Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.  ~ Francis of Assisi

A few years ago, my best friend Colleen encouraged me to create a vision board. Like two kids working on a school project, we bought poster boards, stickers, embellishments and printed images from the internet. My board represented the things I wanted to be doing: blogging, painting, writing, crafting, exercising and eating healthier. I put the vision board in my bedroom so I would be reminded of my goals every morning and night. Eating healthy was the easiest of them all. Exercising was the toughest.

Some years passed and the vision board slowly made its way behind a dresser. I continued to paint and write whenever I could, but it was difficult to focus on things that made me happy. My kids were going through a challenging phase. They weren’t happy so I wasn’t happy. Also around this time, a relationship I’d been in for years ended. I felt like an all around failure. When shit hits the fan, it’s easy to make oneself accountable for all the wrongs in the world (especially if you’re neurotic, like me).

To cheer me up, my best friend, Colleen took me antiquing. A little sign resting on the counter at the The Wrentham Country Store read “we are looking for creative vendors to join our amazing team of shop girls.” Mary Ellen Shia, who owned the Wrentham Country Store at the time took a chance on me and I will forever be grateful for that. Other than hoarding vintage goods, repurposing junk around the house and painting my own furniture, I had no references, no photos of previously sold items. Nothing. What I lacked in experience, I made up for in enthusiasm, gratitude and a willingness to learn.

The first night I was at the shop setting up my space, Mary Ellen busied herself with bookkeeping and every once in a while she would take a peek at my display-in-progress, and offer some kind and encouraging words. “It’s looking good, Cathy. I can already tell you are going to be a great fit for the shop.” That was a year ago. Today, Mary Ellen has become not just a nurturing mentor, but also a great friend.

When my kids were at school or with their father, I spent a lot of my time painting frames and furniture, and going to auctions. I would relax by creating my own tags out of card stock and twine. Little by little, I was accomplishing some of the things I’d put on the vision board years prior. I was moving past the pity party days and shifting my attention to “doing what’s necessary, and then doing what was possible.”

A year ago, I took a chance at something that was not entirely unfamiliar, but definitely new for me. Unbeknownst to me, what started as an endeavor to pull me out of a rut, turned out to be one of the best career moves I’ve ever made. Shabby Chica Antiques has grown to 3 different locations in New England. Most recently, I joined a beautiful shop in Berlin, Mass. called Counting Sheep Antiques. I also sold at Brimfield this past May.

While growth is important in business, personal triumphs are even more important. My primary job as a mother of two children on the Autism Spectrum is something that I wouldn’t trade for the world. However, we all need something that belongs just to us–whether it’s a career, a hobby, a business, whatever.

Somewhere between being married, having kids, caring for my special needs children and getting divorced, I lost my authenticity. Joining the Wrentham Country Store and a few months later, The Find on 6 in Johnston, RI gave my crazy life a little bit more purpose than before.

Today, I’m celebrating one year of realizing that I’m stronger than I think. Literally, sometimes I don’t know how I manage to move furniture in and out of my car and into the shops! I have met and been inspired by so many colleagues–so many wonderful shopkeepers and vendors who love this way of life. My personal life is great, too because I’m happier with myself and my accomplishments. My house is always a mess, but my children are happy and well fed. Maybe the next vision board will include having an uncluttered home. But for now, all’s good at Shabby Chica headquarters.