When One Door Closes, A Window Opens

Just learned some disturbing news about a friend. My mental response was flat out shock. She is extremely talented, very focused and driven, good at her job and compassionate. How could this happen? Why did this happen? You do all the right things, take all the right steps and still things can go wrong. You can be wrenched out of your reality, your comfort zone. I am feeling for her because I’ve been there and was lost because of it. I didn’t have a contingency plan and following the rules got me nowhere.

This got me thinking about how as much as I know about planning and organizing, I hardly apply those techniques to my life. I’ve thought this before and am trying to rectify that but its still true. Back up plans, emergency plans, contingency plans, worst-case scenario plans; we need them for every aspect in life and then we can be relaxed when something goes wrong. I’m an advocate of planning. I’m not saying this would have saved my friend from this situation. It literally just happened so she deserves a moment to readjust. I just think planning could have helped me more when it happened to me. Also, listening to my instincts, my gut at the time was telling me to get out, to move on but I didn’t because I was comfortable. And I wasn't for along time. But when one door closes, a window opens.

At the end of the day (and the beginning) I have to tell myself that I am 31 (almost, I have less than two months so I have to start practicing ) but it’s not the end of the world. I can still do this. All of it. And I will if I plan. People are living longer lives. I’m not automatically destitute spinster if I don’t have it altogether at this age. That whole 20-45 years at one job with full benefits to retire at 65 is not the reality anymore. Its not impossible but it is improbable in today’s times.

Plus variety is the spice of life. Its why I love event planning. I can start my business in the social events. Start as an officiant, start as a wedding planner. Make money, go back to school for meeting planning while getting certifications. Offer event marketing to small businesses and work my way up to conferences and the like. I think my blog can evolve the same way and I am already working on those steps with my etsy shop. Start small, keep my eye on the next milestone while working hard on the current steps.

I wrote this post as soon as I heard the news. This wasn’t my planned post for this week. I had one that was supposed to come out last week but the images have been giving me such a hard time I had to delay it. But this, the feelings behind working for what you want no matter what your chosen field are just as important as the work you put in. I knew I had to share this publicly. I know I am not the only one feeling this way and I know that my friend and I are not the only ones who have gone through this in their lives. Others deserve to know that they are not alone.

To my friend, you should know I still find you to be an amazing person. I know you will rise from the ashes once again. You inspire me in many ways. This post being just one of them. I can only hope that between the two of us we inspire many others.

~Lashette

Inspiration and Ideas

I'll be honest, I thought that this business of selling items that I make was just going to be a hobby. Something to help get through some really tough times and so I could have a little extra money in my pocket. My ultimate dream has been to have my own event planning business (more details on that and the bc later). It still is, but as I know, I'm an all or nothing kind of girl. I can't go halfsies on anything. I give it my all or nothing.

So, I have researched the hell out of this business and gotten so many professional plans together. I even have a business consultant (bc). Me! Its so weird when I think about it. On the other side, the creative side, I have tons of ideas for new products, packaging, sales, discounts, promotions, etc. Just random thoughts floating through my head, then BOOM, new idea.

Need an example? I'm glad you asked because the idea for this post came after such a time. I'm laying in bed, looking at facebook and I see one of my all time favorite authors post a link to someone else's Etsy shop. This person makes perfumes and has a line dedicated to and inspired by one of the authors series.

I want to do that. I honestly wanted to some how tie in all the parts of my life into these products. I've already got a god and goddess line and a sabbat line to connect with my spirituality. And I've been trying to think of a way to connect with my love of music and books. I had even looked for Etsy teams for inspiration on how to do this.  Et voila!

I'm very happy about this. Not overwhelmed at all even though I still need to make up ingredient lists, find some guinea pigs friends to test stuff on, learn how to make butters, bath bombs, japanese stab bound books (which I only learned about last week), not to mention handle and update the products I already have. Now I shall be combing through my favorite books for ideas too.

Are you excited? I'm excited.

~Lashette
Scarlet Moon Creations