I'm back + Motivational Advice & a Big Change

I apologize for me brief absence!! Sadly, I made the conscious decision not to write anymore. I'm not really sure why, although it seemed like a good idea at the time I'm slowly realizing it was dumb.

Don't ever stop doing something you believe in just because of someone else. If you do, then it's proof that they never valued your success to begin with. Starting this blog has helped me a lot, not that I have avid readers or anything yet, but it's a place where I can say what I need to say without fear or judgement of anyone. You would think the closest person to you would understand that. This is a place for me to share my joy and excitement about things that I don't get the chance to share with the people I want to often enough. And when that becomes a problem for someone else I shouldn't be expected to change that. This is for me. I won't change the way I do things for someone just because they don't like it, and you shouldn't either. You keep being you, and if anyone doesn't like that then they shouldn't be in your life as much anymore.

So in true spirit of revivals I've come back guns a'blazin, with a master plan for my life.-or at least my life until I graduate. 

I have struggled the passed few weeks finding the silver lining, the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, "there's got to be something more' notions. You have all been or are still there I am sure. It truly is a ad feeling to shake, and in the past I've sort of succumbed to it. I'm sure you all probably know what I mean, those dilapidated statements you say reluctantly. "This is just the way its going to be" "I'd better just get used to it" "This is how everyone else does it, so I guess I should too".

I'm not sure if it's a strive to do better or just my laziness, but I am soooooo tired of the 8:00 - 5:00 routine day in and day out and still barely making ends meet, putting my real dreams on the back burner to afford some independence and stability.

It would be nice to have unlimited amounts of time and given resources to find out who I am but since that's not the luxury that most girls in my situation have, then it's time  to get creative.

Creative?

I'm creative!?

My inspiration game from The Dark Knight...

Creepy, I know. but truth. I've heard so many times "Amanda that's beautiful, you should sell this." or "Amanda, you could make so much money doing that." Those taunting statements always ended up filling in when I would get told this. "Yeah, it'd be nice but no one would buy it." or "Someone else could do this way better, why would they pick me?"

There are so many successful people in the world that don't even have to leave the house. I am so envious of this. After reading so many stories I realized a common thread. Courage. None of these people just woke up one day and had everything. They all took a huge leap and made their own success. If you can only learn one thing in life, one general thing to help improve your life in someway, it would be to have courage and believe in yourself that you can make anything you want happen if you want it badly enough.

It was only after I drained my bank account several weeks in a row that I had sensation of hating being broke ALL.THE. TIME. I have a full time job. Why would I be broke? It occurred to be that I wanted to get out of this rat race. 

and now...without further ado

I'll be opening my own Etsy shop.

I have had an Etsy account open for a while now but never used it for anything other than buying a cross stitch pattern last year.

I have done so much research and read so many success stories that I finally have to drive for taking a piece of that pie. If you are thinking about starting to sell some of your crafts, or products or services and want to branch out on your own, I strongly advise it. I will link up a few of the sites that have inspired me thus far and I hope it can inspire you too.

• The Shine Project be the change you wish to see in the world.
• One Good Thing by Jillee all things homemade. Her story is amazing.
• Amy Lynn Andrews answered a lot of my questions on how to be successful online.
• Blogilates for fitness inspiration as well as life motivation.

So, probably sometime next week, I will have my shop live for all to see and I will make a grand ordeal of it. I could not be more excited about this and can't wait to start sharing what I have and hopefully growing in many different ways from this. I've never felt so passionate about something other than when I took A&P at TCC...but that's a totally different matter.

Talk to you all soon about life and my new journey.

xoxothanks.