Learning to be Better

I feel like I need to be honest, and that's not always easy to share with others thoughts and feelings when I just want them to see something that I am, but don't always feel confident in this part of myself.  Sounds a bit confusing I know, so let me explain...how I got over the slump of a small business.

When you make something and people see it and say how cool it is, you start to think that maybe you could make more and sell them, since enough people had told you they loved what you did.  So you spend the money it takes to make more, and you spend a bit more money to get your products in front of lots and lots of other people.  Then you wait, you market, you share images, you share pricing, you share discounts and sales but no one is buying from you except your family.  So then you start to wonder and doubt how good you really are.  You start to think that maybe your friends were just being nice, and that even though they said they liked it and though it was cute they would never EVER buy it.  Where does that leave you?

Lots of product supplies, out of money, and you are feeling pretty stupid, and down on yourself.  How do you cope with this part of being a small business owner?  How do you keep a positive attitude when that's the last thing you are feeling? What do you do with your small business?  Your products may be really unique and fun, your prices may be just right (enough to pay for the supplies and give you enough to make it worth your time), but your niche for the business may already be swamped to over flowing and flooding.  How do you work with this type of set back or situation?

All of these questions are really important to ask yourself.  You may not know the answers right away, but don't give up.  Giving up is the worst  thing you can do, because that means you don't see your own worth.  It's okay in situations like this to not feel like using those talents or doing that type of art or craft for a really long time.  Many people need a break after set backs, unwanted situations, and confusing and conflicting analysis about your products.  Take that time, take that break, take time to evaluate your business approach.  Learn from doing some research about what you can do to make better changes.   this way you aren't wasting tie, but you are doing more due diligence and staying in the game by learning from others how to better succeed.

This is what I have been doing for the past little while.  I have felt the burn from lack of support from my friends, who all told me they love what I'm doing, they love my products.  I have felt the sting of worthlessness when you tried so hard to use talents to bring joy to others, but no one wanted what you had to offer.  I took my break, I wallowed in self pity, I decided never to share my talents with anyone ever again.  I decided to never paint or make jewelry again, because I didn't want to get hurt again.  Why? because the people I wanted the most to like what I had to offer didn't like what I had to offer.  And the people I love the most (ii.e. my family) were the only ones who did like what I had to offer, and they were the ones to give me support and enthusiasm with my business.  But I didn't want it from them.  During this time I learned that I am stronger than that, I am more than what my hobbies are.  I am a worth while person, and even though no one likes what I have to offer, why not just do it for myself for fun, and joy, and being creative.

So while I still don't have the desire to pick up a paint brush, or to string a slew of beads together I will take my desire of creation and learn how to make things better.  My goals are: 1. learn to do better photographs of my jewelry, 2. learn how to photograph paintings better, 3. learn to write better, 4. learn how to get creative with cooking because if I can create recipes, and photograph food well, then I'll be able to photograph products a lot better as well.

Loving a Bully

Yesterday we were in a hotel swimming pool just enjoying ourselves as we normally do. We've been going to this pool, well going to this hotel off and on for over a year now, and during that time we've only played in the pool with other kids 2 other times. We all shared our toys and had a blast which is really nice because this hotel pool is small.  We'll yesterday there were tons of kids here, and it actually took a while before the other kids allowed mine to play with them. Once they did things were going smoothly for everyone.  The moms and I were all talking having a grand time, but then I noticed my oldest off by himself. The other kids we're playing without him. I watched him over a 20 minute period go up to each child asking to play again, but they each ignored him.  Right before he burst into tears I asked them if he can play with them again, they were playing with my youngest so why not my son who could actually play the game? 

The other moms stepped into the hotel for a minute and I continued to see how rude these bullies were being to my kid. So I told them straight up how rude they were being. But that didn't make the situation any better.  So then we tried bribing them again, with more of our fun pool toys.  This is my first time dealing with a Bully and my own child.  But I've dealt with bullies with other children before.  I felt awful about how I dealt with these rude children.  So I apologized to the kids for being rude to them.  But I was still feeling bad about how they treated my son, and they ruined such a fun thing for us.

 

Over the next few days we tried to avoid these kids at the pool, but that didn't work.  However, the second encounter was better.  All the kids played by themselves at first, but then my boys asked to join in the fun with the 3 troublesome kids.  Those kids allowed my boys to play along for a minute or two and then shut them out again.  I watched my oldest just bob around the pool watching them for a good 10 minutes before he finally got some gumption and started playing with his brother not bothered by the rudeness of the other children.  I was over joyed!  I actually bowed my head and prayed right then and there in thanks that God helped my son deal with those bullies himself.  I'm so grateful that God blessed my son with a good heart, and a strong will to be happy despite what is thrown at him! 

The Wind Parable

The other day we were reading morning scriptures as a family and it was a passage we felt might not be easily understood by children.  Many times when this happens, we try to be like Jesus and use parables to help teach the lesson to our kids in a more easily understood way.  The passage of scripture that we were reading was Alma.  It was a conversation between a man who believed in Christ, being confronted by a man who didn't believe in Christ and who decided to go about the land preaching and teaching the people why there is no Christ.  The basis of the disbeliever's cause was to the effect that no one had or did at that time (in history) seen Christ in person.  So he taught that if you cannot see it you ought not to believe in it.

With this confusing talk in the scriptures we felt it best to put his case, though very much a scientific case, to the test. Wind came to mind.

The Parable of the Wind

Can you see the wind?

Can you feel the wind? 

Can you hear the wind?

Can you see Christ? Or God for that matter?

Can you feel Christ?

Can you hear Christ?

Wind can't be seen by itself, until it is manifested in the power it can bring. But we can see the wind blowing the trees, flags, water, flowers, and the rain.  We feel the wind blowing our hair, blowing over our hot sticky skin, cooling it down. We can feel the wind whip through our fingers when we stick our hands our the window of a moving car.  We hear the wind blowing the dry leaves, blowing the fresh green leaves in a russle and tussle sound. When the wind brings forth it's  mighty power we can hear the wind whipping objects back and forth and against each other with creaking, snapping, cracking whistles.

Even though we can't see wind as a solid object  we have evidences that it can move other objects, which movement we can easily see. We also have evidences that wind can be felt by our skin receptors; and the evidence is plain to behold that wind can be heard.

We can't see Christ because he is in Heaven. However we can see the miracles that He performs in our lives. We can see the creations He has made with his mighty power. We can feel the tender mercies and love of God by the Holy Spirit testifying of the truthfulness of Christ.  We can hear prophets and apostles bear record and testify of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, their divinity, power, love and truth.  

It is on these evidences that we can each on an individual basis have faith in Christ. We have all evidence that there is a Christ, that he loves us, that he died for our sins, giving us the a toning power to repent and be forgiven of our sins so that we can return and live with him. Through all these examples  of evidence of Jesus Christ, we can truly have faith in that which we cannot see...right now.

So the next time you see evidence of the wind, have your faith strengthened in Christ who loves all mankind a like.