Doing Scary Things: Day 3

First step in contacting an online bead/supplies store today was updating my wholesale catalog. I figured showing off the new collage sheets was a good excuse to reconnect.

I come up with crazy ideas all the time....many of which involve big changes. Like, I'm never eating sugar again. Or, today is the day I'll start jogging (ha!). And 95% of the time they remain as just that -- ideas. Or perhaps if I'm really feeling motivated I'll try something for a day or two.

So I am really, really glad that I decided to write up my crazy plans and share them with the world to go for 100 rejections. Because otherwise today (day 3) would have been the end of it all. But I'm using the power of peer pressure for good...even if it's just one or two of you out there checking in, because I'd feel pretty silly giving up at this point.

Day #3: Check in with fusionbeads via email about carrying my collage sheets. LOVE their site. They're my go-to for a ton of jewelry components and I've heard nothing but good things about working with them. I sent a package of samples back in June and then kind of dropped the ball on my end, so I'm off to reconnect and see where it goes.

Lesson learned yesterday: Right, just because I've decided to do something, doesn't mean it will be easy or quick. Once I got over my fears and attempts at perfection and decided to apply to One Kings Lane, I thought the process would be pretty easy since I'd spent months getting my portfolio together. But I ended up spending an hour and a half re-formatting my pdf to fit their system, adding the new portfolio to my website, tracking down the password to get on my website to make the changes, and on and on.

Inspiration: For a bit of inspiration, check out these letters of rejection received by famous authors and stories of dozens of submissions for all kinds of now-famous books. If anyone ever told me some my work was "devoid of true poetical qualities" or "beyond psychiatric help" I don't think I'd manage to have very thick skin and keep trying. The author with the most rejection letters received over 160. I always wonder if you knew the end if it would make it easier. In other words, if you knew that, after you received 160 rejection letters, that eventually someone would publish your book and it would be well received...would that be enough to convince you to keep going?