Progress! #9: Start my own translation business

A teeny-weenie part of this has come to fruition!

My very own business cards arrived in the mail this weekend. They look happy and professional - I'm really pleased with how they turned out. (They were ordered off Vistaprint.com, which is a "discount" website with just about every office supply you can imagine - I half expected them to come looking like they were printed on a hand-me-down inkjet printer and cut with dull safety scissors.)

This means that I've arrived at The Intimidating Part of this item... the part where I have to have confidence in my abilities. I won't claim to be the first person with confidence issues, it's just that mine come with a side of I-don't-believe-people-when-they-compliment-me gravy to smother it. (someone please note that this might be the first time I've ever spoken negatively of gravy...) Perhaps it's my ego getting in the way, but most people who compliment my Spanish don't speak Spanish very well. Which to me begs the question... How do you know?

Then after hurdling over that mindblock, I have to be able to promote myself. That means inserting my shameless plug into conversations and talking to strangers and being excited instead of humble. I have to look people in the eye and say, "Hey! I'm awesome and here's why." I should write down three bullet points of awesomeness and recite them to myself every morning in the mirror. I wonder if that really works...?

But the business cards are step one. Even if it's the first out of 100.