Hey there, stranger! Did you survive the holidays? I took some time to unplug over the week/end and it felt amazing. Did you know that if you don’t check Instagram for a designated number of hours it just cuts off your feed after a certain point? I had a tinge of FOMO, but ultimately being present was well worth it.

I’m feeling refreshed and ready to tackle 2015 with all I’ve got, but first up, I’d like to share my recap on our most recent #BookClubBlogger read and a peek at the convo we had with the author at the end of our meeting!

I hope you’ve got your beverage of choice on deck – let’s do this.

Dream Year is practical, motivational and a real eye-opener. Not to mention the fact that it will give you a swift kick in the ass, accompanied by a constant whisper in your ear to stop being lazy and cease the excuses once and for all. Whether you’re a creative trying to figure out how to make your dream come to life, looking to make the move from corporate America to entrepreneur status or you want to do a 180 and change your career path, this one’s for you. I won’t spoil it. I’ve simply highlighted a few pieces that stuck out to me down below in hopes that it encourages you to pick up the book and give it a go.

“Our unfortunate circumstances can become the impetus for something great.”

“Your dream lies at the crossroads of your fears and frustrations.” 

“If you’re not careful, the comfortable alternatives in this life will lure you away from significance.” These three quotes taken from various parts of the book are by far my biggest takeaways. While some might not see my circumstance as unfortunate, I do and that’s all the fuel my little fire needs. I know what I’m capable of and settling for mediocre isn’t going to cut it. I discussed my goals for 2015 in depth a few weeks back, which provides more insight for those of you who are just now joining me!

“People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.” -George Bernard Shaw. Running into people who don’t understand the point behind living out your dream is inevitable. You have to teach yourself to drown them out and focus on the task at hand: executing a plan to make your dream a reality.

“If it’s important to you, you’ll find a way. If not, you’ll find an excuse.” -Jim Rohn

We can all agree that we’re big fans of Kate Spade, right? Arment told the story of when Kate Spade first launched her handbag line and what it was like for her. She couldn’t afford a fancy booth set up so she crafted shabby chic exhibits with fake grass and lawn chairs she picked up at thrift store. The kicker is that this set up carried over into her runway shows this year and it’s a big part of her story. Instead of giving up due to lack of funds and a snazzy set up, she found a way.

“Great ideas have no value unless they are executed.” A little less talk and a lot more action.

“The trouble with activity is that it can feel like productivity, even when it accomplishes nothing.” I’m always thinking of ways that I can work smarter, not harder at my day job, but this can be applied to all areas of life. Time is valuable thing to have on your side.

“Design is not just what it looks and feels like. Design is how it works.” – Steve Jobs. The number one thing that came to mind after reading this was my blog and how it functions. Hello, blog rebrand – coming at ya in early January!

“A platform is the community of people who follow you.” 

…but it’s also important to know that, “If you focus on creating a strong property, you won’t have to work so hard to promote it. Great ideas spread. They can’t help themselves.” Focus on creating something that people will want to share all on their own.

A few other tidbits that stuck out to me:

The voice in which you blog is part of your brand. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what sets me apart from other bloggers and I believe that having a voice people can relate to and distinguish is one of the most important pieces to the puzzle.

The contents of this book also influenced me to start making “asks” and start utilizing the resources that I have available to me – especially when it comes to revealing the new face of 26 and Not Counting.

I mentioned earlier that Ben Arment joined us at the end of our last meeting. Que the fangirling. He was incredibly easy to talk to, realistic and the ideas were a flowin’. I think it’s important to note that he encourages people think things through and be smart about the choices being made, but not to over-think things so much that it deters you from moving forward with your Dream Year. In that short time we were able to talk together on Google Hangout, I walked away with actionable items on my to-do list and an even greater thirst to give my dream a shot.

So what did you think? Have you read the book? Chat with me down in the comments!

Our next #BookClubBlogger meet up will be in early February. I’ll have more details for you soon!

Image via @sarahlagen – my #BookClubBlogger partner in crime!