I recently finished reading The Fountainhead.
\nI\u2019m \u201ca little bit\u201d proud of myself.<\/p>\n
800 pages in tiny print, with stretches that felt endless\u2014when the little devil in me kept saying, \u201cV., why are you torturing yourself, just put it down,\u201d and the better self kept answering, \u201cfocus and finish it\u201d\u2014this time it became quite a challenge.<\/p>\n
So when I closed the last page and stuck my tongue out at that \u201cdevilish me\u201d for failing to tempt me into quitting, and the first, very accurate impression rolled through my mind\u2014\u201cwow\u201d\u2014as I was drifting off to sleep that night, I realized I had read a book in which I found quite a lot of myself.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a book about a person\u2019s principles and the desire to remain true to oneself under any circumstances.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m still far from the main character\u2019s level of conviction, but after finishing this long read, I thought about how recently I was quite firmly \u201ctaught a lesson\u201d for producing \u201ctoo small quantities.\u201d<\/p>\n
That I disappoint clients who want to buy something that\u2019s already sold out.
\nThat in such cases I lose them and make them not want to come back.<\/p>\n
That I stubbornly cling\u2014like a scratched record\u2014to what some call a silly principle:
\n\u201cwe are a limited-edition brand,\u201d and that I\u2019m not thinking about business expansion.<\/p>\n
After reading this book, I felt myself loving my \u201csilly principles\u201d even more.<\/p>\n
I felt the urge to hold onto them even tighter\u2014with nails and teeth.
\nAnd to stand by them like a wall.<\/p>\n
Today, on the first day of the year, when you feel like saying something wiser, something more \u201csummarizing\u201d\u2026<\/p>\n
One sentence keeps circling in my mind:
\n\u201cThank you, your ranks, for allowing me to earn the luxury of being myself.\u201d<\/p>\n
And of course, it wouldn\u2019t be me if I didn\u2019t add a long little tail to that sentence:<\/p>\n
\u2728 Only because of you can I afford not to \u201csell myself to ads\u201d and confidently say that my kind word is not for sale\u2014if I feel something is good, beautiful, I praise it. No \u201cextras\u201d attached.
\nIf the feeling is the opposite\u2014I stay silent, like a fish.<\/p>\n
\u2728 Only because of you can I include in my collections only the pieces I 100% believe in\u2014and that you believe in too.
\nMaybe not a huge group, but a very loyal circle of Ladies.<\/p>\n
\u2728 Over the years, I\u2019ve gained the luxury of not trying to please EVERYONE.
\nIf someone wants sparkle, sequins, and fanfare\u2014there are other brands that specialize in that.
\nAnd they do it well.
\nAfter 15 years, I\u2019ve earned the right to say: \u201cwe don\u2019t do that, and we don\u2019t want to learn.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2728 I can do what I believe in, the way I want\u2014quality, tasteful, and with a lot of heart.<\/p>\n
\u2728 Thank you for allowing me not to scatter in all directions, but to walk with confidence along the path I know and love.<\/p>\n
Maybe I don\u2019t celebrate it often enough\u2014
\nbut this is one of the greatest \u201ctreasures\u201d of my life:<\/p>\n
THE LUXURY OF BEING MYSELF.<\/p>\n
A luxury made possible by you\u2014
\nthe eyes and hearts reading these words.<\/p>\n
Sending you a warm embrace and my sincere appreciation,
\nV.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","class_list":["post-17803","istorija","type-istorija","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/viktorijos.devbrothers.lt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/istorija\/17803","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/viktorijos.devbrothers.lt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/istorija"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/viktorijos.devbrothers.lt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/istorija"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/viktorijos.devbrothers.lt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17803"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}