Big wild scary wonderful dreams

For too long I've let my job title define me. "I can't run a crafting or freelance business or write a children's book because I'm a career counselor, not an author or an entrepreneur." Why can't I be all those things? With only one shot at this life, why shouldn't I pursue everything that interests and excites me? 

That question is what sparked me to start this blog in the first place; this was to be my "home base" for starting my entrepreneurial dreams and sharing all the fears, challenges, and (hopefully) successes that go with it. Instead I've used it as my home base to talk about everything but that. And that's okay. I've been writing about things that excite me and that I love and want to share.

What hasn't been okay is that I've also been writing about those things as an excuse not to take that terrifying first leap into the business of my dreams. No longer. This post is my announcement to the world that I will shortly be making my business dreams a reality.

I'm tossing out the beliefs that I have to have it all figured out before "going public". Instead, I'm going to learn on the job, just like I have when I've been working for someone else.

I'm tossing out the beliefs that I have to be recognized as an expert by somebody else before anybody will want to hire me. Instead, I have faith and confidence in my talents and abilities. I know my strengths and I know where I have lots more to learn.

I have gifts to share and a desire to help others and a dream of making a better life for myself, my family, and those I work with. 

So, while I will still continue to blog about Northeast Ohio, suggestions for family fun, and other things of interest to me, you'll also start to see more about my efforts to make my business dreams a reality! It's going to be an exciting ride and I can't wait to share it all with all of you!


(P.S. If you're curious about what has helped me muster the conviction to stop procrastinating and just get myself out there already, I encourage you to check out Leonie Dawson and wonderful circles of women she has helped to form over at the Goddess Guidebook Circle. I'm only one week into her Business Goddess e-Course, but it has already helped me to see that my ideas aren't crazy and to let go of that feeling that everything has to be perfect before I can send it out into the world.)

The Hardest Part? Getting Started

I've been a bit neglectful of this blog lately. My apologies. Unfortunately, the primary reason for that is that I've also been a bit neglectful of my goals and ambitions lately.

At the beginning of the year, I had a burst of energy and creativity. I came up with a name for my business, pattern ideas for my first products, even catchy names for a couple of the products.  I talked a lot about my goals and I even wrote them down.

Then time passed....

A few weeks ago, I had another burst of energy and creativity. I ordered labels for my products, set up an account on Etsy, created my Facebook page.

I think about it every day. I've written out so many things - ideas, pattern dimensions, marketing goals.

But I'm struggling with that next step. Part of it is a balance issue. I know I've chosen a difficult time to try and add a new endeavor to my plate. I work a full-time job, I'm a wife, a mother to a busy five-year-old and a nursing four-month-old. By the time I get everybody to bed at night, prepare bottles and bags for the next day, I'm wiped. (I feel asleep on the couch at 9:30 last night.)

But I also can't help but wonder if part of the struggle I have in taking that next step with my business is nervousness about putting myself out there. Once I put all this time and energy and love into bringing my creative vision to reality, will anybody even like or want it?

I won't let that nervousness stop me, of course. I believe in my idea. I want to see it come to life. I will see it come to life.

What's that saying? "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

What project, dream, or goal have you found challenging to get started on? What motivated you to take that first step?