I’ve been thinking a lot about risk recently…..
Whimsy & Blue just doubled in size when we bought the building next door!
The other day a reporter interviewed me for an article, and she asked me how I found the courage to take on such a big risk. She was impressed that we bought a second commercial building and are in the process of growing my shop during a worldwide pandemic. The answer is as simple as it is complicated.
I’m terrified, and I’m doing it anyway.
I’m determined, and therefore I am going to figure it out.
I’m flexible and willing to try (and fail at) lots of things.
I’m not afraid of failure. In fact, if I’m not failing in some capacity, I know I’m not growing enough. Failure is a natural part of growth, and it isn’t something that should be avoided. Failure is necessary for us to learn, adapt, and grow.
I decided a long time ago that I would determine my own standard for success. I realized that I didn’t want to base my life on what everyone else around me is doing/chasing/valuing. It sounds cliché, but I knew I needed to make my own path. My husband’s career is challenging and unpredictable, and it makes establishing a routine impossible. I recognized that my life was never going to look like my friends’ lives or resemble the life I had imagined for myself. So I decided (or more accurately, was forced to accepted the idea for the sake of our marriage and my own sanity) to be flexible and open to taking risks.
Before we were married I wouldn’t have considered myself a big risk taker. I wasn’t even particularly opinionated and decisive at that stage in my life. I was very much a go-with-the-flow kind of personality. And I still can be, to a certain extent. But now I also take risks. I love a challenge. Making big decisions is such a normal part of my life. I never could have done all of this fifteen years ago. This specific lifestyle that I’ve built is an experience that is unique to our situation and my personality, interests, and natural talents. In other words, it’s hard and definitely not for everyone.
Unless you really feel called to live this way, I wouldn’t recommend it. Not only is my family’s lifestyle unpredictable, it would be an absolute nightmare for most people. The majority of people I know would be deeply unhappy with the level of uncertainty and flexibility that both my small business and my husband’s career requires. My shop looks very pretty and inspiring from the outside, but please know that just underneath the surface it is a tremendous amount of work and sacrifice. Still, I can’t imagine my life any other way. I love the life I’ve created for me and my family. It’s not easy, but it is worth it. Exciting things are happening and I can’t wait to see what the future holds! And I’m inviting you to live vicariously through my adventure. Because we are dreaming some really big dreams and taking on some very cool projects over here!
I promise I will share more as soon as we finalize a few more details! There have been some unexpected twists along the way. Hurdles have been jumped, challenges have been faced, and sketches and floorplans have been measured out and drawn. Good things are happening. Stay tuned, it’s about to get really exciting…..
With love (and some construction dust),
Sandy
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