Let Success Be Happiness
Early on in my small business adventure, I met another mom with a baby’s clothing line. In a gesture of good will, she said, “You know, I’ve got a manufacturer overseas I really like. When you’re ready I’ll give you his name.”
Huh.
Well, I smiled and thanked her kindly but walked away with a dark cloud over me. A thousand thoughts raced through my head: factories, overseas, huge boxes of stuff, paperwork, dozens of sewing machines buzzing away. All of that wasn’t what I had ever imagined. In fact, I quite liked those dark early mornings spent at my trusty sewing machine and the cozy afternoons of pairing fabrics, sipping coffee with Duffy singing in the background. I couldn’t, for the life of me, imagine letting any of that go.
Did that mean I was doomed, never to be successful?
But then a funny thing happened. My business really took off. Orders came in steadily. Customers returned and sent their friends. I worked AND stayed home with our son. I thoroughly enjoyed the process. And, I was profitable.
So, in fact, success had arrived.
That realization freed me from feeling as though I needed to measure up to other people’s standards. Now, I am busy achieving my own dreams; tucked away in my little studio, designing and stitching, and contributing to my family. My definition of success.
This is fabulous & so inspirational. It just goes to show that success looks different to everyone. Knowing what success is to you is the first step in making your dreams happen because it gives you that bulls eye to aim for! Thanks for sharing Allisa & Isa!
You’re welcome Meagan! It’s important to know what you are aiming for and being confident to say to others I’m happy with my achievements and decisions. Allisa’s story helps show people that your idea of success can be different from what society expects of you but it’s success nevertheless.
Great to hear about your success!! Thanks for sharing!
I completely resonate with your definition of success :)
You make beautiful items, Allisa. And you inspire others to find their own success.
It is amazing how each one of us will and has defined success differently to fit who we are and what our goals are. Each one of us can take inspiration from one another success to help us journey down the path to our own. Thanks for sharing a little bit of your success journey with us.
I’m so glad Allisa shared this post with us because I think it helps others see that success can be so many different things. I know people who struggle daily with feeling like a failure because their success doesn’t match up with other people’s idea of it. Hopefully more people will have the confidence in their achievements if they hear more stories like this.
Success truly means different things to different people. While some measure success by how many orders , or how many customers, it means something else to others. I admire you for setting your own standard of success and not letting other influences change what you like.
Thank you for sharing your insight.
Whoa. Did I ever need this today! Thanks!