Remember when the smartphone came out? Remember how life changing it felt to be able to check your email anywhere? Talk about freedom!

Fast forward to today - do you still feel that same freedom?

Hi! How are you doing with your quit time? Sticking to a quit time is much easier to do when you feel productive during your work hours. My next newsletter is all about making your work hours count - I’ve laid out for you what a typical work day looks like for me.

The years 2011 - 2014 are a bit of a blur. I don't remember everything, but I remember the way I felt after coming home from work each day. I remember crawling in bed night after night thinking to myself, "I just worked my tail off, but did I actually accomplish anything? I worked hard, really hard for 12 hours today, but did I even make any money? Why am I working so hard and have nothing to show for it?"

My Great-Uncle Buck was a successful, self-made businessman. He grew up on a farm in Arkansas and later moved to Seattle with his wife, Lou. He started out dirt poor working in construction. Later, he began investing in storage units, then office rental properties, and eventually became a self-made millionaire. You would never know it. He wore the same pair of Levi’s jeans and denim shirt every single day of his life. He knew what was important in life, and it wasn’t flashy, material things.

Four years ago, I attended my floral idol’s workshop. I remember sitting in the front row soaking in every single word she said, writing down notes like a crazy woman, asking questions like my life depended on it, and seeing images of her beautiful work as they displayed on the screen in front of me.

I remember thinking, “I wish I could be like her. I wish I could do events like she does. I wish could have big budget clients like she has.”

I’m often asked questions like, “How do you get so much done in a day?” or “How did you become successful?”

Truth be told, I inherited a couple of good traits that might be working well together. My maternal grandfather was a dreamer. He was one of those guys who dreamed up crazy big dreams, but never saw them through. He was a writer, a storyteller, and had an incredible imagination. My paternal grandfather was a determined, hardworking man. He was stubborn in the best way possible. He would never let anything or anyone get in his way.

Just a short time ago, Bryn and Mason tied the knot! The Florals by Kimberly team used a classic green and white palette for this modern young couple, but gave it a twist! “I want to set the trend, not follow it”, says our bride. No problem! We love to meet people with open and creative minds.

Here's the thing about success:

It doesn't happen overnight.

Success is a long term game. We live in a world of instant gratification. Just think about it: How quickly do you become frustrated when the building you are in doesn’t have wifi? When the item you ordered on Amazon isn’t available for two-day shipping? Or when you’re downloading something and it’s taking forever?