Before you get any further: no, I am not pregnant. My new “baby” is a project I am VERY excited about!
A couple of weeks ago I read a quote that said you write because you have something to say, not because you want to. Ever since then I have been trying to figure out what it is that I need to say. The conclusion that I have come to is that I hate keeping secrets. Sometimes secrets can be fun, but most of the time it’s just stressful and feels like a lie, not a secret. So now I’m sure you’re wondering what dirty little secret I am going to share with you today. Well, today’s dirty little secret is that I have taken a couple of steps to start an Etsy business to sell my knits! I have a looooong way to go before I actually start selling, and I don’t know if this is something that will happen in 2017. However, I am actively working to get this going!
I love knitting and I love sharing my knits with other people! For all of my true loves in life out there, before I can start this business I need more supplies! (Don’t tell my boyfriend). But I really do need more needles! I also need more books of patterns because as much as I love and cherish the one that I have, it is NOT the Knitter Almanac and it does NOT have every stitch known to man (and woman). So dad, if you’re still reading, top item on my Christmas list :).
Okay, moving on, although I know that this is what I want to do, I don’t know who my customers will be and what exactly they are looking for. So this is going to take A LOT of work and planning, but I am so excited that I have found a way to spread something I love with more people! The other thing I needed to say today is that if you follow me on Twitter, you may have noticed that I changed my name. My Instagram and my : StartWithGivens. I want to give a little story behind this name change.
First, I felt like my Twitter name needed some growing up. Second, when I formally learned how to solve problems in a classroom setting we were always told, “start with the givens.” The first time I recall hearing it was in Geometry and I thought “hey that’s pretty cool that I get to hear my own name so many times an hour.” Yes, it was self centered. However, now as a person who is moving forward in her professional career as an engineer, I often think about all problems this way. What do I know, and how can I use that to reach a solution? I start with the givens. I changed my name, because I feel like it explains who I am so well. “Brit_gee” and “begivens,” which are usually my first try at a username of course tells you what my name is, but it doesn’t tell you who I am. So, from now on, StartWithGivens and go from there.
This because especially important to me in thinking about me training for a marathon, being an independent coach with Beachbody, and choosing what projects I think people will love if I knit them. I am sure I have missed the mark on all of them thus far, but I don’t quit. I go back to what I know, and start there. I really cannot explain how much it means to me to have a defined starting point, and moving forward. I hope to have the support of anybody this post reaches. Of course, I am always interested in feedback so do not hesitate to voice your thoughts.
She’s Got a Whole PhD 