I made it!

Apr 18, 2016 | Sparkly Love

Jenna #3 (Make It Edmonton April 10, 2016)

I can now say that I officially survived my first Make It solo! Not only was it my first show since I bought my brother Chandler out of the business, but it was also our busiest spring show yet! Over 12,000 people came through the doors of the Enjoy Centre, and many Makies had one of their best spring shows too. This makes me happier than anything else! I meant to write this post a week ago on my flight home from Edmonton, but it took a while to recover from all the energy and excitement. Whew!

Many people have asked me what it felt like not to have Chandler at the show. It was certainly an adjustment because I had to do all of the things that he normally does, but our exhibitor coordinator Brigitte is so awesome that she took care of a lot of it. There were times that I really missed having my brother there, but it also felt pretty freaking amazing to be able to pull off such a successful event on my own. I had many girl boss moments that felt good! I’m also SUPER grateful to all the Makies who have supported me, and to everyone who came out to support them. Make It really is a handmade love fest <3

Now, I’m busy gearing up for Vancouver. I feel the pressure more for this one because we haven’t done a spring show here for 3 years, and this will also be the first one at the PNE Forum. When we first set out to organize the show, I figured we would get about 150 Makies, but steadily more and more apps rolled in and now we have over 190!

There’s a point when you are a promoter when you just have to let go and trust everything will work out. As I mentioned in my previous post, I have had about 2 months of poor health. Normally I feel great and have a ton of energy, so this was a challenge I wasn’t used to. Being sick taught me a lot about surrendering and having faith that things will come together. This has been a great lesson for how I run Make It too.

I’ve been working really hard, but I realize I can only push myself so far. Otherwise my body and health will start to let me know to ease up and it’s not always pretty. I also have been listening to my gut more and recognizing when things working and when they are not. It’s unbelievable how much inner wisdom we have when we pay attention.

Speaking of inner wisdom, I went to Eckhart Tolle on the weekend. I’ve been following him for about 10 years, despite finding his books a challenge to read. Eckhart’s teaching are remarkably simple and complex. I know this is a paradox, but consciousness is exactly that. It’s being in the moment instead of letting your noisy brain fill your head with thoughts from the past and the future.

I remember when we moved Make It from the Croatian Cultural Centre to the PNE Forum, I told Chandler everything was going to be ok because I started meditating more! At the time it was a joke, but I realize now that there is a lot of mindfulness that comes into how I run Make It. Before each event, I visualize how beautiful everything will look when it’s all set up. Then I see thousands of customers streaming in and shopping up a storm. Lastly, I see all of the Makies overjoyed because not only did they have a blast, but their pockets are stuffed with cash!

This has become a ritual for me and if the show if Make It Edmonton is any indication, I’m pretty sure it’s working. Although I still find meditation to be frustrating at times, I know it’s one of the most important daily practices I do. For 20 mins each morning I do Transcendental Meditation, which is where you softly repeat a mantra in your head. This works for me, but there are SO many different types of mediations, so it’s well worth it to try a bunch out to see what works best for you.

Another self care practice I’m addicted to is floating! When I first heard about Float House in Gastown 3 years ago, I knew it was something I needed to try. After my first time in their sensory deprivation tank, I was hooked. I know lots of people find the concept of floating kinda weird or maybe even scary, but it’s not at all. Once you experience quiet stillness for a full 90 mins, I wouldn’t be surprised if you start to crave it like I do. I find Float House is one of the only places that I can completely and totally relax. Once your mind is still, it’s also incredible how creative your thoughts start to become. I’ve gotten some of my best ideas in the tank!

There’s only a few short days before Make It Vancouver. There’s a part of me that really wants to freak out, but I realize that stressing doesn’t serve anyone. As Eckhart said, anxiety comes from living in the past or future. It’s impossible to feel stressed out if you are truly in the moment. I also know deep in my heart this is exactly where I’m supposed to be, and that realization helps me to realize I’VE GOT THIS!

If you live in Vancouver, I would absolutely love for you to come down to the show. There’s still time to grab early bird tickets too. The caliber of Makies is outstanding, plus I made a playlist that will have you grooving while you shop! Overall it’s going to be a super fun time, so you should plan to make it 😉

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