#51: Slap the Calendar: Free Your Time for What Matters

The Power of Consistency: How One Year of Commitment Transformed My Creative Journey

In this episode of The Jeweler's View, host Courtney Gray reflects on a transformative year marked by significant personal and professional milestones. After battling severe illness and making a life-changing decision, Courtney dedicated herself to producing 52 episodes of the podcast. She shares her accomplishments, including launching the 'Transform' course three times, starting an exclusive membership circle, securing a podcast sponsor, and writing extensively on her blog. The episode highlights the importance of consistency, accountability, and time management in achieving creative goals. Listeners are encouraged to schedule dedicated creative time, set realistic goals, and celebrate small wins along the way. Courtney also reads a heartfelt review from a listener, emphasizing the impact of sharing real-life struggles and solutions.

00:00 Introduction to The Jeweler's View
00:52 A Life-Changing Decision
01:36 Setting Goals and Achievements
02:37 Launching the Transform Course
04:14 The Power of Accountability
05:19 Prioritizing Creative Time
08:30 Reflecting on the Year
10:19 Closing Thoughts and Encouragement

Transcript

#51: Slap the Calendar: Free Your Time for What Matters

[00:00:00] Welcome to The Jeweler's View. I'm Courtney Gray, metalsmith educator and creative business strategist. After 25 years in the jewelry industry, running one of the country's top metalsmithing schools, coaching artists, advising companies and organizations, and hosting interviews with some of the best in the craft.

I finally created the kind of support I wish I'd had from the start. This podcast is a part of that. Each week I share the lessons I had to learn the hard way so you can build a rhythm that supports your creative work, your values, and the life and business you actually want. Find tools, coaching and my transform course@courtneygrayarts.com and let's get to work.

Courtney Gray: Hey there. Welcome back to The Jeweler's View. Last October, I made a decision that changed everything. After probably about eight to nine months [00:01:00] of severe illness, seven hospital stays. It was awful and a full reset. No alcohol, less stress, and a whole lot of time to reflect. I finally said, enough waiting.

I was tired of thinking about ideas and not moving on them, so I made one promise to myself regarding this show. 52 episodes this year, one a week, not perfect, not long, not polished, but consistent. And here we are, one full year later around the same time. I wrote a quick goal list, kind of what you do on New Year's, but I did this in October.

Just a few bullet points to keep me focused in one direction and on track. So here's the list. Go live on Fridays on social media. Start simple. Get fancy later. Partner up more again, reach out to my network, collaborate with my friends [00:02:00] and colleagues in the industry.

Engage daily as much as I could in groups. And share this podcast and connect. Here's a big one. Impact first income later with intention. And the final one was launch this new course , transform at least once so I could test it out this year and see how it's received.

So I didn't do every single thing. I doubt that ever happens. I never went live on Fridays. It was just too much to juggle. It did not fit in. But here's what actually happened. I launched my transform course three times, not once, three times. I've had over 30 students join, and they were honestly beyond my dreams.

Some of the highest caliber makers I've ever worked with. The growth, clarity, and breakthroughs that they had were exactly what I dreamed of when I built this course [00:03:00] and what a cathartic and accountability building experience for.

I also started an exclusive membership circle for motivated makers. We're calling 'em Transformers who took the course, and this is also open to my private clients. This is a space for accountability, connection, and momentum with other like-minded makers. Super excited about this and I get to stay in touch with my students here.

I even got my first sponsor for this show. A huge shout out to Guesswein who continues to show up for jewelers and makers in the best possible way. Thank you for believing in me. I also started a blog that now has almost 30 written pieces on my website. A professional blog, and a personal blog for my soul.

Dump Sundays. I have been a writing machine this year. What a cathartic experience to deeply process [00:04:00] my career and my life events with you. When I look at that list, it's proof that not everything has to be perfect to launch or to work. You just have to stay close to the vision and keep showing up.

When I ran my school, people would sometimes come to me and say, Courtney, how do you do all of that? You have two children a family. You're like, wonder Woman, you must be a superhero. Nope. Far from it. Trust me, there have been plenty of mornings when I woke up heavy fighting off the same fog of depression that has followed me for years.

