who are your fashion icons, if any? What are some of your style influences?

st: Again, the first person who I really idolized was Bettie Page. She was involved in the construction of many of her costumes worn for pin-up. Aside from the racy, she also understood what worked for her figure. I appreciate that quality in anyone – the ability to know what works for their body. I also appreciate modern girls with real quirk in their style like Chloe Sevigny. She has been bashed by the ‘fashion police’ a million times over and she still abides by her own aesthetic.

sa: What are the best vintage/thrift purchases you’ve ever made?

st: Most recently I was happy to finally find a feminine pair of vintage driving gloves at a local store. I’ve been wearing them quite a lot this winter. As far as thrifted items are concerned, I have a wool, cream and white patterned car coat from the sixties with a silver fox collar that I bought for a quarter during a summer sale at the Salvation Army. I’ve had it for years and I never tire of it. It was at the same Salvation Army that I bought a vintage Oscar de la Renta skinny, silk scarf that always feels relevant no matter what the trend.

Likewise, I bought a silk wiggle dress with a matching bolero from, I believe, the early fifties from the same Salvation Army for two dollars. It’s perfect in every way. And lastly, several vintage bras purchased from Italian outdoor markets – they seem to have the best vintage lingerie in immaculate condition.

sa: Do you have a favorite outfit, something that you’re really drawn to lately?

st: I’ve been ravenously seeking out and collecting bustiers from thrift stores for the past couple of months. I think I am returning to my fashion roots, so-to-speak, at the moment – I’ve been attracted predominantly to high waists and boudoir touches.

sa: Do you collect anything? Any hobbies, interests, etc?

st: In general, I live a relatively quiet life – in the sense that I don’t really spend much time in the ‘scene’. However, I travel all the time and it’s one of the things I love to do most. Having studied in Europe twice (two months in France and one year in Italy) I am always yearning to go back. For the time being, I tend to stay stateside visiting my friends who are spread from coast to coast.

When I travel I usually indulge in my three other intense loves:music, food, and visual culture (everything from fashion to film to art). Film, in particular, is something that I consume at a tremendous rate whenever possible. And I’m ever and always willing to try new delicacies (within the realm of my vegetarian diet), bake new cakes, and tweak existing recipes. In general I also very much enjoy: Mid-Century design and furniture, sickeningly cute, kitschy bric-a-brac, old cameras (especially of the Polaroid variety), mixed CDs made just for me, stop-animation, and Japanese dollar stores.

sa: What’s your favorite era for fashion?

st: This is a difficult question to answer because I really do love them all for different reasons. Obviously I adore the fifties because it suits my body’s shape, but I also have a deep appreciation for the earlier decades of the forties and thirties.
Also, the sixties with respect to French pop (yeye) and certain film styling. And though you may not believe it, I was once exclusively into Hip-Hop, both the fashion and the music. So, I have a deep-seated attraction to the style of early Hip-Hop before commercialization.

sa: What piece of clothing can you not live without?

st: This is a terribly difficult question as well! I think I’ll say the vintage dress – I have a ridiculous number of them.

sa: Most of your clothes seem to be thrift finds. Do you have a strategy when you go thrifting?

st: To be completely honest, no. I do have a way in which work through I thrift store, but I think that is based on my own methodologies. For example, I always start with the shoes since it is difficult to find quality vintage in a size 10. Then I move into the dresses. And I think that this routine is based entirely on the paranoia that someone else might get there first. Ha. One thing I do suggest is to know fabrics and textiles really well. I think it aids in being able to spot the quality vintage on a crowded rack.

sa: I’ve noticed in your Flickr descriptions that you write a lot of clothes are remixed, what exactly does that mean? Share a creative tip for others to remix their clothes in an interesting way.

st: Oh, ‘remixed’ just means that you’ve seen that particular article of clothing in a previous photo – meaning I have worn it before in a different way.
Well, as far tips for remixing clothes, I’d say don’t limit what you own. As in, don’t think of t-shirts as strictly ‘casual’ or skirts as ‘dressed-up.’ It keeps things interesting.

sa: What is your profession/what do you do for a living?

st: At the moment I am doing architectural preservation and restoration of historic finishes.
I have two degrees, both in cultural preservation. I need to get a third, a Master’s Degree, in Painting Conservation. Then I will be able to work in major institutions or set-up private practice in my field.

sa: For the recent shoot with your friend/photographer (Laura Kicey), you did the incredible styling. How did you get into that? How did that beautiful shoot come about?

                                            photos © laura kicey

st: I am very fortunate to have a good number of extremely talented photographers as friends, Laura being one of them. She and I have collaborated in the past. Knowing that she is more than capable of producing beauty, I had mentioned a particular shoot I had in mind concerning fashion. She scouted the type of location I was envisioning, so we went for it.

