five surprises

I finally did it, guys. I took the plunge. I decided I couldn't take the corporate life anymore, and I quit. I had no other job lined up, so I thought I would give myself a minimum two-week working vacation to finally start doing what I love - designing and performing. I've now managed to stretch that two weeks into two months, and - after taking a nervous peek at the contents of my wallet - I'm happily/hopefully contemplating a third.

I LOVE working for myself. And, let me tell you: I am working. That part about "vacation"? Not so much. I pretty much even work while I'm sleeping. But I get to watch (well, listen to) movies while I work; I make cool stuff every day; I work when I'm feeling at my most productive, not when someone else tells me I have to; I don't get bored because there's a huge variety of tasks at hand; I am constantly learning and being challenged. I feel motivated to accomplish things. It is amazing.

Now, it's not all sunshine and puppies and rainbows, of course. I find deadlines very helpful in keeping up my motivation, so I've been setting myself timelines dictated by external factors like craft fairs and sales promotions, but I've melted down a couple of times when it came down to the wire. It's all educational, though, and I'm honing my time-management skills. And, well... There is definitely some stress involved in being financially, um, unstable. I've sold a number of my creations, but I have really been supporting myself through an eclectic mix of holiday performance gigs, which will probably dry up shortly, and the kindness of friends and relatives. And - sigh - the inevitable credit card. Somehow, though, I feel less anxious about money now than I did when I had a regular paycheque, and I have more trust in the idea that there will be opportunities when I allow myself to be open to them. It's forcing me to think creatively... and to have gratitude.

I am so lucky to be surrounded by supportive people who are willing to share their time and knowledge and connections with me. I am inspired every day by my friends and community.

So far Etsy has been an amazing resource; not only has it given me a venue for selling my designs, it's also a fabulous way to network with other independent crafters from all over the world, and a seemingly bottomless well of advice on everything from photography to branding to vlogging. You can find my store here, and - very soon - lots more at fivesurprises.com.