Keep It Simple, Sister!

Ah, that moment when a simple, every day experience leaves you almost breathless and thinking to yourself "Ah ha!"   I have spent a lot of my life working...working for others, working for myself, working and more working.  I don't sit still well and the moment I have "down" time, I find a way to fill it.  Call it determination, drive, or just plain attention disorders, but that's just me.  As moms, I think we all constantly try to juggle it "all"....we want to be super moms, super business women, super wives, super friends, and so on...and on...and on.  I know there are times I am juggling so many things that I know I am lacking in some of them.  I can't be 100% at everything all the time.  So what goes? What gets my most concentrated attention?  Tonight, I got a "sign", an "ah ha" answer, or whatever you want to call it and I am so thankful I took the time to listen.

As my girls were building a castle out of blocks tonight, I over heard my oldest telling her little sister "Keep it simple, sister" as she was stacking block, after block, after block.  Those four words jumped out at me, as if she knew how heavy my heart had been lately and subconsciously gave me the reminder I needed.  I built this painting business from the ground up...taught myself, took classes, read books, learned by failing, took risks, and learned from successes.  Obviously, not much gets to me in this business....I post 90% of what I do and how to do it for all to read and learn from. However, lately it seems EVERYONE has decided to start a "refurbishing" business, every where you turn there is competition and to be honest, some are just flat not ready to be selling pieces. So here comes the heavy heart part...probably just more of my left over hormones from just having a baby...but it caused me to second guess myself.  Putting my methods out there for others to learn from me, then use that information to compete with my business.  It's a fine line and it is not always easy.

How often do we make things so much more complicated by over thinking them?  We second guess our selves, let those insecurity demons get in our heads...even when we know we are one of a kind and no one can duplicate what we do best...be ourselves. Any refurbisher can tell you, our work reflects our personalities...it is a piece of who we are. No one can duplicate that. However, putting yourself out there for others to criticize, love, or ignore all together is one of the hardest things we do.  It is hard to hear someone criticize your work, or the all famous "Oh, that is so easy, I can do that myself."   It doesn't happen often (thank goodness for manners people!), but when it does, it is so easy to let that criticism ring louder than all of the praise we receive. Human nature I guess, but so sad all the same.

So lately, I've been asking myself why I share, why do I blog?  Here is the simple answer:  I LOVE refurbishing...sanding, painting, recreating...all of it. I also LOVE to teach.  That is a gift I knew I had from an early age.  This blog allows me to do both of my loves at the same time. I get to share all the fun I have recreating and I get to "meet" some amazing people along the way.  In short, when in doubt of yourself, go back to keeping it simple...the answer will come to you!

On a side note, to all you "mom jugglers" like me, take yourself seriously, follow that dream or goal you have for yourself and know you are teaching your children such valuable lessons by doing so.  Tonight, blowing bubbles, eating ice cream, and painting with my babies made me so thankful I have the opportunity to do  so each and every day. I get to hear them call me "mommy", have their little chubby arms wrapped around my neck, and as exhausted, frustrated and frazzled  as I may get, I would not trade one moment of this crazy bliss for anything in the world.