Lessons I Learned from 26 to 27. Always Learning, Working, Dreaming...

I've been joking that October 16th  (today!) is "the day my life ends" because it's the due date for an overly ambitious to-do list (read here). And today is my 27th birthday. I'm in my late twenties now,  I'm "old", but I'm enjoying reflecting on where I've come since my early twenties. Here's what I've learned about myself this year:

Quick First-Day-Being-27 Webcam Shot. Me doing what I do most mornings, drink a fruit/spinach smoothie and edit blog posts/item listings! I take so few shots of myself some still believe Thrift Core is run by (A) a man and (B) A writing team.

1.) I've been too nice for too long with my business.

For years I've been told that I need raise my prices and stop being generous with favors; I ignored. I wanted to be accessible, but it was killing my wallet. Even with lowered living expenses I was just breaking even some months and had to use savings for a couple of others. It required a mindset change. Now I'm not afraid to raise prices (accounting for hours spent hunting, cleaning, photographing, editing, designing and listing) and telling people I can't go down on a price when asked. With increased prices I feel satisfied and not pained with every single sale. I'll never go back!

I learned many indie business owners have to aim for a target demographic that earns more than they do to stay afloat. You're not shunning the proletariat for doing this, you're just realistically making a living.

2.)  I'm a spacey dreamer...and that's why everything's always lost. That's gotta change.

Keys vanish once per day, I can lose my pencil while I'm drawing or writing with it! If you have this habit you're likely a fellow space cadet, lost in thoughts and not consciously watching what you're doing! I'm done searching for misplaced things for hours, I'm kicking this habit and keeping things in their "home" this year!

3.) I'm not looking at the big picture. I've stagnated. Time to Innovate!

I'm not happy with my creative progress. I want to produce better content for the web and beyond, make more photos, art lines, so much! This year I feel like I was complacent again, but that's over!

4.) I am not exactly sure what I "Want to Be When I Grow up" but now I know I am a Entrepreneur and Artist.

I've been through many career phases in life, first stuck on being an astronomer, biologist, or conservationist. I had a long obsession with studying cell organelle function and looked through many a telescope and microscope during Science and Astronomy clubs after school. It didn't suit my creative always-needing-stimulation lizard-like artist brain the more I dug into the equations side of it. Over the years I tried out dozens of activities and hobbies and now I at least know what I am, and that's a huge help even without a clear-cut vision for the future.

5.) Don't rush a project. Do it right. Do life right. There's plenty of time.

Working on my 26 before 27 list reminded me the importance of taking my time on projects and not rushing. You're never to old to try new things, reach for new goals or make new ones. And it's better to take your time and produce something you're proud of rather than hit a deadline. Always.

See, life is all figured out! Ha! I Kid. I'm still working daily and discovering myself, and I'm grateful the hard work, saving, and scrimping in the past has afforded me the ability to do this now. This year has been a stimulating journey, I've purged life of excess mental and physical clutter. I'm excited to keep creating and growing this year!

What do you want to be when you grow up? It's never to late...

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