This guest post I wrote for 5 BY 5 Design's Inspiration page ran today:
I'm a freelance publicist and producer for creatives and entrepreneurs. I work with some of the most talented and innovative people in the world. I get to travel for work! When I'm not traveling, I mostly work in a hoodie and yoga pants. I work whenever I want, wherever I want. I am, quite literally, living my dream.You know how I got this job? I made it up. I patchworked together my favorite things to do, what I know I'm good at, and called it a thing. I filed for LLC, made a website, and started. I had lots of people tell me I couldn't do that. But I didn't listen. Why? Because the people who were cheering for me were louder.
How did I get to this place? I realized a few years ago after staying at home with my boys for the five years prior that I just had this one time around. Maybe it was witnessing their daily joy, maybe it was coming out of the fog of the early stages of parenting, maybe it was the sleep deprivation. Probably a combination of those factors and others. There it was, clear as a bell: THIS IS IT. Now is the time. You are the one.
In this time I also realized that I was part of a dysfunctional marriage that was broken beyond repair. I could no longer show the boys how to be married to their dad well. I could, however, show them how to be solely happy; how to be happy alone. Which, if you think about it, may be the most important skill we ever learn. I could show them how to work hard, be honest, and build something from the ground up. I could show them that women are leaders. This will be my legacy. And I can't think of anything better.
THIS IS IT. Now is the time. You are the one.
When they asked me to do this guest post, I wasn't quite sure if they wanted me to do a PR tips list, or what, so I went to their website to see what others had written and found that the space where they put these articles is called "Inspiration". I've told this exact story at least 1000 times in person but had never written it down. Decided it was time, and here's the result. This is far better than any PR tips list in the inspiration category. We just get this one time around and every move we make; word we say counts. I hope you can find a way to get unstuck if you are. Tell the truth, especially to yourself. I wish you heaps of courage.
If you liked this article, you might also want to check out this list I made about knowing yourself better.