November 13, 2023

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I was suddenly able to reframe my situation: rather than a burden, the Etsy order offered an opportunity to reconnect with a beloved hobby—sewing. It also meant the algorithms that were previously ignoring my products was suddenly working in my favor. This was huge! Whether it's my blog or my Etsy shop, a wider audience and larger reach is always the goal.

Instead of seeing the order as an obligation, I recognized it as a privilege. In Snyder's spirit, I pressed forward, unpacked my sewing machine and dusted it off while saying, "hello old friend. I've missed you!"

It's time to recognize everything you receive as part of your abundance. Blessings can look like more work or less work—but they are blessings nonetheless. If God, the universe or your higher power believes you are ready for more, why don't you?

Have you ever been so overwhelmed you wished for a break from blessings? Not likely, right? But maybe you've felt like you couldn't handle one more thing, only to have one more thing happen.

Last Friday, amid a hectic workweek, I was looking forward to a break over the weekend when an unexpected Etsy order for one of my dolls popped into my inbox. CoCo, the doll pictured above, starts on my sewing table as a few pieces of fabric and yarn. I opened the Etsy shop in 2019, but with life's constant changes my sewing machine has gone untouched for a few years. Reopening a virtual shop and creating CoCo's Black Girl Magic definitely wasn't on my radar. I'm already working as a full-time substitute teacher, real estate agent, single mother, parental caregiver, and blogger.

While balancing multiple responsibilities (all of which I take 100% seriously), this order felt like the straw that just might break my back. Contemplating canceling the order, refunding the money, and apologizing to the buyer, provided a moment of relief, soon accompanied by guilt and remorse. I needed the money, and canceling felt like giving up.

Than a podcast featuring Brad Snyder came to mind. He is a retired US Navy EOD Officer blinded in 2011, in Afghanistan. Despite adversity, he shifted his mindset from what he'd lost to what he still had—his life. He went on to become a champion US Paralympic swimmer.

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