New Beginnings

Dear Diary,

It's approximately 2:00 PM CT. I'm sitting in a cafe called Heritage Coffee. The spinach and feta croissant I asked the barista to warm up for me is untouched. 

My stomach is churning. Anxiety, hunger or my Vyvanse kicking in? Maybe all three. 

I just purchased a website domain for the first time and I'm learning web development is much harder than it looks. I don't feel quite comfortable generating a website with AI yet. And honestly, I want my website to be as unique to me and my brand as possible. 

I want Gaia Stradia to feel like me. Soft, powerful, fun, optimistic. Not some cookie-cutter brand with pastel aesthetics and no personality. This brand is my heart. And even if no one else ever visits the website (which I obviously hope isn't the case lol), I want it to feel like stepping into my world. 

So no I'm sitting here, staring at a screen, wondering how the fell I'm going to learn JavaScript and run a business and launch products and make sure my cuticles don't look busted in promo pics. Like...hello, overwhelm.

What's crazy is that I know I'm built for this. Actually, I've been knowing. Corporate life makes me want to throw up and all I've ever wanted was to build my own business. What took me the longest was actually deciding on a business and product. Interior decor?? Makeup?? Skincare?? Fashion?? Pet toys?? Like there's so many options it made me want to crawl into bed and doomscroll to escape my anxiety.

Why did I pick nails? Because I love them. I love going to CVS or Target or whatever and picking out a cute set. I get home, finish my tasks, take a bath, light a candle, and press on my new nails. It's literally self-care at this point. And the tap tap tap? LOVE.

I know I'm not alone, though. I know there are girls out there (students, moms, creatives, baddies on a budget) who want to look and feel like that girl without spending half their paycheck at the nail salon. And that's who I'm doing it for.

And you know what else? I'm doing this for the women who feel overwhelmed when it comes to starting their own business. At the end of the day, my love for learning and spreading knowledge is like no other. I want to become successful, support my family, and teach other women how to do the same. 

That's my vision: learn, create, educate.

So yeah. My croissant is still sitting there. My brain is friend. But my heart? Full. Nervous. But full.

Here's to figuring it out one step, one nail at a time.

Love,

Gaia