A Mega Monster of a choice.
Wow what a week it has been! Last week life was dominated by the great office sort and tidy effort and this week it's been all about the great world book day costume scramble! Throw on top International Womens day, my husbands birthday another Mothering Sunday just me and the children and with Easter looming it makes a girl wonder just what else could be in the wings ready to knock her best efforts off course. Here are a couple of lessons which have arisen for me recently though and may be something for you to ponder too.
Last week, overwhelm and frustration hit me as it was taking so long to get organised and therefore I felt like I'd not achieved anything for my little business other than a short animation for instagram to prove I was still alive. The silver lining though (I'm hard wired for finding silver linings btw) was that I re-discovered all the bits and pieces I've been collecting over the years in the false pretence that I would have made something with them by now… Everything got organised and put away in far more convenient places. I finally knew for sure what supplies I have and where to find them. In a way it was a little like therapy, going through the pain of unpacking the past, confronting all those items I'd thrown to the back of each drawer and getting them in order so I could move on, or at least around my office, without being constantly tripped up.
Then this week, my eldest child, (who won't have to dress up next year,) announced that he wanted to be Mega Monster!! Believe me, I DID look on Amazon first. But alas there was nothing to be prime delivered to me the following day so I set about making his outfit. Again, an element of frustration cropped up as I knew I could and should really be working on my business but man was I pleased that I knew exactly where to find some old canvas, the sewing machine, paint, sharpies etc. It was all to hand and it was all easy to put away again too. AND most importantly I actually enjoyed the challenge of making the costume, the first evening staying up until midnight but not feeling tired. Hmmmm, interesting, because I'm a girl who loves and usually really needs her sleep. I was so engrossed in enjoying what I was doing that I didn't even get tired. You don't have to be a sports fan to know that at the end of a match the winning team have the energy to do a victory dance and party all night but the losing team seem to not even have the energy to lift their heads up. Just like food nourishes you and gives you energy, so can the right activities. It's definitely worth taking the time to notice what gives you a buzz and what drains the life out of you and then, where possible and within reason, do more of what lights you up. I appreciate some of you have situations which aren't always such easy choices but it's still worth taking the time to think about these things and where possible prize in little pockets of joy just for your own sanity.
Observation two was around my choice to embark on this project. As a parent you constantly have to think about what will be best for your family overall, and this may be my last opportunity to make him a costume. He keeps growing and every day he will never be so little again. The equally beautiful part being that at this age he's usually pretty impressed with most things I create or draw for him, it's actually quite a boost to my confidence. When I collected him from school Thursday evening he announced I could build a business around face painting (bearing in mind I only painted his face green) no mention of being a costume designer this time… I'm not going to be cross with myself for not getting more work admin done, I'm going to own my choice to put my creativity into what my son needed.
Observation three. Have you ever noticed how too much choice can lead to overwhelm? Working within clear constraints, a project brief, limited supplies and a deadline really can bring about the most creative thinking. I think the deadline was probably the most compelling part for me though. When you work for yourself it's too easy to let things roll into the next. Familiarity breeds contempt after all and you are the person you spend the most time with so it's very easy to over look your own needs. Those precious tasks that will push your micro business forward can easily be pushed to one side with no one to complete them for other than yourself.
So I'm entering the next week a little wiser, MUCH tidier and with a spirit of curiosity. I'm also working on my top tips for cultivating a positive mindset so please tell your friends to join the mailing list if you think they could benefit from these, thank you so much! I really appreciate it. Have a wonderful week.
I'd love to hear from you!
What Ah-ha moments have you observed about yourself recently?