Get On The List {guest post}

This was written by a long-time friend of mine.

She posted it on Facebook and I asked for her permission to re-post it here.

I think this is beautifully written and something many of us moms need to hear.

Enjoy! 

 

I recently came to understand something about myself and more recently came to understand it well enough to articulate it. It's a reality some people already understand and nurture. But for many of us men AND women I think it is easily forgotten, overlooked, or possibly difficult to understand.

My children will always be my greatest accomplishment in life. I often look at them even in the simplest moments and feel my breath catch, with a pride, love and gratefulness that I won't attempt to explain. When I look at them I want to be the best FOR them. I want to get it ALL right. Unrealistic I understand...but none the less, my desire.

I am a stay at home mom, which as I have heard said many times, has got to be one of the hardest jobs. I always thought hard meant physically demanding. I was wrong. Cooking dinner, cleaning, errands, laundry, potty training, making forts, doing crafts, I need to go potty, I need a snack, mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy....yes it is physically demanding. But it is also mentally exhausting. Being tired puts a strain on your mentality, and my desire to get it RIGHT puts a strain there too. The realization that they spend most of their time with me puts more pressure. It's not just about keeping them fed and the house clean. I'm creating little precious people. No pressure right? I want them to be confident, respectful, nurturing, curious, determined, talented, passionate, and so much more. I have to instill those things in them everyday. And it's NO easy task. It's easy to get frustrated...it's hard to slow down and try to make more things a learning experience. I feel like I'm failing all the time. I get frustrated with MYSELF all the time. I'm kicking myself all the time. But slowly with more success..I become more confident in what I'm doing. My children become more confident in what I'm doing. Slowly, things begin to fall into place. But as soon as it all clicks a new "phase" hits and the learning curve beings once again. But it's all worth it when you hear your children say please and thank you to strangers. It's worth it when your children confidently say hello or wave at someone. It's worth it when your children pick up a dropped item for a stranger. It's worth it when you see your children comfort each other. When you see them learn, when you see them conquer something, when you see them succeed. It's amazing. My job is hard and very important. I want to be the best.

Who am I? A mother and a wife. That's who I am TODAY. But who was I before that? It may not seem important who I was before..because this is my life now. But who I was before is important because its what made me who I am today. Behind every mother and wife is a woman with her own set of needs. Easy to overlook I think. The one who is looking after everyone else's needs in fact has needs of her own. It's the WOMAN in us that makes us great at what we do. I feel like that gets forgotten...even by the women. It's like planting a flower bed, not watering it, and then wondering why they are struggling to grow. Wondering why they aren't flourishing and blooming.

Of course my family always comes first, number one on my list. Always has and always will. But I have to get somewhere on that list too. I have to make it my goal to be on that list in order to be the best in the areas of my life that I am needed the most. I need a BREAK. Maybe go grocery shopping alone, go ride my horse, go to quilt class, cook dinner without a child hanging on my leg, a pedicure, a walk, a change of scenery, something. It doesn't have to be anything crazy. But a break. Time away. That hour away is when I grow. It's when I reflect on life, and things I can do better. It's when I get revitalized and energized. It's when I get to talk and get ideas from other moms. That is when I nurture me...the woman. That nurturing is what I mean about getting on the list. It's what improves me, makes me better at everything. It's what builds my confidence. It makes me eager to get back to my life as a mom and wife and be my best.

If men could try and remember the woman she was and remember that woman is still there. She always looks after everyone else's needs so help to look after her needs. Women you are your best advocate...you have to be. It's easy to see how men might forget our needs because we forget too when life gets busy. So do yourself and your family a favor...get on the list.

-Sarah G.

The Importance of Education {guest post}

 

 

 My husband is an active duty Marine and recently decided

to start school online for nutrition science. It got me thinking about

life after the Marine Corps. I got married and started a family so young 

that I didn't have the opportunity to go to college. Life and kids got ahead

of me and here I am, 25 years old, with no education after high school.

