Is it enough yet?

[ysobelle]

When the things that are supposed to make you happy after a long funk just turn out to be added angst, giving up and going far, far away just seems a better idea by the minute.

Even better? I'm looking at all the photos from Wicked Faire, and all I can think is, "Gosh. Looks like it was fun. Wish I could have seen it."

Comments

[hederaivy.livejournal.com]

I thought you went.

[ysobelle.livejournal.com]

I did. The question is, however, did I get to actually leave my booth and go look around?

[crystalsage.livejournal.com]

You need to learn to say "I need a break" and walk away...its not like you don't have enough people working for you. Next time we're at one of these things, we're going to make a point of dragging you away and keeping you away for at least an hour. You certainly deserve that. *hug*

[silverstah.livejournal.com]

SO much easier said than done. When you have as much emotional energy invested in a business as Yso does, you can't do that.

When I ran a garb business, I only did a few shows a year - one of which was NCRF. A 2-3 weekend show. The only breaks I took were potty breaks. If I tried to take an actual break, I felt guilty. Plus, when you do custom work, it can be difficult to learn to let go and let other people answer questions. No matter how well trained they are, and how intimately they are involved with the business, there are some questions that they won't be able to answer.

So, yes, in theory it's nice to take a break - but in practicality, as a business owner, I (personally!) don't like to let my booth out of my sight. ;)

[crystalsage.livejournal.com]

I never said it was easy: I run a booth at PARF as well, and I understand its not as easily said than done, but it CAN be done. I do custom work as well, and am just as emotionally invested in my business as she is, but I've learned that its a matter of setting up priorities, and scheduling, and letting your employees know that you need time to yourself, otherwise you burn out big time. I know how difficult it is, beleive me, but after a while, you have to learn to trust the people who are working for you. You don't LIKE to let your booth out of your site, but sooner or later, it does have to be done. Guilty and stressed is not a way to run a successful business.

[silverstah.livejournal.com]

Ah - my apologies for assuming that you hadn't been on the business end of things. :) Most of the time when I've had folks tell me to just "take a break", they've never had to rely 100% on their art to pay the mortgage. :)

[crystalsage.livejournal.com]

Well, I will admit that I do have other sources of income, but its still my business..doesn't make it any less pressure to make it a success.

Being able to let go and let others "help me out" is a fairly new thing for me... last season at Parf, I was out for two whole weekends becuase of illness; I literally couldn't get out of bed for 2 weekends, I was so weak I couldn't move. And I kept trying to push myself to be there, becuase the fact that i wasn't there was killing me worse than the illness. But at some point I had to trust my friends and know that they were taking care of my interests. And ya know what? We had 2 of the best weekends financially that we've had since opening. So since that point, I've been learning to let go a little more and trust a little more.

[hughcasey.livejournal.com]

Oh, sweetie.

*hugs*

And I was so thick I didn't even realize! If I had, I would have dragged you away from there for a while and shown you around! (Seriously, the girls could have handled things for a bit.)

I'm so sorry.

[radiofreerlyeh.livejournal.com]

I get the same feeling at cons I work, I unfortunately know the feeling all too well.

[dansr.livejournal.com]

::hugs:: I know honey. You do have an amazing crew though, and in the future you should be able to get out and about for short periods of time.

I love you.

[hennepin.livejournal.com]

M'lady... you are a true artiste!!!!!

I am IN LOVE with my gorgeous, stunning, outrageously breathtaking corset -- I can't stop smiling and twirling about!

xxxxxx

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!