Home.
Greetings from the lounge spot I created for my boys, that I admittedly now work from almost exclusively. Co-creating this space with them has been such a joyful experience.
My days have felt a little lopsided of late; and I’ve been trying so hard to get back into a groove of balancing all.the.things. Managing a young family of five is life’s most beautiful blessing, but I’m here to tell you it’s not for the faint of heart. The schedules, meals, volunteering, appointments, bedtime routines, summer plans, birthday parties, work obligations, personal passion projects - among other things - are a heavy load. And it has all led me to one too many mornings sleeping in, then staying up too late, feeling a little like I was running in circles. Yet, somehow, static. Grateful, and incredibly unsure of which steps to take next.
That’s when I felt an ever so brief tug at my heart, and I knew it was telling me what I already knew deep down: fighting my way through it this time wasn’t the answer. The answer could be so easy. So, I let it be easy… and I followed that tug straight into a call with Ciara Burton.
I know I am my best self when I can lean on and learn from others; personal and professional development are a mainstay in my life. And if I’ve learned anything the past two years, it’s just how much the modern mother needs this level of support. I’ve witnessed first hand how it can turn lives around. Yet we buy into victimhood and bottles of wine because that’s honestly what feels good in the moment; it’s how society has so often painted motherhood. And yet, from my experience, it’s not just mom who benefits when she makes the choice to invest in herself. The entire family unit begins to thrive when a mother chooses to dig deep and do the hard work. When a mom makes a conscious effort towards more joy, everyone’s life upgrades.
At this point, my motherhood toolbelt is overflowing with tactics. I’m so proud of how much I’ve grown, even in the last six months. But sometimes it takes an outsider’s perspective and knowledge to help you upgrade : even the greatest coaches, have coaches. I’m committed to being the best version of myself, which requires consistent refinement. In the days following my most recent coaching session with Ciara, so much clutter has been cleared - both physically and mentally. An emotional spring cleaning is taking shape within my heart and my home. It was the little reset I needed heading into summer. I also realize now that I have a pattern: my coaching needs always seem to align with the changing of the seasons. Nature, yet again, proving her value and connection; woven throughout our human lives.
One hour of my day is all it took to begin to see through the fog again; to recalibrate. I’m slowly getting back to my morning routine, daily prayers of gratitude, and ridding my space of all the “stuff”. Baby steps that yield massive gains. I’ll be forever grateful to Ciara for the coach, friend, mentor, mother, wife, warrior and woman she is; how she leads is inspiring. Her work helping women and mothers… it will reverberate for generations.
So here I am, clocking some freelance hours on our LeoMat in my now clutter-free home office/studio space. And today, work = logo/brand design for a tech education company, and writing. My actual job is to write and to create, at home, in addition to being mama to these three boys. Someone pinch me.
This life - with all its ups and downs, curveballs and constant need for adaptability - was nothing short of a dream just two years ago. I held a vision for who I could become, how our lives could evolve, and I chose to believe it was possible. Even in my darkest postpartum moments (more on that later), I could picture some of it so clearly, and yet other aspects I couldn’t have written even if I had wanted to; they’ve felt like tiny winks from above.. nudges to keep going; reminders that I’m on the right path..
…and that, most importantly, I am finally home 🤍
Thank you, Ciara, for helping me discover what home truly means; a state of being vs a physical address.
Thank you, Paul, for always feeling like home; even when nothing else did.
If you’d like the opportunity to connect with Ciara, check out her website or book a breakthrough call…you (and your family) won’t regret it.