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Find Happiness as a Working Mom

Finding a Career that Makes you Happy

Moms today spend countless hours away from their homes and families, working.  I am just going to say it, it’s just not fair!  To be middle class today, both parents are working 40 hours a week, meanwhile shipping their babies off to daycare at 10 -12 weeks of age. 

There is a struggle with most women between motherhood and career.  We strive to be the best moms and employees we can be. But the constant pull between the two does not make us great at either one.

I don’t want to make anyone depressed reading this, but the statistics are very sad.  The consistent rise in the cost of living does not match the rise in income for American families. Women who once had a choice to work or stay home with their babies, now find staying home is unfortunately, not an option. 

The Plus Side of being a Working Mom

Being a working mom is not a bad thing, in fact, it shows our children the value of hard work and responsibilities.  It shows them how we must earn what we get in life, that we should not depend on other people for our needs. 

With the sad reality of divorce, and the likelihood that it could happen to any of us, it is great to know that us moms can provide, if put in a situation that we must. However, there is a need to feel satisfied with what we are doing and to feel content in our lives.  When we feel unsettled and as if our jobs are robbing us of our life, it’s time for a change.

How does the job you are in make you feel?

That is the main point that I am trying to get to here.  Do you feel well?  Does your job/career drain you and make it hard to come home and leave work at work and be there for your family?  Are you exhausted because you have given so much energy to your 9-5 that you have none left when you get home? I know these feelings all too well, and it’s not a good way to live.

So how do you know when it’s time to walk a different path?

It’s a feeling deep in your soul.  If you take time to really get in touch with who you are and who you want to be, the answer will be glaring back at you.

  • Do you feel calm or anxious when you think about what you are doing for a career?
  • Do you feel valued at work?
  • Do you feel energized or drained by what you are doing?
  • What does your future look like 10, 15, 20 years from now? 

After answering these questions, you will know if you are on the right path.  What do we do if we are not?  When we must work, but we want to feel more content?  When our jobs are making us not feel well?

How do we plan for a drastic career change? 

The easy thing to do would be to find another job in the same field but with another company. If your current job is not giving you what you want, odds are staying in the same career, just a change of scenery, is not going to fulfill you either, trust me, it’s not!  

This time don’t take the easy route, wake up and live! Become who you were meant to be, strive to find your purpose in life!

We need to ask ourselves who we are, what brings us joy?  What is our ideal state and how do we get there, remember “Rome wasn’t built in a day” planning is everything! 

  • Follow your heart
  • Ask yourself what interests you? 
  • What makes you want to get out of bed in the morning? 
  • What is it that speaks to you?  Do you have a dream job in mind? 

Once you figure this part out, it’s time to put everything into action.

  • Research:  The internet is a wonderful resource. Whether it is going back to school or finding something you can do from home, chances are you can find it on the vast world wide web. Today you can take almost any course or class online, you can work remotely using the internet, if you search you will find that dream job.  Things may be a little stressful at first, but always keep the goal in mind, it WILL be worth it.
  • Set a date:  After you figure out what it is you desire for your future, have a goal in mind as to when you want to make the big change.  Write it down and make it real.
  • Set up your financial situation:  This is probably the hardest part.  There is a good chance that you may be taking a temporary pay cut, if you are starting over with a new career.  Before making any drastic changes, make sure that you are financially prepared.  Take as much money as possible out of your paycheck and set it aside in a savings account, learn to live on less and SAVE.  Make sure your debts are in order and can be paid.  Simplify and be realistic about what your needs are, knowing how much money you will need to make you feel content with the transition. 

Your happiness will lead to success.  When we enjoy what we are doing, it comes naturally, often it just take time and patience. 

  • Write down your plan:  Now that you know what you are going to do, have set a date, and have your finances in place.  Write down the plan.  Keep it somewhere visible and reference it often.  Highlight important dates, like the dates of courses you are taking, dates of when you will have enough money saved up, dates of when you will start your new career and part ways with your old one, often overlapping the two makes the most sense. 
  • Get to work: Just do it!  Start now, whatever IT is! No regrets, life is too short to spend so much of your time doing something that makes you miserable.  There is so much out there we can do to make our life a little sweeter.  What are you waiting for?  Remember this quote “The time will pass anyway.  You can spend it creating the life you want or spend it living the life you don’t, the choice is yours.”

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Keeping Kids Healthy During the Holidays

Keeping Kids Healthy During the Holidays

During the holidays it can be almost impossible to keep our kiddos healthy. The holidays bring everyone and every germ all together in one place! The constant sweet treats and stimulation can quickly make our kids more vulnerable to those nasty illnesses lurking around during the holidays. The following are tips that I’ve put together that may help ward off some of the sickness.

1. Stress the importance of hand washing!

Kids tend to get so busy that they forget to wash their hands. It’s especially important for them to do before eating. Setting an example and reminding them consistently will help make it a routine. I always have my OnGuard hand sanitizer handy as well, just in case we’re somewhere that hand washing is not possible.

2. Eating plenty of fruits and veggies.

This time of year is busy, no doubt. Keep the refrigerator, freezer, cupboards all stocked with fruit and vegetables, as much as possible, to ensure that there is an easy option for snacking.

I love dried fruit and the convenience of fruit cups (forgive me mother earth). We also always have a fruit for breakfast and make sure to pack a fruit and veggie in their lunchboxes everyday. Keep it simple, it doesn’t need to be anything fancy. And remember “no dessert until you eat your veggies!”

3. Get a good night’s sleep.

I’ve always been a stickler for this one. Since my kids were little, they’ve had a set bedtime. Sleep is extremely important for their growing bodies and immune systems. Lack of sleep leads to grumpy kids getting sick, not too fun right?

Try to stick to the routine as much as possible. If it’s a late night, try to make up for it a little in the morning by letting them sleep in. You can always diffuse an essential oil like lavender or Serenity blend to help calm them down after an overly stimulated day.

4. Control the sugar intake.

This one’s a tough one. Sugary treats are everywhere at the holidays. We all know what sugar can do to kid’s hyperactivity, but too much can also affect their immune systems, making it hard for them to fight off those nasty germs. How do we control their temptation? Well I don’t know, honestly.

I believe educating them on how too much sugar can be bad and make their tummies feel icky helps a little. Making them ask before they have a treat is also a good rule to have. Although, hard to say “no” it at least gives us parents a little awareness as to when and what they’re eating, then we can have the chance to say “just one” or “this is all you’re getting.”

5. Keep them hydrated.

Good old H2O is so good for everyone. We all know that our bodies need water to work properly. Water helps them flush toxins out of their little systems and keep their immune systems up and running. I recommend investing in a cool water bottle that they like and encourage them to drink as many bottles as they can every day.

6. Get them outside to play.

When the temperature drops outside we all want to hibernate. However, fresh air and sunshine can do wonders for mood and the body’s defense system.

Playing outside releases stress and gives their bodies the exercise it needs to stay healthy, always.  Remember to set a good example and go outside and play with them, go for a walk even if just for 10-15 minutes. Every little bit helps!

7. Diffuse those Oils.

Essential oils are beneficial in so many ways. Diffusing oils calms the nervous system as we inhale them.  My favorite to diffuse this time of year is OnGuard essential oil blend as the day wraps up, it gives everyone in the house a nice a little boost to the immune system.

So as you can see, there are some very simple steps you can take to keep your kids healthy this time of year! Happy Holidays!