Photo by Daliel Leite
Balance
ever elusive
seemingly just out of reach
We try to balance work with family time. Notice I say “try”. I’m not sure anyone is ever truly able to create the perfect balance in life. I’m working on being more flexible and going with the flow. No matter how much time you spend creating a workable schedule, something always comes along and throws things off.
Recently, I’ve been thinking about balance within my business. Balance between making things that have been proven to sell (the need to make money) and creating the things that I want to create (whether or not they sell).
When I first started making beads, I went wherever my muse led me. After some success at selling said beads, my thoughts gravitated toward, “what kinds of beads are people buying?”. After some reflection, I discovered a couple of things. First of all, the beads I made when I followed my passions are some of the beads that I am most proud of. Second thing, I was making just as much money making designs that I was passionate about, as I was just making what I thought the buying public wanted. Hmmmmm.
This year I’m going to work on following my passions and see where it leads me. That’s not to say that I won’t still make spacer beads, flowers beads, etc. There are times when complex designs don’t work out the way you plan. Then you just have to step aside and let the answer come to you. The simple act of mixing colors and rolling beads can be meditative. It doesn’t require thought and your mind can wonder. This is often when the answer to some problem I’m having will come.
What has helped you find balance? Are you following your passions?
It’s always a challenge to figure out just what I should be making. The last year or so I’ve settled on a couple of lines and most of my work time is making those and the canes in them.
Since my goal is to make X dollars I try to use a combination of reliable sellers and new items. Sometimes making the time to develop the new items is hard and I lose track. The odd thing is, when I stop making new work… the sales of the reliable sellers also goes down. And when I make tons of new work, people also scoop up the regular stuff as well.
So I guess I’ve been told!
Thanks for the input Elaine!
It’s too easy to get caught up in keeping the “virtual shelves” stocked and keeping up with orders. All the ideas floating around in my head that I want to work on, keep getting pushed to the wayside.
Chris, I guess we are in the same boat my dear friend…. we just need to get back to just letting our voices in our hearts, minds and souls free and let them lead us to where we need to be – God’s way of taking our hands and guiding us to where we need to be, where we need to be, when we needed to be there! Enjoy your journey!! HUGS!
Hugs Tina! You are so right. It always amazes me how in sync we are.
I can’t agree with you ladies more. The struggle between selling for the business aspect and just following one’s muse has also been difficult for me.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts everyone, they are inspirational.
I think it’s something everyone struggles with at some point.