Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
Again, because I fell into the trap of a grown-up woman setting up her own business in a grown-up world, the start was not very pleasant. I wanted to do everything all at once and have results straight away, I was getting upset when I didn’t have enough energy for the projects I wanted to complete, in between feedings, play and naps and walks. When I connected back to myself, my body, gave compassion to my neglected emotions, I realised that it was just so much easier and more natural to have this balance in everyday life. I work only an hour or two per day, when my daughter is at nursery. Sometimes I will let her watch Peppa Pig on her tablet, when I want to complete a task or do it when she naps. Most of the time I am raising Lillie on my own. Her dad lives in a different city. When he comes to see her, I catch up with business, set an event for a date when he is around as I know that she is not missing out on attention and care. But I am really doing half as much as I was doing when I started and I am feeling so much more fulfilled. I listen to my body and what it needs, I try to be more mindful of my monthly cycle and allow more relaxed time when I need to. I can still go back to the “rat race” feel for a very short moment, but it literally becomes unbearable, so I bring myself back to a gentler approach with one step at a time.
The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
Being a single parent most of the time, doubting my business skills, not having a clue about marketing and online advertising, days when I felt like I am completely crazy to try and have a business while my daughter is only two years old, days when I felt not good enough, days when I envied my friends for a more stable and “normal” life, days when I cried that my partnership did not work out the way I always dreamed it would…but love wins, seriously love wins with all of this. Allowing yourself the feelings and then letting them out of your body, because you know you are here for something good and helpful and meaningful and you are not doing it just for the money, but you are doing it from LOVE.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
The pros are that you decide on the hours, the rates, the pace, the number of clients you take on, how many projects you can handle and obviously you can change your concepts, and add or remove ideas at your convenience. You can also spend more time at home with your children, and go on holiday more freely.
As for cons, the money coming in is not the same every month, there is a very shaky period at the beginning and it needs time to settle. You have to find your own clients, advertise, pray that somebody will need your services and they will find you. Plus a big one: if you are not careful, you can start thinking about work all day and night and that can mess with your family life (I have done that and it didn’t feel healthy, because at the beginning, I didn’t set myself a number of hours per day I wanted to use for work – I was just all over the place with it).
Hopes and dreams: What next?
I am really pleased to be organising an event for Polish women – “The Sounds of Freedom” towards the end of this year, in Taunton, Somerset where I am living at the moment. This will be an absolutely wonderful time of emotional healing through singing, dancing, art and more. I am definitely planning to do the same event in English afterwards.
I dream of empowering thousands of women around the world to find their peace within, freedom to express their gifts, shine their light and love to their families and the communities around them, understand what connection with GOD really is and how this universal force is all around us and ready to take care of us.
I would like to attend and create many more women’s and family events, conferences, workshops where I can motivate them with my speech, singing, share my knowledge and passion for growth.
I would love to set up my own healing retreats or lease with other likeminded women where I live in Somerset and Devon/Cornwall, as the vibration and nature here is truly magical.
The easiest way to get in touch with me and find out more about my work is via my email studiokreacj1@gmail.com. If you are interested in working 1:1 with me, I can offer a first session free to 5 women per month, so you can experience the way I work. Please contact me to book a trial session. My Facebook page is only just starting out, so if there are any mammas out there who would like to give me some tips on how to improve that, I will be very grateful! You can also connect with me on LinkedIn or simply drop me a message on my messenger: Patrycja Oledzka.
