I’m a huge fan of new beginnings. The thought of a fresh start—a clean slate, a chance to shape the future into anything I want it to be—fills me with excitement. Whether it’s a new day, week, month, or year, I love the idea of starting over. I’ve even made fresh starts because of a new hour.
When I was smoking, I wanted to quit so badly. I must have tried a hundred times. I’d often tell myself, “That’s my last cigarette,” and throw away my pack in the middle of the day. Over and over, I’d start fresh until it finally stuck. I went through a similar cycle with binge eating. After each binge, I’d vow to stop, only to fall back into the pattern. These experiences taught me something powerful: any moment of any day can be a fresh start. You can decide right now to reinvent yourself and, in the next moment, become someone new.
Coming to this realization took a lot of work on my mindset. Many people believe that things are the way they are and can’t be changed, or that people are born a certain way and are stuck with it. Luckily, I don’t believe that. I firmly believe that you can become anything you want to be at any time. Hell, I became a marine biologist at 37, an athlete at 45, and a teacher at 50. Clearly, I’m a fan of reinvention.
Sometimes, reinvention requires tearing everything down and starting over. Applying band-aid fixes can only go so far before they become unsustainable. Ignoring major foundational issues—especially in business—only creates bigger problems over time.
When I started my business two years ago, I had big dreams but zero experience or knowledge about running an online shop. I didn’t know what SEO was or how important keywords are to an Etsy listing. I knew nothing. Over the past two years, I’ve been learning—how to make and design products, write Etsy listings, run an e-commerce store, and so much more. Growth and learning have defined my journey.
In the process, I realized my shop lacked consistency. It was held together with band-aids and patchwork solutions, with no solid plan in place. I was doing a hundred things the wrong way. So, I decided it was time to reinvent my shop—and the only way to do that was to tear it down and start over.
In June, I put my shop on hold. I realized I needed not only to learn more but also to completely overhaul everything. Over the past six months, I’ve been doing exactly that. During this time, I made an earth-shattering discovery: I can’t do things the way everyone else does. I’ve spent so much time trying to follow the advice of Etsy gurus, Shopify experts, and Pinterest specialists, only to realize I need to take their advice and make it my own.
And that’s what you see here now: a completely revamped shopping experience that more accurately reflects who I am. Be sure to come back on Wednesday, January 1, to see all the new changes, and sign up for my email list so you don’t miss out!
Flo
