Express Yourself: entrepreneurialism as an accessory

ahem...An analogy for entrepreneurial expression:

Picture, if you will, your different roles as a woman as the various pieces of your wardrobe. Marriage, motherhood and career are like your staples--the hard working items that provide the foundation for your look. They are your favorite jeans that go with everything, or the classic white dress shirt, or the pair of black heels. They define the most important work and relationships in your life.

Adding a Personal Touch
But a wardrobe isn’t usually great if we stop there. Though very stable and solid, it lacks a certain punch. Sure, we’ve probably expressed our own style to a certain extent in these roles, adding our personal touch as a wife or bringing our own character to mothering. Just like choosing a boot cut over a slim leg, or peep toes over square. But those choices still don’t adequately express the fullness of who we are, and what our style is.

Because in order to that, you need accessories. Handbags, fun shoes, skirts and scarves. Prints, stripes, colors and texture. For me, these final touches that we add on top of our roles as wives and moms and worker bees are where some of the best opportunities lay for personal expression.

A Good Accessory
And it won’t surprise you to learn that I think one of the best ways to accessorize our lives is through entrepreneurialism. Not the formal go-out-and-get-a-business-license kind, but the creative, interest-and-talent-driven type. Nurturing your hobbies and skills, and daring to bring them out from the closet and wear them in public, can be very rewarding. Like turning your love for reading into a book-review blog. Or sharing your passion for children’s development by organizing a weekly educational field trip for your daughter’s friends and neighbors. Or cultivating your fancy for beads by designing your own special jewelry line. These things, like headbands and purses, are what make us stand out in a crowd and sparkle. They are what make us us.

Some Days...
It is true that sometimes we don’t have the energy to accessorize. Some days it is enough to throw on our tried-and-true denim and black flats and head out the door. Some days, marriage and kids and career are all that we can juggle. But for a Recessionista, not every day should be like that. Some days--hopefully most days--are meant for more style. Days for marriage and kids and work, and also a little extra flare. A little creativity on the side.

My, don’t you look nice today in your polka dots and red shoes--
--Why, thank you. They’re my favorite. I try to wear them whenever I can.

Previous Related Posts:
Your Inner Entrepreneur
But I'm Not Crafty (and other misconceptions about being an entrepreneur)
Recessionista Resume