Turns Her Dreams Into Reality
Sara has launched her business: Treasured Heritage Keepsakes. The decision came after many years of sorting things out, learning what was important to her, and having the courage to act on it. She’s very happy with her career choice.
Sara grew up on a farm outside of Walnut Grove where her family is strongly rooted. Her father farms the same farm as his father and grandfather. Her mother was an elementary school teacher. In her earliest memory Sara thought about being an actor and a singer. In high school she acted in the school plays and sang in choirs. After graduation she went on to college but left during her sophomore year realizing she really had no idea what she wanted to do.
The idea of continuing without a clear plan seemed a waste of money so she moved home and looked for work, which she found at the newspaper in Tracy. She liked her job and enjoyed covering events at all hours and days of the week. With journalism in mind, she enrolled at South Dakota State University, emerging a few years later with a degree. Following a brief stint in Arizona, she realized that her heart was still in Minnesota and moved back to be near her family.
She soon got a job at the newspaper in New Ulm and life was good. Sara never lost her love for the arts, and she continued to sing and find places to perform. She also taught piano and gave guitar lessons but found it difficult to make commitments to anything other than her job as a reporter, as she needed to be able to respond to breaking news and to cover events. This was a values struggle.
From her early upbringing she had learned to work hard, spend money wisely, and have a safe, secure career. Sara had a strong desire to follow her creative instincts. For awhile she left journalism for a job with steady hours. This was no better as she knew she wanted to write.
One day her sister saw an article about Life-Work Planning Center’s workshops in her paper and suggested Sara inquire. She enrolled and learned a lot about self-esteem, assertiveness, values, and figuring out what she really wanted. The voice in her head reminded her that she should be happy that she had a job and to stop thinking impractically. Sara went back to journalism, but continued to think about how her career could be more meaningful and right for her. She loved to write people’s stories and wanted to pursue that in her own way.
She called LWPC again and came in to brainstorm a plan to have a side business of writing people’s stories. We thought of practical ways that she could start working on her new business while still in her present career. She knew there would be very little money to start out with. But, on the other hand, she wanted to spend more time with her family and be more in charge of her own life.
Slowly, but surely, her new venture, Treasured Heritage Keepsakes, began. Building on her value of family and her writing ability, she feels that she is answering a deep calling. In her brochure Sara says, “Your life story is your legacy. There is no one else on earth who has lived your life.” Often a son, daughter or anyone interested in preserving a life story hires her to do a story of their mother; Sara listens to the person talk about their lives and then writes it and presents it in an album complete with pictures, recipes, and their words of advice. In doing this, she honors the families.
One day last winter she had her moment of clarity and decided to leave the day job and pursue her new venture. Two months later that resolve led her to working full time for herself. She enjoys her life and building her business. She started small and her business is growing. Her message to others is to be courageous and do what you love. Sara is creating her own legacy.
– Jill Hahn, M.S., Peer Counselor
