Fourteen years ago I had two babies, a busy husband, and a career on hold. I had just moved back to Canada after having lived abroad for many years. Just like a lot of you with small children, just trying to get through the day-to-day was enough to handle. This wasn't the smoothest time in my marriage but we got through it. As we know, our society doesn't really acknowledge this work - but it is repetitive hard work. Parenting and partnering is the most critical, common, and enduring work on the planet.
I felt like I had enough going on every day, ‘going back to work” seemed unmanageable. I was a high school teacher for many years and I loved working with teenagers, but eventually felt that the job was too confining for me and I couldn't see myself continuing. I had other jobs over the years, I’ve watched my friends who were working full time and managing families experience burn out or at least they were always barely holding it together. I was sitting on three university degrees and not knowing what I could do to create a career for myself without “taking away” from my family. The cherry on top was that every time I heard myself complaining in my own head, I would beat myself up for not being grateful for what I already had.
There is no ‘one moment” when I decided to turn it all around. I know that's a common storyline in the wellness & coaching world, but it isn't true for me. I didn’t hit rock bottom, get depressed, file for bankruptcy, have a huge realization, and then climb my way back to roaring success.
I've had moments over the years when things have felt like they were crashing in and I didn't know what to do. I've been overwhelmed and underwhelmed hundreds of times. I've had to get super honest and have tough conversations with people I loved. I've had to have tough conversations with myself and figure out a way through. I've returned to my values millions of times. I’ve had to claim my own value, stand by my own strengths.
Probably you too.
Things have changed a lot for me since these days. I work for myself coaching women and I love it. My kids are teenagers. There’s been curveballs and good times- just like in everybody’s life.
Life is different for all of us but we all have the common experience of navigating our own path. Life is a process of constantly unlayering to become the fullest version of ourselves.
I’m happy to be on this journey with you. Keep on rockin' on everyone!!