Diving head first into the unknown has never been a forte of mine. I like to carefully think things out and have a set plan before moving forward. So when I decided to leave my full time position for a part time one without an exact plan in place I thought I might have lost my mind. I have been working since I was 15 years old with very little time off; it finally caught up to me.
I realized that despite loving the line of work I was in, I am not physically or mentally made to do the same thing over and over again. I need variety, freedom, and space to create. I have found all of that by moving to an irregular, unpredictable income. While it is internally terrifying, I haven’t felt this good in a long time!
Here’s a look at my past 8 weeks:
I have taken my kids to the park more times than I did all of last year combined
I have had time to sit, play, read, and color with them
I have been able to take them to play dates with their friends they have missed
I have been a better mother.
I have been able to do a Bible study with my husband
We have had more time to parent together
We have enjoyed dinner with each other without feeling rushed to prepare for the next day
I have been a better wife
I have been able to tend to the yard that has sat neglected for over a year.
I have kept my home clean (well as clean as it can be with two small children).
I have spent more time with our family dogs
I have been a better steward of the possessions I have been blessed with.
I have gone out for coffee with friends I haven’t seen in years
I have been able to attend a Mom’s Night Out
I have been able to engage in meaningful conversation with others online and in person
I have been a better friend.
I have recovered from major surgery
I have begun working out for the first time in years
I have been able to go to sleep on time
I have become a healthier me.
I have accomplished all of this while still:
- Working part time for the birth center
- Building two websites and maintaining a third
- Writing a combined twenty blog posts for all of my business and personal sites (twenty one if you count this post)
- Relaunching / promoting my doula business and networking with local professionals
- Writing forty pages (and counting!) of my childbirth curriculum
- Attending one birth
- Capturing and editing well over one hundred photographs
- Managing or co-managing the social media for 3 Facebook business pages
- Writing 25,000 words for my novel