I’ve been very bad to myself lately. I haven’t given myself enough time to do all the things I wanted to do when I left the “real work world” to follow my dream of being a self-employed jewelry (and other fun creations) artist. When you work for yourself there are lots of important “things” that need to be done…. most of them requiring a left brain and I don’t think I even have a left brain! As a micro business owner there isn’t anyone to delegate to…so TAG, I’m it!
December is a whirlwind of a month when you work in grocery/retail as I did. It doesn’t stop with the December holidays because they ‘re followed by Valentine’s day, Mother’s day, Fourth of July…. well you get the picture. So I decided to go it on my own instead of working every single holiday, or right up to it like a crazy person. It didn’t stop with the holidays either because corporate insisted employees rush back in to work the day after to make the store look like the big day had never happened. Bull Crap Boloney! I thought to myself… I don’t need this, I’ll follow my heart and my dream of making jewelry….. But, somewhere along the line I got caught up in the Black Friday, Cyber Monday, the Day after Big Tuesday, Second to the last chance Wednesday, Ok it’s not too late to get shopping deals Thursday, Extended to next week Black Friday, Saturday, Sunday weekend mess. This really bummed me out because I didn’t have the time, energy, or want-to to keep up with the marketing of all that. I was disappointed in myself because I thought I had missed out on jewelry selling opportunities. However, the real disappointment came when I realized that my dream was never really about selling jewelry. I was trying to follow someone elses business plan….. My plan is about making jewelry that inspires me (and hopefully others) to live a better life and to remember that life in spite of all the ups and downs is wonderful! I wanted a life where I had time to smell the flowers, enjoy my friends and family and inspire others to do the same. Yes, this is a business and making money is a priority…. even artist have to make a living….but I don’t have to make myself miserable in the process…. So I put myself in time out! Yesterday evening I took the time to look at the magnificent Tucson sunset…. The picture taken with my phone doesn’t do it justice. And this morning I spent time in my yard tending the flowers. The poinsettia is a hold over from last year and the mums are thriving as well….It’s hard to beat Arizona in the winter! 
Copyright © Mary Ehlers, Good Muse Designs all rights reserved.
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I think you should give yourself a timeout more frequently.
O Marnie~I can so relate to this post! As a professional caregiver, avocational mentor, over-committed community volunteer, aspiring artist, passionate poet, loving wife, devoted gardener, expressive friend, and small business maven, I often feel stretched too thin, pulled in too many directions, unable to get off the treadmill, caught in the rat race, always running and doing and achieving…with far too little time for making art or going camping or just sitting in the garden with a book…but mostly, not having feeling I have time to spend with wonderful friends like you just playing! You’ve helped me so much by “giving me permission” to slow down, to be less “busy,” to let certain “obligations” go in favor of dreaming new dreams for myself. Instead of calling this time “out” (which sounds too much like I’m in the “naughty chair” ), I’m going to call this time “in”–in to the “good” stuff–friends, creativity, nature, and just plain relaxing at home with my Sweetie. Thanks Marnie for reminding me to STRESS LESS AND HAVE MORE FUN!
Girlfriend, I have to encourage you to slow down…. just watching you do all you do is making me exhausted! Besides, we have to have our art making fun time ya know!