Earlier this month, I FINALLY attended Craftcation. If you love crafting or are interested in learning more about starting/maintaining/improving a craft business, this four day conference is for you. You can read more about it on their official about page and read an incredibly thoughtful note about this years Craftcation and photos of the entire conference on their page by co-founder Nicole S.
One of the lectures was "How to quit your day job". And it was one of my *for sure* lectures, though I had already a few days prior... quit my day job. Funny enough, Rosalie of Ugly Baby and Unanimous Craft started the lecture by saying, "this is actually really easy, bring out your phone... call your boss or send a quick email, you quit, you're done", or something to that extent. I took notes and left feeling like "yea, I did the right thing for me".
 |
| The panel for "How to Deal with the Imposter Syndrome". |
 |
| Melanie was the best roommate! |
 |
| I saved the day at the party with the photo booth solution! Lighting was perfect and with my huge battery packed strapped to the tripod I didn't have to worry about the LED lights dying. |
Here were some of the panel's tips:
- adjust your standard of living
- have a home/out of home work space
- get covered (health insurance)
- do a cost benefit analysis
- be your own boss
This wasn't the only lecture that really got me thinking. Amongst my family I've always stood out as the creative, always making something and "Martha Stewart" of the bunch. By nature I'm very modest and being an avid reader of all of the more creative than me, more talented than me, more popular than me blogs, I've always felt less than all of those type of full time bloggers to become one myself. The Craftcation lecture I knew I had to be in was "How to Deal with Imposter Syndrome". Boom, a lecture tailored to exactly how I feel and something that is actually holding me back.
The lecture started with the speakers recalling, "I always remember feeling this way", "I immediately discount my accomplishments" and asking questions like "do women experience this more than men?". Feeling like an imposter leads to setting lower goals, because imposters are not risk takers and live in fear of not being enough.
Or as the speakers described: we care too much, ignorance = bliss, we aren't deserving, not worthy, we destructively compare ourselves to others, we compete against ourselves.... but Meighan O'Toole said something about her self realization that really stuck with me , she said, "I belong here, there's enough space for me, there's enough space for you".
Having a full time job gave me an excuse to not dedicate more time to this blog (being tired and stripped of time always). Not to mention the lack of free time splitting weekends between Orange County with family and LA. Having more time wasn't the only reason to quit my job. For the last 2 years I really loved my job and anyone I described my job to would consider it a perfect job. I don't want to get into the details of why I left, but the last six months I stopped believing in who I was working for. Finding out just a month after the new year that John and I are expecting our first child really forced me to start putting things into perspective. That perspective put me where I am now, refocusing and planning for motherhood.
I am so excited for the remainder of this year. This week was my first week home and I really took the time to organize my thoughts and home. I bottled my energy from Craftcation (until after I was DONE with my job) and now it's time to unleash it.
P.S. You can find a slew of write ups from all of the ladies that are feeling like me... so energized from their experience at Craftcation.
Welcome to Craftcation Craftcation Day 2 Craftcation Day 3 by The Art of Prayer
*Melanie was my Craftcation roomie, thanks to the Facebook page I found a roomie and it worked out great. She had been to Craftcation before and gave me all of her advice. She was also incredibly enthusiastic and supportive of my participation in Wanderings that I think she was part of the reason I won! She kept telling everyone to vote! She was also so great about documenting each day and writing about it (THAT NIGHT!!!).
C Sews Part 1 C Sews Part 2
What is Craftcation by Enchanted Type
craftcation : overview of a creative person’s business conference by a happy stitch
WHAT THE HECK AM I DOING HERE? (I.E. MY MANIFESTO) by The Mombot
Welcome to Craftcation Craftcation Day 2 Craftcation Day 3 by The Art of Prayer
*Melanie was my Craftcation roomie, thanks to the Facebook page I found a roomie and it worked out great. She had been to Craftcation before and gave me all of her advice. She was also incredibly enthusiastic and supportive of my participation in Wanderings that I think she was part of the reason I won! She kept telling everyone to vote! She was also so great about documenting each day and writing about it (THAT NIGHT!!!).
C Sews Part 1 C Sews Part 2
What is Craftcation by Enchanted Type
craftcation : overview of a creative person’s business conference by a happy stitch
WHAT THE HECK AM I DOING HERE? (I.E. MY MANIFESTO) by The Mombot
No comments