C7 FAMILY
2/5-8/26
#4 - REFLECTION
AS MY FIRST EVER PHYSICAL SELLING EXPERIENCE APPROACHES, I’M FEELING OVERWHELMED WITH FEELINGS OF EXCITEMENT AND ANTICIPATION. I'M STILL IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING THINGS THAT I'M PLANNING ON SELLING, SEEING AS I’VE ALWAYS BEEN A PROCRASTINATOR. I HOPE TO SLOWLY OVERCOME THIS CURSE SO THAT I CAN GET TO A CONTINUOUS STATE OF MOTION WITH MY CRAFT, BUT IM NOT GONNA BEAT MYSELF UP OVER NOT BEING THERE CURRENTLY. I FEEL LIKE THIS IS A STRUGGLE A LOT OF OUR GENERATION FACES WITH HOW FAST PACED EVERYTHING ON SOCIAL MEDIA FEELS. IT FEELS LIKE REALISTIC PROGRESS IS NOTHING COMPARED TO WHAT WE ARE SHOWN ON THE INTERNET. THINGS TAKE TIME, AND WHILE THE ALGORITHM WILL SHOW YOU SELECT INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE ABLE TO MINIMIZE THAT TIME, THIS SHOULD NOT BE THE STANDARD THAT WE SET FOR OURSELVES. FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, CONSUMING THIS CONTENT TOO MUCH CAN LEAD TO FEELINGS OF STRESS AND DEMOTIVATION. UNDERSTANDING THAT ANY GROWTH IS GOOD GROWTH CAN GIVE YOU A GENUINE CYCLE OF MOTIVATION AND ENCOURAGEMENT. EVERY W IS STILL A W.
IT IS NOW THE DAY BEFORE THE FLEA MARKET, AND AS I PREPARE 10 FUR WALLETS FOR MY BOOTH, I’M ABLE TO SEE THE SLIGHT POWER THAT COMES WITH PROCRASTINATION. EVEN THOUGH I’LL PUT SHIT OFF FOR AS LONG AS I CAN, WHEN IT COMES TIME TO ACTUALLY DOING IT, MY PRODUCTIVITY LEVEL SKYROCKETS. I HAVEN’T MADE WALLETS FOR A DROP IN EXACTLY A YEAR, AND FOR BOTH DROPS I CRANKED THE PRODUCT OUT IN THE SPAN OF SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE THE DROP. WHILE I ALWAYS FIND MYSELF IGNORING OTHER IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF LIFE DURING THESE PERIODS, IT FEELS LIKE I’M ABLE TO CONSISTENTLY TAP INTO MY ENERGY SOURCE AT WILL. FOR ME, THE MESMERIZING NATURE OF SEWING SEEMS TO BE A PERFECT GATEWAY INTO WHAT PEOPLE CALL FLOW STATE. THIS FEELING OF EVERYTHING MOVING SO SMOOTHLY THAT YOU ALMOST GO ON AUTOPILOT IS SOMETHING I STRIVE FOR WHEN I WORK. THIS TAKES OUT THE STRESS THAT COMES WITH TRYING TO CREATE SOMETHING NEW, SO BEING ABLE TO COMPLETELY BYPASS IT CAN BE A SUPERPOWER FOR CREATIVE INDIVIDUALS. UNDERSTANDING THIS HAS ALLOWED ME TO IDENTIFY AND EXECUTE IDEAS LIKE THESE FUR WALLETS THAT BY DOING SO WILL GIVE ME GUARANTEED GROWTH, PROGRESSION, AND EXPERIENCE.
AS I TYPE THE REMAINDER OF THIS ISSUE, I AM ACTIVELY SITTING AT MY BOOTH AT THE FLEA MARKET. AN HOUR AND A HALF IN AND I'VE MADE A COUPLE SALES AND A TON OF CONNECTIONS ALREADY. WITH THE LATTER BEING MY MAIN GOAL FOR THIS EXPERIENCE, IT FEELS GOOD TO ACHIEVE IT. BEING ABLE TO CONVERSATE WITH STRANGERS OVER A SHARED VISION OF ART IS AN INCREDIBLY REWARDING EXPERIENCE. REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH MONEY I MAKE FROM TODAY, BEING ABLE TO TAKE A HOBBY OF MINE TO THIS LEVEL IS A MAJOR MILESTONE. IT WAS DIFFICULT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE PLACEMENT OF MY ITEMS ON MY TABLE, HOWEVER I KNOW THAT I WILL HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF HOW I WANT TO DISPLAY MY PRODUCT EVERY TIME I SELL.
IN THE FEW HOURS IVE BEEN OUT HERE, IVE ALREADY GAINED SO MUCH KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO CONTINUE THIS JOURNEY. MY BOOTH WAS NEXT TO AN OLDER LADY THAT GAVE ME LOADS OF GOOD TIPS AND WAYS TO IMPROVE MY OPERATION. SHE GAVE ME THE EXACT NAMES OF VARIOUS RESOURCES THAT I WOULD’VE NEEDED TO ACCESS AT SOME POINT IN MY BUSINESS, SO I KNOW I’LL SAVE A TON OF TIME FROM THAT ALONE. EVERY MONTH I SELL HERE MY DISPLAY WILL CHANGE AND DEVELOP, WITH NEXT MONTH’S FOCUS BEING MORE CUT AND SEW PIECES. I'M REALIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF NOT OVERLY STRESSING THE EARLY STAGES OF THIS BUSINESS, AND GOING AT EVERY NEW VENTURE WITH AN OPEN MIND. IF I GO INTO THINGS LIKE THIS WITHOUT UNREASONABLY HIGH EXPECTATIONS, I AM ALMOST GUARANTEED TO COME OUT IN A BETTER STATE THAN BEFORE. THE KNOWLEDGE I GAINED FROM THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I HAD TODAY COMPLETELY OUTWEIGHS ANY FINANCIAL REWARDS I COULD’VE RECEIVED. THIS FIRST PHYSICAL SELLING EXPERIENCE IS THE TRUE BEGINNING OF THE REST OF MY FUTURE. FOR ANYONE THAT WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT, I DEEPLY APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR SHARED LOVE FOR UPCYCLED ART. THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING.
-CAMERON CAMPBELL CRAIG