The merry-go-round topic for this month is a question: Did you think you’d be doing what you re doing now (craft/selling) say 5 years ago? Â What has surprised you the most?
5 years ago I was 20 and in my second year studying surface design. I was so sure that by the time I was 25 I would be some big hot-shot in the design world. I never in a million years thought that I would be helping design students with their creative ideas and running my own bag label and blog (and I have to add, just making ends meet).
The thing that suprised me the most was how different I am to what I thought I was. I thought I would love the corporate world of smart clothes and high-heels. I soon realised that dressing smart everday is tedious, that clocking in a 7.30 to leave at 4.30 is soul destroying (note: this leaves Saturday as the only day you can shop and you have to shop becuase afterall you are in the fashion world and you better look the part or else). I could not stand the office politics either. I hated how systems slowed things down and that every idea I had to improve things was shut down because it simply took too much effort to make the change. There was too little to do and this left me with too much time to think and becuase I was being paid to do a job, I could not create or allow those thoughts to become real. It killed my creativity and me.
So to nobody’s but my own surprise, I resigned and learnt that my dream could not have been more mismatched. Now I love what I do. I hardly have time to think with all my running-around but every idea I have I am able to try out. I love writing for this blog. I love sharing ideas with the students and most of all, I love having my life back.
It’s funny how things turn out. Now my life philosophy is that I will ‘make it up as I go along’ becuase after all, you really have no idea what will happen that will change your stars.
Check out the merry-go-round blog posts on the same topic: Le Bar du Vent, Easterya, Florcita, Beaded Zen, Crafts of Texture, Jenny Karlsson Design, Beaded Zen Designs and Birdland Creations.
Sometimes, you surprise yourself more than anyone or anything else does… I do remember that from my twenties— and then from my thirties!
Great post,Wendren!It´s always really good when you can say ” I love what I do”! You are on the right way and I am sure all your dreams comes true step by step.You have always so good ideas and you are so creative…and you have already a own label! Congrats to such successful way!
Have a nice weekend!
I now what you mean about the fashion world, that’s where I’m from… it is the Devil Wears Prada!!
Great post… Thank you for sharing!
Sxx
Oh yes! So good you managed to escape that office environment when you did! Your love of what you do really comes through now – in what you write and what you make.
I think it is fantastic how most of us left the high life for a life with less luxuries but much more self satisfaction… much more free. Free doesn’t mean less busy though, because being your own boss it’s great.. but it also means that it is all up to you.
I’m glad you amde the switch. I think you have a lot of very cool ideas that would have been killed otherwise.
i went to this international workshop today (2 more days to go) and everyone that saw my elephant bag asked about it… and I promised to take your website’s addy with me tomorrow…. so there… I’m your PR agent in NL! hahaaha
Great post Wendren! How passionate you are about what you do, shows in so many ways. I’m happy that your life choices have you lead to where you are now, you really are where you’re meant to be.
You have come such a long way in such a short time, and your passion is all too apparent, in your label and your blog, and you’re soooooo young!!! You’ll go far!! I wish I’d found myself in your situation at your age, it’s a dream life, and that’s fantastic!!
Loved this little retrospective. Good for you for doing things your way.
Loving your blog!
Being in a very similar position to the one you were in, I’ve just resigned from my “career” job to become, as a ten year old interpreted for me, “My Own Designer!”
Looking forward to much more inspiration from the Wren!
Kristen :)
Go for it Kristen. I know you can do it. :) I look forward to hearing what you get up to. All the best.
wow, great inspiring post thankyou for sharing. I wish I could take the leap at the mo, but financially it just isn’t the right time. I have just had to increase my hours at the day job to save some pennies!! Not for long I hope. BUT if I look back to five years ago and how things have turned out, it makes you realise what you can do if you put your mind to it. I never thought I would be making art again, never mind selling online, keep inspiring me!!
I felt the same way about the corporate world, that it was killing my creativity and at times even my soul. I kept trying to force myself to fit into it because with two business degrees, it’s what was expected. I’m SOO much happier and at peace now, working for myself in the medium I love (watercolor).
“After all, you really have no idea what will happen that will change your stars.” — perfectly stated.