You might relate to this. I know what it feels like to lose direction, to feel like the passion is gone forever, like there's no way back. But this weekly commitment showing up for you through the podcast gave me a reason to keep writing, and to keep moving and to keep processing and essentially begin to trust myself more.

Trust [00:05:00] that that passion is never gone. Sometimes it needs a nap or a little hibernation, this commitment has kept me from sinking into long periods of feeling lost.

That's what accountability does. It keeps you tethered to the thing that matters when motivation disappears. So let's talk about you. The point is, if it's not on the calendar, it's not going to happen. Life will always fill the empty space for you.

Laundry, errands, other people's needs. When I say slap the calendar, I mean put what matters on it first. Not after work, not after chores, not when inspiration strikes first. Personal lives aside. Maybe think of your creative time in three simple categories. One, revenue work, right? Custom jobs, production work, [00:06:00] sales, outreach.

Things that bring in the income that we need to survive and to thrive.

Second creative work, design time, bench time, sketch time, play time, time to go mess something up and see what you can come up with. Then finally, of course, there's always owner work, finances, systems, learning, professional development. Reflection and what I've learned about is deep work days where we sit and we focus on our business, the big picture and how we want it to grow.

My invitation to you is of course, block each of those weekly, even if it's just 30 minutes, my friend, color it, name each block with a verb, perhaps design, ship, create plan, or whatever resonates with you. When you see it visually like this, you'll [00:07:00] start treating your creative time with the same respect you give, say, a client deadline or family obligations.

This week I want you to take a few minutes and write down three things that truly mattered this year. These can be big, they can be small. Second thing I want you to do, pick one creative block of time that you'll protect every week. Put it on your calendar now in ink or digital, doesn't matter.

Just make it real and start showing up for it every time, no matter what. Creative goals do not need more ideas or more layers. They need time that belongs to them. So they can take form, they can come to life. Here's the thing, life will keep shifting. Take it from me. I know unexpected things will come up.

You could be [00:08:00] tempted to quit or to start 10 new things at once to try to fix a situation that doesn't need fixing. I'm guilty of that one. When that happens, I'm inviting you to take a deep breath, rest when you need to reflect often, but stay the course. Keep showing up one thing at a time.

When that's running smoothly, then we can add more. I have to share a couple of reviews before I close today that you have left me over the last year. Thank you so much for those of you who have. Dropped a review or sent me an email. Here's one that stood out and I wanna give a shout out to, I can't see their name, but Jay Raybin.

This was back in March of 2025. The title was inspirational. Listening to someone who shares their real life struggles and solutions [00:09:00] has been inspirational. Each episode teaches me to show up better for myself and my business. I wanna thank you for tuning in and for getting what this show is all about.

Keep showing up for your dream, my friend, in any capacity that you can in this season of life. Even if it's 15 minutes at the bench, one social post a week, or one sketch, momentum is built, one small promise at a time, and please remember to give yourself a ton of grace when things don't work right the first time.

Or even the second time or the third time. The point is not perfection. It's presence and it's consistency. It's a commitment to yourself and to your work, to your craft. The only real failure is if you quit. If you give up, you throw in the towel. You refuse to get scrappy and keep moving forward. [00:10:00] So celebrate your wins every single one.

Block time for what matters Next, the next best step is all you need to think about because once you claim your time, the next step is practicing protection of it, and that's what we're digging into next week. The True Celebration, episode 52 will mark one year of the jeweler's view.

We're gonna dig into commitment as an anchor and how I've noticed ritual can set you free What's the next best thing? One thing at a time. I'll see you next week. Onward and upward. I

thanks for listening to The Jeweler's View. If today's episode gave you something to think about, consider sending it to a friend or share it on social and tag me at Courtney Gray Arts. You'll find tools, coaching resources, and the transform course@courtneygrayarts.com. And if [00:11:00] no one's told you this lately, remember you're not behind.

You're becoming exactly the kind of maker your business needs and that kind of depth. It takes time. I'll be back next week, same time, same tough love, onward and upward. I.