While reflecting on what has happened in the past couple years, it's crazy to think of everything I managed to accomplish....and still be here to write this, given I don't have arthritis in my fingers yet from all the bath bombs I've individually hand pressed. Then I got to thinking after seeing some random Instagram post of writing a mini "decade in review" how much the direction of my career paths had changed. Of course I filled it out, posted it, and then got to thinking how scary it is that 10 years literally passed by. I know, "I'm only 27," but it doesn't feel like 7 years ago I graduated from nursing. Can someone please freeze time? Because tomorrow I'm going to be 80 with how fast life is happening.
Anyways, a lot of people seemed to comment on my mini "life summary" and after several DMs I got to thinking perhaps my followers would like a deeper connection. A better understanding on who they are supporting, who the person is behind Blazing Bombs, and more about what I am all about essentially.... and well.... here we have it... A BLOG WAS BORN! (*random hailing church sounds*).
That's right... so for those of you who love to not only watch my rambling Instagram stories... you can now read it (when I have time or things to chat about of course). And writing always seemed to be something I enjoy doing and this kinda gets me back into it. It's more a matter of if people will actually read it, learn, and hopefully share because that's how we spread the love for small business and handmade. Without the love and shares, it's hard to grow something from the ground up so it is definitely appreciated <3.
Without further ado, I have created a more elaborate timeline of my life in the past decade to show you guys that my small business was never really a direction I thought about. In fact I remember going to a psychic back when I was still in nursing school and she told me that I was going to "pursue a career related to my creativity"... kinda freaked me out when I remembered that fact because... welp... here I am not nursing and owning a business lol.
After reviewing my chart, you may have gleaned that I was in fact a nurse for 5 years, made a hobby into a business, and met my boyfriend over the internet. This is all true facts.... for those wondering, it was the POF app I found him on and NEVER thought in a million years I could find a gem like that on there - but that can be another blog if you're actually interested on that topic. THERE IS HOPE! I promise you - don't give up on your man search!
This post is all over the place I feel because I'm jumping from one topic to another and my brain is usually fried so don't mind my humour while I sort my thoughts into words.... you're getting a real human over here lol. (lord help me for when I make tiny humans one day... I've heard about the "mom brain").
Back on topic: It's truly been one hell of a decade! So many unexpected changes and directions in my life path and I wouldn't change one thing about it. I did love nursing and I have so much respect for the profession because it takes a dedicated and loving heart to do the things we/they do and it is not easy. My favorite area of nursing came to be palliative care and I was surrounded by it working in LTC and retirement. There were many patients I sat by their bedside holding their hand as they took their last breath of life either with or without family present. It was so important for me to make sure no one is alone whether it be for mental health reasons or in death... and I do miss that aspect I had in nursing.
I worked night shift for about 3 years at the retirement home while side hustling Blazing Bombs. Literally not sure how I even did that looking back, but somehow I managed to do my best at getting myself out there. In 2018 I had decided it was time for a change: I was going to drop my status of working full time and work part time. Internally however at the job I had at the retirement home there was no option for casual or part time so I decided to look elsewhere and landed a job PT working for the region of Durham in LTC. I went from being #1 on the seniority list to the last. Part of the new contract I had was to work 3/4 weekends. I had already used up my vacation time for a scheduled show I planned after my first month of working there and was overly concerned about shows near the fall + Christmas season ahead. During the first few months of this job was great but it was the weekend work that was holding me back from allowing me to have time with my boyfriend and attend handmade markets. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place to risk leaving a part time job with benefits for the unknown risk of Blazing Bombs making me financially in itself. That's where the true ultimatum occurred in this maker journey.
After much debate, pros + cons lists stuffed under my pillow, and sleepless nights wondering whether or not Blazing Bombs would be put to a halt or grow.... I did it. I had the courage and support from my family and friends to do it. My dad told me "if you're going to try it out, now's the time. You still have your licence and you can always go back to nursing if it doesn't work out."... Those words could never be more true. (*throwing in a little fun fact here) There was a part of me that was always afraid to take a risk with the uncertainty of the outcome. Over the years after college I managed to overcome this fear and GO FOR IT. Without trying or asking you'll never know...and for anyone with anxiety you dwell on this. That is my advice for you if you are experiencing a similar situation where you are wondering "what could be" of an idea, move, direction, etc. DO IT and if the plan doesn't work, change the plan - never the goal - and your mind will be at peace.
Since this decision and risk, I have not needed to look back. I felt so FREE to take entrepreneurship a whirl without direction from anyone. Blazing Bombs was literally something I created myself and never stepped a day in business school to teach me the ways so it was definitely a learning experience and financial risk to take. Over the first official year doing Blazing Bombs I could not be more proud and thankful for how far I've come. YOU helped me do this and get here. I am so thankful to live in a community where most people are aware about the importance in supporting small, local and handmade. Being in this small handmade community has opened up so many doors of opportunity where I no longer feel limited to growing my potential and I am forever grateful for all the friendships and connections I've made from that.
Now that my life has been summarized in a little blog post, I cannot wait to share more stories, behind the scenes, and for all the things 2020 has in store!
Feel free to comment below things you'd like me to write about, what you want to know and whatever comes to mind for future posts! Thank you for reading about my life, I hope you made it this far and perhaps feel inspired by my journey! Happy New Year!
xoxo - Meg