Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
Balance for us looks a bit blurry, given that our family space is also our workspace, with my husband working from home a lot too. I’m still trying to find a magic formula that lets me feel focused on one thing at a time, but truthfully my brain is overflowing with to-do lists and my days are a little bit work, a little bit family, a little bit housekeeper all blended between each other. Some days are really productive, or really rich in quality family time, and others are just not.
I do feel really grateful that my husband and I chose to make some big lifestyle changes when I left my corporate job to enable more balance between work life and family life – for both of us. We share school drop offs and pickups and have a newfound sense of team when it comes to housework. It means that between all the work, we get to spend a lot of time just being around each other as a family, which has been a lovely change from late childcare pickups and all the rushing. Soon after I’d resigned, I was at home playing with our son and he turned and said to me, “Mum, I didn’t know you could be this fun!”. It broke my heart whilst simultaneously filling it with love and gratitude – it was clear we had made the right decision for our family.
The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
Many! Financing significant cost increases. Insurance. Resolving product development. Freight delays – so many delays. Imposter syndrome! Fear of failure. Finally believing I can actually do this. Each time I think it’s just been a case of pushing forward and believing that it will work out. Saying yes to the opportunities and working it out later. Sometimes I felt like I was pushing forward blindly, expecting to fall off a cliff. But somehow, through persistence and refusing to give up, it has worked out. I was reading Lisa Messenger’s book Daring and Disruptive while working through many early challenges and one thing that particularly stuck with me was her unwavering sense of belief that things would work out. She had been able to work through some huge roadblocks across her business ventures because she didn’t give up, so I tried to apply a similar mentality. Of course, there’s also a lot of hard work that goes with that mindset!
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
Flexibility and being your own boss: I’d say for me these are both pros and cons!
I love so much about the flexibility of not having a prescribed 9-5 job. It allows me to work around school drop offs and pickups and all the other family life things. However, I’ve quickly realised as much as the flexibility is wonderful, it can also be hard to not fall into a 24/7 ‘always-on’ mindset when running your own business and running it from home right alongside all of the family life things. I’m still working on how to be better at dedicated work time and dedicated family time. The truth is it’s all a bit blurry right now.
I’ve previously worked leading teams of people, so the shift to being my own boss, working by myself and for myself has been interesting. I definitely miss having a bunch of creative people to workshop things with but I’m also learning so much in doing it all myself, which I’m really enjoying. Realising all decision-making rests with me is equally overwhelming and empowering. There is no one holding you accountable but yourself! I’m learning to let go of perfectionism and back myself when making those decisions. I tend to overthink things, so this has been a big step for me!
A good friend and fellow small business owner shared with me that she was once told (with loving intent) that ‘no one else is going to do that task or make that decision for you’. Although it may sound harsh, its true! I’ve found this useful to remind myself when I find myself procrastinating or stuck on something. Back yourself, and do it!
Hopes and dreams: What next?
We’ve just welcomed baby number three to our family, so I’m taking a bit of time to focus on him and putting energy into family life as we all adjust to a new normal as a party of five – currently we’re embracing the chaos of the newness!
Once we’re a bit more settled, I’m really looking forward to seeing how far I can take Brave and Able this year. I’m utterly blown away with the response so far; it’s so motivating and rewarding to receive such lovely, heartfelt messages from parents, expressing their thanks for this tool and explaining just how much support their Breathing Buddy brings to their child and the positive impact it’s having not just for their child, but in turn for them as parents and as a whole family unit. It’s so rewarding to know that all the work and the waiting has been worth it. We’ve only been a live brand for three months so I hope that I can continue to reach more families with the power of calm breathing and help more children and their families find their calm and confidence.
Head to the Brave and Able website to find out more, and join their communities on Facebook and Instagram.
