Spilling the beans on a dream

Last night I didn’t get a chance to write a post for you all, and I want to take a moment out of my day (as I scarf down a late lunch) to share why with you.

As I’ve barely hinted in the past, I’m attempting to launch a small Etsy shop with a few types of handmade fabric goodies.  I came up with the concept in the beginning of the year, and have been designing, sewing, and testing a few products on the weekends here and there.  But you know what?  Because I didn’t have a hard and fast deadline and because I let myself get discouraged at the drop of a hat, I was dragging my feet.

So last week I gave myself a really tough goal:  Open my Etsy shop by Thanksgiving. Period.  So as of today, I have 29 days in which to create enough products from each line and finalize my business name and marketing plan.

I’ll be honest with you – I’m still having trouble overcoming the mental barriers caused by my own thoughts. When I come up with a product idea I have to start sewing to figure out how I want to actually bring that idea to life.  And it doesn’t usually go well on the first or second attempt.  Enter the negative soundtrack in my head:

Ugh.  This isn’t working.  This is a disaster.  What if it never works?  What was I thinking, dreaming of starting my own shop?  Who am I kidding?  Oh, it’s going to be so embarrassing when the people I’ve told about my entrepreneurial dream find out that I failed.

I could go on, but you get the point.

After I get a good (albeit too short) night’s sleep, and get to work the next day, and sit at my computer in my cubicle for 8 or 9 hours, my brain is refreshed, and I have the drive to try again.  And that’s when I remind myself that dreams are always worth pursuing, because there’s nothing worse than giving up on a dream before you even try to realize it.

So I return home from work each night to my busy life of sewing and blogging and thinking and cooking.  I rarely sit down to watch TV or read a book, and lately I’ve been crawling into bed around 1 or 2 in the morning, with my sketchbook in hand.  Why?  Because I have some of my best insights when I stop sewing, get ready for bed, and then take my sketchbook to bed. Go figure.

Even though this blog is supposed to be about decorating and living in a borrowed abode, I’d like to continue to occasionally share the progress of this new adventure with you all.  I love sharing with you, and I always am interested in your thoughts – even if they contradict mine.  Sharing my experience “out loud” will also help me stay focused on my goals.  So here I go.

And even if this venture isn’t a success, as long as I know that I gave it my all, I won’t have failed.

Now you tell me, if you’d like:  How do you deal with negative thoughts and discouragement when pursuing a new goal?