We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Danielle Morris. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Danielle below.
Danielle, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
Resilience takes passion, which is where the name for my business came from. The definition of Ardor is passion and enthusiasm, which is very fitting. Resilience requires devotion, determination and focus. If you are armed with resilience, no one will be able to stop you from achieving your goals.
I have failed and fallen more times than I would like to admit, however, Sir Winston Churchill said it best, “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” If I hadn’t failed so many times, I wouldn’t have gained the experience and I wouldn’t have realized how resilient I needed to be to grow into something so much more. Meeting challenges is part of the path to success. It’s how you deal with hardships and what you do to overcome them. Resilience is a matter of choice and determination; it’s the capability to overcome hardships without giving up, no matter what.
I am still learning that resilience is crucial for any entrepreneur. Starting a business is not always about achieving success, but also about the ability to face, overcome and recover from many obstacles. Having a clear vision of what you want to achieve, is essential. Albert Einstein once said, “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.”
No matter how tough life gets, you have to find a way to keep going. And that’s what resilience is all about. Resilience is the ability to come back from hard times. My business, Ardor Creations has been my outlet, what started out as a hobby and a way to escape has evolved into so much more. It’s my happy place and I’m privileged to be able to share it with others.
-David showed Goliath the difference between a person who is resilient and a person who is privileged, and there is simply no competition.-
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
“In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” Albert Einstein I was faced with a burdensome time in my life. I was attending college and managed to get myself into some pretty hefty student loans debt.
“One of the biggest lies we love to believe is education equals success.” says Dale Partridge, an author of the Wall Street Journal. Students attend college wondering if it will all be worth it in the end. Debating if you want to suffer the consequences of student loan debt and fight off all the psychological effects that come along with it.
Society imposes pressure of understanding that only education will lead us to success, we become incognizant of the other options.
I had been following the Dave Ramsey plan for some time and was making great progress. Next was to tackle student loans. With the interest rate alone this seemed impossible. There were times my payments would increase to outrageous amounts to where you would not be able to afford to live. I was working overtime, doing everything I could to pay off debt, this burden hanging over me.
It was very slow going, building from nothing. I had to slowly invest in myself while using natural strengths while engaged in tasks and deciding on Clear goals. This meant dedication and Contributing to something with meaning beyond oneself.
I’ve always been a creative person and never found the right outlet for myself. I eventually discovered the world of vinyl printing. I learned everything I could and ventured into making custom shirts. With this I created a lot of memorial shirts which I love doing. I eventually ventured into other areas such as sublimation, tumblers, jewelry- including cremation jewelry and resin work. I am privileged when I am given the opportunity to keep memories alive of a loved one. I enjoy giving back and doing what I can to brighten someone’s day or to try to make some sort of difference in this crazy and intense world. My goal is to spread positivity, hope and love.
My goal has been to be able to slow down and take the time to know my customers and what they are looking for and to go above and beyond their expectations. I am very proud and passionate about my work. What started out as a way to stay afloat and to pay student loans turned out to be something I absolutely love doing.
“If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.” Dolly Parton
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Find what makes your heart happy and run with it. Put all fears aside. You have to be passionate about what you are doing. Passion is what drives entrepreneurs, focus on the meaning of your work. Creativity is also essential. Whatever you do, be different, I can’t think of better advice for an entrepreneur. If you’re different, you will stand out.
It was beneficial for me to consider my journey as a learning process, including the possible failures. You must keep your goal in mind and commit to persevering.
The journey has not been easy. I have had many dark nights filled with deep feelings of fear, worry, and insecurity. But for myself, I put my trust in God. I am so blessed and grateful for my business.
“Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle.” – Napoleon Hill
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
I have been incredibly blessed with my business. It started out as an outlet during a very difficult time in my life. It was and still is a positive distraction, a place I can express myself and escape. As a Christian, the most important thing I do when I am overwhelmed is to try and unplug and to turn to God. He is my ever-present help in times of trouble. Simply praying and diving into his word helps to reduce stress and put things in perspective. I also remind myself of God’s many blessings and praise Him for all He does.
Stepping away and self care have also been things I have been working on and it helps immensely. You have to take time to recharge. Doing enough of what you love is essential when you are feeling overwhelmed. Make it a point to set the time aside to bring joy into your life.
“Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” Psalm 55:22
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ardorcreationsbydee.com
- Instagram: @ardorcreations
- Facebook: Ardor Creations by Dee
- Other: TikTok: @ardorcreationsdee
