Starting a business has been one of the most exciting and terrifying things I've ever done.
It's a strange place to live -- between vision and uncertainty, hope and self-doubt. Some days I feel energized by what I'm building. Other days, I feel completely overwhelmed. And if I'm being honest, lately it's been more of the latter.
I've been pouring my heart into this dream -- learning product photography, testing fragrances, learning Shopify and building a website, designing labels, writing blog posts like this one, planning content...all of it. But in the quiet moments, I start to wonder:
Is this actually going to work? Will anyone find my little corner of the internet? Will the people I want to reach even see me?
The truth is, it's easy to feel invisible in the beginning. It's easy to compare yourself to others who seem to have it all figured out, who have thousands of followers, polished product lines and sold-out launches. Meanwhile, I'm sitting here refreshing my inbox, wondering if anyone signed up for early access.
And yet -- I keep going.
Because here is what I am learning:
Feeling discouraged doesn't mean I'm failing. It means I care. It means I'm putting real energy into something that matters to me. And I'm realizing that building something meaningful doesn't always come with immediate validation. Sometimes the process is slow and quiet. But slow doesn't mean stuck. And quiet doesn't mean pointless.
On the hard days, I come back to my "why."
I remember why I started this to begin with -- to create something beautiful, raw and honest. To help people feel something when they light a candle. To put something into the world that makes it a little warmer, a littler lighter, a little more comforting.
If you're reading this and you've felt discouraged too, you're not alone. What you're doing matters. The fact that you care means something. And even if it doesn't feel like it right now, your efforts are not wasted.
I don't know what the future holds for me or this business, but I do know this: I am not giving up. Even when it's hard. Even when I doubt myself. I am still here and still trying.
Thank you for being here and for reading this. Whether you've been following along or just stumbled across this post -- I appreciate you.
If this resonated with you, I would love to hear from you in the comments. What keeps you going when you feel overwhelmed?