Start Like Your Happiness Depends On It!

Contributed by: Becky Blades, Author of Start More Than You Can Finish

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"You will be the same person in five years as you are today

except for the people you meet and the books you read."

Charlie “Tremendous” Jones

I first heard this quote about ten years ago, and it has made me buy a lot of books and say “yes” to a lot of coffee meetups. It has been my go-to living advice.

Don’t tell “Tremendous” Jones, but I’ve made a teeny-tiny addition:

"You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for

• the people you meet

• the books you read

and…

• the things you start.”

It’s no secret that I’m a big cheerleader for the thrilling mindset of stARTistry – of acting on our ideas and leaning into our creativity. My new book, Start More Than You Can Finish, is a pep talk wrapped in a manifesto that came from my own midlife reawakening. I want to shout its message from the mountaintops, especially to women:

Acting on our ideas is the best of who we are! Be a stARTist!

As women, creating is a deep-rooted part of our life force. Throughout history, we have made the homes, we have made the meals, we have made the gathering. We have even made the PEOPLE, for crying out loud.

With life spans getting longer, we now have lots of life left after our first homes and families, and what a playground of possibilities that is!

The way to thrive and flourish through all our life stages is to simply create what we want…to START and restart. I know, I know, it’s easier said than done.

Think about the women who started The Hive, for example. They wanted to build a community for themselves and others. They didn’t know what they were getting into or how it would finish. But they acted on an idea, and the idea is pulling them along – nourishing them and demanding they step up their creativity.

We all are creative. That’s a fact. It just looks different for each of us. If you don’t FEEL creative at this stage in life, maybe it’s because all your creativity has been directed at your job, your kids or other caregiving.

Isn’t it YOUR turn?

As we move through the years, we need to shake things up. To renew, refresh, reinvent…and find out what kind of starts make us tick. People and books are good ways to explore, but hauling off and STARTING is better.

The first step has a swag bag of answers and encouragement.

I speak from experience. While I am changed by the books I’ve read, I’ve been most enriched by the books I’ve started.

My first published book didn’t even start as a book. It started as a journal entry . . . on a bad day…as a coping mechanism when my oldest daughter was a senior in high school. Actually, some of you’ve met her – Taylor Kay Phillips spoke to The Hive in July about her book A Guide to Midwestern Conversation. She’s funny and adorable now, but let’s just say that in high school she was honing her sarcasm skills.

Thanks to my journaling, I survived that senior year. And when Taylor was safely at college, I emailed her fifty-some pages of my journal with the subject line: Do your laundry or you’ll die alone.

Days later, Taylor wrote back. “Mom, this is funny. You should make it into a book. You should put your art in it and have it done by the time Tess graduates from high school next year.”

That nudge started a book, (Do Your Laundry Or You’ll Die Alone: Advice Your Mom Would Give if She Thought You Were Listening – it makes a great off-to-college gift!) That book inspired my new one, and I like to think my books nudged Taylor to start her book. Starting begets more starting!

I’m not saying you should write a book – although research shows that 80 percent of us want to, we just never begin them. I am, however, saying that getting in the habit of starting things will set you on a course of surprising possibilities…some that will even inspire others.

If you’re ready to start, but short on ideas, here’s a list of idea STARTERS!

You can start…

• a family manifesto • a fusion soup recipe • a chain hug • a rolling pin collection • a fast casserole franchise • a philosophy • a think tank • a handstand contest • a fitness club • an arcade • a wildlife reserve • a saddle club • a basement renovation • a balloon animal class • an Instagram post • a tour of your favorite town • a musical • an eco-friendly apartment building • a compost cooperative • a thesis • a donkey rescue • a greeting card line • a doodle art exchange • a grant application • a makers salon • a short story • a yarn bomb • a flag • a humanitarian relief effort • a llama ranch • a study group • a lemonade stand • a jewelry line • a tree farm • a button club • a supper club • a toy • a light show • a robot contest • a gratitude chain • a preschool • a lake house • a manners class • a conversation salon • a vegetable garden • an archaeological dig • a drone parade • a fashion line • a kayaking race • a front porch movement • a neighborhood watch group • a prayer chain • a cure for shingles • an empty-nest support group • a Legos build-off • a rose garden • a family • a remodeled fireplace • a documentary • a veggie burger recipe • a _____-of-the month club • an apartment recycling program • a food desert fix • a lace hanky • a better mousetrap • a book cover design • a syllogism • a vineyard • a law • a time-saving process • a street mural • a children’s chorus • a sonnet • a halfway house • a hook rug • a blog • a poem • a neighborhood group • a composting co-op • a painting • a sculpture • a journal • a new dress • a curriculum • a party • a tea salon • a safer bungee trampoline • a vegan hotel chain • a new language • a historical tour of a cemetery • a learning society • an urban play space • a pun throwdown competition • an umbrella repair shop • a diplomacy clinic • a photography retreat • a bird sanctuary • a comic book • a woodworking shop • an artists’ retreat • a portrait • a chain reaction • a breakfast club • a network • a focus group • an animal therapy practice • a hubcap sculpture • a welding class • a pottery collective • a horse arena • a church • a camp for middle schoolers • a café • a magazine • an editorial board • a fragrance • a trail ride • a log cabin • a culture blog • a tree planting coalition • a housing development • a new word • a music genre • an urban youth center • a hairstyle • a shard art bird feeder • a Kickstarter campaign for a stranger • a Kickstarter campaign for a friend • a well for a village in Africa • a ship in a bottle • a pear orchard • a love letter • a mosaic • a product enhancement • an urban green space • an alternative medicine clinic • an umbrella repair shop • a peace pact • a succulents garden • a hat design • an international dinner club • an improv club for the deaf • a recycled birdbath • a dog rescue • a cookbook • a yoga routine • a YouTube tutorial • a high-school halftime show • a Wikipedia entry • a maze • a medley • a comedy sketch • a petition drive • a collage • a mobile dog grooming salon

Start small. Start big. Start before you’re certain – before you’re ready and before you know what the finish will look like.

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Credit all photos with Becky: Photos by Jenny Wheat

About Becky Blades

Becky Blades is a writer, artist, speaker, entrepreneur and philosopher of creative, adventurous living. Her personal mission is helping people ignite new life stages to flourish and thrive.

Her latest book, Start More Than You Can Finish: A Creative Permission Slip To Unleash Your Best Ideas, is a joyful project about acting on our ideas.

Her first book, Do Your Laundry or You’ll Die Alone: Advice Your Mom Would Give if She Thought You Were Listening, has been a top graduation seller for nine years running.

Becky has written for Oprah.com, The Huffington Post, Grown & Flown, Live Happy, Scary Mommy, McSweeney’s and others. She is the creator and producer of the Ladies Laugh Lounge, a women’s comedy show in Kansas City.

According to Becky, she is a great stARTist, a bad cook, a hopeful gardener, a passionate tree hugger and an out-of-practice licensed pilot.

She earned her Bachelor of Journalism degree at the University of Missouri School of Journalism and studied art at the Kansas City Art Institute.

She lives in Kansas City, Missouri, with her husband, Cary Phillips. They have two grown daughters working in comedy, Tess Phillips, living in Los Angeles, and Taylor Kay Phillips, living in New York City.

Where to find more from Becky:

• Becky Blades Website

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