Some brief mid-week thoughts…
I started journaling last year during a low point, and, in the same way a cute workout outfit makes me want to exercise, buying a chic journal made me want to sit down and write.
Before investing in a Paper Republic Grand Voyaguer or Louise Carmen Roadbook (the leather notebook I ultimately went with), I made myself a promise to first fill the pages of a basic Moleskine. It was from 2023. This deal with myself, much like marathon training, required commitment.
At first, it was just a few lines here and there, but over time, it became a ritual I really looked forward to and something I now practice daily.
Journaling has helped me get grounded, find gratitude, and manage anxiety. It’s helped me put dreams into practice and hold myself accountable. It’s taught me to unlearn perfectionism. And, certainly, it’s helped me here in this Substack.
When I first started, I was so judgmental of my writing. But now I’m just grateful to get words down on the page and to keep moving forward. Also, importantly (!!), I’ve learned it’s best not to read back. (cringe)
Seriously, do so at your own risk.
That same lesson applies to starting a business. I didn’t feel ready then, and I don’t always feel ready now. There’s no moment where you suddenly “know enough” or “have enough”—whether that’s money, experience, or time. I met BCS, and we just decided: better now than never. Better together than apart.
Starting small has turned out to be OK. Not knowing everything has also been okay. What’s mattered most is learning to embrace my strengths, trusting BCS with hers, and letting each of us focus on what we do best. Together, we’re able to do so much more than either of us could do alone.
That being said, it’s not always easy. Starting a business is stressful, pressure-filled, and scary in all the expected financial ways, but also in deeply personal ones. What if I don’t succeed? What will everyone think of me? What will I think of me? But it’s also deeply rewarding and fun. And maybe the scariest choice of all would have been not to try.
I couldn’t do it without BCS, who makes the impossible feel possible (and, to borrow her line: if she doesn’t have any fans in this world, it’s because I’m dead).
Like my journal—now totally worn, scuffed, and, yep, patinaed—Le Fil reflects the same truth: messy, imperfect, evolving. Proof that being “ready” is just a decision. And that anything is possible.
We’re so excited to share with you what we’ve been working on for the past year.
So, see you in October on lefilstudio.com for the biggest leap of all.
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Alexandra
I totally agree, I can never read it back, mine is so cringe. Love!