Blog Post No. One
Growing a Life Outside the Lines
For a long time, I didn’t think I was allowed to jump into this kind of life at my age. I told myself that a self-employed lifestyle was something you built years down the road, something you worked toward quietly on nights and weekends as a side hustle, not something you chose outright. I assumed the “responsible” thing to do was find a stable, full-time job first and save the dream for later.
But at some point, I realized something that changed everything: if I truly loved what I was doing, there was no reason it had to stay a side hustle. I didn’t actually want a corporate career to fall back on. I never did. I tried roles that looked good on paper and offered stability, but none of them felt like a place I wanted to grow long-term. What I wanted was work that felt personal, creative, and alive — something I could grow into a full-time life, not escape from at the end of the day.
It wasn’t that I didn’t want to work hard. I always have.
It was that the structure I kept forcing myself into didn’t match how I actually function.
The Burnout Pattern I Couldn’t Ignore
I spent years thinking burnout meant I wasn’t trying hard enough, wasn’t disciplined enough, or just hadn’t found the right company yet. But eventually, I had to admit something uncomfortable:
The problem wasn’t effort.
It was alignment.
I don’t thrive doing the same thing every day, inside rigid systems, working toward goals that don’t feel personal. I thrive when I’m creating, building, experimenting, learning, and working with my hands and my brain.
Once I stopped viewing that as a flaw, everything started to make more sense.
From “I Should” to “What If?”
When I finally allowed myself to step back from the constant pressure of “I should be applying for another job”, a flood of ideas came rushing in.
Honestly, probably too many ideas.
Crafts.
Digital products.
Events.
Gardens.
Flowers.
Farm stands.
Workshops.
Design.
Writing.
At first, it felt chaotic. Like I was doing something wrong by not choosing one clear lane.
But then I realized something important:
I don’t need to have it all figured out right now.
What I need is a place to explore these ideas, test them, share them, and invite others along for the process.
Why This Blog Exists
This blog and MadeInTheShed as a whole, is my answer to that realization.
It’s a space where:
I can lay out my ideas as they evolve
I can share what I’m trying, what works, and what doesn’t
I can turn creativity into income without burning myself out
Others can learn, try new things, and maybe feel less alone in their own nonlinear paths
Some posts will be practical.
Some will be reflective.
Some will lead to products, tools, or resources I genuinely use and love.
All of it will be honest.
I’m not here because I have all the answers. I’m here because I’m building a life that fits me — slowly, intentionally, and openly.
If You’re Here, You’re Probably Like Me
If you’ve ever felt like:
You don’t fit neatly into one career box
You have a million ideas and no desire to shrink them
You’re craving a more hands-on, creative, seasonal life
You want to work for yourself but don’t want to romanticize it
Then you’re in the right place.
I don’t know exactly where this path leads yet, but I do know I’m done forcing myself into spaces that don’t fit.
Thanks for being here at the beginning.
