I had an interesting talk with my neighbour the other day.  Both of us are leaving our respective “jobs“, something we’ve both been entrenched in for awhile.  She was happy to see that I was at ease with the decision that this year would be my last as an event decorator. The following year will see my Ebay store being run full time, along with an Etsy Store (see Pursehappygal’s Blog)

The decision had been one borne out of a lot of soul searching.  My husband  has always told me I’m happiest being creative. What I was scared of was giving up a role/title I was so used to for 12 years.

I’ve changed roles a few times in my life: employee to business owner, bride to wife, baby sister to aunt (in my big brother’s eyes).One of the longest roles I’ve played is that of “event decorator“. I have to admit, there is a ton of artistic pride that goes behind that. To know we’ve done a job to the best of our ability is when we see how happy we’ve made a bride. It’s my applause. I wasn’t all that certain if I wanted to give it up.

“Passion”  is a word mentioned frequently in the network groups I’ve been in, I think I’ve almost become numb to it. But I had a lesson about it in a rather roundabout way.

As an entrepreneur, I love to read success stories.  I was reading a biography of an artistic director of a small but highly acclaimed dance company in Mainz, Germany. Before this, he had a very successful career as a dancer. After opening a dance school and a few detours, he was asked to be AD of a company in Switzerland before he moved to Germany.

He'd been told by many people he wouldn't be able to do the job.  In other words, "Forget it. Stick with what you know."  He did it anyway; his reasoning was that there were no differences in whatever field of dance he'd been in.  If it was in the sphere of dance, his passion , he could do it. He set out to learn the needed skills, surrounded himself with people who were good at what they did, and kept open to learning and improving his craft. Early on, he set himself up for success. Four years later, he became AD for the German company.In the ten years he's been there, it went from an obscure company to one that is performing to full houses every night.

Change of scenery, change of role,but there is still the applause. I wonder what his critics are saying now.

After I read that, I could really let go of the status quo “event decorator” role  that had hung me up. If  I’m creating and working with things that I’m good at, and yes...passionate about, does it matter what my role is?

So what am I?  I'm so many things right now, my list would read like a cast of thousands. But now, as owner of Hound and Handbag Gift Company, add to that list another half dozen jobs that are more technical than artistic (egad...new skills for the left brain!). I'm surrounded by the people who are the best at what they do; the Online Success Institute.  The online community is a dynamic one, so you'd better believe I need to keep open to learning and improving my craft.

My audience is different, but with a little rehearsal time, a quick costume change, I’ll be into the new song and dance just fine.