Today I Pretended to Work From Home

Today, my 7 year old woke up with a fierce sore throat, and I made the 6:15 am call to keep her home for the day. I figured this gamble would go one of two ways: she would rest, heal, and I would feel like the ultimate triumphant mother, or she would reveal a feigned illness, and I would experience parenting oops #238.

As her temperature would have it, she truly was sick and spent most of her day laying in various comfy spots around the house, negotiating time on the iPad. That left me plenty of time to stay on top of my work email and correspond with my colleagues.

My real job is a school leader which means that though I don’t work from home, I do work from home. All. The. Time. I’ve been in education for 13 years, and it was only when I transitioned from the classroom to a curriculum administration role that I found any semblance of balance between work and home. The amount of stress that immediately dissolved when leaving the classroom — a place I 100% absolutely adore — cannot be overstated. Still, I couldn’t help but pretend to be a work-from-home-parent today, and I have to admit — I pretty much fell in love.

In less than one week from today Taryn (my podcast co-host and best friend) and I will hit a milestone that rivals the likes of middle school crushes and newborn babies: we will celebrate our 3 month anniversary of launching our podcast, Audacity Rising. AR was born out of thin air one Sunday afternoon when we were both fed up with feeling underwhelmed and stagnant. Taryn and I wrote down our dream lists — our “If you could do anything” lists, and I kid you not — what we shared was an answer to questions we had both been carrying around for months.

We both wanted to start a podcast for women. We wanted to write. We wanted to create a school or a space for girls. We wanted to present. We wanted to positively influence women in our world. Our lists were nearly identical. It was freaky. It was fun. It was the start of something big.

It took us 6 weeks to Google, research, plan, create, and launch. We are six weeks post our initial launch, and the work just keeps on coming. Work. Real, honest to goodness work. If you are a long time blogger or podcaster, my apologies from this first time writer, but my goodness what work. What beautiful, wondrous, rabbit-hole-inducing work!

I spent the better part of today wearing my blue-lens glasses (recent acquisition) drafting then sending emails to potential mentors. I reached out to current partners and created a business handout for the next step in our venture (hosting our own workshops…what the what?!?!).

Interestingly enough, my first day job also involves writing, emailing, connecting with people and presenting at workshops. All of the skills I am pouring into this new job (I need to call it a job, right?!?) are skills I’ve been refining for the past 13 years. I know how to communicate effectively and promptly. I know how to sell myself. I know how to create influential lessons that reach an audience. I am a teacher at my core, remember?

The beauty of today was that I felt even MORE balance working from home than ever before. I had a focus. I had tasks I’d made for myself. I had creative writing to do; contacts to find and create; planning, planning, planning. What else? I put food in the crock pot. I showered and put on make-up (didn’t know we were staying home until after that was done) and I just felt such a sense of accomplishment and happiness. No weights. No outside stress. Just excitement.

I started to realize: Holy crap, we could really DO this. People do THIS and it’s awesome. It’s also hard. See, I’m a self-diagnosed workaholic, so the idea of being at home twiddling my thumbs always scared the poo out of me. However, when you’re launching into a brand new space with brand new ideas…how does one not work, work work?

I am also in love with the idea that there is option. Not that long ago working from home on what some might simply refer to as a passion project was not a feasible way to earn a living. Glory hallelujah Hosanna in the highest, that is NOT the case anymore. I mean don’t get me wrong, I don’t really know all the ways to earn said money, but I totally know I can.

Perhaps it’s this option even being available that’s got me so excited. I love my job. I love the purpose, the coaching, the impact. I also love the idea of taking my skills to a bigger audience and making a difference in the world of women in particular. So many women are killing it right now by boss-owning their creativity and paving their own paths. I’m not sorry I’m late to the party — I’m just relieved I found the address. To my home.

Related posts:

A couple of months ago, I created and ran a 4-day boot camp in my Facebook Group, Putting Your Whole Heart Forward. Though it was only attended by a few people (the group has yet to take off so it’s…

Inward evaluating is an autonomous, objective confirmation and counseling action intended to add esteem and work on an association’s activities. It assists an association with achieving its goals by…

Throw on this cotton t-shirt when you want a casual but unique outfit these short sleeve t-shirts will make people stop in their tracks to read the graphics that youre sporting, capturing the…