In the case of this shoot I styled myself because I felt the clothes were a bit more eccentric than previous shoots, but I wanted them to convey a sense of softness. I wasn’t sure how to convey that overarching idea to a model, so I decided to attempt it myself. This is also why I wanted Laura to act as photographer – because I knew she would capture the clothes in such a way.

sa: Is it safe to assume that you are available for professional styling?

st: Yes! I have styled two other shoots in addition to the shoot with Laura.
I really adore doing this – it’s just so genuinely gratifying for me to see the end result.

sa: Is there anything else you would like to add?

st: Just want to say thanks so much for allowing me to fill space on your blog. And many thanks to those who find what I do with clothes of interest.

To the left are five images of Sarah’s everyday life that inspire/make her happy.

Clockwise from top left:

1. My Cat Astrid, 2. Cheap lunch specials with people dear to me 3. Old cameras, new photos and finding things others have abandoned 4. Large breakfasts 5. The Santo Spirito Market in Florence, Italy and my lovely friends who I met there.

Thanks again, Sarah! Check out her style: http://flickr.com/photos/sherbetone

♥ the alchemist

Early last year, I saw Bjork at the Apollo Theater which was amazing, she’s genius and so fricking cute and tiny. Spank Rock opened for her which was a lot of fun because I had heard about them (specifically Naeem Juman ) and how they tore up SXSW and was really excited to see what they were about. They rocked it and when I went looking for more info on them, I stumbled onto a collaboration between them and artist, Santogold.

Santogold is Santi White, originally from PA and now residing in Brooklyn; she acquired this nickname from a former classmate. Santi used to be in a ska-punk band, Stiffed before moving on to her current musical style mash-up of rock and dub with some crazy beats courtesy of some of the hottest producers out there, including Switch, FreQNasty and Mark Ronson. In fact, it’s the You’ll Find a Way the Switch and Graeme remix that I have on repeat. I’ll stop listening to it for awhile and then come back to it and get amped again. Other singles in heavy rotation: LES Artistes and Shove It.

So, began my interest in this spunky performer and my quest to see her live, which I have had yet to do. Mostly because, when I try there’s always some type of conflict. Last December, I had already scored tickets to see the White Rabbits at the Bowery when I found out that Santogold was going to be performing the same night in Brooklyn at a free concert. Free: which basically meant that there was going to be a long line because there is so much well-deserved hype surrounding Santi White. So, I went ahead with my previous plans.

Santogold is someone to keep an eye on and eventually I will catch a live performance.

                                    Santogold and M.I.A.

                      Santogold and Naeem Juman of Spank Rock

                                             Santogold

Here is You’ll Find a Way

♥ the alchemist

                                       photo by mayr on flickr

February: The shortest month of the year is filled with so much extra goodness, celebration of black history, different international fashion weeks, glorious and exotic carnivals filled with revelry and of course, St. Valentine’s Day.

Now, there are some people who act as though Valentine’s Day is the only time to express to someone that you care about them which I completely disagree with. Hello, there’s 364 other days and add one more because 2008’s a leap year.

Then, there are those who cynically look at couples who celebrate Valentine’s Day and sneer their faces at the stupidity of it all. Again, this is something else that I completely disagree with. The idea of sharing love with someone is a wonderful sentiment.

Finally, there are those who don’t have someone to celebrate with and tend to feel bad about their situation. For these folks, I would suggest that instead of feeling cynical or bad that you should embrace the fact that you can always love yourself. Now, before you start rolling your eyes and thinking this is quickly slipping into cheesy territory, please hear me out.

There was a time several years ago that I was stuck in an emotionally draining relationship, the type that tugs at your self-esteem leaving you to feel completely helpless and vulnerable. During this time, when I felt lost and unhappy I took the opportunity to do something that instantly reminded me of my self-worth and that I was a good person deserving of a proper relationship. I wrote myself a love letter.

We’ve all been to that place where we have been filled with these intense emotions about another person that we want to sing our joy from the rooftops. You know, where you walk around in a daze with a goofy grin because life seems so wonderful. Or you inexplicably, start skipping down the street. This is an incredible feeling and a sliver of what connects all of us as a part of the human experience. This feeling is what I wanted to express to myself.

All of us deserve to feel like kings and queens even when we do and don’t get that from our significant others. Yet, once in a relationship, many of us forget about ourselves and when things head south we try to figure out what we did wrong and why things didn’t work out the way that we had anticipated.

This letter brought me back to the fact that I didn’t have to be in a situation that was not healthy for me. That I didn’t have to settle when there was so much more to experience in life. If gave me, much needed perspective.

So, I suggest to us all, that even if you have someone and are completely happy and even if you don’t and are content that it doesn’t hurt to reinforce what an awesome person you are.

First:  You can use any paper that you want, a lined page from a notebook, parchment paper, a blank sheet. If you feel the urge to tap away at a vintage typewriter or try your hand at some lovely calligraphy: go for it!

Next: Find a spot to sit somewhere and spend some time with your thoughts and feelings. This is your declaration of love to yourself. Don’t rush it. Take the time to make it you. Make it fun.

