(Custom Clear Christal Clear Soaps)
(Some of my favorite food, lox with fresh crema and roasted peppers, along with a local brew)
Schedule time for myself, making sure I am drinking enough water, eating healthy food that does not bother my stomach are daily things that help me stay healthy and functioning properly. Setting boundaries for myself as well as goals have become something that I practice doing daily. Sticking to the boundaries I have set for myself and others has helped me strengthen bonds with family and friends. Staying productive is not always easy. Here are a few things that are important for my productivity.
(My soap shop planner)
Making lists and keeping a planner help to keep me on track. I love my planners and enjoy using paper much more than electronics. It helps to have a place to put things and organize my thoughts and tasks before adding them to my electronic planners. The reason I like a paper planner is that I can take it along with me on vacations, and still be somewhat productive without the internet. I can check stuff off, use sticky notes to move around my to-do lists, even items I need to ship or purchase. Using a few different planners helps me to keep my soap stuff separate from my life needs.
(Making time for planning in my paper planner, and grounding my feet )
I do not like to feel rushed and planning ahead is something that helps me feel more prepared and less stressed. Trying to schedule tasks and events ahead of time, allows me to plan my week out. Processing my soap takes two days, one for making, creating, and cleaning up, and one day to unmold, cut, shave the edges, stamp and steam every bar, then stack to cure. Soap is something that can not be rushed, making sure I have ample time to relax and enjoy creating is important to me. Planning ahead also helps me to have more time with friends and enjoy my hobbies while having fun.
(Spending time with people who inspire me and learning new skills)
Focusing on one task at a time is not always easy to do, but something that I try to work on. This allows me to become more present in the moment. Making soap is something that takes a bit of attention and can go wrong easily. Taking the time to slow down and enjoy the process of doing things rather than just wanting to achieve an outcome. This is one reason I love to garden and work with plants, you will not see immediate gratification, but watching a plant grow and change, then eventually bloom brings me great joy. Working with glass is similar to the time a finished product needs to sit in the kiln and finish cooling naturally. Life is not always about getting to have a finished product, art and cooking are beautiful reminders of slowing down to enjoy the process of where you are at the moment. Stop and smell the roses, remember not to pick them, so that others may also enjoy their beauty, and the plant may be fruitful and bloom again.
(Lampworking glass is one of my favorite things to do)
(This bead contains my mother's ashes, Grief glass is something I make with ashes of loved ones and pets, as a part of healing my grief along with others)
Noticing the things that I have done not the things I have not gotten to yet helps to keep me motivated. Taking time to stop and look back on the things that have been completed is important as a small business. Finding ways to keep motivated and enjoy the process of learning and growing. It is easy to get overwhelmed, social media often just shows us the most beautiful things going on in everyone’s lives. Staying true to my standards and vision and not just following the crowd with trending ideas helps me to stay on task and complete the goals I have set for myself. I am grateful for growing slowly and organically as my business takes me to new places with each step.
(The "Tree of Life" on the Washington coast.)
(Magic Moon Water Christal Clear Soaps, on Whidbey Island beach)
Saying no to things when I do not have time is something that I am working on. Focusing on myself can be difficult sometimes when life’s challenges arise. As much as I am grateful to be someone others call on for help, it can take a toll on me. Making myself and my tasks the priority on my to-do list has helped tremendously. Saying “no” to someone else is saying “yes” to myself and is something I have to remind myself of and that it is not selfish.
Being productive and completing daily tasks can be a challenge for me sometimes. It is easy to get overwhelmed and distracted in life and have the focus shifted off of ourselves. Making yourself a priority is important. Wearing many hats and doing different things daily can lead to burnout and more stress. I have learned the hard way to slow down and do less. Remember to be kind to yourself and give yourself credit for the things you are doing, not just the thing you are failing to do. Drink water, and eat your favorite foods, spend time with those who inspire you and love you for who you are.
(Christal Clear Soaps Soap Army)
*Check out my soaps on social media and read my weekly blog for self-care tips and tricks.
🛀christalsglass@gmail.com
*Leaving reviews and liking my posts and items helps to grow my business, gives more people the ability to see my products. Each like, share, and review is greatly appreciated!
Posting photos of your soaps and tagging them with my hashtags below is a great way to help any and all small businesses grow naturally.
*Thank you to every one of you for supporting me and my dreams of being an artisan soap crafter. Every order is important to me! I appreciate each and everyone who has bought my soaps along the way, either from Etsy, local art shows, local vendor malls, flower shops, and from me.
* All soaps are made by my own two hands, cut, stamped, cured, packaged with hand stamped logos by myself.
* Each and every bar is a unique piece of functional art and may look just a bit different than the pictured photos. My soaps are all formulated to be used and are not just for display. Colors are all-natural and some get darker or lighter over time. Stamp imprints may be deeper or shallower due to the hardness of each individual bar.
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DONE BLOGS
1) Welcome everyone to my soap page https://christalsglass.wixsite.com/christalclearsoaps/post/welcome-everyone-to-my-soap-page
2) True cold process soap https://christalsglass.wixsite.com/christalclearsoaps/post/what-is-true-cold-prcoess-soap
3) 10 random facts about myself https://christalsglass.wixsite.com/christalclearsoaps/post/10randomfactsaboutmyself
4) Activated bamboo charcoal https://christalsglass.wixsite.com/christalclearsoaps/post/activated-bamboo-charcoal-christal-clear-soaps
5) Sand
6) Indigo
7 Rose & wildflower
8) Gifts for all occasions
9) In the garden
10) What’s in my purse
11) Fall is here
12) Essential oils
13) Clays with Christal Clear Soaps
14) Favorite self-care tips
15) Spices are not just for cooking
16) What I am thankful for
17) New in the shop/stocking up with Christal Clear Soaps
18 An accomplishment I am proud of
19 houseguests
20 self-care during the holidays
21 face masks
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