A Gift For You!

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Are you busy cleaning, settling up your books, organizing, gearing up for your new diet and workout schedule?

What are your expectations for 2012? Are they reasonable and doable?

We love to heap everything up on one big list of grand dreams of getting rich, successful, skinny, fit and fabulous in the *next* year. We think we are going to zip down the list checking off things like lose 30 pounds, make gobs of money, win the lottery, paint the house, buy a new car, etc.

No wonder New Year Resolutions fail.

Or maybe it’s that we fail in getting clear about what we really want, what’s important, what’s a priority and then how we’ll execute a plan for taking action.

I no longer make resolutions. They don’t work. Instead I developed an alignment exercise that I do once a quarter throughout the year. I run my life like my business. I don’t wait to the last week of the year to review how I did. I do a regular check up throughout the year.

Remember success comes with small action steps. One action step gets you that much closer to completing that goal.

This amazing exercise is the Artist Compass Exercise. It’s your way to ACE the year!

It helps me to get clear, to prioritize and to have 4 Compass Words to guide me through the next quarter. It’s your True North, South, East and West! It’s more than just a word for the year. It’s a way to make sure you are always heading in the right direction, even when you are turned around.  We all have those moments right?

I post these words in my office, studio and even bathroom. I also like to make a commemorative charm to wear each quarter with my words.

If my daily actions aren’t in alignment with my Compass Words, I get the opportunity to make a new decision on whether I’m doing what’s best for me, my family, and my dreams.

That’s what free will is all about. Making choices and not just plodding through life letting someone else do that for you or saying, I’ll do it tomorrow.

Do it now. Take Action!

It’s my gift to you! If you don’t have it or can’t find it in your files you are welcome to sign up for another F.R.E.E. gift 😉

I want this to be an incredible experience for you. Here’s some incentive to spend 30 minutes getting some clarity in your life and your business.

If you complete the A.C.E. and post your Compass Words on the blog, you can be entered to win these great prizes:

  • a custom silver handmade charm with your Compass Words to one special winner (minimum of 60 comments)
  • a DVD by Bill Fretz inventor of the Fritz Hammers, courtesy of Interweave Press
  • a fabulous book from the Whole Lotta Whimsy collection, courtesy of WLW
  • assorted tools
  • assorted beading/jewelry making components

We will award up to 15 prizes based on the number of entries.  One award for every 30 participants!  So spread the word and have more chances to win 😉

***freight/shipping is responsibility of winner

Creative Blessings and Happy New Year,

– Tonya

PS – I believe in you! You can do it. One small action step at a time.

PPS – Do you know of a friend or artist that could benefit from my free content and would like to collaborate with our community? Could you please forward this, share it, post it on your wall or blog? I’d deeply appreciate it!

90 Responses to A Gift For You!

  5. I did ACE again and for 2011 my words are
    Gratitude…for my family and firends, for continuing good health and so many other things
    Committment….to being a successful artist, to becoming healthier and losing bad habits
    Learn…a daily process
    Focus..not be distracted and also not lose sight of what is important

  6. I’m laughing – I obviously need the organization – somehow I thought I had not posted, and wound up posting twice. Ahhhh – the Universe has a sense of humor, yes????

    Happy New Year to you all – may all your compass words become the definition of you and your lives!!

    dawn

  9. Thank you
    My words are

    Love ( have a loving heart)
    Peace ( within one’s soul)
    Hope (Never giving up)
    Gratitde ( being thankful for all my blessings especially the ones I don’t realize right away are blessings)

  15. Accept – myself and my abilities/limitations; others
    Persevere – to meet challenges and see them through
    Resonate – my creativity & soul – that one reflects the other, the essence of me.
    Connect – mind & hands to bring ideas to fruition

  19. My 4 words are
    Eliminate – all the excess clutter in the studio AND in my life.

    Accept – that I physically can’t do what I did when I was 30 ( now I’m pushing 60) but to keep in shape by working around my limitations, and instead of seeing them as limitations, see them as guides leading me to new places and types of exercise.

    Write – My husband & I have been working on a book off & on for the past year – it’s time to get down to serious work, even a few pages a day, and get this masterpiece DONE!

    Create – not just in my own work, but thru my classes, teaching others the joy of creating beautiful jewelry and stretching their wings in a new skill. Helping students to understand the great mental & physical changes that go on in your mind & body as you create beauty. It’s just not an art form, it’s a transformation of energy into a material object of beauty.

  22. for all, a creative and prosperus New Year, 2012

    create
    positive (energy)
    focus
    see (what is around me, what my friends and fellow artists are saying, feeling, making, ie get outside myself)
    respond/give ( to each of the above)

  26. Focus- to figure out what I really want to focus on instead of jumping from medium to medium
    Bravery- To boldy go where I haven’t before
    Strength- To keep going when I get discouraged and times are tough
    Embrace- All that life has to offer, the good and bad
    Goodbye 2011, Welcome 2012!

