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Day 11 Challenge
I think my biggest challenge recently is finding a good work/life balance in my maker life. For years I tried really hard to turn my little Handmade Shop into a real working business. After 7 years and not enough consistent profit I realized the thing I loved most was not bringing me joy like it did in the beginning. I never wanted this to become a chore, something that I didn’t want to do anymore. It’s a weird internal struggle when you know you can’t devote all your time to something you want with all your heart but you cannot give up on the progress you’ve made so far. I’m totally not a ‘throw in the towel’ kinda gal. I’m a dreamer that will always strive to make my dreams come true. I’ve tried every social media outlet, read tons of articles on SEO & hashtags and taught myself the ins-and-outs of running an Etsy Shop. If it all fell apart tomorrow I want to say I tried everything to make it happen. Sometimes I have to pinch myself that I have achieved over 1600 sales and over 400 glowing reviews! At the end of the day I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished.
A creative maker’s life is complicated. I delight in seeing the smiling faces of people when they bee-line to my booth at shows because they see something they just have to have. My heart is overfilled when I receive a review about how much my items have touched your lives, and how you love the quality of my handmade ornaments. Receiving payment is a bonus and fuels me to keep creating fun cryptids that bring you guys joy.
Thank you for being a part of my life and taking this journey with me! I appreciate each and every one of you that has supported me over the years. I plan on continuing this for many more years, because I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t create. Looking forward to a positive 2024!
Hugs, Jodie
These posts may contain affiliate links. When you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission for advertising the product (at no extra cost to you).
Ornamentally Yours 
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