Finding me (for today at least)
Ever have a moment when you are in the middle of doing something and IT hits you....
I've recently had one... In my "life before Espen" I was a marketing / fundraising professional. I had a staff and fancy meetings and raised money for worthy causes. I had to be excited to tell people about a cause I believed in and get their support financially or with product donations. I had to encourage my staff to do the same and we were always successful. It was stressful and full of long hours and even on my worst day I had to put on my game face and do my job of raising awareness and funds!
Then I got Espen and I walked away from it all. I gave it all up to be a mom full time. There were certainly disadvantages ~ sometimes we are flat out broke and I usually am eager to engage in adult conversation with total strangers. But all in all, after some period of being weird about not working, I have never looked back and I am content being a stay at home mom. Mostly I have no desire to go back to work full time.
I was quietly helping the PTA at Espen's school. I went to the meetings and only volunteered to help when I was certain I could do it. Having a child like mine often limits me. Then I just as quietly became the vice president. When they needed someone to help with donations for a spring event I was not eager to help but I took it on. Then I dreaded it because my pottery started to bust a move! So I was less than eager to solicit donations. But I had agreed to do it and so I made time. I searched up names and addresses to 200 of my favorite local places and some not so local ones that I felt would donate. I prepared a letter and got it all done. I did all the online ones and finished. I felt like
'man I can do that'. I started facebooking the ones I knew or did business with. I got my first donation and was PUMPED. I got another and then another. The hope that more come in and the opportunity to talk to folks about the great school and why we are raising funds got me excited. And BAM... I remembered why I loved my job.
I did. I loved it.
Then IT hit me. I loved it. I was good at it. I love being a mom even more. I am a fantastic mom. I know I would never be a good mom and a good employee. The thing is I can still raise friends and funds for a worthy cause (or several if I find time allows one day because I can be a board member). I knew suddenly this morning that I found my niche. I found how I can make a difference in the lives of the many but still be the best mom to the one. That was my IT moment.
I have no desire to go back to work full time right now. I have the desire to be a full time mom and to be brave and dedicated to making a pottery business. When time allows or I find a cause I can support, I can jump in and do what I know I can do... raise funds and friends to support that cause. Finding my space took almost 5 years... but I found it.
I've recently had one... In my "life before Espen" I was a marketing / fundraising professional. I had a staff and fancy meetings and raised money for worthy causes. I had to be excited to tell people about a cause I believed in and get their support financially or with product donations. I had to encourage my staff to do the same and we were always successful. It was stressful and full of long hours and even on my worst day I had to put on my game face and do my job of raising awareness and funds!
Then I got Espen and I walked away from it all. I gave it all up to be a mom full time. There were certainly disadvantages ~ sometimes we are flat out broke and I usually am eager to engage in adult conversation with total strangers. But all in all, after some period of being weird about not working, I have never looked back and I am content being a stay at home mom. Mostly I have no desire to go back to work full time.
I was quietly helping the PTA at Espen's school. I went to the meetings and only volunteered to help when I was certain I could do it. Having a child like mine often limits me. Then I just as quietly became the vice president. When they needed someone to help with donations for a spring event I was not eager to help but I took it on. Then I dreaded it because my pottery started to bust a move! So I was less than eager to solicit donations. But I had agreed to do it and so I made time. I searched up names and addresses to 200 of my favorite local places and some not so local ones that I felt would donate. I prepared a letter and got it all done. I did all the online ones and finished. I felt like'man I can do that'. I started facebooking the ones I knew or did business with. I got my first donation and was PUMPED. I got another and then another. The hope that more come in and the opportunity to talk to folks about the great school and why we are raising funds got me excited. And BAM... I remembered why I loved my job.
I did. I loved it. Then IT hit me. I loved it. I was good at it. I love being a mom even more. I am a fantastic mom. I know I would never be a good mom and a good employee. The thing is I can still raise friends and funds for a worthy cause (or several if I find time allows one day because I can be a board member). I knew suddenly this morning that I found my niche. I found how I can make a difference in the lives of the many but still be the best mom to the one. That was my IT moment.
I have no desire to go back to work full time right now. I have the desire to be a full time mom and to be brave and dedicated to making a pottery business. When time allows or I find a cause I can support, I can jump in and do what I know I can do... raise funds and friends to support that cause. Finding my space took almost 5 years... but I found it.
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