Change of Plans

Some of you may recall my plan to launch my Studio 791 Etsy shop on Saturday, April 6, to coincide with my 40th birthday.  And then you never heard another word about it.

Well, there has been a change of plans.

You see, some people work well under pressure.  I thought that if I made a big announcement, I would lock myself into making the Etsy shop happen.  I thought it would light a fire under me so that I would stop procrastinating and move things forward.  I thought a deadline was just what I needed.

It didn't quite work out that way.

Instead, I actually lost my Etsy shop.  Yes, that's right.  I created a profile, named the shop, put up my little storefront header, and then couldn't find my way back to it!   I continued my preparations, packaging shop goodies, dreaming up product descriptions, sweating details like tax and shipping, but I couldn't figure out what web site to put onto my product packages because I couldn't find it myself! 

Weird.  I know.

With the help of the capable folks at Etsy, I was able to retrieve my shop, just about a week ago.  But in the meantime, I started having dreams.  You know the ones.  I can't find my hotel room, because I can't remember the room number or even what floor it is on.  I know where my high school locker is, but when I get there, I can't remember the combination.  Sometimes it opens by dumb luck as I spin the lock around to different numbers, but I never know what numbers to put in when I first walk up to it. 

It's not rocket science to figure out the significance of these, but I consulted the Almighty Web anyway to see what I could find out.  "Hesitant to take a stand in situations in which you are unsure about the outcome."  "Reluctant in fully expressing yourself.  Something is holding you back."  "Hidden feelings, knowledge, and attitudes that you need to learn and/or acknowledge."  "Unsure of where you stand."  "Inability to get what you want."  "Overloaded mentally."  "Period of transition."  "Uncertain of future destination."  "In limbo and needing some encouragement."  "Wants people to do everything for her."

Ha!  I love that last one.  It is so true.  I just really, really, really wanted someone else to get the shop together so I could just start shipping things off in all their fun little packages.  Business details and bookkeeping, be damned!

So, in the interest of my sanity and a reasonable night's sleep, I decided to take a step back, relax, and not stress myself with a self-imposed deadline.  No one said I had to open an Etsy shop.  I want to do it when I am ready, and know that it is something I understand enough to do well.  I don't want it interfering with my art and crafting projects, my homemaking and child-rearing pursuits, and gosh-darn-it my dreams!

I appreciate all of the encouragement that I have received to go for it and get a shop opened.  I have no doubt that at some point the time will be right and I will do it. 

But right now, I have a 40th birthday to celebrate!  And I plan to do it without sweating a self-imposed deadline.

I will be back next week, after a brief blogging break for birthday festivities!