Declare Your Independence

I quit my dayjob.
2 years ago today.

I consider this, July 1st, to be my personal Independence Day and I wanted to celebrate with you a free gift.

YOU

You have been the best part of the last 2 years.
Getting to know you on Twitter, meeting you for a coffee, exploring your craftybiz world with you…it's by FAR the highlight of the whole experience.

And because YOU are my favorite thing, I don't just want to reflect on MY independence, I want to help you claim your own independence.

(note: independence has nothing to do with self-employment and everything to do with choosing what you want)

As I've been reflecting on what this Independence has meant in my own business, I recognize that it is not just about the fun stuff. There have been some low lows.

This last year, Independence has also  been marked by a movement towards greater honesty.
Instead of only sharing the highs (I'm in books! I'm in magazines! I have fun!), I've made a conscious effort to share the lows…because that's the only way I know to be independent: to be completely honest that this isn't all fun + ease.

We (you + I) don't just focus on how to be successful, we get real about the hard bits, the challenging times and the downright overwhelming moments in running a crafty business.

Because that (honesty, clear eyes, full hearts) is how you claim your independence.

Because Independence isn't a one-time deal.

You don't just claim it and then possess it.
You have to daily declare it.
You have to build a life that supports it.
You have to own it, in every situation.

Independence = Commitment + Permission + Hope

I talked about commitment in last year's Independence Day video, so today I want to share Permission + Hope.

Permission

It's already yours. You are independent. You can be independent. You don't have to earn it, you don't have to try to deserve it.

You already do.

Hope

The most inspiring, hope-filled resource I have is my support network. My friends, mentors, Starship-ers, and encouragers.

They give me daily hope + giggles, so I turned to them for YOU.
I asked them to share their own Declarations of Independence in the hope that it would inspire you to stake your claim.

You can download the collection of  Declarations of Independence right here.

(nope, no need to sign up for anything!)

Feel free to share it wherever you like, however you want.

Wishing you Independence and community in the coming year!