blooming through life’s cycles

Growing up, there was a quote on the kitchen wall that said,

“It is never too late to be what you might have been.”

Maybe it’s because I love food and was in the kitchen a lot, but that saying is ingrained in me. I’ve wanted to be many things ever since I was younger.

One time, when I went out to dinner with my dad and his friends, I was asked by one of them, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” And I had a plan, I had a pitch ready. It was about five different careers and I laid out my timeline for my dad’s friend. I remember her reaction — not of encouragement, but more along the lines of, “That’s not realistic.” My dad turned to me at some point afterward and told me she didn’t know what she was talking about, and I could do all those things. I believed him, instead of her.

My mom also encouraged me. I would draw marker designs on paper plates and she took them to work and her co-workers bought them for $1 each. I sold out! (Thank you co-workers who graciously encouraged a 6-year-old.)

I also had a sewing business with my friend Jen called “Jennifer and Madeline’s Creations.” We made baby blankets and tooth fairy pillows we sold (actually rather successfully) at my mom’s booth at craft fairs (ideal business right here — investment by someone else and you retain all the profit!). See the business card for proof we were highly professional. Do you see that hand-drawn border detail?

More recently, May 1st,2021, Matt and I introduced…

Pedal & Petal is a project that we’ve thought about for a couple of years! It’s amazing to see it come to life. The message is focused on “blooming through life’s cycles.” We’ve really enjoyed the process of creating and learning, as neither of us has launched an e-commerce store before. And we have some big dreams for it!

With Pedal & Petal, plus my freelance design business, Five Ducks Design, my actual full-time job, and this blog, I think my pie is sliced enough.

I love that each piece teaches me something different, lets me interact with people differently, and helps me to grow. This blog, for instance, teaches me more about web design and layout, creates a resource I can share with others, and just feels like my own little virtual home filled with a lot of memories and experiences I would have otherwise forgotten.

It can be very intimidating and challenging to start something new, and there’s always a risk you won’t “succeed,” especially if it’s something that is visible to others. Since we’ve launched P&P, there have definitely been moments like, “What have we done? What if this doesn’t go anywhere? Now, everyone will know.”

But in the end… so what? Did you learn something? Then, isn’t that successful? Did you grow yourself, and/or your skillset? Then, isn’t that successful? Did you help anybody with a message you shared? Then, isn’t that successful? There are so many measures of success. Perhaps just beginning something is success for you.

It is easy to 1) get caught up in wanting validation from others and 2) think success is tied to money. Oftentimes in our culture, if something isn’t monetarily successful, then what’s the point? For instance, this blog. I’ve had it for 6 years now, and I haven’t made money on it. In fact, I’m losing money to host it. If I defined success for this blog on how much money it makes, I would be gravely unsuccessful. However, the “success” here is on me writing, getting out of my comfort zone, sharing resources, my stories, and learning all the things I mentioned earlier.

Find the right people to encourage you, and don’t be afraid to fail. My grandfather recently told me:

“You shouldn't be afraid to fail. Most people take the easy way and they take things they know they can do because they're afraid to fail. If you fail, you try again. If you fail at the same thing 3 or 4 times, then you say maybe I'm not going to do that, but at least you tried and you know.” — David Kleinman

So…that thing you’ve been thinking about? That you’re worried you’ll fail at or not be good enough? Whether it’s a new business or something just for you — go for it! The time will pass, and it will never be perfect, but you’re going to use those hours on something — it might as well be something you’re excited (and maybe a bit nervous) about.