About your passion .... and hello 2015 !

A picture of my second peonie that I learnt from Anissa, could not upload my pictures from my MacBook, lol...

Assalamualaikum and hello there everyone... sorry for the very long hiatus, I wouldn't promise that I will be here often, but, I hope I do not do another disappearing act. It is already February 2015, however, I think it is not too late to say hello 2015....for I haven't yet filled my goals and to do book for this year.

It has been almost 2 years since I worked on my own, selling cakes and desserts to be exact. But, boy, have I learnt a lot in those 2 years! And last year was the year that I was prosperous, from an almost zero RM in my account to supporting my children who went to private schools, alhamdulillah.

But, with this prosperity too, along came tests. I was new (well, I am still learning the tricks in this business), so I was tested. I was still naive, couldn't read between the lines, trusting people, lurus bendul.....but, you have to knock a wall first and get a hump on your head and you will learn ya! I thank god for that, can you see bruises everywhere on my head, hehe.

Anyway, it was a life too good for me that I forgot my vows to myself to prepare for the hereafter. I baked day and night. I didn't even have time for myself, or my family...then some things started to happen when I was in Paris. I held myself back a bit after my Paris trip...

Towards the end of the year, I was tested even more. I will not say what they were, but I guess I needed to be jolted by those shock waves! I was afraid, feeling like everyone wanting to get into me, and I have never felt that feeling before...I shied away from my myself....that was so sad..... I held back myself even more...

Lucky that there were several occasions that I had time all to myself...I started to ponder. I had to think hard...I asked myself, what was it that I really wanted from this business??? Money? Fame? More baking? New recipes? What ? What?

I realised that I didn't like the limelight...I am just a home baker and I wish to stay the same. I turned down many offers from the media, politely...

From December onwards I started to space out my clasess, I have to admit that I am not getting younger. There are more things apart from baking that I wished to do. We lost our dear friend Rahman recently after his brave battle with cancer....he died the way like he was invited by Allah...he said goodbye to his son and said that he wanted to sleep before he closed his eyes and breathed his last breath...looking at my ibadah....I have far more to achieve....

So...I have decided that things have to change this year....I baked because I loved baking, not for the fame not for the money (yeah maybe, but enough to support my family and pay my bills-kereta and card). I will bake for money, but it is also my dream to help the needy....

I will honour my obligations in terms of classes that have been set since 6 months ago. I will not do cakes for raya except for certain cakes...I will take Thursday and Friday off after Syawal to do more mengaji..

I have started my preliminary prep on my Telekong Raya project, pooling resources for another baju project and another project to do my mark, getting it registered and begin my other 24 months project...I am still brainstorming on the classes module for local students and overseas, too, Inshaallah...

I also realise that when I embark on certain of this projects my income will drop! But, tawakkal and I have faith in Him. If I didn't change and make this leap, I will never grow......

That aside, I feel that I have become more garang. And I also realise and am grateful for all the marketing, positioning, market segmentation, branding exposure that I got during my gruesome long hours presentation with my bosses in the board room with Dato Shaz.....they all make sense now even though I am just a home baker :p