The clock struck midnight, the fireworks took flight and I grumbled awake; New years eve is just something I don't do anymore since becoming a muma. I usually have a glass of bubbly or two, then its a case of putting Adam to bed and me following not long after! So, I wished my partner a Happy New Year and promptly fell back to sleep.
I am not someone who likes to say, 'I set myself new years resolutions', I am someone who believes you can 'start over' any time; when you're ready, when you feel you're in need of a change, and when you want to push yourself to make changes to help make your life more spectacular. It might be that you want to make your life easier, more comfortable or more enjoyable. Its your life, blooming well live in it!
Just before Christmas, I was really struggling with the pressure of trying to run a small business in 2022. The cost of living crisis, lack of jobs, royal mail strikes and the dreaded algorithm on Instagram were some of the biggest factors of that pressure! I was just starting to feel miserable and not enjoying what I was doing, which is NOT why I started MuckyDucky.
Therefore, I started to think about what would make my business easier and more enjoyable for me.
Here is what I came up with:
Start my own website (at least I can tick this one off!) Its been a long time coming, why am I letting The fat cats like Etsy take all my money? Plus I have ALWAYS wanted to do a blog, I have too many thoughts bouncing around; plus when you're a stay-at-home-muma-and-carer-for-your-autistic-son-who-now-goes-to-school the only conversations you find yourself having are with the post office counter and the cat!
Try a market- I used to do a few many moons ago and I have been itchy to try one again, so, I signed MuckyDucky up to the Simply Christmas event at the NEC Birmingham in November this year!
Limit my time to just weekdays working on MuckyDucky. Doing this will mean I get some down time (I know all creators are laughing with me on that statement, as I will still have a head churning with ideas, info and to do lists) and also Adam has my full attention. As he is autistic, this is what he needs from me.
Create to Create. For me, this means painting and doodling for the sake of wanting to. I spend too much time worrying if an illustration looks right, whether it will sell, if its getting the right amount of attention; and whilst these are very important questions for a small business to ask, I am going to illustrate whatever I feel like creating and that is ok if not all of them go to print to be sold.
Work on my landscapes, scenery and people illustrations.
So there we have it! Some pretty realistic, life calming goals which I hope will keep the pressure off until at least February. Now if you'll excuse me, there is a leftover toblerone from christmas which is calling my name and making my bottom wonder if it'll ever be small again. Toodles.
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