Maintaining my motivation

It is the middle of January. I have been cutting, sorting, wrapping, labeling, and storing my basketry willow. This is my first year of basketry willow with any significant harvest. Before I go outside to work in my willow field there are 3 things that need to happen: 1) I must have a chunk of time available, 2) the weather must be bearable, and 3) there can be little to no wind. (We get crazy wind at our place in south-central Pennsylvania. It pours over the mountains and screams across the farmland until it hits our property. If I am outside, I can get blown over!) So, I wait for the "perfect conditions" and then I layer up because it IS January, and I put on my winter water-proof boots and head outside for a few hours until my back can take it no longer.

So, I have started to wonder why I am even doing this. Monotonously, I handle each willow rod three times before I move it into the shed to dry. I cut it, sort it, cut it again if it is going to end up as a rod for generic crafts or as an unrooted cutting, and then I wrap it. Friends and family ask if I have made a profit yet, and I have not. They ask how the business is going, and I tell them as fast as I can handle which is inch by inch. Really! What is the point of doing this, I ask myself. I hate wasting my time. But after the initial excitement of starting my own business died down, I have finally settled on my "why."

It is because of YOU that I do this! But we don't even know each other (most likely) so why would I be growing willows for you? Why I would work this hard for anyone I don't even know. You may not care one whit about a willow plant, and I wouldn't blame you. But it is not what I am growing that is the point.

The reason I keep going is to show you that I am stepping out of my comfort zone, and I want you to see that you can do that, too.

I am doing something I have never done before and I want you to see that you can do it, too.

I am learning all sorts of new things and telling you that you can do it, too.

Yes, my willow work is hard, but if my bumbling, slow pace inspires you to take your first steps towards some goal that you have been putting off then, well, that makes my frozen fingers, sore back, and damp feet happy. And I'll do a little happy dance once I go inside and warm up!

Now go start something!