Give up

"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." Thomas A. Edison

Is this you? Are you at the end of your rope? Sitting here today, I am overwhelmed, overworked, overtired, yet overjoyed that I get to do what I was meant to do! I remember clearly one night about 16 months ago when I was completely rationalizing in my head how to gracefully shut down the business. I was thinking through my options of selling off the inventory, or maybe calling some big company and sharing my grand vision to see if they wanted to buy it. I knew I was crazy, and what company would want to buy a brand that even the CEO and Designer does not have enough faith in to continue? See, that was it, I did have faith that this idea could be big...that this brand could spread ruffles and share smiles...that I could do something that I love and do good in the world at the same time!

Thomas Edison was so right, and I was almost one of those failures. I didn't realize just how close I was. With hard work, MANY hours, and a lot of determination, I am finally within reach! When I would try to explain it to my closest friends, I would use the analogy of hiking over a mountain. I felt like I was a little stuck on the uphill and just couldn't see the top. It was foggy and the peak was just not quite in sight. I followed my gut, kept trudging. I was tired, bruised and battered, but I knew what was on the other side of that mountain would change my life. I wanted it and I wanted it badly.

Some days I still feel like I am fighting an uphill battle, but now things are different. Now I have a compass. I also have the positive encouragement of thousands (literally thousands!) of customers pushing me right on up. This is not to say that all days are easy. Actually this week has been one of the most exhausting yet. But, I count my blessings daily that this is what I do for a living!

Where are you on your hike? Do you know where you are headed? Do you look around to compare yourself to others? This is your journey, not theirs. Go at your pace, keep your goal in site, and think about Edison's words. It doesn't matter if your journey is creating a business, being a mother, finding an occupation, following your heart, discovering your calling - whatever it may be, understand that the timing is different for everyone. Pray, ask for guidance. And keep walking!

I will never forget my prayer commitment that I made prior to starting RuffleButts. I was working a job that I loathed. I did not respect the people that I worked for, and didn't trust the people that I worked with. That is a bad combination! So, I committed, to myself, that I would spend 5 minutes in the car every morning, before going into work. I prayed for the strength to make it through the day. I prayed for the peace to maintain my core values when challenged daily to lose them. I prayed for the guidance in discovering my true calling, my big idea. I also prayed for the people that I didn't like, that God would lead them to their own happiness.

I will never know exactly why I had the idea to create RuffleButts, but I 100% believe that it came largely from those prayers.