The name of this blog in my head is being sung to the tune of “Business time” by the Flight of the Concords. And honestly if you don’t know what I am talking about have a look on the music listening app of your choice. Thank me later.

 

I have been struggling to get out bed. I am completely drained and exhausted. I honestly couldn’t figure out why

I am eating well. I am getting a bit of sleep. Why so tired

And then I read something that really hit me hard. It was by a lady called Lotus Indigo Shakti Kruse

“A gentle reminder about why you are utterly exhausted…

No one I know began this year on a full tank. Given the vicious onslaught of the previous two years (let’s just call it what it was) most of us dragged ourselves across the finish line of 2021… frazzled, spent, running on aged adrenaline fumes…

We crawled into 2022 still carrying shock, trauma, grief, heaviness, disbelief… The memories of a surreal existence…

And then it began… The fastest hurricane year we could ever have imagined. Whether we have consciously processed it or not, this has been a year of more pressure, more stress, and a race to “catch up” in all departments… Every. Single. One. Work, school, sports, relationships, life…

Though not intentionally aware, perhaps hopeful that the busier we are, the more readily we will forget… the more easily we will undo the emotional tangle… the more permanently we will wipe away the scarring wounds…

We can’t.”

She goes on to talk about how the world just needs a little extra kindness and love. And how we are all walking around with a Fragile sign.

 

Here in Australia, we started this whole time with Bushfires sending waves of fear through our communities. Then Pandemic hit.. and hit again .. and again. And we rounded it all off with a record-breaking flood as we started the new year.

 

Our fight or flight has been on go go go for years. Yeah. Makes sense why we are all so damn exhausted.

 

I myself had a complete breakdown mid-year.

Business wise I have watched my business I have spent nearly 5 years building up come crashing down. Mainly due to things out of my control (nationwide and worldwide economics) oh.. and let’s not forget the great Everyone tag hysteria of 2022. Damn that gave me a huge anxiety slap. And lost an insane amount of followers. Watching so many businesses close up recently is so insanely terrifying.

I also lost a few admins... in fact, nearly all of them. Their lives and priorities change children get older, jobs get more demanding. And it happens but it’s hard when you are all so close. You have to start again, build up trust with someone.

BUT

With all of this comes new opportunities. New focus. I started writing this blog because we are coming to my week off. My time to renew and rejuvenate. And I am going to fill it with things that make my heart sing. And fills my cup. I will be gardening and baking and sewing (and you know weirdly organising and cleaning really pumps me up too)

As we approach the new year, I wanted to find my focus for the next 12 months in life and business.

In life I am going to carve out time to do the things I have been looking forward to doing in my holiday. Instead of getting up having coffee and getting straight to work. I will head to the garden. Elivis78

Work can be done during work hours. I am challenging myself to bake at least one thing from a cookbook every week and learn new skills.

And I am going to start sewing and selling again as I realised how much I missed doing that.

Business-wise it’s going to be a year of consolidating and reducing. I have plenty of art done for the whole year. And I have so much retail available, I have spent the last two years building up the business and stock levels. Now it has become a case of just holding on. Keeping afloat and making it out the other end. I am starting my Podcast this year. And I will continue to try and blog more often. Not to mention Dinosaurs is our first round back and I know a few people are pretty pumped about that. ( Strike photo thanks to Leanne)

I am excited about the new year and I am already putting things in to place because nobody said you have to wait for the 1st of January.

January is super exciting for Inklings as we launch our first ever annual Sewing competition. There are some amazing prizes from Myself and our sponsors! And.. Trophies!!

You will see many posts about it coming up and the PDF is chock full of details. Fingers crossed we get a lot of people involved, its free to enter and you win stuff. That’s like a win win.

 

I want to finish this off by expressing my Gratitude to those that have supported me this year. All of you customers.My strike team obviously. My beautiful admins (past and present) and my support ladies from other businesses that are always happy to lend an ear. My sister and Ant who would come and help me at the drop of a hat.

I and wishing you all a Beautiful Christmas. And the most amazing New Year.

 

December 17, 2022 — Jodie Stephenson

Comments

Sami said:

This year has been a whirlwind. I have missed being part of the Inklings team, but have watched you continue to be amazing.
This year I did a full year in my new chosen career, baked, started a veggie garden, got a puppy. I didn’t do as much sewing as I would have liked…but I’m catch up on Christmas sewing now.
You are an amazing human. I love ya guts. Xx

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