I'm not saying its a bad thing, I am definitely successful in other areas in

my life and my kids are well taken care of. I have the opportunity to stay at

home to raise them and homeschool. But that's just it, I put so much focus on

my kids that I have kind of lost myself over the years.

Since Andrew took the initiative to start school for himself, it has really

inspired me to think of what direction I want to go career wise. My kids won't

be little forever and eventually we will be getting out of the Marine Corps and

our lives will change. I would really like some education to back me up when

that happens. It's never too late.

Please enjoy this article from Danielle of the Ascet Institute of Technology.

Sometimes life gets the better of us; it goes so fast that we don’t have time to stop and think for a moment about how it could be different or better. You probably have enough to think about already without adding new projects to your schedule. But that’s how we get ahead, by thinking of the future. Kids grow up and become independent. Even if you’re preoccupied with being a twenty-four hour care giver to your children, it’s still ok to think of yourself, and to think of the future. One of the best ways to do this is through education. Education, statistically, is what brings us advancement in life. With the changing landscape of education today, it’s more accessible than ever. Education providers like Ascet institute of technology provide practical, skills-based training that is designed to help you find employment. Better than that, training can be done completely online, meaning that people with commitments like paid work and children can still have access to education, without having to do the traditional on-campus student experience.

Knowing that has the potential to expand your life and change your future. Having career options is really important because really, you never know what the future holds.

How Veterans are Overcoming Barriers to Employment {guest post}

Please enjoy this guest post and show Emma some love by following her blog!

How Veterans are Overcoming Barriers to Employment

Serving your country can seem like a thankless job if you've been out of the military for months and are having a hard time finding good employment. Take heart, that's not the case. Many people working with wonderful organizations are here to help. I want to see you successfully transition to your dream career and not feel overwhelmed by the process. I want to dispel myths and reinforce truths to help ensure you are prepared and enthusiastic for your job search.

Myth #1: There aren't any civilian jobs that will allow me to do similar work to what I was doing in the military.

Truth: That myth should never enter your thinking. While it's true some jobs require specific training that you might have received in the military, some of your best skills are less tangible. The Veteran Skills Translator function on the VA job website allows you to compare your training directly to civilian skills. Not to mention, employers are looking for workers who are responsible and demonstrate attention to detail. I don't need to tell you that those are skills the military instills!

Myth #2: Asking someone for a referral is time-consuming and annoys them.

Truth: More than likely, people familiar with your great work history will be quite happy to give you a positive reference. If possible, asking in person reinforces the relationship and refreshes the memory. If that's not an option, a personable email or phone call suffices. Services like JIBE, a mobile recruiting company, utilize platforms that allow job candidates to request referrals through sites like LinkedIn and Facebook. The most important part of a referral contact is being professional and engaging.

Myth #3: Because I now have a service-connected disability, no one will want to hire me.

Truth: Multiple programs are out there to assist veterans with disabilities. The U.S. Department of Veterans has specific services geared toward that end and so do most of the states. Supportive rehab programs team with on-the-job training and counseling to optimize veteran's talents and highlight them to potential employers. Companies can receive incentives for hiring disabled vets and often are more than willing to consider them.

Myth #4: Changing careers is basically impossible.

Truth: The modern workplace is evolving so rapidly that multiple career changes are becoming the norm. Jobs that existed 10 years ago may have disappeared while emerging career paths were just ideas. Having transferable skills is a personal trait that will help identify alternative careers you may wish to pursue. If you don't have the particular skills your dream career demands, don't let that deter you. Put together a plan and stay with it until your skill level matches what is being sought.

Emma is a mid 20-something year old with a passion for life, love, fitness, and helping others. She loves to be active and get involved in as many sport and community activities as possible. Emma is currently studying to become a Career & Life Coach, and loves to network with people from around the world! Check out Emma’s blog at http://smileasithappens.blogspot.com/!