Why there's no such thing as "overnight success"

It’s said that it will take you 10,000 hours to become an expert in whatever it is you’re working on.  

Here’s what that looks like:

-Right under 5 years of working 40 hours per week.

-Or just about a decade of working part-time. 

-But at just one hour a day, it’s gonna take close to 30 years.

We often see people who have “made it” and forget the minutes and hours and days and weeks and months and years and decades they have put in.

It’s not really a matter of talent, but of grit. 

For over 2 decades, I've watched my sister, Mary Ashley, paint, sew, crotchet, bake, play piano and create jewelry. She's spent her fringe hours crafting and learning. Not only have I seen her improve, but I have the jewelry and artwork from her past and present that shows the visible growth she's made over the years.

Check out her table at last week's neighborhood event:

Her products are beautiful!

But she's not an "overnight success". She's put in tens of thousands of hours at this point. Which means that you can also become an expert in something you're willing to devote your fringe hours!

So, what’s something you want to achieve? Become a well-known photographer? Own a successful small business? Win an Ironman triathlon? Be a famous pianist? Write a best-seller?

What is it that you want to be really good at, maybe even the best? Are you willing, like Mary Ashley, to put in 10,000+ hours of work to get there?

The years will pass anyway...we might as well work towards our goals.

Comment below with your dream that you're willing to put in 10,000 hours to achieve.

To see and purchase from Mary Ashley, find her on Instagram @maryashleyowens and on ETSY

How to pack for 3 nights in Key West in ONLY a backpack!

As I booked our flights to Key West, I found out that I was going to be charged $60 for a carry-on! That's nuts. A personal item is allowed, though, so I decided I'd simply bring a backpack since it would be free and challenge me to pack light.

Next weekend, we have another flight that charges for carry-ons and will each be taking only a back-pack, so this was good practice to confirm it can be done!

Here's my Key West packing list:

• 2 dresses
• 2 shorts
• 1 pair yoga pants
• 2 tanks
• 1 long-sleeved shirt
• 1 sweatshirt
• 1 bra/2 sports bras
  
• 2 socks
• 4 underwear
• 2 bikinis
• 1 hat
• 1 pair birkenstocks
• 1 pair tennis shoes
  
• sunglasses
• waterbottle
• kindle
• airpods
• 1 pair pjs/cozy socks
• minimal toiletries/jewelry
• a mixture of Peppermint and Digize essential oils
• a mixture of Valor, White Angelica and other calming essential oils

All this fit in my old LLBean high school backpack and saved me from paying for luggage or carry-on! It was the perfect amount of items for eating out, shopping, paddle-boarding, boating and hanging out.

What's the lightest you've ever packed for a trip? Please share in the comments below!

I QUIT SOCIAL MEDIA

Yes, it's true. I quit social media.

If you followed me online, you may have been shocked (or wondering where I've been), but it was actually something I considered for years before I indefinitely signed out.

Since I didn't have a smart-phone until 27-years-old, I rarely used social media other than loading photos after trips. And by loading, I mean from my digital camera to my laptop to FaceBook...my, how times have changed!

But in 2013, I began selling Young Living Essential Oils and found social media to be the best way to do it! 99% of my business was done online, which, for a minimalist and traveler like myself, was a dream!

Even better once I became a mom in 2020 and wanted to stay home with my daughter, while still earning money.

However, years of being online and coming up with daily content began to wear on me and I found myself constantly googling things like "How to quit social media and still grow a business" as I tried to find a way out.

And it wasn't just that I was tired of posting, but I was becoming more and more aware of my new daughters little eyes on me, wanting to copy everything I did.

I want her to read books, play with friends, help with chores, go on walks, spend quality time with us, learn about self-care and all the little things that are building her character, moment by moment. I don't want her to think screens and social media are the goal.

But, she wants to be just like me.

So, I have to be who I want her to be.

Eventually, I woke up one morning last November with this unrelenting conviction to get off of FaceBook and Instagram and, though I fought it for a few hours, I didn't feel at peace until I followed through.

Since that day, I've increased how many books I get through a week, taken more afternoon naps, hung out more often with friends, kept up with my chores with a better attitude, tried new recipes, enjoyed vacations so much more without feeling like I need to be posting about them, spent more quality time with Nick, spent more time in Bible studies and in quiet thought, slept better at night, stopped procrastinating as much as I have done in the past and even enjoyed my time with my daughter, Ivy, so much more.

Even without social media, my business is still thriving, and I feel so much more at peace since I'm finally honoring my convictions.  I won't say I'll never get back on, but for now, you can find me here, sharing my thoughts on my blog.

Have you ever considered quitting social media? Please share in the comments below.