"Do you what you love and you won't have to work a day in your life."
That's what they say, so here I am doing what I love!
What is that you ask? Well, alot.
I'm a Mama of four which in and of itself is a million 'jobs' all rolled into one. If you are a Mama of any # of children, you know exactly what I mean! On any given day and at any given minute, I can switch roles from caregiver to teacher to counselor to maid to doctor. In a nutshell, my life is ran by four bosses and I'm deeply in love with this gig. I wouldn't have it any other way! I am married to my best friend and together, our lives are FULL. So why in the world did I add: 'Boutique Owner' to the mix? Well...to put it lightly- it's because I had it in me; and it wasn't going away!
When I was a little girl, I figured out fast that I create. That's what I do. Before I create though, I dream. I found myself even then, dreaming while in the car, dreaming while in school, dreaming while at church. I didn't do super well at any task at hand unless it was creating the very thing I dreamed up when I was supposed to be doing something else. I used to hate that about myself. My ability to focus made me feel inadequate. I wish I could go back and tell my 7 year old self that I was that way because God made me that way. Now that I know better, I can be free to do what I do best in my dream world and make it come into reality.
I told my Mom when I was very young, that I would own my own store. I had it in mind to make things and sell them. I also loved clothes; SO much that my Mom said I drove her crazy with my outfit changes. She says I changed my clothes at least a hundred times a day. I think she may have been exaggerating!
It's no surprise that my first job was at Sears in the womens department. I was 14! I loved that job and since then I've dreamed about being a boutique owner. In my head it was a reality at a very young age but I had no idea how it would ever come to pass in real time. I ended up going into the beauty profession because at 18 I was entirely unsure how I was going to make my dreams of being a 'professional creator' come to pass. Thankfully, someone saw my ability to envision and create and I'm very thankful she told me that the Beauty Industry would be amazing for me. She encouraged me to enroll in Beauty School. That started a 12 year career in the industry in which I thrived.
At age 25 I became a Mama and I knew then I wanted to be home as much as possible. I worked my skills as a 'work-from-home-stylist", then an 'at-the-salon-part-time-stylist' to 'home-school-home-based-business-working-Mama', and every little add-on along the way. I've taught fitness classes, taught people nutrition, helped others start their own home-based businesses and it's all been amazing! As if all that isn't enough, I have owned a 'store' but only in my head. Remember how I said it wasn't going away?!
4 children into our completely full lives and I told my husband I was either doing it in my head or doing it with my hands. Either way, I had to see my role as 'Boutique-Owner-Extraordinaire' come to pass. I realized I was completely in charge of seeing my own dreams fulfilled and writing it down in prayer journals wasn't the same as doing it. Have you ever heard "Dreams do not work unless you do."? That's what it comes down to. I am free to see this vision become reality. I am free to spend the hours of each and every day doing the things that light my soul on fire. I am free to be me.
You are too!
What is it you have rolling around in your soul? What are the things you can't stop thinking about? If time and finances were not an issue, what are the dreams you would like to see fulfilled in your lifetime? Work isn't somewhere we go, it is something we are blessed to get to do! I encourage you to find the 'work' that makes your soul feel free; the 'work' that adds value to your own heart and those around you. For me, I have had to come to the understanding that I add value to the world by creating beautiful things and helping others feel good. Whether that be through nutrition, exercise, beauty or helping someone create the perfect style! How do you add value? The world needs us to be unique in our God-given talents and to do them to the best of our ability.
If there was one thing that would hold me back from seeing my dreams come to fulfillment it would be this: fear of doing it sloppy. I like good work. I see beautiful work in my head and if it doesn't look like that in real life, I find myself putting the work to a halt. I am realizing the more I swallow that 'perfectionist pill', that it does me no good. Doing good work is important, but if it's between doing perfect work that will never get done and good work that indeed adds value, I promise you will see much more fruit by putting yourself out there and giving the world a taste of what you have to offer. It might not be perfect but THAT'S OK!
I hope that by reading my journey, something inside you gets tugged. Maybe you are already seeing all your dreams fulfilled, maybe not. Either way, thank you for sharing my journey with me. I hope it blesses you, girl.
Love from over here,
Alisha
"I know with all my heart that: We make the world beautiful when we understand who we are. We are Gods creation. Beautiful in every way."
**Just remember to dress accordingly. (Hint:Go shopping with us!)