| Inspiring Story Enjoy your read | |
| From Chicken Soup for the Soul: Power Moms | |
| By Diane Helbig | |
| We shall draw from the heart of suffering itself the means of inspiration and survival. My father passed away suddenly in 2005. It was a life-altering experience. He and I had been tremendously close. I spoke with him every day. Everything I knew about business I had learned from him. Suddenly he was gone and I had a big hole in my life. It's not something that gets filled. But the edges smooth over as time goes by. He is still a big part of my life and all of the decisions I've made since then. Up to that point I had worked my whole life, full-time, either in management or in sales. While sales offered me some flexibility, I was still the victim of other people's decisions. I had never before considered working less, or differently, though I had always wondered what it would be like to run my own business. Raising kids was challenging. At the time, my son was nine years old and my daughter was six. My son was getting to the age where after-school care and summer camp would soon not be options. In addition, I really wanted to be in a position where my kids could come home right after school. At the time, we picked the kids up around five or six, rushed through dinner, homework and baths. Then off to bed. There was no real time for fun or playing or just enjoying each other's company. Imagine, I wondered, what it would be like for them to be able to do homework and then play BEFORE dinner! I am blessed with a husband who is a true partner. We have always divided the family chores easily. We play to our strengths, so he cooks dinner ninety-nine percent of the time, and I handle the finances, groceries, school forms, scheduling and doctors. We share the laundry, parenting, and cleaning. I have never felt the burden of having to "do it all." I have, however, felt that things weren't quite as I would like them to be -- in an ideal world. I just told myself that there really wasn't such a thing as an ideal world. During the month of deconstructing my father's life, my sister and I had some conversations about our lives. We both felt a desire to have more of an impact on the world. Although I was selling a recycled product, it just didn't feel like I was giving enough back to the universe. I was also at a crossroads realizing that I wanted more flexibility to be able to do the things with my kids that they'd remember in the future. Through a lot of soul searching and investigation I landed on my ideal career -- coaching. It was a natural fit. As someone who was always the "go to" person, a natural problem solver, trainer, motivator, and enthusiast, I realized I'd spent my whole life preparing for this role. After several conversations with my husband and a great deal of planning, I launched my own business in early 2006. Since it is a home-based business, it has afforded me the opportunity to be more flexible with my time. I no longer feel guilty about working when I want to be where my family is, or vice versa. My son now comes home directly from school and although my daughter is still in after-school care, I can pick her up earlier than in the past. As I build my business, I am happier than I've ever been. I am doing work I truly love. Even though my best friend suggested I choose life coaching, I opted for business development coaching. I quickly realized that it is what I know best. And, it is completely rewarding. I now have the opportunity to help other people achieve success. To believe in others and help them believe in themselves, to see them do things they never thought possible, to see the "aha" moment -- those are life-affirming experiences for me. And the life lessons my children are learning are invaluable. They see my husband and me working together as a team. They see me helping other people succeed. They see me venturing into uncharted territory and excelling. My father used to tell me that I could do anything I wanted to as long as I was willing to do the work. He was so right. I am a living example of that belief. So not only do I tell it to my children, they see me doing it. They are learning that they, too, can be anything they want to be. We have all grown from this experience. I am spending real quality time with my family and giving them a more balanced me. Our home is less stressful as well. We are all better communicators and listeners. And, by following my heart and creating my own path, I am as close to my father as I was when he was living. And I am closer to my children and my husband that I ever could have hoped for. |
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