Say it With Me
•Posted on September 12 2018
September 7, 2018 at 9:30am
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Today kicks off the start to Fall fair season, and I need your honest opinion. Is it bad that I was so excited to just sit by myself at a table for three days straight? As a stay at home working mom of a toddler boy, quiet time does not come easy, nor does time alone to actually get work done. Now, ask me again in a few hours and I’m sure the answer will be different. I’ll probably be bored to death, desperately wanting to kiss attack my Maxers, and missing the chaos but for now, I’m enjoying sipping HOT coffee (for once) waiting for customers to arrive. Oh wait! Here they come and want to know my initial feeling about the event (that is THREE full days long)…it’s going to be a bust.
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As I walked to my booth space today, my eyes were immediately drawn to the beautifully organized, perfect display behind me. I’m talking cohesive color scheme, twinkling lights hanging from the ceiling, curtains draped to make an ideal backdrop and every single stinkin’ (adorable) item tagged and priced in the most eye-catching way. CRAP! I immediately felt defeated. And to top if off, she sells prints, cards and glassware…JUST LIKE ME. I’m not going to lie, my mind started running, and I started panicking thinking about how I could miraculously revive my booth in less than 30 minutes.
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I recently read “Girl, Wash Your Face” (side note: should book titles be italicized or quoted? Wait, underlined? No clue. Who wants to edit these posts?) by Rachel Hollis, and in the book she writes, “Comparison is the death of all joy, and the only person you need to be better than is the one you were yesterday”. Say that to yourself. Say it AGAIN. I'm saying it to too. I’m so freakin’ guilty. I compared my booth, my business, and my worth to the girl boss right next door. And all it got me was this crummy attitude.
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September 7, 2018 at 2:51pm (less than two hours left for today)
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If I could have someone shake me, I would. Heck, scold me, give me a slap on the wrist. Whatever! If you believe that comparison and its sidekick, jealousy, are positive influences to your life, you better start spilling the beans on how because I’m not seeing or more importantly feeling it. You’d be happy to know that my attitude has changed, thank you, Lord! Seriously, thank you. I don’t enjoy being the person I was at 9:30am this morning or even thinking about her. Now, let me share with you a few moments from the day and how these feelings of doubt and jealousy subsided.
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- Let me ask, have you ever not “liked” a friend’s post about their wedding, weight loss, or new puppy because you were, dare I say it, JEALOUS? I have. I’m not proud of it, but I’ve been there. Did it make me feel better to literally just ignore a proud moment of a friend or family member? Heck no. So, simply ignoring the entrepreneur next to me was not the path I wanted to take. I introduced myself and even purchased something from her! I complimented her gorgeous display and business. She deserved it and guess what? I instantly felt better.
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- “…it’s going to be a bust,” really, Opal!? The event hasn’t even started. It shouldn’t be a surprise that the average age of my customer is 35, and when I looked around that morning, the average age of guests, surpassed that by about 30 years. This immediately concerned me. Negative thought 176 of the morning: I’m going to have three days of ZERO sales. 1.) It’s not all about sales. But 2.) WRONG! I was so very WRONG! I am blown away by how many 60+ year old women will be looking flippin’ amazing in their Wild & Precious vests and cardigans.
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- Gratitude. I started reminded myself of all things I need to be grateful for. You guys, I had a customer bring me a Pumpkin Spice Latte today! The weather was gorgeous, the crowd was flowing, the vendors were nice and this momma actually enjoyed the day to herself! I mean, I did attack Max with kisses when I got home, but still! By practicing gratitude you leave more room for love and joy in your heart, and can kick those negative, defeating thoughts to the curb. So, let's do this together, write down FIVE things you're thankful for. Hurry, do it now. Share them with someone, send them to me (seriously, do it), leave it in the comments below (you’ll surely be added to my five things if you do), heck, tweet about it! Do it now, before you continue your scroll...I'll even leave some space so you're not tempted to keep reading!
- Want to know what makes me happier than anything when I go to events? It’s not how many cards I sell or if I book a client for wedding invitations. It’s seeing real, raw emotion when people see my items whether it be a laugh, a smile, or a tear. Most people don’t pickup my “Angel Baby” card, it’s a lot to read and it typically falls towards the bottom half of my card rack simply because t’s more specific of an event. While practically kneeling to reach the card, a woman looked up at me with tears in her eyes and said, “this is the most beautiful thing.” I’m tearing up typing that. All I wanted to do was hug her, and I don’t even know her. Maybe she wasn’t even the one who needed the hug most but then I hoped whoever she had in mind for the card would receive the biggest squeeze ever! THIS is why I love what I do. THAT woman and her emotional response to words on a card is enough reason alone for me to be her...forget the sales or for gosh sake, the prettiest booth.
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And that, my friends, was only day one!
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So, say it with me one last time, in the wise words of Rachel Hollis, “Comparison is the death of all joy, and the only person you need to be better than is the one you were yesterday”. DON'T forget it.
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Comments
2 Comments
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Posted by Dottie Schilling | September 12, 2018
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Posted by Samantha Boren | September 12, 2018
Leave a CommentYou have nailed it! Jealousy / envy is a natural emotion . But when you can turn it around and make it into something positive like you did, shows strength and maturity! Bravo. The most amazing thing is that it becomes a win win. Both parties come away feeling better and having learned a lot! Nice job Opal! Keep em comin!
PS this “not your average 35 year old woman LOVES your clothes!
First of all, loved the post. It came at just the right time in my life! I needed the reminder to slow down and be grateful for what I have going for me! Here are my five things:
1) The ability to live close to my family and reconnect with them since being away for 5+ years. Family time is so good for the soul.
2) a job I can leave at the door when I clock out and the peace of mind that comes with it.
3) A patient husband who always gives me grace to make mistakes and laughs with me along the way.
4) My body that is capable of adapting to change (i.e. new workout routines or longer commutes across a bigger campus).
5) Articles or posts that give me perspective on where I am at and where I want to go.
Last week got “Girl, Wash Your Face” (pretty sure you italicize books :)) on audible and I am looking forward to learning from it too. Thanks for sharing your thoughts Opal!