Admit It’s Always Your Choice
I’m up since 5:30AM this morning getting ready for another BIG day of shooting with my super gal pal April Bowles of Blacksburg Belle. We’re getting our hair + make-up professionally done + it all feels so red carpet surreal.
I used to think it really couldn’t get any better than filming Friday Video Time, but April’s arrival has proved otherwise. Sharing the camera with her has been the most amazing experience + a huge privilege. I’ll probably kidnap her passport so she doesn’t leave, EVER!
Now unto today’s business pixie dust.
I want to tell you, I understand. I understand how hard it is to stay positive when the going gets rough. I know it’s so tempting to blame every living creature plus an ugly lizard for your misfortune. I get it, “Oh poor me” is an easy escape route.
Believe me, I don’t blame you for wanting to point fingers in every direction when you feel taken advantage of or like you’re misunderstood. I’ve been there too.
But if you’re true desire is to transcend from good to epic, a big internal shift must occur. That’s why today’s episode is dedicated to taking control of your life + CEOing your journey.
Watch + leave your mark below. Bonus virtual cupcakes for sharing.
xo,
Mayi Carles
21 Responses to Admit It’s Always Your Choice
Spill Open
Come on in! Yes you, in your paint stained pajamas if you wish. This is your space to dream up + spill open your splendidly messy life in progress. You're bound to leave here feeling happier + super empowered + most certainly loved.
I’m taking control of my like and doing what I wanted to do.
Open a new company. Can’t say anymore, but you heard it here.
Hehehehehe! You go for it Bee!
I’m still transitioning between the corporate work world and my own thing. Each time I’m in the work world it strengthens my resolve to make my own thing work as a full time gig. I’m getting closer and closer…
There are trade offs for everything in life. I’d much rather have my freedom and than permanently live in a cubicle (they are smaller spaces than what prisoners live in).
Transition times are always hard Alicia. But having a clear vision will make you work that much harder in spite of resistance. Can you hear how hard I’m cheering for you?
Definitely true. In the grand scheme of things I’ve had a pretty crappy week. Miscommunication with a friend, negative feedback from a customer (who obviously didn’t read before purchasing), I printed a an entire set of of cards upside down, getting up extra early to get the kiddo back to school. I should probably be throwing myself a pity party right now–but I’m not. I’m working through each event and taking note of what I need to do better the next time all these things come up, and I’m actually enjoying getting up early and being the only one awake at home (amazing how much work you can get done when it’s quiet!). No time for pity parties around here!
I totally do this – especially when I’m nervous and heading to a meeting, or gong through a tricky situation with a client. So not only is this a great way to get out of the victim mindset, but it’s also a great way to give yourself a little confidence boost!
I was actually thinking about this recently. I currently work a full time job, a part time job, and have been starting a new business. My husband is a medical resident & I’m very busy. Plus, I tend to see others being successful or having things that I wish I had & I came to realize that the reason for this is our priorities are probably different than theirs. There are lots of things I COULD do or COULD have if I really wanted, but for now, other things are more important. We’re working a lot for our future. We hope that I’ll be able to quit the full time job when we have a baby (in a year or two) & just do the part time one (which I LOVE) & my little business. In order to get there, we need to save $$ now. So we aren’t always buying the new thing. No house, no smart phones, no big screen tv. We just got cable, we use the library instead of buying books, our cars are really old, but they are paid off, the list goes on & on. Knowing that it is my choice is really freeing. Knowing that we’re doing this for a reason is really helpful when I start to feel jealous of others. I actually wrote a post on my blog about it recently! http://bit.ly/S1kFzy
“There are lots of things I COULD do or COULD have if I really wanted, but for now, other things are more important.” SOOOOO true + powerful. You couldn’t have said it better
Adoro tus videos, tu energía y tu “drive”. Pero para mí es tan difícil ver las cosas así de claras…
Un día creo que me puedo comer al mundo y al día siguiente siento que soy una loser sin remedio y que mi destino eterno es vivir confundida y miserable. Cambié mi estabilidad de 9 a 5 por algo que me apasiona y en lo que va de año no ha dado resultado. Me lleno de negativismo y creo que no vale la pena. A veces quiero como llorar o agarrar una maleta y mudarme de ciudad y empezar desde cero, pero las circunstancias me lo impiden. No pienses que quiero terapia con este mensaje…! jaja… pero es que me he sentido super down esta semana y al ver tu video refuerzo lo que he estado pensando, que mis decisiones son las que me han traído a donde estoy. Pero cómo cambiar??? Pity party for me?? 
Gracias por ser tan linda y por compartir tu magia.
Mayi,
– so, if you’re a lot like April + you need a gal pal, pick me! It’s all sparkly
I’m captaining my ship…wait for it…I’m steering it in the direction of QUITTING my full time job by 8/17/2013.
I’m doing it – I’m committing to it…I will be the captain of a full time teeny tiny empire + teeny tiny empire alone
by 8/17/2013. xoxo, Kim oh, + I will find me an amazing partner in crime like April too so I’ll have someone to keep me from getting
lonely
like inside my teeny tiny empire
For me sometimes too many choices can leave me paralyzed. 2 years ago I quit my day job to stay home with my daughter and my plan was to have more time to work on my handbags + create an awesome website. fast forward two years later she started kindergarden this week and my Website and business is well a work in progress. Now I’m faced with the choice do I go back to work at an office ( I did love it before becoming a mom) and join the 9-5 routine again (we have done good on only my husbands income so far) or doi listen to what my heart is telling me & pursue what i love… my passion to make pretty things. I’m a girl who reads and soaks up so much info and how tos that even the choice of what to do first for me and my handmade business can be exhausting. Help!
