I've been putting off writing this post for quite some time. Putting all my thoughts into written words while my infant and toddler nap is quite an overwhelming task! I've held off sharing this with you all only because it seems so absolute. But in reality, I know this has been coming for a long time, and I'm ready for this new season my life.
This February marks 8 years since I started my business. In the last 8 years, I have grown as a floral designer, as a business owner, and as a person. I have had slow seasons, and very busy seasons. I have been able to take breaks when my family has needed me more, but I have never taken an entire season off. It's always been hard for me to completely walk away from this business/hobby of mine. I do admit that I find part of my identity in working with flowers. It gives me a sense of purpose and worth outside of the sometimes mundane tasks of raising kids and keeping up with our home. But alas, our 4th baby has joined our family, and it's time for things change a little around here.
You see, babies and flowers don't work together very well. More specifically, raising babies and running a floral business in this demanding wedding industry. It is impossible to give 100% of myself to both of these things - and I would hate to give either of them any less than they deserve. I know there are tons of moms out there who work full time and somehow manage to find a balance between work and family. But I'm ready to give myself a break, give myself some GRACE, and give my family more of ME. I'm ready to say "no" to weddings for the 2018 wedding season.
One of the reasons it's so hard for me to walk away from flowers is because it's more than just a job to me - it's my creative outlet. But what I really need in this season of life is to slow down and be more present, rather than always working and planning ahead for weddings 6-9 months in the future. I know soon enough I'll crave some interaction with flower friends and vendors, so I will totally be open to collaborating on projects if the right opportunity presents itself! I love nothing more than having a little fun with seasonal fresh flowers to get my creative fix!
Our sweet new baby is already 2 months old, and I'm realizing now more than ever that I won't ever get this time back. And the same goes for my 3, 9 and 10 year old kiddos! I'm looking forward to a year of focusing on my family and myself [my health & fitness, exploring other hobbies, traveling & just having fun]. I am SO thankful that I am able to take this break during this season in my life, so I'm going to take advantage of it!
I would never be able to say goodbye to flowers, or this business forever - but at least for now, I will not be booking any weddings or events for 2018 outside of my current commitments. And while I'm here, I want to say a huge THANK YOU to all of the couples and vendors that I've had the privilege of working with over the past 8 years. If you're reading this, thank you for your support, and your business. Thank you also to every single person who believed in me, encouraged me, and trusted me with the most important day of their life!
Looking to the future of Liz Rusnac Floral Design - if I'm honest, I don't know exactly what will come after this 2018 "break". I don't know when exactly I'll be ready to jump back in. Maybe after some time away I'll crave the busyness of booking and working on weddings. Or maybe I'll enjoy the downtime so much, I may prolong my leave. Either way, I will keep you all posted! In the meantime, one of my goals is to update the blog with new images of the beautiful weddings I've worked on in the last few years and have not had time to share!
Here are a few photos to pretty up this post - my reasons for taking time away from flowers...
