A Breath of Fresh Air

I have to be honest, I had planned to skip Show and Tell Monday. I just felt creatively stifled this week. I'm not exactly sure why, perhaps too many late nights . . . .distractions. . . . lack of sleep. . .house falling apart at the seams. I just couldn't get myself together. I was starting to feel burnt out. I would sit and stare at the table before me, paper spread out, boxes of embellishments overflowing. . . and nothing. My mind was blank, I tried everything I could think of to get my creative spark back but just felt empty. I reorganized, shopped for new materials, spent hours going through magazines and websites for inspiration, took naps, spent time with nature. . . all the while hoping for a fire to ignite, and still . . .nothing. This went on for days, each morning I would try and things just weren't coming together.

I finally started journaling, trying to figure out why I felt this way. I love what I do. I usually fall asleep thinking of new ideas, and wake up just itching to make something. This feeling I found had been replaced with a sense of having "chores" to do. I don't want this to ever feel like a chore, it is a love, a feeling that if I don't get to "play" I will simply explode. I finally gave myself permission to simply . . .step away. I took time to do other things, find the joy again, find the reason why I started this in the first place. It's more than just a business . . it's an outlet, an expression of who we are, what we love, our style. I realized I was feeling pushed to go in an area I was not happy with. I suppose we all have our own clock. . . I just need to slow down a bit and follow my own, not get wrapped up in measuring my success in time, but rather in the joy I can try to bring to others. Isn't that what this is all about?

I received a letter the other day from a frequent customer of mine. She said she had spent time with her family (several states away) and when she arrived home, she was feeling a bit down, as she missed them terribly. Waiting for her was a package with a journal she had ordered, she thanked me and said it brought tears to her eyes and a smile to her face, it was exactly what she needed. That was it right there. If I never sold another thing, my creation made her feel better. What more could I possibly ask for?

Here I am. It has been about 5 days since I have made anything. I am beginning to feel clear headed, the ideas are coming back. That itch to create is growing. Tomorrow I will tiptoe back into the paper. . get lost again, in hopefully something wonderful. I suppose my message to you is simple. Remember to let yourself breathe from time to time. It's okay, to step away and find your inspiration. You will be happy you did in the end.

Have a wonderful week and thank you so much for listening.