When life gives you lemons, build a lemonade stand and profit!
Sometimes life throws us some serious curves. The best thing we can do is learn from the obstacles that are placed before us and try to grow as human beings, as moms, as business people. Always try to look for the bright side of an uncomfortable situation. Sometimes, we are steered off of our path, so that we can go onto a better , brighter path, even though we may not realize it while it is happening.
Don't suck on the lemons! Build a lemonade stand and make the best of it!
So my time is getting closer - closer to going back to the "real world" that is. The world of working 9-5p.m, which I absolutely dread! It's been a wonderful year and half on hiatus (actually, closer to two years!) I never went back to work after my brain surgery (craniotomy) in November 2013. I mean, I still write/blog and do some social media work from home on the side, but I have not been back in the "real" (corporate) world for a while, and I have to tell you, I do not miss it one little bit! But times are tough, the economy is rough, and "you got to do what you got to do."
I will tell you though, if I could just stay home writing and taking care of my family, I'd be a very happy camper! During my hiatus, I have written tons of blog entries, designed many items on my MiaMoon Designs website, done social media work for a few companies and I have even created a new blog/website in the hopes of it developing into a book someday. (A girl can dream, right?)
But with all that being said, sitting at home is still not cutting it in the middle-class suburbs in today's economic turmoil. It is a luxury to stay home with the kids, one that I am infinitely grateful for, but I know the time has come to do more on my part to help the family financially. So, until, I get that big book deal or write a ground-breaking blog entry, or sell thousands of my adorable, designed t-shirts or mugs, the reality is that I must get ready to go back to "work." It's not going to be easy!
I had an initial phone interview today for a marketing job with the possibility of a face-to-face interview next week, so it is beginning to look a lot more realistic now. I have been holding out for that "perfect job" with great hours, maybe even a part-time but, now-a-days, getting any job is a blessing! I have to appreciate the good offers that come my way and stop passing them up.
As I write this blog entry I realize, once I get a job out in the real world, I will not have the luxury of writing at 11 o' clock in the morning in my pajamas or picking up my little guy in the school car line at 2:00p.m., or running to the grocery store on a whim or driving my daughter to theater camp during the summer. Those are the "little things," that I will truly miss, that I do not take for granted! It will be back to fighting early morning traffic, listening to the morning radio shows and watching the clock tick down to 5:29p.m.
Hmm, I know more and more now this is not what I want to do for the rest of my life! The finding a job, just to make ends meet. No! I want to write and blog and do social media and spend time with my kids and drive them to hockey and theater camp and be active in their daily lives, not just after 6p.m. during homework and bath time. I know it won't kill them if I go off to work again, but it might kill me, from unhappiness. A little dramatic, I know but the last time I spent 4 years at a job I did not like, I ended up with a brain tumor! (Yikes!) Related or not, I do not know. What I have learned from my experiences is that life is too short to be unhappy.
How does one find the balance between doing what you really love to do in your career, make money and balance your life as a mom? I guess I will continue my search for something I will really enjoy doing for a living! If you have any great suggestions, please share!
For now, I am off to take my rink-rat to hockey practice!
I know in the end, everything is going to be alright. It might not be the same, but it will be alright!
Are you a solo mom? A mom, who, whether by choice, divorce, widow or perhaps or perhaps military deployment, is raising her kids alone? Whatever the reason, if you are currently a solo mom, I'd like to share a wonderful resource with you called, ESME, which stands for Empowering Solo Moms Everywhere. ESME, is a social media platform that is dedicated to Solo Moms who face the challenge of parenting alone
in a society that provides little help or guidance. "Mothers on their
own, whether by choice or circumstance, parent approximately 22 million
American children. Moving beyond stereotypes, ESME offers Solo Moms
inspiration, resources, allies, opportunities for creative expression,
and some laughs along the way. ESME empowers a broad demographic of
women who, despite differences in age, race, culture, and route to
single motherhood, are bound together in a conscious coalition that is
strong, proud and dedicated to their children."
