What I've learned.

Today, like a lot of recent days has seen a lot of introspection.

Lately, I've been feeling like I'm losing sense of where I'm coming from and where I want to go. Which is strange for me. I've always known what i want to do - or more so, what I don't want to do and had very clear direction on what I'd rather be doing. 

But lately, with Olie - I've  been unsure about trusting my instincts. I feel too much like I'm in a new unknown world as the business grows so quickly and worry about failure constantly.

So after a couple of meltdowns with some very understanding, supportive friends ( thank goodness for them ) , I'm having a moment of clarity. Which is why this post is going up. To read and remember in case I lose my head again and if it helps you in some way, I'm thrilled.

So here's what I've learned most recently. When you are going out on a limb and doing something not too many people venture out to do, you are going to feel alone at some point. 

1. Stay positive.

It gets really hard to stay positive once you know what you're up against and once the charm of being a maker and new business owner wears off. It's unbelievably stressful and incredibly challenging. It's so easy to fall under. But you need to celebrate the little triumphs before you move on to the next thing. Every achievement no matter how small, is a first and a big one for you and your business. And failing should be something we shouldn't be afraid of, and should embrace instead, every successful person has their incredible failure stories. Staying hopeful and positive is key to keep going though, so keep hustling !

2. There is a shining light past all that crazy.

Someone once said to me that all that unrest I felt before I could complete an illustration I found particularly hard was a good thing. I was pushing myself over a steep edge before I hit the other side. And so far, I've always found it to be true. With a business, things get crazy - and it's way crazier than ever before. But there is something shining beyond the tough times, and we are just going to have to ride this wave out before things get even better than they used to be. It's the road to the natural next step.

3. It's the journey.

Even with the many little successes we've had, I know this much. It's not meeting the targets or achieving a big dream that you remember for life, it's everything you learned and went through to get there that stays with you. And if you aren't enjoying that journey - then you're doing it wrong. But if you realise that you wouldn't want to be anywhere else, you're just writing an incredible life story to tell one day.  I've loved this journey Olie has taken me on more than anything else in the whole world. I treasure it so much and still cannot believe sometimes that we've come this far.

4. Give back.

It really helps when you are in a business that is giving back. It keeps me more motivated than I would have thought possible. My tailors need me to be able to send their kids to school. My craftsmen expect me to send in orders every week - I just cannot let them down. More so, I've realised that when you give, you get back. I have clients sending in pictures and sweet letters every other day - and each one lifts my spirits and keeps the engine going. Thank you everyone for being patient with us, understanding and so so supportive. We hope to be huge someday and you would have been a part of our strong foundation. We just had one event where we gave 15 % of our sales to our artisans - and it went quite well. Our artisans were so surprised and happy when I told them about it and gave them that little extra money - thank you for shopping then, we have to do more of these events now :) 

I'm far from the point where I can talk about what worked for me, I'm still writing my story and falling and picking myself up constantly. But during these moments of realisation - these are the few things that make me feel grounded and inspired to keep going.

Happy Friyay ! Stay Inspired !

much love x

amrita

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