Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Sometimes it's better to start somewhere now then to start somewhere later



Hi. I'm back!

*Gulp* I have major butterflies in my stomach as I'm typing.  I have written many drafts only to abandon them.  I can't believe it's been 7 years since I've posted.  Insert bug-eyed emoji here.  Oh how I have missed this.

Where have I been?  Hmmm.  That's a complicated answer but let's just say wherever I have been and whatever I have gone through I have found my way back to myself.  Actually an even better version of my previous self before stuff hit the fan.  All my prayers have been answered.  My girls and I are healthy, happy, secure and thriving.  

Once life had become more stable I began to really miss blogging, crafting, DIYing etc.  I had also been contemplating getting back to selling my creations on Etsy.  I felt I was finally in a place where that side of me could be nurtured again. 

But I was scared, unconfident. I felt like a has-been, uncool, not good enough.  

How was I going to find the time and energy to stand out, to be successful? Social media is flooded with images of "success".  How was I going to fit in?  Did I even want to?  Would I have to change to be successful?  The idea of being inauthentic in order to be successful paralyzed me. I had worked so hard to come back to myself, jeopardizing that was triggering.  So I talked myself out of it.  I was happy working part time, being a mom/taxi, housekeeper, and occasional crafter. At least that's what I told myself.

And partly that is true.  Those things make me happy.  But something was missing.  So I began searching.  Listening to motivational podcasts, reading self help books, and taking personality tests (I'm a 1 wing 2 btw and an INFP).  To be honest these only made me feel more inadequate and raised more questions in my head.  But I trudged on hoping to find something that would help me figure it all out.

Taking a break from all this heady stuff I decided to listen to one of my favorite podcasts Young House Love has a Podcast.  John and Sherry are so cute and funny and somehow manage to teach me something while making it lighthearted and fun.  They are geniuses!  In episode 152 they interviewed Miranda Anderson from Live Free Creative.  She was so inspiring!  Immediately I cut my YHL podcast short (sorry guys, promise I went back later to finish 😊) and headed over to Miranda's.  The first podcast I listened to was Episode 1: Why NOW Is The Right Time.  It's about "why you can and should get started TODAY on the thing you want to do."

Miranda had a lot of great advice in her podcast but one sentence stood out and had the biggest impact on me.

"Sometimes it's better to start somewhere now then to start somewhere later"

I truly believe that you have to be open to things in order for them to make an impact. 

LIGHTBULB.  MOMENT.

This quote gave me permission.  Forget those insecurities and just do it.  So what if I have no clue how to successfully market my Etsy shop.  Who cares if no one reads my blog posts.  Who cares if I only have a few followers.  I will figure it out.  This stuff makes me happy.  Creating, writing, learning.  All of it feeds my soul.  So I just started.  I made an instagram post and announced I was back at it.  The sales, the comments, the likes, all of those are bonuses.

So here I am.  Scared out of my mind but doing it.  And it feels great!
Talk soon!

Love, 
Andi

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