ESME is a project of love that was founded by, Marika Lindholm. 15 years ago
Lindholm was newly divorced with two young children. While she was
fortunate to have a stable job as a college professor, she realized many
other Solo Moms were working for minimum wage and trying desperately to
make a good life for their families. She also knew that while finances
were a primary issue for many Solo Moms, there were other realities and
challenges that bind Solo Moms such as dating, co-parenting with an ex,
feelings of isolation, and finding time for self-care and fun. Flash
forward to 2014: Lindholm was happily remarried, and raising five
children, but her husband’s work required him to be away for stretches
of 6-8 weeks, spurring her into creating something that would improve
the lives of Solo Moms. ESME was born.
We are all "Mommy Warriors" but even those of us who are married, or live with a significant other, know that when your partner is not around whether it is because of a business trip or whatever the case may be, you know full-well, just how difficult it is to deal with the kids when you are alone. I know how I felt when my husband was away on business for weeks at a time when he had an international job. I was overwhelmed at home with my baby, (and at the time, it was only one child.) Now, imagine having to do that all the time, every single day of every year and sometimes with two, three, sometimes four kids. It is not only extremely difficult financially, but emotionally, it can take a toll on your mental and emotional well-being. This is why ESME is such an amazing concept, it is a support group basically for moms in a similar situation that can reach out and empower each other.
I am all for the empowerment of women and I believe that if you are a Solo Mom, you should check out EMSE and take full advantage of the amazing resources available, as well as the friendships that can be cultivated through ESME's. ESME Resources contains an expanding list of over 5,000 resources for
Solo Moms. Within each of their 20 categories, you will find an overview
by a knowledgable Guide who cares deeply about that particular topic.You can go online to their website and choose from a category of articles, FAQ's, interviews, Do's
and Don'ts, videos etc. about your particular situation. As their motto states: "Independent Together." You do not have to give up your independence or privacy to use ESME, it is simply a great tool to empower moms who are raising their kids alone.
Listen first-hand what Solo Moms are saying about ESME
"A strong woman loves who she is, trust her instincts, speaks her mind and doesn't take crap from anyone."
You, right there, reading this, you ARE a strong woman. You may not feel that way right now but you are. You care for your kids, you do your work, whether inside the home or out, you prepare dinner for the family, you take care of them when they are not feeling well, you have time to help your kids with homework, and you may have even over come some health challenges. Sure, you may have said at the time, "Why me?" But now you are much stronger for it, and that's what life is all about. Learning and growing from life's lessons.
How strong are you emotionally? Here is a list of my favorite qualities of strong women. Maybe you don't have all of these right now, maybe just a few, maybe one or two, but it is something to strive for to become a better person, a better mom, a better wife and an overall better human being.
QUALITIES OF A STRONG WOMAN
1. She is confident. 2. She trusts her abilities, but is always willing to learn more. 3. She is not afraid to share her ideas and thoughts, regardless of
what others think. 4. She speaks her heart and her mind. 5. She has a healthy handle on her emotions. 6. She is independent and doesn't base her happiness on another individual. 7. She not only stands up for herself but for others as well. 8. She teaches others what she has learned - shares the wisdom acquired. 9. She knows how to maintain a balance in her life between family, work, health and friends. 10. She accepts situations as they arise and adapts to them. 11. She is not needy in any way but is rather graciously detached. 12. She is happy when she is alone & does not need an entourage to fulfill her needs. 13. She knows how to handle herself in any situation. 14. She overcomes life's obstacles (whether it is health or financial) with grace and courage. 15. She inspires others to be strong.
The truly strong and fearless, never think they are. It's like that quote: "A woman is like a tea bag. You never know how strong it is, until it's in hot water." We, women are like that. We coast along life doing our daily thing, until "something" happens and then that "mama bear" instinct takes over and we become fierce and stronger than we ever anticipated because it's who we are: MOMMY WARRIORS - STRONG WOMEN.
