Taking the leap May 08 2014, 5 Comments

"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."   Anais Nin


I’ve been making jewelry for almost 10 years now, and turned my new found hobby into a business about 9 years ago. I’ve loved every minute of it. It’s been an amazing channel for my creativity and an incentive to learn countless new skills and keep my brain stimulated.

But I guess until now, there was a part of me that had a hard time seeing my jewelry business as my main source of income, as something that could actually pay my bills. That part of me had a hard time believing that I could really make a good living from an activity that provided so much joy, something that didn’t feel like work. And I had a hard time believing that the world could truly value my creations.

So I kept a part time job for a long time, like a toddler holding on to her security blanket. “It’s just to make sure the bills are paid every month. To avoid putting financial stress on your creativity” my mind would whisper. And I agreed, relieved.

It made perfect sense, as the voice of my mind usually does. Perfect sense to those parts of me who were terrified of growing and having to step outside my comfort zone. Yes, my “comfort” zone. That good ol’ cozy enclosure who’s boundaries were largely defined by childhood fears.

It made perfect sense until now, until another voice in me started speaking louder than the fear. Until it got so loud that I could no longer ignore it. The voice of my heart, the voice of my soul.

It’s far from being a new voice. I’ve been hearing it for years. But my fears called it the voice of non-sense, the crazy voice, and would reply to its suggestions with what-ifs. “What if you never sell another piece of jewelry? What if you don’t make enough money to pay your bills? What if people think you’re not really talented? What if you just end up having to get another job, a really awful one that you hate?” What-if, what-if, what-if…

It’s been a long & complex process, and I’ll spare you the details, but let’s just say that I’ve grown into some new ideas. What if I end up selling a ton of jewelry? What if I can easily pay my bills every month and there’s even a bunch of money left over? What if the world actually thinks I’m super talented and can't get enough of my creations? What if I never have to get another “job” and get to do all the things I love for the rest of my life? What if...

So I took the leap. I jumped into the unknown and quit my job.

Am I still scared? Of course I am. I’m trying something new, something I’ve never done before and never thought I would ever have the guts to do. But I’ll say this: I’m no longer terrified. And I’m saying YES to all the exciting possibilities.

I am a full time business owner and creative powerhouse.

And I am celebrating!