Mar 17, 2022

What does the work life of a jewelry designer look like?

10 years ago, if you told me that the tools of my hobby would become the tools of my trade I'd roll my eyes.

I was trailblazing the path of a successful career in Medicine and my creative outlet was just that-a passion on the side. Little did I know then that my bead collection, that I was meticulously building for years, would become my inventory.

Changing career paths is not an easy road to take-but that's a blog for another day. When I got the immigration papers on my hands I wasn't thinking of that process. Instead, I was dwelling in a mix of excitement, desire and fear as I was about to set out trying a new life on for size. And I decided to take that leap.

Have you heard of the concept of the s**t sandwich regarding a future job choice, a dream, or finding your life's purpose? Mark Manson has a BRILLIANT blog post on it. In fact it's so brilliant that Elizabeth Gilbert quoted him in her book "Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear".

I had a pretty good idea of that sandwich, as I already had friends in the jewelry design space, but the gamut of feelings that come hand in hand with building a business was more intense than I expected. As for the analogy between doing what I love and doing what I must, it keeps testing my decision daily.

When Covid-19 hit I found that working from home while homeschooling 3 kids under 10 had its own set of challenges. As the world was slowing down I had to pick my pace up to fit more chores in my days. And I still do.

I believe in informed choices, so if you know someone who's wondering what the life of a jewelry designer-maker looks like at the first stages of business, I have an article on owl guru about the flavor of this sandwich-in my case since I'm Greek, it comes with an olive too. It's a sneak peek into my days.

As I was writing it I discovered that in this phase of building everything up, I do less of what I love and more of all the things. Including some I completely forgot to mention, like getting ready for and running shows because in my pandemic life those weren't part of the mix.

This requires a tremendous amount of resiliency and every mindset skill I have under my sleeve. Medicine has taught that to me to a great extent. But if it hadn't been for my husband, my family and friends, and each and every one of you that has been helping along the way with a purchase, a comment, a share, a save, a heart this road would have been SO much harder.

So I want to take a moment here and thank you from the depths of my heart for being part of my sparkling community that believes that beauty can change the soul and the world. For cheering me up along the way and keep reminding me that my jewelry is part of what makes this world a wondeful place for you. Part of what makes your awesome sauce get that unique flavor that makes it SO special it can never be forgotten.

THAT is the part of this road that keeps me going, that gives me so much strength. You are the wind beneath my wings.

Thank you so much for being here!