My mood lately. =p
Hello, Hi, and How are y’all doing?
Lately, I seem to keep pulling these random run away hiatuses and then pop back in needing to explain once again why this blog’s been silent. My apologies!
Recently, the M.I.A. reasons have been one; being needed more at my “day job” due to losing our main person who moved out of state, two; battling some physical and mental health frustrations, and last; running and building up a small business.
Yeah, and let’s not even get into how all the above have interfered with my writing because that just induces the angry Powerpuff Girl inside who’s screeching with rage.
As some of you may know, my good friend and I started last July our company, Coffee Reading Writing and turned it into an LLC this past January–which is still surreal to think about.
I remember a few years ago when this was just a concept in my little heart. The beginning plans started out VERY small in my mind. I hoped for bigger but just didn’t see how I, ME, would get it there.
This past weekend was our first BIG event as vendors at an author convention, WICKED BOOK WEEKEND. As I look back at everything we were able to prepare and accomplish, I almost can’t believe we have only been a business for less than a year. I am so grateful to my business partner who has been my perfect better half through all this. I could not have accomplished everything CRW has become without her.
At Wicked Book Weekend
Our table all set up at Wicked Book Weekend!
The event held 350 attendees and about 50 authors. We had the great opportunity of being a vendor for the event where we displayed and sold our custom designed mugs catered to book lovers, writers and caffeine addicts (that includes both coffee and tea). *wink*
It was official! We were on the bottom right corner, right at the entrance!
Melody and I had so much fun and it was a great experience. Her sister-in-law joined us and helped out at our booth which was GREATLY appreciated. We weren’t sure what to expect but the response toward the mugs was very positive and we had a great flow of people the entire day of the event. We refreshed ourselves later that night for the crazy, awesome after party.
We are so being photo bombed by R.K. Lilley.
To make this short, building Coffee Reading Writing, LLC has been a surreal labor of love. I think in the back of my mind, CRW was still this “little side hobby”. I wasn’t seeing it (out of fear) for all the possibilities it can grow and be; how others may one day look at it as a legit, income-making business. I didn’t see it…until this past weekend. It was the first time it hit me. We can make this into something.
Building a small business while doing life isn’t always easy. Especially when everything coming in is still going back in for building purposes. So, of course, you need a day job that is producing some type of income. That then leaves less time to dedicate to the business you’re growing. Toss in another not-so-easy or financially convenient career dream such as being a Writer–Pfft!–and now, you’re splitting yourself into three major life priorities and still trying to figure out all the other little things in between; family, friends, personal enjoyments, health, and fitness, etc.
In my previous post, BOOKS: Let’s talk ‘HELL ON HEELS’ by Anne Jolin, I mentioned that book tying into this update post. “How, Desiree?” Well, that book encouraged me to take a raw and vulnerable look into perspective. In this author’s bio, she says,
“…life’s too short to not live it out loud. Drown in your passions, hold on tight to the things that inspire you, and chase your dreams relentlessly. I can promise you without a doubt that you won’t regret it.”
My 20’s are barely behind me and I lived my life pursuing passions at an early age that didn’t pan out. I worked corporate America jobs out of necessity and I gave myself to a career that in the end, took 8 years to figure out wasn’t meant for me. I don’t want to live with regrets anymore.
I am beyond lucky to have a supportive family. And while every ounce of me fights with guilt and doubt because of other people’s perspectives on what my life “should look like” for a woman my age, I choose to fight for my dreams. I choose to pursue them relentlessly, unapologetically. Life IS too short. I lost a brother four years ago who was 42–way too soon.
Building this small business was once just a dream. Storytelling has been a dream that I’ve pursued countless avenues to fill and I’m finally happy and proud to say I have found a home in writing stories, creating literary fiction–books.
Making dreams a reality while doing life is hard. But it’s not impossible. It’s going to take work. It’s going to take you fighting everyone and even at times, yourself for it. Do what you must do in the meantime but don’t apologize for making your dreams a priority. People will come and go. Those who stick around during the quiet, confusing, difficult times will be worth having in the end; knowing who the true ones are.
I didn’t intend for this to turn all “deep” but let’s just say, I needed this. I needed to get these thoughts off my chest and share them with y’all.
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