Aiming for the BIG dream…

“The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are.”

My friends and those who know me best often comment about my resourcefulness and my ability to try new things with little fear of failure.  One of the greatest gifts that motherhood has offered me has been to try out some new “careers” in an effort to bring in a little money while also remaining devoted to my children for these past nine years.  As some of you know, I taught myself how to sew when I was pregnant with my first baby.  That led to a home-based sewing business, where I made everything from handbags to baby blankets.  It was a great way to get out of the house and interact with others, while also sharing my homemade items at vendor events or in-home parties.  I soon realized that this was a wonderful business, and rewarding in many ways, but that the ROI was not there.  I had to spend countless hours making the products, and from an hourly wage perspective, it just was not paying off.

I then found Arbonne, a Swiss skin care line, and dove in during the Spring of 2005.  I quickly grew my business, had a team, and climbed the ranks two titles within six months.  With a fairly thick shell, I was able to navigate the cynics, and was proud of my accomplishments.  I developed a deep admiration for network marketing, and truly feel it is misunderstood by too many people.  After Hadley was born in 2006, I really could not get myself motivated to work at the same level again.  In the midst of being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, I could barely keep myself afloat amidst the chaos of my young family.  With three children under four, I really felt that I needed to focus on them.  I did, and I will never regret that.  Babies grow so fast, and I would rather make the financial sacrifices we made to have had my time with them.

Resigned to not working, I stumbled across Stella & Dot just before Christmas 2009.  I thought the jewelry was fabulous, and decided after the New Year to give it a go.  I was also trying to plan a big party for my husband’s 40th birthday with not a dime to my name.  The last thing I was going to do was have him pay for his own party after he had given my the gift of being home all of these years.  I quickly repeated what I had done at Arbonne, but then put the brakes on so as not to get too overwhelmed with a home-based business again.  I certainly could have earned a lot more than I have so far as I was one of the first women on board in this area (but don’t be fooled, I’ve made a nice second income).  Two years later, I love the jewelry, and remain happy with my choice to truly keep it a part-time gig.  I definitely would love to find a way to keep it going in some capacity, and haven’t ruled out ramping up a bit more in the future.

Why all the background?  I share this because in the last six months I’ve realized that I have a big, big, potentially-fall-flat-on-my-face dream.   For three years I’ve been walking around with a story in my head, and I am terrified to even begin.  Perhaps this is my formal way of holding myself accountable to the few souls who may find themselves passing by my blog.  I want to write a screenplay, based on a true story.  Right now I have a great book a friend recommended, a computer, and a beginning as well as an ending in my head.  The middle is fuzzy, but I’ll get there.  I’ve decided I need to give it a go.  I have no idea what I’m doing, and even though I picture myself jumping off a diving board and landing on cement, it still feels like the right thing to do.   What is YOUR big, out-there dream?  How are YOU going to get there?  What are you waiting for?