Free

I'm not sure of how many of us are affected by this recession but from the looks of it, I'm not alone. What I'm wondering is what everyone else is doing with during this time? Downsizing, job hunting, cutting back, laying awake with worry at night etc.? As I've stated before I'm taking this opportunity to prosper in my own business. Reaching for what it is I really want out of life. I'd like to encourage you all to do the same. No matter if you've been laid off or not. Take this time to reevaluate your life. Consider what really makes you happy. Think to yourself, if I had my way what would I be doing with my life? If I had my ideal or dream situation, how would I earn my living? Winning the lottery doesn't count. :-)

You know, I'm really ashamed to say it but had it not been for the layoff I wouldn't have the courage to push myself to do what it is I really want to do with my life. I'd still be in my cube daydreaming about the "what ifs?" and wishing I could.....

I sit back sometimes and wonder where I lost sight of myself and who and what I truly am. I can't pen point the exact date but it was somewhere between the birth of my son and the first day care bill. "Hello" first job that comes my way "goodbye" pipedreams!

Fear drove my dependency on Corporate America. Fear of not being able to provide food, shelter, clothing, etc. I did exactly what I was conditioned to do, the same thing my parents did for me. Put my dreams aside. Put on a facade and pretended to be something that I'm not. AVERAGE. I pretended to be just your everyday working woman taking care of her kid and living paycheck to paycheck. My life as I once knew it was over. Or at least on hold until I got my kid off to college. SCREEECH! Hold up! Wtfudge?! Sounds more like dying than living! Who told me I couldn't have it all. Who said I had to sit my dreams aside and focus on raising my son? Who made these rules?! Certainly not me! Cause if I'd have written the handbook on motherhood the first rule right after no sweets after 7pm would be, YOU MUST DO AND HAVE IT ALL!

You must tend to yourself first, continue pursuing yours dreams (after all isn't the idea to lead by example?), never lose sight of who you are and so on and so on. Anything else would make motherhood a complete bore. At least in my opinion it would. I don't want to look up 10 years from now(when my son is off to college) and START living again. I want to live NOW. With my son in tow. Bright eyed and experiencing every waking moment.

So what if my business fails, at least he'll have seen me start it. There's no sense in telling our children the same old tale that I was told which is "you can be anything you want to be" ('cept if you have children then you must give it all up and put your dreams aside and live miserably ever after...the end) No way, we gotta show them they truly can reach for the stars by reaching for them ourselves. Anyone with me?

Don't get me wrong. I love my son. But am I so wrong for wanting my dreams to come true as well as his? I push, struggle and fight for the BOTH of us to succeed. Is something so wrong with that? Hmph, I think not.

I'm happy I'm finally getting it. I no longer accept my life sentence of 'death by way of the cubicle' is the only way to support my family and live happy productive lives. I think I've got enough gifts/talents instilled in me to supply all that we need to survive. AND THEN SOME!

Right now my heart is singing. Even through the financial downtime (which is what I like to call it). How many out there know that what goes up, comes down and goes right back up again? So this part is only temporary. I'm just excited about the possibilities. Happy to be out of "Corporate Lock Down".

Sure my finances are taking a hit. Which was gonna happen sooner or later. The way I see it, there was never gonna be a "right" time for me to step out and pursue what really makes me happy. Bills are gonna always come, cost of living will always increase, healthcare will always be needed and so on and so on. If I were gonna pursue my dreams I was going to have to sacrifice sometime or another. If not,the mind trapping mentality of being stable in Corporate America would have forever had me bound had it not been for the lay off. I would still be giving up the majority of my life for a paycheck. Not a fair trade if you ask me.

So, I'm taking this time to do what makes me happy. My son will witness life being lived to the fullest extent. He too will be a risk taker, a go getter, a faith walker, out of the boxing thinking individual who'd rather die trying than die never having tried at all.

Anyone with us?!!!!!