August Vibes

I’m sitting here trying to gather my thoughts to write a newsletter and blog entry and I just realized that August is nearly half over already! July is a super busy month in my household (kids’ birthdays, wedding anniversary, family visits and loads of other things) and it seems to fly by. Thankfully, August is a month where we can finally catch our breath. This last weekend, my husband said that he was really looking forward to a weekend where he didn’t have to do anything and I wholeheartedly agreed. Although, his definition of having a weekend off and mine differ since I’m usually at the shop working for at least some of that time and he is busy doing household chores.

Overall, this summer has been nice because I’ve been a little more organized and I took the leap of faith to hire another employee so I can better prioritize my time and family outside of work. My two employees, Isabelle and Lex, have been such a tremendous source of help and have lifted such a burden off my shoulders. It’s been a relief to know that the shop is in great hands and that my customers are receiving the same level of service that I provide when I’m not on the sales floor. Plus, they are allowing me more time to get products made and to also have some down time.

So, with their help, I am actively working on making August a month of rest and reflection, and to catch my breath from the chaos that is July! I’m focusing on doing things for fun like creating art for myself, just because I want to. I’m also trying to get back to a regular spiritual practice for myself, which right now is just trying to pull my tarot and oracle cards more often. Baby steps, you know? I am trying to set aside time for reading, painting, or scrolling through Pinterest with the focus on just enjoying down time and not feeling like I have to be “productive.” I’m trying to not push myself too hard before my kids start back to school at the end of the month. As a result, the shop shelves may be a little more bare of my handmade products than I’d like them to be, but the shop is pretty slow in the summertime anyway, so I am taking that as my cue to be gentle with myself and not worry too much about having the shop filled to the brim with products. I’m still learning to navigate this whole business owner/mom/partner/individual thing, even 6 years in, and I am grateful that you, my customers and followers and friends, are understanding and sympathetic with me while I walk this path.

It’s not easy trying to develop a practice of relaxation. I catch myself, when I’m intending on browsing Pinterest to look at art or other calming images, veering into the territory of researching new packaging ideas for the shop or looking at branding colors and new product ideas, or workshop planning, or thinking about how I can monetize one thing or another. I’m trying to stop myself when I see this happening and redirect back to a more peaceful, less work-focused place of being. I’m enjoying looking at images of relaxation (you can check out my August Vibe Pinterest Board) and I think of how I can incorporate the feelings these images invoke into my life right now and how I can be present for this final few weeks of summer.

It’s hard to quell the constant din of society telling us we have to spend every waking moment getting things done, being productive, making money, and working towards some unseen time in the future when we can relax. I’m convinced that doesn’t exist anymore, the way our society is structured. I want to live now, AND in the future whenever I might get to “retire.” I want to enjoy the sunsets and early morning breezes now. I want to enjoy listening to my kids laugh when we are at the pool. And I want to be able to sit and be creative without trying to figure out how I’m going to be able to “sell” what I’m creating in order to be able to relax later.

So, if you are interested, here are some of the things I’ve been doing just because I want to, some of the beautiful images I’m looking at to help me cultivate a sense of peace and slowness, and some of the music I’m enjoying along the way.

And, don’t worry, the shop shelves will be filled up again soon, the calendar of events will be chock full of classes and workshops and I will be back to spending more time behind the front counter…but maybe not as much time as I was in the beginning. I’m liking this slower pace of life.

Love,

Rin