Today's Musing: Why I Choose to do What Makes Me Happy (even if I make less)

This blog makes me slightly uncomfortable to write because there are definite moments I think back to my "before life" and shake my head.

Did I really walk out on my career to work from home?

What happens if my husband blames me for leaving a steady job (and paycheck)? I can't let him and my family down...

There are moments in the middle of the night where these questions linger in the back of my head. And I'm here, I'm still here and I'm really trying to make this blog a personal one, an honest one, where I can write down my fears and be okay with it.

I also wonder if there are any other people out there, in the same boat, making those same decisions and being okay with it.

And for those that may not be familiar with my story, I would love to share some insights along with a few key thoughts that went into making that big decision a few years ago.

I hope this helps.

1. I was good at my work, but I didn't love it: For close to ten years, I had been working in program development/fundraising in the non profit sector. I loved what the work was about and the team that I worked with. Somewhere down the road though, late at night, I found my mind wandering...my thoughts would linger on weddings. Funny, right? But when I was little and at the book store, one of my favorite things was just rummaging through wedding magazines. It's amazing when you look back on all of it.

Makes you just realize the awe of it all--how maybe our path has been decided long before we even realized it.

So, are you there right now?

2. Could you do this "new thing" every day? No, really. everyday. When you take the leap to do what you love, you are going rogue. You are doing this on your own with little to no help. Can you do this everyday? Close your eyes. If you feel like this may be something you may get bored with over time, it may a sign that you should give this more thought.

3. Assess the risk: I hear a lot of "feel good" workshops these days and sometimes they make me cringe.

Take the plunge! 

Do what makes me happy!! 

It's a dangerous slope and those phrases make cringe. It doesn't give respect to how massive making a big career jump is. Assess your risk. What will you be risking when you take the plunge out of your career? Will it be that you may not be able to go out as much? Or are there much bigger items at stake (house payment, bills, kids, etc.). Look at the big big picture. Know what you are getting into before taking the plunge.

One of the biggest moments in my life (of course, besides having kids) was that moment right before I resigned. That moment when I breathed in. I closed my eyes and took it all in. I let the tears fall. I knew what I was letting go. Easier lifestyle, steady income, benefits...but I also knew what I was gaining....more time with my husband, my boys.

I always knew my life would be interesting. Maybe not full of riches, but I knew. I knew it would be an adventure.

I hope this helps and if you are going through any of these same thoughts or have been in this same boat, would love to hear from you!

XO-Natalie

Today's Musing: Monday Morning Business Corner (Business Burnout)

Good afternoon everyone! Hope all of you had a great weekend! I guess today's post isn't really a "Monday Morning Business Corner," more like a an evening edition...but I guess that will have to work for today. It is Monday, after all.

So today I wanted to touch base on an area I sometimes struggle with, or at least always have to make a conscience effort to work on, which is keeping the passion, or momentum and avoiding the burnout.

I can always say, "I love what I do, and I never feel like I have to work a day in my life," but really, that would not be true. As business owners, it's only natural, over time to have those feelings go up and down at certain times.

So what does burnout feel like? Well, for me, it's just feeling unusually tired working on projects that would usually get me excited, happy. Working on design mock ups, reaching out to potential clients, networking. I found myself having to work up the energy to complete even the simplest of projects.

And it scared me.

I can't be feeling like this!! I LOVE to keep busy. I LOVE my work.

I took a deep breath at some point and decided I needed to mix things up a bit and make some adjustments in my life. I hate to call these tips, as much as useful things I've learned along the way...

1. Timing your Burnout: When do the feelings seem to creep up? Is there a certain time of year? For me, I find, those feelings creep up when during the slower/off season. Instead of maximizing on the extra, down time, I find myself missing the "busy."

Now that I'm aware of this, I take the slower season in much better stride and come up with definite, monthly goals (directly related to work) that I have to tackle.

I aim to create goals that I wasn't able to accomplish during the busier times (i.e. update project deadlines, cleaning up my inventory, reconnecting with network partners, creating updated blog content, reaching out to potential clients, etc.).

I even make it a point to work on something that is on my "career wish list." This is a big one, but I truly, love being on television and giving viewers great entertaining ideas. Is it crazy to think I can make a career out of it? Sure, maybe. But who cares? I'm working at it and again, it's something to work on during my slower times.

2. Rest: I know. Rest. 

Business owners can't rest. What are you thinking?

But it's true. During the times I felt the most burned out, I realized that lacking rest was a huge component in all of this. And that can be anything--tackling home projects you've had on the back burner for months, spending time with friends, catching up on all those books you've been meaning to read but haven't, going on a vacation....

Today, my hair stylist asked me, "So what do you have planned the rest of the day?"
Me: "Um...really...I don't have any plans the rest of the day."

For somebody that works that works crazy hours during the busy time, that feels very awkward to say, but I truly believe that we are way too programmed to not listen to what our body, our spirit is telling us at times.

So those are my few lessons learned!

Would love to hear about what you do when you find yourself in a work-funk.

Me. After haircut. See--don't I look well rested, now? ;)

Today's Musing: How I Let Instagram Control my Life

Hello everyone! Hope all of you are having a great week! Today, feeling the need to release a little, get something off my heart (that has been there for some time). Feeling a bit embarrassed about sharing this, but here it goes.

A few years ago, I stumbled across Instagram and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. I posted without thinking, mixing my feed up with business and family images. I was able to follow women and business I had long time admired, I connected with my peers from a local level and even family.

Over time though, I noticed a shift. I went from checking Instagram once in awhile, to all the time. I noticed my pictures started changing as well. It went from posting images without too much thought to over thinking them constantly. And taking so many images before posting the "perfect" one, with the best filter, of course.

I've also noticed a growing resentment of those that have such a better feed than me.

How is her outfit so perfect? So annoying.
Like she really opens her Bible everyday? Yeah, right.
Yes, that green, unrecognizable shake you are slurping down looks DELICIOUS!
Is it just me or is every photo of her children staged perfectly. GAH.

Crazy, right? I've gone from following those I have admired, to rolling my eyes and feeling like I want to punch them in the face. Yikes, there I said it.

It doesn't feel real anymore. I don't feel real anymore. I feel like a fraud. I feel embarrassed. And it feels incredibly lonely.

I even caught myself closing my eyes, and thinking about the days when there wasn't Instagram, Facebook around. I wondered how I kept in touch with my friends.

Oh, yeah. That's right. I picked up the phone and called them. When did that feel like a lot of work to me???

So today after my impatient toddler yelled at me, "Mooommyyy! Get off your phone!"

I decided maybe it was time.

Nope, not going cold turkey (that may require one of those fancy rehab places) but I am going to ease up on how much I get on.

Maybe it's time to focus less on the image, and just me. No filter, no hashtag, no likes, no followers, no unfollowers. Just me. The boys. My family.

I will let you know how it goes. Not even sure what to expect but I'm thinking it can't be a bad thing, right?

And don't get me wrong. Instagram can be (and is) an amazing vehicle for businesses, but I just haven't figured out the balance it making it work in a way that feels authentic. Is that even possible? Not sure.

Please feel free to share your thoughts on this one, friends.

And because this post is a bit heavy, I'm posting a taken (on the first take, filter-less image).

Me and Preston. He's giving that look because he's used to me taking a million pictures until we get the perfect one.