As some of you know I am a firm believer in synchonicity. I look for hints in life all of this time and always wonder if something else is leading me in directions etc. I did my first Reiki certificate in Camberwell in the mid-ish 1990s and I vividly remember the Reiki master talking about being mindful of reasons behind what happens and trying to figure out the knots in life in different ways. A simple example of this - if you suddenly get a sore throat is it because you want to 'say something, but can't?' So not being able to speak manifests itself in another way...
I am slowly willing myself to structure our life - as a family, as an individual, as a business, as a worker etc. I am daunted just by the thought of doing it. Usually I love working out goals and structure but recently I just can't seem to muster the energy. But I have been thinking (as I always do - too much, mostly!) about what my priorities should be - now, tomorrow and in the long term. I am thinking of what I would be most proud of at the twilight of my life.
All that has come to me to start with is family. My boys - the three of them, all young and old. My outside family. Beyond this at the moment nothing really matters. By that I mean I want to work on my family first and ensure we are spending enough time together, that I offer my boys new experiences and I celebrate the love I have for my husband :)
So - this weekend we went to a night market in Geelong, ate yummy food, watched Number One Son rolling down the green hills and played with Number Two Son to make him giggle and giggle. We enrolled L in karate (he loves the idea of being a dragon!) and proudly watched him copying Sansei and learning how to count in Japanese. We took valued time out of our day to shop locally and to buy with thought - buying meat and fresh food, knowing where it came from (roughly) and knowing what we're doing to do with it.
Lastly - we spent the entire weekend together, laughed, had fun and
slowed down. That was also an important part.
The slowing down. The padding out of my day.
And one of the insprirations behind this new slowing down and just standing still. A new blog I found. One everyone should read. I love the Soules. I have such an admiraton for
SouleMama. She is a modern-day legend and her gorgeous life and family and thoughts are enough to literally pull me up on a day and make my own soul sing with sweetness. Thank you, Amanda :)
Forgot to say in my last post - I have bitten the bullet and have popped Retro Age up on Facebook. Don't know what for - have no idea what I can do with the application. But if you want to join us click here :)
As some of you know I am a firm believer in synchonicity. I look for hints in life all of this time and always wonder if something else is leading me in directions etc. I did my first Reiki certificate in Camberwell in the mid-ish 1990s and I vividly remember the Reiki master talking about being mindful of reasons behind what happens and trying to figure out the knots in life in different ways. A simple example of this - if you suddenly get a sore throat is it because you want to 'say something, but can't?' So not being able to speak manifests itself in another way...
I am slowly willing myself to structure our life - as a family, as an individual, as a business, as a worker etc. I am daunted just by the thought of doing it. Usually I love working out goals and structure but recently I just can't seem to muster the energy. But I have been thinking (as I always do - too much, mostly!) about what my priorities should be - now, tomorrow and in the long term. I am thinking of what I would be most proud of at the twilight of my life.
All that has come to me to start with is family. My boys - the three of them, all young and old. My outside family. Beyond this at the moment nothing really matters. By that I mean I want to work on my family first and ensure we are spending enough time together, that I offer my boys new experiences and I celebrate the love I have for my husband :)
I am already falling into the same bad habits that plagued me in 2008. There is a line in the first Lord of the Rings books - and it's in the movie, as well - where Bilbo Baggins says to either his nephew Frodo or his wizard frind Gandalf that he 'feels a bit thin - like he is stretched too much' (paraphrase, there!). It is only Jan 10 and I am already feeling this way. Have you kept to your resolutions or already stepping back into the same old shoes you were prefer to throw away?
The business is only growing - it is certainly not getting any smaller. We now have the online presence and the brick and mortar clearance outlet (for better want of a description). Within those two places we have the vintage fabrics (the good, the bad and the clearance) and we're off-shotting to our new accessories and giftware label Retro Age Vintage. So - not only do I have to manage two stores, as such, but also wares and multiple wares at that.
I love doing the creative side. I love doing the buttons (as above) and the new brooches (as below). I love choosing the fabrics and making them - and then making the packaging and packaging them up to sell. Love it.
But I am finding myself trying to do all things at once. Being the jack of all trades but the master of none. If you own your own business - or manage multi-things - how on earth do you manage this? Do you 'roster' your time by hour or day, dedicate your time on specific things at certain time of the week or do you literally fly by the seat of your pants and have your fingers and toes crossed for the best?
There is the wholesale side to think about, too - we're definitely wholesaling the buttons and brooches, with a minimum order of 10 packs. See - more work to do and think about! Hrumph - I really have to do a time management course and try to stop growing this business at a rate of knots!