Finding Balance - Creating Habits

Now that we have been at our new place for several months, I have found that it is very easy to slip into the same old habits that we were in at the old place. Finding balance seems to be a habit that needs forming.  The idea of a habit feels like a negative behavior.  Merriam-Webster defines habit as:

¹hab·it

noun \ˈha-bət\

: a usual way of behaving : something that a person does often in a regular and repeated way
: a strong need to use a drug, to smoke cigarettes, etc.

: a piece of clothing worn by members of a religious group

However, I do believe, for me, that a regular routine and repeated way of doing something has a calming effect on my soul. Merriam-Webster does not list routine as a synonym for habit, but other references do.  Routine sounds better than habit.

At any rate, I had hoped that with less expenses at our new place, I would have time to keep up better on household chores (dishes, laundry, cleaning, etc.).  That those tasks would not fall primarily to my HTP.  Bless his heart for doing as much as he does.  And...I am so grateful for the blessing of him coming into my life.  I want to do more, but...

I work a lot.

And I will continue working now through the holiday season, so that we will not have to work so much during the rest of the year.  We truly are a holiday season business.  We do "okay" at this handcrafted business the rest of the year, but we just get by.  I don't always want to just get by.  I want to be able to fix up the house and yard, go to a movie now and then, taking a training class with my Border Collie, so it's important to make as much as we can during the holiday season.  I'm hoping next year, since we are all moved, that I can make more inventory all year long - more than I was able to make this year, so that I can find some sense of balance.  I wonder how many people use the phrase next year?

So, back to habits...the one thing I would like to accomplish RIGHT NOW is to develop a daily routine.  I love going into the kitchen when the dishes are all done, counters are wiped and the stove is clean.  I love having clean clothes in their rightful place and not seeing mounds of laundry when walking into the laundry room.  So, I have decided that if it means I make two less bracelets a day in order to get that done, then so be it.  Of course, for the money we would earn selling those two bracelets, which would be about 10 bracelets for the week, we could hire a cleaning lady.  

Don't they know there are newer washing machines?

Hmmm...cleaning lady...maybe I'm onto something.  Big smile. 

Currently all the hours in my day are full up.  Unless I want to get fewer hours sleep, which certainly is a way of life for many in the U.S., but I know I need my sleep in order to stay well and not go totally off the deep end.  Right now, I generally sleep from about 8:30 or 9:00 pm until around 4:00 or 4:30 am.  That's an adequate amount of sleep.

Well. for now, I will make the two less bracelets a day and get the housework done.  I'll consider some outside help.  I will still try to take most of Sunday off and go outside a couple of times a day to enjoy the outdoors - even just to walk around the yard and watch the birds.  My HTP keeps reminding me that that's one of the reasons we moved here, to enjoy things more.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Until next time...I'll leave with a quote from Emily of Our Town by Thornton Wilder.  I originally found this quote in a book titled The Simple Abundance Companion  by Sarah Ban Breathnach. It was a workbook type book that went along with her great book Simple Abundance.  I read Simple Abundance at a time when I was searching for an authentic life and some direction.  I can't tell you how many notes and highlights are in that book. A great read.  Here is Emily's quote:

"I didn't realize," she confesses mournfully, "all that was going on and we never noticed...clocks ticking...and Mama's sunflowers.  And food and coffee. And new ironed dresses and hot baths...and sleeping and waking up.  Oh, earth, you're too wonderful for anybody to realize you."

Some inspirational jewelry to remind me to enjoy life

Inspirational Scrabble Bracelet

Inspirational Bracelet Made From Vintage Sheet Music

Inspirational Live Pendant

Take care!

The Reachable Star

January is over and it was pretty quiet for us.  It kind of catches you off-guard when we were so so busy during the holidays. It makes me want to work twice as hard to try and rustle up some business, but I also know that we have to have faith.  Faith that the business will return once we get restocked and people catch their breath from the holidays and New Year.  And, it has started to pick up.  Did you hear my sigh of relief?

So, on the days when we had but one or two orders, I just kept telling myself to consider this time a blessing because we’re able to get caught up from the holidays (which we almost are).  After all, it would be hard to sell what we were selling when we had less than half the stock left.  I just now am starting to create some new Scrabble bracelets.  My three newest are Don Quixote, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Da Vinci.  As sappy as it may be, the song "The Impossible Dream - The Quest" from Man of La Mancha / Don Quixote gives me a bit of a lift when I hear it.  You can watch Peter O’Toole sing Man of La Mancha's "The ImpossibleDream - The Quest" by clicking here.  So, I was pleased to introduce that new Scrabble bracelet.  The other two are ones that I have wanted to make for a while, so they are finally released.  

Don Quixote Bracelet

The Rocky Horror Picture Show Bracelet

Da Vinci Bracelet

We’re trying to get into a rhythm - a cycle for the year.  That’s why we created our daily schedule that I wrote about last time, which has had to be tweaked. It feels like everything regarding our business is always in development, always being planned and tried.  We try to make schedules work, materials work, and organization of paper work.  Try, try, try again.  And I know it's because we're just starting out, but...

Do others have it easier and just slide into their business knowing exactly what to do?  Do others wake in the morning and have a leisurely day where they take breaks to do fun and interesting activities other than their home business?  Do they work from sun-up to sun-down much of the time?  Do they worry about doing taxes?  Do they worry about having enough materials to build for the next big season?  Do they live paycheck to paycheck? 

Do they enjoy their work, which may also be their passion?  Is it still a passion?  Sorry for the cliché, but “life is short” and I sometimes I worry that I’m spending all of it working.  Fortunately, I love what we create, and I LOVE that other people love what we make!  That keeps me going.  That, and the fact that I do get to work at home.  I do get to walk out into the yard once in a while to get a breath of fresh air.  I do get to see my dog sleeping at my feet while I work.  I am able to easily adjust my days when needing to go to a doctor’s appointment for my HTP’s (husband type person) treatment.  I don’t have to commute anymore.  I don’t have the level of stress I once did working in a high-profile coordinator job (hmm - still coordinating though - just our own business).  There’s still stress of course, but it’s mostly centered around being able to create enough and earn enough, but it has a different feel to it.  And…I have faith.  We’re just starting out full-time.  It hasn’t even been a year that we’ve really been working this.  So overall, it’s been a productive year, albeit very busy and tiring, but I think it’s getting better, and that's what I need to focus on.  I don’t work every night now and I take almost every Sunday off!  Hallelujah!!

Well, as sung in the song  "The Impossible Dream - The Quest"…

To try ... when your arms are too weary ...
To reach ... the unreachable star ... 

But in our case…I believe it is reachable.  We just have to figure out the way.  

'Til next time, take care and we hope people are having fun and finding joy out there.

Inspirational Jewelry