Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Jumping the Raft

If you are reading this: THANK YOU!  You are supporting me and showing me a lot of love when you visit my blog, link my posts to Facebook, view my Etsy shop, Pin pictures from my blog to Pinterest, leave comments on my blog, or Tweet my posts!  Thank you for any and all of that!
I'm launching this whole thing from the ground up and it's really crazy, fun, & exciting!  I feel like I was standing on the river's bank and this raft arrived and I put my foot into it.  Someone threw me a Life jacket and a paddle and my the raft started to move under the current.  I could either throw myself back on the river banks and breathe a sigh of relief or I could jump into the raft and hold my breath.  Crazy, but I jumped.  It has been (so far) fun and adventurous, but also hard and exhausting (mainly because I am steering a few other rafts too).  But here's the kicker:  I don't feel overwhelmed yet.  "Overwhelmed" is a warning sign for me.  It means I cannot take on more and I should probably drop some of what I'm doing until I can focus. But so far it has been a good kind of  challenge. 
So, after reading all of that, I'm assuming that you know that I opened up an Etsy shop to start selling my handmade recycled treasures.  I'm thinking about possibly also selling at craft fairs and local markets. 
Another business that I am launching with that is "InMotion."  Which is simply me shooting amateur videography.  Explained: I go to a family's home (or attend an event) and record fragments of their lives and interview them to compile a video keepsake DVD to preserve their "life as it is" for generations to come. I'm hoping it takes off, because I know that it will be so much fun to do and that families who participate will have these treasured memories captured for future enjoyment!  Eventually, I'd like to build a website to work from for InMotion, but first I will have to earn the funds to do so.  Currently I have .pdf informational sheets that explain the ideas and process in more detail. 
That leads me to the purpose of this particular post: Where are my earnings are going?
Well, I want my customers to know that while it would be nice...I'm not hopping out for lattes with each profit.  Every cent that I earn from my Etsy shop or from InMotion is currently going back into my business.  And I'm saving!  For what?  Aha!!!
A website designer
A SIGN 
Jewelry Display props
And hopefully ONE DAY (if it's in God's Great Plan) I'll eventually be turning enough of a profit that I can get a latte!  (joking)  Today I have dreams and plans...and goals.  But I also have to constantly remember that everything I do is for a purpose.  So, if this raft winds up in a different river or floats in still waters, that is OKAY.  I will use the knowledge and challenges I am learning here to navigate into whatever He gives me. 
I learned this greatly when I had fully intended to be a college graduate by about...right now.  (I went back to college to finish my degree in 2004).  Then, surprise...nine years after having our second child, I was pregnant again.  I learned sooooooooooo much during that time in my life.  And one of the things that I can apply to my current entrepreneurship is this: not to hold to dreams and goals so tightly that we suffocate ourselves and our families trying to obtain something for our own self glorification or gratification.  There is a Greater Purpose that drives us and aligns our priorities with God's essential plan.  (Which for me requires daily, hourly, even minute by minute attention and realignment.)
I truly enjoy creating art, be it in the form of recycled wares or in videography, but art is a gift of something I can do.  It is not what propels me.  It is the result of being propelled. 
Just the idea that I get the chance to share that art with others is a true privilege! 
Praying that my raft is sturdy and my eyes are focused because I'd love to experience what is ahead!!!

3 comments:

  1. You are very ambitious and I pray the Lord blessing your plans and efforts! I love the idea of videography business. I am sure you little apprentice, Brielle, will want to help every step of the way. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I just love what you are doing here!!!
    So glad to see you are putting your good talents to such a wonderful work!!!
    So very proud of you!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for the support!
    Beth, yes...ha! Brielle may very well learn videography. She's certainly my editing & producing buddy. She's even started giving me tips!

    Mom, thanks for the encouragement! It's weird just putting myself and my work "out here" like this, but I jumped the raft nonetheless, so here it goes! Thank you!

    ReplyDelete