Children are raised to believe they can grow up and do anything. I was raised believing this, and I plan on raising my own children with the same mentality. This is my story, and how I’m able to say that “I do something I love.”
When I was younger I loved writing, drawing, and doing crafts; anything that brought out the creative side in me. Most of my friends and family would have guessed that I’d grow up to be a writer. I knew deep down that I wanted to grow up and do something that I love…something that I would enjoy doing every day, but when I graduated high school I still didn’t know what I wanted to do.
I struggled a bit in college and changed my degree a few times, but I ended up with a degree in health and fitness. I look back, and it’s what I enjoyed doing throughout college: taking gym classes and going to the gym. My mentality was, “If I enjoy working out, why not do it every day for my job?”
Truth is after I graduated, I eventually grew out of it. So I was on the search for a career. Everything that was ingrained in me as “grow up and do what you love” was taken over by:
- Find a job; even though it’s not that easy to find a job.
- Make money; because I have bills to pay.
- Receive benefits; because I’m not on my parent’s health insurance anymore.
I finally landed an office job and was making a career for myself. It was professional, it was challenging, and it was rewarding; but it was stressful! I got to a point where the stress outweighed the rewards and it made me realize I wasn’t doing something that I enjoyed every day. I wasn’t doing something I loved.
I left my last office job when my husband and I were ready to start trying for our first child. I was a stay-at-home-wannabe-mom trying to find my next job placement. Deep down I was hoping that something would just happen for me.
I started working part time at a doggy daycare, which was easy and low stress. I continued working there through my pregnancy. After my maternity leave, I cut back my hours to only work weekends so I can stay home with my daughter.
Wow, I’m able to stay home with my daughter!
Staying home with my daughter gave me a whole new outlook on life, and that’s when I started writing again. Why did I stop writing for all those years? I love writing, and it reignites a passion inside of me that I haven’t seen in a long time. This is what I love. This is what I want to do.
The best part is I can stay home with my daughter and write. After I started a blog for my writing and met so many other moms who do the same thing it gave me hope that this is something I can do! I love it so much, why not?
Looking back at my high school graduation, it should have been clear to me what I wanted to do. I eventually figured it out; it just took going through college and having a few stressful jobs to help me find it. I am sure my daughter will go through the same type of realization on her own, but I will be her number one cheerleader for whatever she decides to do.
Originally published on Her View From Home
Jenni Laplow 