Defining ones' self by who one is and not what.

For the past 7 years , I've been caught in a web of feeling what I am is who I am. My work is a direct reflection of my worth as a person. Riding high, then all is fine in the jungle. Sucking wind and I'm the poster child for Losers. This situation has been one that I've been physically, emotionally and mentally unable to make sense of. Totally at a loss to find myself, Fluff,within this morass of details,dilemmas and dyspepsia. Self reflection, analysis and feel good remedies have been helpful channels but at the end of the day, I haven't been very good at separating me from my work.

Now with the fashion business going through such drastic changes, it's almost been an un -asked for blessing. A strange sort of answered prayer. Business isn't particularly good. Design is not the focus of the public , the stores or anyone else. So the thing that defined me , that made the sun shine or the storm clouds open, suddenly did something very unexpected: It stopped time. For some this would set off alarms and flashing emergency lights. Well, it did the same for me, but in the end of the day I had an epiphany. I'm not my work. I'm ok ,even if the work suffers.

Whenever something unplanned happened I would take it as a statement on my own personal self worth. If I had an amazing coup, then I was a winner. If I had a rejection or overdrew the account and couldn't cover all the bills, then I was the lowest of the low. I had this ingrained idea that I was responsible, culpable and guilty of any and everything that came down the pike. That pike didn't have to belong to me, but still I felt responsible. This all goes back to childhood like most troublesome conditions. There's nothing new about that turf for any of us.

Looking at it now, and looking back on me then, I see how selfish and self absorbed I've been. That is not something I'm proud of , but it helps explain what was at work . The point of my sharing this with you is that good things keep coming from this bad thing we're all going through. It's forcing me to grow up....rather late in life, but it's never too late to grow.

Not everyday is a picnic, nor will it ever be. I just try to remember that when the shit hits the fan, I can give myself permission to duck. You can too!