It has been a hectic last month. We have been so busy with custom orders coming in and going out. This weekend is the dance recital for my kids at the local studio. We'll be celebrating our 2 year anniversary in a couple weeks. Our little puppy pal has been a little under the weather. We've had visitors and still visitors to come. We've had spring planting nights. We have our first summer season show coming up in about 2 1/2 weeks. And I quit my day job.
This is huge for me. In South Dakota you can work at 14 so since the day I turned 14 my parents had been pushing getting a job on me like you wouldn't believe. Never did I. I didn't even drive until I was only a month from being 19, so how would that even make sense. I didn't get my first "paying" job until I moved to Pipestone, I was 23. Paul always said to me that when you have a job you always find time to do the things you want to do and need to do; once that money hit your bank account you'd just keep wanting more. I am quite frugal and a penny pincher, so he was right. I have been working there and the studio for a year before I started selling my pieces. There are days I would go to work 8:55am-5:30pm to teach dance from 6pm-8:15pm and come home and do a few things. I did this constantly. I would be exhausted, but in order to make this work, I had to. If I had a day off I would have little motivation to do anything, I just wanted to sleep in and relax. That wasn't working. I've had family, friends, coworkers, customers, and even students tell me to quit for the last year and a half. I needed to take my own advice for once. You gotta do you. I needed to find the time to do my dreams before I was older and regretting not doing anything for myself.
I always have been someone to look for inspiration, a guide, buy books I never had time to read, even a Google search for answers or some kind of guidance. I'll never forget the time one of my friends had that same kind of moment in college. I remember walking into her room one summer day to her looking at me saying, "What am I supposed to do with my life?" she herself was Googling "What to do with your life when you don't know what to do." I now feel like I am having a midlife crisis moment at 25. I keep going between being extremely terrified, asking myself "What the F did I just do?!" to absolutely relieved and knowing this is the time to run head on into my dreams and I wasn't going to be miserable at work. Not miserable because I hated everything about it, but because I loved every one of my coworkers and all of my regular customers, but my creativity was put in a box and my dreams were put on extreme hold. I have these big dreams for myself, my business, and my community, but by staying there and not being able to say that I at least tried was really disheartening. I was just busting at the seams and wearing thin.
The night before I quit Paul was at the farm late and I was at home Googling all those questions on how to make this work, what to do, and reading things that help you figure this out. I sat there and just cried. I think that I finally realized at that moment that summer was here, shows and big opportunities were knocking on my door and it was time to pull the trigger. I went into work that day and my manager just happened to be in the back. We stood there crying, but she reassured me that I wasn't going to fail and that I was going to be successful at my business. That I needed to do me. She told me I was always welcome there and the door will always be open. This was all reassuring to me being that Ive never had to quit a job and I felt like I was shutting the door and burning the place down. Maybe I will be back there, but I won't know if this adventure will be one that will forever change my life and my dreams will come true or at least have the reassurance that I tried my damned hardest.
So... I have 3 shifts left at my day job and a dance recital this weekend. Then until dance starts again in about 3 weeks, I am only employed by myself and my business. It means I will be dedicating all my time to my home life, my business, and myself. I will probably be covered in sawdust, paint, stain, and of course, dog hair. My office will be my basement or garage and my only employee will be my husband. I have been very fortunate to have someone like him. My dream has become his; we are meeting this adventure hand-in-hand and he is supporting me more than I could have ever asked for. I am one lucky lady. Bring it on summer. If you see me I probably will be wearing a smile on my face because I am still terrified and overwhelmed, but for all good reasons. Trust me, you really don't have to have it all figured out to move forward. Thank you to every single person who has supported my adventure by purchasing pieces from us, a helping hand, advice, and telling me I have a lot of talent to not pursue my dreams; it all means so much. It sure is nice when a career and a passion come together.
Next up: Luverne's Buffalo Days on Saturday June 4th. As we near the next ones, we will announce them and trust me, theres lots more!
