My life has moved so fast since last December, sometimes my head spins.  I left a secure job in the non-profit sector and started a new company with another power mom. I teamed up with a dear friend and blogger to form Momz Share. And, oh yeah, I’ve started training for the New York City Marathon.
Hectic much? Kinda.

People often ask me how I “do it all.” Honestly, I’m not really sure how to answer that question.  I know that for me, what I choose to do doesn’t feel like WORK.  It is, well…FUN.  ”Doing it all” in this case is the same as breathing and SMILING.

I recently had a striking conversation with a childhood pal about her passions. She wanted so badly to step out and make her dream a reality.  She is just not happy at this stage of her life.  Now, I’m not exactly qualified to give business advice, being a novice myself, but I do know a couple of things about blazing your own trail and taking a chance.

“The secret of making something work in your life is first of all,
the deep desire to make it work,
then the faith and belief that it can work,
then to hold that clear definite vision in your consciousness
and see it working out step by step,
without one thought of  doubt or disbelief.”
- Eileen Caddy

If there is something you want so badly that you can taste it, then I believe that you owe it to yourself to take a chance.  Just TRY.  Sure you will be scared.  Terrified, even.

Yeah, risks are scary. No doubt about it.  But think of how you will feel if you DON’T make a move.  If you don’t even make an attempt.  Regret is the worst feeling of all.

I encourage you to write down you innermost goals and start your action plan.  Ignore the insecure girl inside of your head and make your own opportunities. Take a risk. Making your dream a reality is so worth it!

RESOURCES

Career girls will appreciate this book: Why Good Girls Don’t Get Ahead But Gutsy Girls Do – Kate White

I thought that it would take me at least two weeks before I had some good ole fashioned working mom experiences to blog about.  I was so wrong.

I don’t even start my new job until April 1st.

This kind of mania right off the bat is a new record, even for me.  I’m kind of in awe.  Talk about having to juggle work and family!

So,  I start my new job on Wednesday.  (Yes, April Fool’s Day – how appropriate!) We (me, hubby and boys) are scheduled to go out of town three days  into it to visit my in-laws.  It’ll be a quick visit.  Unfortunately, I can no longer leave town early on a Friday.  It is my first week.  I’m not asking off early. And, due to my marathon training, we have to return immediately on Sunday so that I can get a 20 mile training run in.

My newly-aquired-after-school-provider goes on vacation the very next day (Monday) leaving me scrambling to find a neighbor  kind enough to watch the boys on Monday and Tuesday.  Well, Wednesday and Thursday the kids will have to head to their grandparents for a visit because (you guessed it) they are off for Spring Break.  Friday they will be at home with me.  (Thank goodness, I’m off for the holiday.) Sunday, as you know, is Easter.

The very next day (Monday) Jedi and Ninja will visit another friend’s house while their father and I head back to work .  Tuesday the kids return to school, while I fly out to California for three days on business.  Due to my husband’s work schedule that week, my parents will be staying at our house for two days to help him out while I am training.

Did I mention the fact that we are scheduled to have company as well?  My college roommate and her family fly into town on Friday around 2:00pm for a weekend visit.  I fly in the same day but, my plane doesn’t get in until 6:00pm.  Everyone will beat me home…. the kids, the husband and my guests.

So I am thinking that it is indeed appropriate that I start my new gig on April Fool’s Day.  Hopefully it will remind me not to stress and take life so seriously.

I’m in a state of panic. Totally NOT where I want to be at the moment.

As I have mentioned, I’m going back to work.  Now, honestly, I’ve always been a “working mom” but the difference now is that I will be reentering the 9-5 sit in an office and act like a big girl around your co-workers kind of job.

For the past year and a half I have been an independent contractor working more project to project then continuously.  Some months were furiously busy.  Some were aggravatingly slow.  The perk was that I set my own daily schedule.

But all that is about to change, which is why I am in a panic.  Not because I am dreading it…. OH NO!  It is because I decided that I would spend my last week “getting organized.”

Getting organized to ME means cleaning up the house, making sure the laundry is done and having a family plan in place for the next week when I begin my new job.

Apparently, “getting organized” to my husband means pulling everything out of EVERY closet and then systematically putting it all back neatly in place.  I call that spring cleaning. NOT exactly what I had in mind.

He is obsessed… read more here…

Well I am officially reentering myself back into the workforce full-time.  It has been a year and a half since I took a break from the 40 hour a week 9-5 grind and began my journey as an independant contractor.

I will probably miss the days I spent working in my jammies.  Hey, there was no one around so who cared?  I have probably spent more time WITHOUT makeup on then WITH.  (Which is seriously saying something.)

On the up side I am excited that I will get to talk and interact daily with REAL PEOPLE.  I’ve always had my clients to talk to, of course, but essentially I worked alone from my home office.  I talked to “Fire” the bearded dragon and a tank full of fish.  Occasionally even to the dog when she decided to walk all over my paperwork, so carefully laid out on the floor.  Oh, that is a thought.  I guess I will have to get myself organized.  No spreading paperwork all over the floor.  That wouldn’t send the right message about my competence, would it?

Another thing I am just now thinking about…  I better get a couple more professional outfits.  Sweats don’t count.  Shorts are inappropriate.  Old race t-shirts probably are against dress code.  Hmmm….. this could be exciting.  AN EXCUSE FOR A SHOPPING TRIP!

This whole work scenario is just getting better and better.  New shoes, new purse, new office supplies…

So I was doing a little cardio last night and flicking through the channels when I came across one of my favorite movies… The Devil Wears Prada.

I “heart” this movie.

I think the reason I like it so much is because it reminds me of my time working in the music industry. I see such similarities. And oh boy did I have a doozy of a boss. Female, of course. One of my nicknames for her was Satan. She could clear the room, that one.

This woman was a successful publicist and had just recently transitioned over to artist manager. She had two clients – one a multi-platinum recording artist at the height of her career and the other an emerging young female alternative talent. She killed both of their careers.

I remember one meeting in her office where she was getting her nails done. Not just painted, oh no… she was getting fiberglass nails put ON. And if you’ve ever been in the room when that happens, well, it doesn’t have a nice aroma, lets just put it that way. It was a insanely disrespectful to all parties involved. And the parties involved were heads of record labels, choreographers, tour managers, etc… They were not amused.

I was her assistant. I was young, green and happy to be a part of the music industry. I was fresh meat. It took me awhile to come to my senses. I later learned that by sticking it out I earned the respect of many a professional in the industry.

Whatever. I was just happy to have survived. Ironically, she also wore Prada. Interesting, huh?