The sweaty and sweltering month of August is done. The Hubs and I are busy with copious amounts of tomatoes, peppers, and green beans to harvest and preserve. I have the added bonus of harvesting a beautiful crop of clarity too!
- A creative outlet is crucial for my mental well-being.
- There are no hard and fast rules stating I can’t have two businesses.
- I have a clear and coherent goal.
- Your new business needs time to grow.
Harvesting Creativity
I must make room for my inner creative beastie to play. Time stands stills (or feels that way) when in the zone. You tap into something beyond this mortal realm. It is magical and helps me deal with the feels that bubble up instead of stomping around a fog-filled dank swamp. Harvesting creativity lifts me up when the world feels heavy.
Weeding Beliefs
Ah, self-imposed rules that one makes for life. The rules are meant to convince us that life is easier when one stays small. I want to create dolls again. That resulted in bumping up against the belief that I am limited to one business. I must choose betwixt the two. This isn’t true. I have proof (in the pudding) with folks who make art and offer other services. Why am I telling myself this nonsense? What’s stopping me? There isn’t a darn thing stopping me. This leads to the next harvest.
Harvesting Clarity
When I began this journey, I had the goal of replacing my current income at the Land of Lunch with VA work. I did the math to calculate what I needed to make that happen. Lo and behold, replacing that income wasn’t such a mountain. I can do this! By Gum, there is plenty of time to create art! The clouds parted and sunbeams lit up my brain. Plus, staying at The Land of Lunch isn’t as safe as I believe. It is physically demanding. The work hours are inflexible. The argument that the retirement benefits make it worth the stay doesn’t apply in my case. I won’t have enough years invested. I ought to create something that allows me to give back in a more pleasurable way.
Growing a Business Takes Time
I learned from taking a VA course the value of setting a goal. My goal is to leave The Land of Lunch in two years. It takes time to grow and build a business. I have a lot more to learn with VA work. The beauty of a successful life garden is how much room there is for more growth and discovery. You never stop learning. It’s better to have a realistic goal and tools to get there versus the attitude of assuming the right people will magically appear. I say that with much love because I’ve done that bit.
Lastly, I have to address my yearly amnesia. Every year, August surprises me with its busyness. This falls under harvesting clarity. This month is busy with yard work, garden harvesting and preserving, wood cutting and stacking for the winter, birthdays, celebrating my wedding anniversary, and the start of school. One can become overwhelmed when growing a new business on top of it all. I organized my days into much more pleasurable and manageable chunks. I have scheduled downtime because you need time to recharge.
Oh, August, what a harvest of goodness you’ve brought to my door! I’m excited for September to unfold because Autumn is my favorite time of year.
What are you harvesting from your life’s garden this year? I want to hear all the goodness you’ve been sowing in your world!