Determination and Drive

WOW we are already on day 30 of the January Ultimate Blog Challenge, only one more day to go! Today’s suggested topic is Determination and what a perfect idea to write about. The meaning from Collins Dictionary: Determination is the quality that you show when you have decided to do something and you will not let anything stop you.  This fits me perfectly when I do anything!

My determination goes way back from when I was a young girl. I remember when I was about 10 years old and my sister and I would pick strawberries at the berry farm down the road. The wooden carry holder had 6 quart sized containers and when that was filled up, I would turn it in and grab another 6 containers to fill with strawberries. My sister would fill her 6 and be ready to go home but I was determined to fill at least 18 quarts before heading home. But since my sister was older and I had to leave when she did but I kept picking until my quota was met as she sat waiting for me. We could only pick every other day and making $1.80 a day, I was making over $5.00 a week!

Fast forward to when I was 18 years old and I started my sewing business. I didn’t have a clue about how to do this but I was determined to make it work. I started out with alterations and dressmaking but didn’t take long to expand to window treatments and interior decorating when Rich and I got married. All our customers were from word of mouth or referrals and some would come in our shop and say they needed window treatments but didn’t know what they wanted.

I would design a treatment, sketch it out and show them. Then I went high tech and found a computer program where I could put a photo of the room and design the exact treatment I had in my mine. Most would gives us free reign to do whatever we wanted and Rich would fabricate the treatments then install them. I was determined to come up with a knock out treatment so when the client walked in they would love it.

When I came across challenging windows, I was even more determined to challenge myself to come up with the perfect treatment to make the room spectacular. This is one sketch I came up with for a beautiful home and the fabrics were perfect to go with the clients paint and flooring. The biggest challenge was getting it to the customers home and installing the almost 18′ and 10′ cornices but they fit together perfectly!

Lately my biggest challenge has been my de-cluttering project and again I’m determined to go room by room until everything has a place and things that I don’t use or need anymore will be donated or landfill, depending on the condition. So far I’m happy with how things are going on my progress and I’m determined that once I get everything were I went it, I will keep it organized! This is an upstairs room that used to be our grandkids playroom but as they got older never used it so it became a catch all, for “I’ll put this away later” but later never came. Until a few years ago once again I was determined to get read of the clutter and make it a room again. I love our extra hang out room now!

Whether the projects I take on are an entire room or just rearranging a cupboard I roll up my sleeves and I’m determined to get this challenge going.

I’ll be 75 years old in a month and I still have determination and drive, I may be a bit slower but I will get it done! Are you determined to do something and do you stick with it until you are satisfied? I have never been so determined as I have been lately and I’m so proud that I’m sticking to it to declutter the mess!