Aug 21, 2007

Life Lessons

Recently, there was some ferver over a series of online scrapbook classes. I'll admit that I didn't really pay attention to the whole story. Sometimes, drama bores me. There seemed to be quite a bit of drama in this situation and I got tired of following it (obviously NOT a soap watcher).

Anyway, it made me wonder if some in this industry are just running way too fast. Some are starting to do so many things that they have ceased to be excellent in anything. What drives us to do this? Fame? Fortune? Fun? I'll admit that sometimes running my business is more fun that doing laundry and I will often choose ScrapBiz over dishes. But, I have a solid life plan that goes hand-in-hand with my business plan that keeps me grounded.

I have had so many ideas going around in my head over the last 5 years. But, each time something that SOUNDS like a good way to market my business comes up, I weigh it against the impact on my family. And, my family always wins. Therefore, I am not the travelling business roadshow I have thought about being. I go to two tradeshows at the most each year and I choose the ones close to home where I can be in and out with the fewest days.

I don't want to sound like I am a supermom or that I'm putting down others for their choices, but, I know what a toll my business takes on my family at times and I know that others are doing far more. At a certain point, you can't help but crash and burn and along with it goes your reputation - either personally or professionally.

My husband is living (thankfully) proof of that. With his work and church responsibilities (he's a Bishop for all you LDS scrappers), he burns the candle at both ends and through the middle sometimes. He crashed and burned in a big way and will spend 4-6 weeks in the hospital learning to walk again thanks to an immune system that went out of control. The doctors agree that perhaps he would not have gotten AS SICK as he did had he not been so fatigued and worn-out. No one knows for sure, but it's been a big wake-up call. At a certain point, your body says it's had enough.

I worry that some in this industry are headed towards a similar type of crash. Maybe it's time to cash the reality check and re-assess priorities. I know we have done this in the past 2 1/2 weeks and in some twisted way, it's been good for us. I think we'd all like to do everything we want to do, but it's not always the best path to take.

Life lessons are sometimes learned the very hardest way possible...

5 comments:

Katie Nelson said...

great post - a good message for all of us. Sorry to hear about your husband. Hope he feels better soon :) I can totally relate as my hubby is also a bishop :) They do burn the candle at every end!

BuckeySandy said...

It is the crisis of a "Tipping Point" as another person wrote. Things that "once were" are no more. There has been a bit of pent-up anger at mixing "friendship" with business and forgetting that THERE IS A DIFFERENCE between the two.

If you tell me I will be getting 3X and instead you give me 1X and tell me - "oh well, I'm busy" and NOT even try to make good, I will be a bit upset too.

Customer service IS important and maybe those "in business" ought to be listening to those complaints in a critical manner, and NOT take them as personal attacks.

Sandra @ The Memory Workshop said...

I always wonder how 'those women' do it all! Personally, I try to keep things simple! I am a mom and wife, I work from home, I have hobbies and friends. I want to enjoy all those things.

When you're moving at warp speed, how do you truly experience any of it? How can you be connected to anything or anyone if you don't have time to devote to it, or time to even devote to *thinking* about it?

You can do ANYTHING...you just can't do EVERYTHING...at least not all at once, and certainly none of them 100%.

Musicmom-Amy said...

Amen to those thoughts Kim! Big Hugs!

All moments remembered said...

Great message! Being brand new to the business I have wanted to see it all happen quick. Not so much for the money but really more to show my hubby I can do this and make it work. My prayers will be going out for continued health for your husband and a clear head to keep the wake up call close in his mind!!!