I’m revisiting a 6-year-old blog series I started when I was pregnant with my first child that talks about all of my favorite things in life that she has to look forward to. I’m now pregnant with my third, and approaching my due date, so I thought it might be a great time to reflect on those pre-kid writings and add in some of my seasoned mom wisdom. I started at 50 and am working my way down to zero. Today’s contribution is #49: Working for a Living.
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Atop Tribune Tower, circa 2010 – a place I once worked |
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
#49 — Working for a Living
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The place I do a lot of work in 2014, our front porch |
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
#49 — Working for a Living
Now that I’ve had a few years to be a “working mom,” my views on work haven’t so much changed, as they have simply been enhanced. Yes, I still believe you should find work that fulfills you. Yes, I still believe that you should surround yourself with colleagues who can serve as a support system in addition to your family and non-work friends. Yes, you should find a way to enjoy even the jobs that you don’t necessarily want to do.
I’ll add this though — remember that your work is just a small part of who you are. It’s okay to find a lot of joy in working for a living, but make sure you still have a life too. You are just one person and can only do so much. Know your personal limits and be happy walking away from that work when the time is right — whether its for a three-day weekend, or for a decade because you’ve decided to stay home with your own kids (my grandkids!). You can work, and be a mom, and be a wife, and be a friend, and be an artist, all at once. Find joy in all of it, and don’t let any one thing define you.
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Tags: 50 things
1 Comment:
This makes me think of the times that you meet someone new and one of the first things they ask is 'So what do you do for a living?' as if this somehow sums you up. I've been a SAHM for three years now, but saying that is always awkward (you never know the response you'll get and it still feels wrong somehow). I want to say… well I'm a mom, and I work hard at that, but I also write, read, craft, follow true crime, and listen to 90's pop & alternative music, I love show tunes, and history… It can be easy to get lost in your job, and for others to loose you in your occupation. So thanks for encouraging us to remember that, and maybe we should start asking people, 'What do you like to do?' instead…