  27. I believe that this is something that could really help me. It’s a very smart approach to reaching goals. I think I could keep to something like this much better than resolutions, or just a long list of goals.

    Thank you for sharing,
    Shae 🙂

  30. health in mind and body
    organize thoughts and things
    enjoy all the wonderful moments of my day

  31. Thank YOU for persevering, Tonya! I have received the the ACE from you several times and finally had a chance – and the will – to sit down and do it. If you had only sent it to me once, I never would have done it.

    Productive
    Commit
    Kindness
    Focus

  33. Thank you Tonya. The timing is perfect for me to align my compass for 2012. I have at last retired from paid work to folow my passion to make jewellery full time. So here are my Compass Words:
    Aspire
    Discipline
    Connect
    Accomplish

  34. Thank you Tonya. After experiencing several losses in 2011, I have seriously considered a reorganization of my life for 2012. My Compass Words are:
    SMILE: so the whole world can smile too
    PRAISE: others for who they are and what they contribute to life
    EMBRACE: life for what it offers me – both strengths and weaknesses
    ENJOY: each day, because it may be my (our) last
    DANCE: “if given the chance to sit it out or dance, then dance.”

  35. Thanks so much for the ACE! I also had clicked on it a few times and never followed through, so I appreciate that I could “try again” 🙂 I love the image of staying focused on 4 concepts since my mind is more like an occupied Hamster HabiTrail system some days. My words –
    Healthy – committed to better diet and activity to balance all the sitting still while creating jewelry
    Productive – staying on task, again, not letting the hamster colony take over my thoughts!
    Accomplished – seeing my visual goals take shape and my skills grow
    Grateful – that I’m in a place mentally and physically and with supportive family to do the work I’m doing.

  36. The four key words are Dedication to whatever I am doing at the time if it is my need to live in the present the moment Second courage to be who I am and let go. Third appreciative of my life and who I am And finally and forever creative Embrace it!

  39. Having not completed the ACE excercise yet, but in my thoughts lots in
    the last couple of days,
    I have come up with
    Design
    Focus
    Believe
    & Soar !!
    Namaste!! Happy new Year to you all!!
    2012 very exciting!!!
    Denise

  42. There has been some confusion as to where you get your 4 Compass Words.

    The words will become apparent to you after you complete the clarity exercise.

    Go here to get your FREE gift the Artist Compass Exercise:
    http://www.tonyadavidson.com/free-videos

    Once you fill out your info, you will be sent a link to the exercise. It is 10 pages long and takes about 30 minutes.

    Please do not just select 4 words. You’ll get so much more out of it, if you complete the exercise.

    Cheers and Happy New Year!

    -Tonya

  43. Hi Tonya, I took your exercise on the long journey with me from Scotland to Bali. Am now posting the results from airport at Kuala Lumpur! My words are Focus, Connect, Eliminate and Release. Thanks so much, it was a very valuable and enlightening exercise. Xx

  44. I have completed the exercise and it is very useful.

    My four words are care, connect, share, believe

    I also remember I have a little compass charm I made in 2009 so am now going to join it onto my necklace to remind me.

    Thank you, I really appreciate this

  46. Hi Tonya,
    My words are:
    * Deliver

    * Focus
    
* Empower
    
* Learn
    Thanks for the exercise.

  47. Happy New Year for everybody!!

    Tonya,
    I’m working in new projects this year, and I wanna tell you a BIG THANK YOU for all the information and help that you have in your website…

    I’ll read the “gift” and I’ll try to apply it!

    Best Regards
    Mei

  48. Thank you Tonya,
    My words are:
    awake
    alive
    whatifwhatifwhatif
    suppose…………
    Best wishes, Beth

  49. well I think that for this year, my compass words would be:-
    Organise(both my work an personal life/space)
    Harmonise(myself and my spirit/muse)
    Prioritise (sort out my priorities in life)
    fitness(basically get fit so I can enjoy a long and productive old age)
    but these are without the benefit of the ACE, so I am going to try that and see if it agrees

  50. my 4 compass words are time (with/for myself and with my family), walk (my form of fitness), feel, and beauty

    thank you Tonya, and have a happy and healthy new year!

  51. My compass words for 2012 are:

    Abundance
    Embrace
    Worthy
    Action

    Thank you so much, Tonya! I actually engaged all 4 by doing the exercise!

    Brenda

  52. My four words are
    Eliminate – (on all aspects weight, clutter, debt, no plans, etc)
    Balance
    Health
    Growth

    these all seem to work with both my personal and professional area, thanks for making me do this!

  55. Action
    Achieve
    Allow
    Amen

    This was a very interesting exercise and it brought me to a group of words that in some ways are surprising to me.

  59. Hi Tonya, I signed up in the fall for your “free gifts”. I began to receive your blog posts, but it wasn’t until the third post that I received one of your “gifts”. It was not the one with the compass. I did sign up again, so hopefully I will receive the first two gifts which were the ones I was interested in. I do have a few things that I am hoping to focus on this year. I will list those, and then after receiving the compass excercise I will tweak my list.
    Teach – classes
    Publish – designs
    Faith – first in my God, and then in myself.
    Thanks, Robin

    • Hi Robin,

      Sorry you didn’t receive them. We occasionally have reports of issues, but not often. I think it may be an older browser issue or it going into spam/trash.

