I’ve come to really love picking a mantra for the New Year instead of setting resolutions. Resolutions are easily forgotten within a month or two, only to be replaced with guilt for having neglected them so soon. A mantra feels more like a nudge, a gentle reminder that hey, here’s a thing that’s important to you — is there something you can do in this moment, even if it’s tiny, that’ll help you get closer to it?
And after taking a look back at all of 2022, especially the last few months (they tend to be craziest for retailers/people selling their wares), it quickly became clear what my mantra for 2023 should be:
Have more fun.
Overly simplistic-sounding and hugely vague? Yes, but it’s kind of perfect for me.
I have to admit that I stole this phrase from my husband, Zach. When he originally said those words, they instantly resonated deep down in my soul. Like, faster-than-the-speed-of-light instantly. And the phrase works on so many levels, both in my life and in my business.
Some context: At the end of the year, particularly November and December, I put waaaaaay too much on my schedule, treating it more like a wish list that I felt guilt about not finishing vs. an achievable hit-list. If I fell behind even a little bit I’d get cranky, and I started filling my personal free time with “just one more business thing, I swear!,” and then I’d be boring and tense and snippy. But when I made time for the most important things (like being in my studio or helping out around the house because we’re doing renovations) and “neglected” the things that I thought were important but maybe weren’t, actually (I’m looking at you, all of social media), my mental balance was better. Because I wasn’t as time crunched, I could dive more enthusiastically into the things I chose to do and I was just more fun to be around.
So “Have more fun” is my reminder for the year that I suck when I’m stressed, I’m tired of being stressed all the time, and I need to add more fun things into my life so that I can feel more enjoyment and less angst. In my business I have the most fun when I’m making things and coming up with new designs, not wasting hours creating #content or hunting for the exact right tablecloth that will “immediately convey my brand values.” The time I save by not doing things means more time doing actually fun/productive things, like exploring the creative process more (and leads to some of my favorite pieces, like the Thea Necklace and the Asp Hoops). And in my life, fun is putting more activities on my calendar that I will not reschedule in order to get that Instagram post up, and dabbling in new hobbies (helloooooo, embroidery!).
I’m ready for you, 2023 — let’s do this.