What the Shell Was I Thinking?
Where inspiration meets fear.
Have you ever been so excited about an idea that you charged forward, full head of steam and straight into your “what the heck was I thinking?” moment? I have. It’s now.
I was ready. I had hundreds of shells and other assorted ocean treasures. I had my brilliant idea. And I had brought a very smart business partner on board (let’s call him Chad G.P. Tweed). Through my numerous discussions with Chad, I had a plan:
Research and register my business name - check.
Buy my domain name - check.
Get itemized list of initial supplies - check.
Figure out how the heck to make necklaces and bracelets out of shells and make them look nice enough that people outside of your own family would spend money on them - no check! no check! no check! Zero checks.
When I asked Chad, he replied with something so elegantly simple that it should have had background music playing while Morgan Freeman narrated. “First, hang a singular shell from an 18” gold chain, and adorn it with one small baroque pearl. It will hang beautifully and portray the gentle waves of the ocean that inspired this signature piece.”
Is it that I’m afraid to make my first piece because if it isn’t as magnificent as I’ve conjured up in my head, I’ll see it as a failure… lose confidence… and abandon the dream altogether?
Maybe.
Fear has a funny way of doing that.
Fear is powerful.
It can tell us to flee.
Or it can tell us to fight.
Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Do one thing every day that scares you.”
I don’t think she meant to ignite fear.
I think she meant to ignite courage.
Maybe those moments that scare us are simply the space between tides — the place where inspiration begins.
Today, I’m choosing inspiration.
I’m going to make that first piece.
And maybe tomorrow… I’ll make another.
Think about the one thing you want to do today that scares you? What is that voice inside you telling you? How is your ‘scary thing’ going to inspire you today?
Until next time, may a small wave of inspiration find you.
