Giveaway: Happy Birthday Miche!

One of the best parts of being in the Her Campus Blogger Network is the fact that I get to meet new bloggers. One blogger that I particularly like is Miche from Buttons and Birdcages. She's full of spunk and has such a creative spirit.  That's why I'm excited to partner with Miche for her birthday with an End Quote Studio giveaway! Be sure to enter and to tell your friends (and wish Miche a happy birthday while you're at it!

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Taylor

Getting There: Your Freelance Manifesto

The thing about growing up is that you have to work for other people. And the thing about freelancing, is that you have an increased amount of freedom (no pun intended) over who you work for.

I've been freelancing for less than a month now. Though I never explicitly set out rules for what types of projects I would and would not do, I only applied for positions that aligned with my morals.

Just yesterday, I was offered a project that did not seem to match up with my personal values. What was a girl to do? Well, I chose to say no, thank you to that particular project. And I felt good about that decision.

I love this! Find it here

The story ends well. The whole thing was a misunderstanding, and the client really valued the fact that I stuck to my guns. The situation helped me conclude that as a freelancer, or as a person in any industry really, it's really important to set your standards. It's even better to write them out.

My roommate is a renaissance woman. She's a novelist, screenwriter, composer, and producer. She is the person who originally introduced me to this concept (back when I thought it didn't apply to me). Julia has a list of things she will and will not do in the entertainment industry, and she sticks to it.

We may have to pass on a few seemingly amazing opportunities, but all of the exposure in the world can't replace our artistic, and personal, integrity.

Do you have a manifesto of sorts? I would love to know what's on it, if you don't mind sharing.

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Taylor

Mirando: Segovia [and Lent]

I don't talk about Lent much. Too often, it's a sanctified diet instead of a time of preparation and contemplation. I didn't plan on doing Lent this year, but the Holy Spirit reminded me that I had something I needed to give up... forever.

The theme of control is recurring here at Live and Move, my constant struggle. That's why I decided to give up control for Lent. Boy, what a struggle. Enter Segovia.

Segovia, is a short bus ride away from Madrid. My friend and I planned a day trip. I messed up the bus time, missed the bus, and left my tickets on the metro in my rush to make the next train. My lack of control was blatantly obvious. I can't say I handled the situation perfectly, but I did pray.

Despite all the stress of the morning, I made it to Segovia. The sights were beautiful. We even took an unexpected hike. I'm going through Lent imperfectly, but letting go has proven to be a very good thing.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on Lent and such or just hear how life is going for you.

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Taylor

Setting Up Shop with Laura Lawson Visconti

Setting up Shop is back and I couldn't be more excited!

This week, I'm sharing advice from none other than Laura Lawson Visconti.

here

If you're like me, you may have discovered Laura from her viral elopement video. After some internet snooping, I was absolutely smitten. An artist, Laura has a disease that is causing her to slowly lose her sight. The sense of carpe diem that comes from such a diagnosis is apparent in everything from her Instagram (one of my daily encouragements) to her art.

here

As always with Setting Up Shop, I asked Laura to give a little advice. Here's what she wanted to share:

"If I had to give one piece of advice for a young creative just starting out, it would be this: be authentic. Honesty speaks so much louder than creating work you don’t actually believe in. If you want to be a photographer but are nervous because everyone around you is already snapping beautiful Tumblr-worthy photos, stay true to your gut and do it anyway. It will take some time, a lot of hard work and dedication, but in the end will be completely worth it. Speak your heart openly and honestly – it’s scary at first, but thrilling too. People often give up right before they see success, so keep at it. I think Nike says it best: Just Do It"

I'd love to hear your thoughts on Laura and her advice!

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Taylor

Mirando: Barcelona

I'm a little behind in posting updates about my travels. My trip to Barcelona was one of my favorites. If I had to describe it in one word, that word would be inspiring.

 I stayed with my cousin who has been living there for seven years and working as a private English teacher. She has a passion for life that left me feeling open to more opportunities.

Between the relaxed Barcelona atmosphere and having time to be, I felt like myself again. (Maybe even like a better version of myself!)

I feel at peace with not having concrete post-college plans,  and am even toying with the idea of moving abroad semi-permanently. I started freelancing to test the waters of that kind of lifestyle. So far, I love it.

This post has very little to do Barcelona in actuality. All I can say is that it's a magical place.

Share the love (and follow me on Instagram if you'd like more regular updates),

Taylor

Setting Up Shop with Promise Tangeman

I'm really excited to bring you the first post of the Setting Up Shop series. Just to recap, the series focuses on business owners that I admire, asking them to give one piece of advice for the aspiring entrepreneur.

Today I'm featuring Promise Tangeman, owner of Promise Tangeman Creative, SiteHouse designs, and a blogger to boot.

What inspires me about Promise is her passion for using her talents to further the dreams of her clients. This is epitomized by her Go Live workshop, where Promise spends a few days completely overhauling the business websites of her attendees. I can only imagine the electricity over those few days!

Here's the advice that Promise has for aspiring entrepreneurs:

And you can read some of my favorite advice posts from Promise here, here, and here.

I hope you're as excited about this series as I am!

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Taylor

And so it continues: Has been a year already?

How fortuitous, I knew my blogiversary was imminent and I happened to check for the exact date just in time. One year of blogging.

From the lovely women at The Wedding Chicks

In this year I have...

-made friends, actual friends who encourage me by their writing

-switched from Wordpress to Blogger

-started a business and then another

-learned Photoshop and Illustrator

-joined various blogger networks

-developed a writing style

-processed some major life events through writing posts

-become a sponsored blogger

-marketed my blog experience to gain employment

-gained readers who remind me about the value of community

Thank you. I'm humbled to be able to write thoughts and have people interact with them. It's been a great year.  I've got a few ideas about where this blog is headed. I hope you'll stick with me for the next go round.

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Taylor

Musings: Confess

Hi, friends. It's been a while since I've written and I'm ok with that.

I'm writing now because God is good. Since being away in Spain, my friendships have grown in a way that I could never have imagined.

One thing that God has been teaching me is the art of confession. As an American christian, I can tend to choose a "pick myself my by my bootstraps" approach to dealing with sin.

But we're told to sharpen each other through confession and accountability. Confession, full comprehension of the weight of our sin, helps us understand the utter awesomeness of grace. Accountability helps us to live in light of the grace we have received.

I encourage you to be vulnerable, to confess, and to be held accountable. Then watch yourself and your friendships grow.

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Taylor