Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
This is an interesting one. As I was developing the tool I explained in the last section, I was working for a training organization, one I absolutely love. However, add a baby to the mix and increase workloads – I was well on the way to burnout.
I have since left that employment with bittersweet feelings as I do miss my colleagues tremendously, though it has been so lovely to reconnect with my family and test out my new findings. Applying these aspects and principles in my life has paid off with dividends. My seven-year-old daughter is very much a daddy’s girl and currently he is away for the month training in the army. I prepared myself for some battles, and indeed there were battles that came and went. This daughter of mine loves to write notes, a common one she would write was “I love Daddy, I hate Mummy.” While this hurt, I knew not to take it personally. Though to my delight, yesterday after willingly helping to bring the wood in for the fire, willingly packing her food for the next day at school, willingly getting ready for her shower (all three things would elicit incredible whines from her), she suddenly said enthusiastically “I love my life!”
So how do I balance work and family? I integrate it, because if my work can help my family, then it can help other families too.
The Drive: What challenges have you overcome?
The challenges I have overcome… this is a tough one. Being so new to this business has had its challenges, though the biggest has been having the time to focus on building my products and services and reaching those who truly need them.
I now have the time. I now have the resources developed. So, I see those challenges as being overcome tenfold.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
I love to finish on positives so let’s start with the cons first.
Well, it is generally not 9-5. It can become consuming if I am not intentional about setting my boundaries. This means careful planning is needed and accountability from others in similar positions.
The other cons include filling all the roles – CEO, admin, service provider, marketer, tech-wiz, and so on. It’s a steep learning curve and it can be a distraction from the parts of my business that I love.
The positives: I love having the flexibility and autonomy to be able to take rest days as needed and not feel guilty.
I also really appreciate the opportunity to focus on my deepest passions and apply them to my own life as I go in amazing alignment.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
What’s next? Well the tool I created will be turned into an online course, so parents can go through when it suits them and then take their children through the kids’ version to help build their emotional connectiveness.
A bigger course for parenting will flow from this which takes you through leadership skills, prompting the big discussions that are not so obvious, and setting the foundations for effective discipline – no smacking required!
After this, a marriage course will be developed to support couples going through their first year of marriage, setting their foundations firmly. It’s a steep learning curve no matter how long you have been together and when the marriage is tight, the family is secure.
Are you interested in learning more? Visit the Intentional Families website and get in touch with Jess. You can also become part of the community on their Facebook page.
