My 2023 Mantra

I’ve come to really love picking a mantra for the New Year instead of setting resolutions. Resolutions are easily forgotten within a month or two, only to be replaced with guilt for having neglected them so soon. A mantra feels more like a nudge, a gentle reminder that hey, here’s a thing that’s important to you — is there something you can do in this moment, even if it’s tiny, that’ll help you get closer to it?

And after taking a look back at all of 2022, especially the last few months (they tend to be craziest for retailers/people selling their wares), it quickly became clear what my mantra for 2023 should be:

Have more fun.

Overly simplistic-sounding and hugely vague? Yes, but it’s kind of perfect for me.

I have to admit that I stole this phrase from my husband, Zach. When he originally said those words, they instantly resonated deep down in my soul. Like, faster-than-the-speed-of-light instantly. And the phrase works on so many levels, both in my life and in my business.

Some context: At the end of the year, particularly November and December, I put waaaaaay too much on my schedule, treating it more like a wish list that I felt guilt about not finishing vs. an achievable hit-list. If I fell behind even a little bit I’d get cranky, and I started filling my personal free time with “just one more business thing, I swear!,” and then I’d be boring and tense and snippy. But when I made time for the most important things (like being in my studio or helping out around the house because we’re doing renovations) and “neglected” the things that I thought were important but maybe weren’t, actually (I’m looking at you, all of social media), my mental balance was better. Because I wasn’t as time crunched, I could dive more enthusiastically into the things I chose to do and I was just more fun to be around.

So “Have more fun” is my reminder for the year that I suck when I’m stressed, I’m tired of being stressed all the time, and I need to add more fun things into my life so that I can feel more enjoyment and less angst. In my business I have the most fun when I’m making things and coming up with new designs, not wasting hours creating #content or hunting for the exact right tablecloth that will “immediately convey my brand values.” The time I save by not doing things means more time doing actually fun/productive things, like exploring the creative process more (and leads to some of my favorite pieces, like the Thea Necklace and the Asp Hoops). And in my life, fun is putting more activities on my calendar that I will not reschedule in order to get that Instagram post up, and dabbling in new hobbies (helloooooo, embroidery!).

I’m ready for you, 2023 — let’s do this.

My Mantra for 2022

Are you into New Year’s resolutions? I, personally, gave up on them a few years ago since I'd usually forget them around April (except baking-related ones, obviously). Last year I switched to an annual mantra, instead — I like that it doesn’t feel like homework, but instead guardrails steering you in a better direction.

This year my mantra is “Prioritize Deep Work,” very much inspired by Cal Newport’s book, "Deep Work." The whole premise is that in order to get good, hard work done (in my case, jewelry) you’ve got to have long, uninterrupted chunks of time to really dig in.

And I see how last year I used things like obsessing over “social media content” (I’m looking right at you, Instagram), fussing over envelope colors, and incessant email checking, to avoid the “staring at a blank page” anxiety that happens before I sit down to really get to work or when I've hit a stumbling block.

So “Prioritize Deep Work” this year will look like less time on Instagram (it’s off my phone and my soul already feels lighter), checking my email during designated parts of the day, and blocking out chunks of my calendar to just be at my jewelry bench.

More than anything I want to make beautiful things for you, and I’m hoping that more time away from the fluff means that I can do that. Think (spoiler alert!) new lapis lazuli pieces, delicate gold jewelry rings and earrings, and some old favorites using new stones.

Here’s to a better 2022 with less of what we don’t need and more of what actually makes us happy.

P.S. Does dis-entangling yourself from social media sound great for your own personal life, too? I highly recommend Cal Newport’s other book, “Digital Minimalism,” chock full of strategies to do just that.

My mantra for 2020

I was determined to get my mom a juicer for Christmas, and searching for one on Amazon yielded an overwhelming 1000+ results. Even sorting by customer reviews didn’t help much — there were still so many options, and none stood out as any better than the next. 

That got me thinking about how we have more choices and options than ever, but so many of them are worthless. We fill our closets with cheap clothes that won’t last us until next year, we gauge our love by the number of gifts we give, and we post a photo of the restaurant on Instagram but forget to enjoy the meal.

Are these things worth all that time, money, and effort?

A desire for “quality over quantity” has been popping up so much lately that I’m making it my mantra for 2020. I want to focus on editing down and being more purposeful, and cutting out the unnecessary things so that the things I DO focus on are more meaningful and special. It’ll be a big theme in both my personal life and here, with Sara Golden Jewelry.

I want to provide something that’ll make your life feel a little richer. Why should I make something if you don’t think it’s special, or if you’re not excited to wear it? This year I plan on hunting down more unusual, unique stones. I’ll be releasing smaller collections that pack more of a punch. I’ll be doing fewer events so I can spend that extra time making you jewelry that you’ll hopefully fall in love with and want to keep forever.

Thanks for coming along on this journey with me so far — I can’t wait to dive into this new, more purposeful year with you!

A Thank You Note

The end of the year caught me by surprise — I had my head down for lots of it, shipping out gifts and meeting lots of new people at holiday markets. And now that Christmas is over, I’ve had some time to reflect on this past year and how grateful I am for everyone, including you, being a part of it.

I can’t thank you enough for supporting this one-woman show, from buying jewelry, to saying hi at events, to sharing your stories with me. Thank you for choosing to spend your dollars on my pieces, because I know there are a lot of options out there. Thank you for making new memories while wearing my jewelry, and for marking special occasions with it. Thank you, too, for letting me talk your ear off about the magic of semi-precious stones, or how, precisely, I turned that block of wax into a necklace. I appreciate it all, and wanted to make sure I told you before I get lost in all my new to-do lists. 

Hope you have a happy New Year, and that it’s full of happiness and wonderful adventures!