How did it become the middle of November already? One minute we were soaking up late-summer sunshine and the next—boom—Thanksgiving is next weekend and we’re sliding straight into Christmas season. It always feels like it sneaks up on us, even though we can feel it slowly building. And no matter how early we plan, there’s still that underlying vibe of trying to get all the things done… holiday parties, Christmas cookies, gift shopping, gift wrapping, and if you’re a DIY person like me, the gift creating.
Speaking of which—over the last few years, I’ve really gotten into candlemaking. At first it was just for fun, just little gifts for friends. But last year something funny happened: people wanted to buy them. And when I say “people,” I mean my next-door neighbor. But still!
I don’t have an Etsy shop. I don’t have anything fancy going on. But this year, I decided to actually lean into it a bit—to make candles, spruce them up, and sell them… kind of on the DL. Nothing big. Simple labels. Local pop-ups (mostly at my gym). Word of mouth. I literally just started this a few days ago and even made an Instagram account just for candles.
Ideas are still percolating (pun absolutely intended). What I want my brand to be is still forming. And my perfectionist side is definitely being challenged, because part of me wants to figure it all out right now. But I know this is going to be a process—trial, error, seeing what feels good, and letting it take shape naturally.
And I’m also trying to figure out how to make my candles stand out… while also not stressing about that. Because truly? I’m doing this for fun. I’m not trying to open a shop or scale it or ship nationwide. I just want to make something that brings people a little joy.
So here’s my question for you: Is there something new you want to try, but you’ve been holding back because you’re not sure how it’ll turn out?
What would success look like for you? For me, it’s simple: seeing someone’s face light up when they open the tin and say, “Wow, this smells amazing.” That’s it. That’s the win.
Let it be fun. Let it be imperfect. Let it be yours.
Do the thing that makes you happy. Even if it’s small. Even if it’s imperfect. Even if it’s just for you.