      You may want to check your spam or trash to see if it’s there. I will have Eric look into this on Monday and get back with you. Please do add us to your address book so that you get the emails.

      Looking forward to you doing the ACE and posting your words 😉

      Cheers,

      Tonya

  60. I did a new ACE for 2012 and my compass words are:

    Focus (Fokusera)
    Accomplish (Genomföra)
    Appreciate (Uppskatta)
    Persevere (Hålla ut)

  62. OK, I now have my four words to share!

    Focus
    Create
    Pertinacious – as in… (headstrong, determined, persistent, resolute)
    Be (Me) (the me I was, the me I like)

    Shae 🙂

  65. my 4 words:

    Connect: in fullness to my enviroment
    Productive: to grow in quantity too manifold
    Self-reliant: to take complete responsibilty of my life
    Express: myself fully as an artist

  66. I know I am late on posting but am so excited over this opportunity I am posting anyway.
    I have been mending from a broken arm/shoulder from right before the holidays and just now able to “hunt and peck” at the keyboard. LOL

    Dedicate the time needed to succeed in the opportunities before me by slowing down and doing things properly. Develop the website, organizing my time by panning each week.
    I will move forward with respect and Balance a healthy method that does not cause stress to me and others around me.
    I will strive to give each piece I create the time to be completed to the very best of my skills.
    I will share the knowledge with my students to help each develop their skills and dedicate a controlled amount of time to this leaving me time for the tasks above.

    Dedicate
    Balance
    Complete
    Teach

    • Donna you are not late! It’s perfect 😉 You even have a month and a half to make something to receive 3 additional entries to win! I would love to see you create something to wear, look at, or use that would put your words into action.

      We learn by reading, listening and taking action. This is the taking action component that is so valuable. Plus it serves as a remind and influences our subconscious (which is 87% of our brain mass)!

      Loved how you choose your words and the explanation you shared.

  70. Thanks for you wonderful encouragement, Tonya! I did the ACE and have my four compass words:

    LEARN
    CREATE
    ENJOY
    LOVE

  71. Hello Tonya, I completed my ACE and here are my 4 compass words:
    Confidence
    Focus
    Persevere
    Leadership

    Thank you so much for this artistic tool and helping me get the start of my year in alignment.
    Lori

  72. Tonya dear,

    Thank you so much for inspiring me to go through this challenging, helpful and inspiring exercise and to develop my compass words for this year! Mine are…

    1. Self-empowerment – shifting my thoughts and emotions from being self-limiting and fear-based to self-empowering, self-confident, actionable and productive.
    2. Self-love – learning how to take care of my own needs and make them a higher priority without feeling guilty about it.
    3. Shedding – letting go of people, thoughts, activity and “stuff” that no longer serve me well and that trap me in the past.
    4. Structure – embracing structure and organization as tools to help me achieve my goals and desires, rather than as “should do’s” that trigger my inner child to rebel.

  73. Tonya, being a full time artist is something that was beyond my wildest dreams until recently. Now I am going for it. Working with you this year has been wonderful; your program came at a time when I was just starting to make plans, and now I am close to launching a line of jewelry.

    My compass words are:
    MANIFEST – my business, my art, and abundance in my life
    CONNECT – deeper relationships with those I love, and new friendships with other artists
    INTUITION – learn to listen and be inspired by my intuitive side
    GRATITUDE – enjoy every day and take nothing for granted

  74. Tonya – I love your spiritual approach to living, creating, and running an artistic business!
    Here are my compass words:
    Create
    Play
    Connect
    Celebrate

    After I “discovered” my compass words, I made a list of things I want to create like not just jewelry but time with my grandson. I put my list on a chart to inspire me everyday.

    Thanks, Tonya!

    • Thanks Michele for your comment! I love that you are filling your well by incorporating art with someone you love so much….your grandson. That’s time well spent 😉

      You’ll find that making something with your words will be a huge benefit to the outcome and blessings they provide.

      Best wishes for your continued successes!

  76. Currently in the Artful Success class & loving it!!
    My Compass Words…

    SUPPORT
    CONSISTENCY
    CLARITY
    POWER

    Saw a reference above to making something incorporating the Words – how do we send a photo?

  77. I have finally had time to really work through the Compass worksheets and they gave me much to think about. My compass words are: Confidence, Consistency, Gratitude and Abundance

  78. I finally finished the Compass Words exercise (in writing to keep my ego’s commentary in check!):

    Persevere – working a day job & jewelry as part time is ok. Knowing testing different base clay firing schedules will take time and “failing” will be ok too, just keep going!

    Deliver – put in the work to feel accomplished instead of stressed by approaching deadlines.

    Believe/Own – Confidence in myself and putting myself “out there”.

    Balance – physically and mentally.

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