Decision paralysis. I know that devilish gremlin way to well hehehe. For me, it’s a very intuitive process. I like to listen to how my body reacts when I pick in my head one decision over the other. Do I feel good inside or is it a more contracting type of emotion. Often times sharing your indecisions with people you love is key. i’ve found that by sharing outloud I come up with the answer myself LOL.
This video of yours couldn’t hit a better spot in my head honestly!! I’ve been feeling like poor me poor me these past few weeks! Maybe it’s the fact that I’m feeling really tired, slave job from 9 to almost 7 everyday, and handmade goodies by nights! Maybe it’s the fact that I know it’s too risky to quilt my day job! Maybe it’s the fact that during my vacation I had a major project going on, so I didn’t get to rest at all! Maybe it’s the fact that summer is almost over and I had my first swim just this Wednesday (I live in Greece, so it’s really easy to access a decent beach). You get my point right,?poor me poor me!! I’m exhausted even thinking about all those things! I know I should prioritize better, I know I should organize my time, But I just can’t seem to get myself up and going!! It’ s that internal shift I know, but I just have to figure it out for myself! thank you so much for this video! I’m gonna bookmark it!!! Thank you for pointing out that it’s all in our heads and just a matter of a right decision!!
xxx
Eleni @ sewhappiness.blogspot.com
With a couple of ups and downs along the way, and even though I do have a 9-5 (not exactly on this time schedulle) job to go to, I’m definitelly the captain of my own ship and doing things for myself. Things are being done step by step, but with pride and confidence, so we’ll see where it gets me! Plus, I’m trying to help others along the way…
Now, Mayi, what a crazy funny mask you had on at the end!!!
Hehehehe 
A burning question I’ve got on my mind for you: do you improvise on your videos, or do you have a script to follow? Because you are so natural at it and we can see you really do speak from the heart!
XOXO
Cathy
Hey Cathy! FVT are bullet point-ed, so I have a basic chronology of what I want to say but I fill in the gaps with improvisation. I find that it works best for me this way, because when I’m too codependent to a script I begin to mess up if I don’t get all the lines perfectly or a sound like a robot hehehe.
2 years into my Business and LOVING IT!!! All the ups and downs, extra long hours, all that I have learned..Priceless:))
lOVE YOUR BLOG AND INSIGHT!!
lISA
Fantastic post! I admire your energy and happiness so much! I wish I just had an ounce of your energy!
My fiancé, who I now ripe into watching your fvt”s, is now walking around the house
Telling me I am the captain of my ship with a knowing look as he tell me all the time how
I need to stop worrying about other people and what they think and how I need to use my talents!!!
Much love Mayi xxx
Wheatgrass is one of my secrets hehehehe. You can borrow the recipe
And I adore your fiancé already! You are a captain
Hi there! I just recently found your site and you inspire me so much! Wow I love your energy and how happy you are. I lost my job over a year go and have been tying to start my own little business making different things. It’s a little money here and there but not much to do anything with…lol. I really want to learn how to watercolor and sketch my own images and paint. I need lots of help….any ideas where I could find any good tutorials to help me out. I tell myself everyday that I’m very blessed to have the things that I have and my health.
. Life is to short to worry about what other people have. It’s time for me to really do something that I’ve always wanted to do and always felt I wasn’t good enough or just couldn’t be talented enough. That pity party is over…. I just need a little help to know where to begin this new journey. Thanks so much for taking your time to try and help other people to become better. You ROCK!!
Hugs,Jen
I have a full time job and a part time job and work on my art and there’s always some other commission going on or on the way and I know that it’s just the way it goes; at least right now. When I’m at work in the morning I have this nagging feeling that ‘I SHOULD BE DOING ART RIGHT NOW, WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING HERE?!’ but I cannot live without constant income. Not yet. Maybe some day. It’s a taught road to go and I have chosen it with a consideration (at least a bit of it) but at this level of my artistic recognition and number of commissions and artistic work I get I can’t be sure I will go easily throughout whole year. I always tell myself ‘there’s still plenty of time to use during the nights!’
It’s sad, I love to sleep so much, but when things have to be done, they have to be done; I want to be a pro illustrator and stay at home and paint for the rest of my life (in general) and hopefully this road will lead me to it.
The only problem when making such THE decision is that you can’t blame it on anyone else. But if you choose wisely and consider all the pros and cons, you know ahead where the problems will appear and you can even (that’s for advanced users!
) invent a way of coping with them.
Acknowledging that the decision is yours and only yours really makes you feel more in control of it. Of course, on the way, some unexpected things will appear, but since you’re the boss you can do whatever you please with them and the new road you choose will still be YOURS. It’s just a nice feeling in the stomach, that you’re the one who can do or undo things
When we’ll be able to see yours and April’s creation? :3
It really is always your choice
Thanks Mayi for putting it out there 
and I too am excited about seeing what you and April are up to! I can’t wait.