Opening a business in the month before Christmas is not a recipe for instant success, unless you have the hottest thing ever for under the tree. Greeting cards, I knew, would not sell like hotcakes at the holidays but I had a mission to be up and running, so I was. Goal met. (Thank you all who did purchase cards during the brief and busy season.)
As I played through the holidays, I listed the goals for the coming year. When the crowds had cleared, and we had rung in the new year, I was back at it. Joyfully back in the studio, creating new cards and plotting a map of destination shops for marketing.
It was on a day trip to Sacramento with my husband and biggest supporter, Rick, that I got the call. Not recognizing the number, I let it go to voice mail. Later that day, I realized that the caller had indeed left a message. Curious. I listened to the message, a nice sounding gentleman with an opportunity that I might like to talk about. An opportunity to head and build a new business in health care here in my community. That is when my brain kicked in with thoughts of maybe I should do this, I should at least talk to him, what if, what if, what if…
We did speak, and I remained curious, complimented and torn, so we met, for over an hour of chatting at Starbucks. He was personable, bright, well spoken and did have a very nice offer. We parted with the agreement to speak in a week’s time.
My head was full of shouldas, couldas, oughtas and fear. My ego was running amuck. My brain was busily weighing the pros and cons of the offer: “It will be a fun and challenging position, you’ll like that.” it said, “On the practical side, you will have a regular paycheck, and health insurance! Just what would you be giving up? You can paint on the weekend.” It built a very good case.
What was my hesitation? To quote Jen Sincero, author of You are a Bad Ass… “Just because it’s your brain does not mean its on your side.” Hmm…
It was time to let go. Let go the worry, the vanity, the pretense, the fear. It was time to still the mind, open the heart and decide what I wanted to do.
The next morning, I hit the mat, my yoga mat, where troubles are sent on their worrying way and the mind is calmed and the heart is filled. What did I want in this life? To be joyfully happy. What had I been the last few months? Just that.
What had brought this opportunity knocking? Some doubt or fear lodged in my subconscious, reminding me why I should stay on my known path? The brain is powerful thing. So, just as I was feeling comfortable in my skin with Joie de Vie Art & Word it came knocking:
“Knock, knock.”
“Who’s there?”
“Opportunity.”
“Opportunity who?”
“Opportunity for something new, something old, something secure, a detour to familiar passage.”
“Thanks Opportunity for dropping by, but I’m on this path now, and I am joyfully happy!”
Isabella