Then: Write about all the lovely things that make you happy. Do you like your smile? Put that in there. Acknowledge that you are amazing. Put in anything and everything that you like about yourself.

Make it gushy, make it sentimental, make it straightforward. Just make sure to remind yourself that you are wonderful regardless of any circumstance. All of us deserve to be treated with a certain amount of respect.

Quick note: You’ll probably feel awkward and quite self-conscious but trust me push past these feelings.

Also, you don’t have to wait for a special occasion like Valentine’s Day to write yourself a love letter, whenever you feel like you need a reminder of the goodness that is you, take the time to do it.

To this day, I’ll occasionally pull the letter out and it makes me smile to think about that girl who had the presence of mind to not let what one individual had to say or made her feel dictate how she felt about herself. I’m not saying that this is the answer to all problems but it definitely helped to get me back on track.

What would you put in your letter? Would you even write one?

 ♥ the alchemist

 Dealing With The I’ll Get To It Later Syndrome

                                   photo by megelizabeth on flickr

They say the only way to confront an issue is to come right out and talk about it – that the first step to recovery is admittance. So here goes…I have a problem.

No, it’s not alcohol and it’s not gambling and though I’ve never been to Atlantic City, I’ve seen pictures and I am mesmerized by how much gold-leaf Trump can cram into a square inch. It’s amazing and mathematically ingenious.

I did however, realize the other day that I have a problem with chocolate but a girl’s got to have some vices. No guys, my problem is much, much more sinister and dark. Very dark. Here goes…I’m a procrastinator! (waits for the shock to die down)

Yea, that’s right I said it. Procrastinator, that dirty, dirty word that most of us try to ignore. So, this procrastination label is not some new epiphany that I stumbled across last week. I’ve been toying with it for awhile, really trying to grasp the hidden message behind it and to locate the ‘fear”. Yes, I have watched Oprah once or twice in my life, I’m not ashamed. So, if you’re like me and find that you keep putting things off and are ready to make some changes, here are some tips that seem to work.

Step 1: I’ve identified the problem: procrastination! How do you deal with that?

Step 2: I bought a book, a shiny paperback with a great cover and cute illustrations. Surprise, surprise, it didn’t really help me, because it was reworked common sense and deep down I already knew what I had to do. Yet, it’s funny how I didn’t get right on that. So the book lay there for awhile collecting dust, silently mocking my procrastinating ass every time I glanced its way.

Step 3: Finally acknowledged that there were some issues about myself that I had to deal with. Why did I think that daydreaming on the future instead of doing something with the present was the better option?

Step 4: What was I really afraid of? In my case, it was failure. I can be a bit of a perfectionist in some cases, which if you knew me you’d be like I don’t believe you, liar, liar and checking to see if my pants were on fire.

I kid you not; I’m not the obvious, classic perfectionist because I’m internal with it all. Someone with a Martha Stewart complex may drive themselves crazy rearranging the same floral centerpiece whereas I’ll spend eons wrapped up in my own head imaging the outcome.

You see, if I didn’t think that I would be successful at it – I would take forever to do it, because I would trick myself into believing that the more I thought about it and corrected it mentally (before I attempted it) the better it would turn out.

Eventually, I realized that there is no such thing as failure and you can not, I repeat you can not be afraid of non-desired results because then you will not even try and that’s worse. Why? Well, because then you will never know what might have happened.
“Perfectionism is NOT a quest for the best. It is the pursuit of the worst in

ourselves, the part that tells us that nothing we do will ever be good enough – that we should try again.”  – Julia Cameron

“A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault with it” -unknown

There are many different reasons why people procrastinate: fear of the unknown, fear of imperfection, fear of success, fear of change, fear of finishing, the list goes on and on. The most important to thing is to recognize why you are avoiding the task at hand. Once you understand that, it becomes easier to find ways to counteract it.

Step 5: How to successfully get it done. Well, while some people need to make a list, I prefer to have a set goal with a specific deadline in my mind that I can focus on. I also find that when you are enthusiastic about something that it makes it easier to get things done. Also, letting other people know about the deadline can be a perfect way to keep you motivated. Find what works best for you. At first, it may feel like you’re extracting your own wisdom teeth but the accomplished feeling is so much better.

So, okay you’ve identified both the problem and the cause, now what? Just keep working at it. It sounds so easy, yet it is something that you have to work at constantly. You’re not going to miraculously change overnight and you definitely shouldn’t beat yourself up if and/or when you backslide. Trust me, there’s no need for negative self-talk, it only makes you feel terrible and negates all the positive steps you have taken before the one that only (fingers-crossed) momentarily sets you back.

Another important reason as to why I’ve decided to confront my fears head on, is because I wasn’t just procrastinating about ideas, I was procrastinating about life. (cue sad, melodic music) Procrastination robs you of every precious moment that you have, every one. Time that you never get back. Once I realized that it really motivated me to step out of my head and into the now.

How do you deal with procrastination?

♥ the alchemist