Category Archives: personal essays

to paris and beyond

statue-palais-royal

 

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel only read a page.”

Saint Augustine

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I’ve been keeping a secret from you. I recently found out that the conference I was scheduled to speak at was cancelled, and suddenly my Ireland plans seemed frivolous to me. While I will always have a strong desire to explore that country and my Irish roots, it felt a bit extravagant without a business-related purpose. If I’m going to be away from my family for a significant period of time, it needs to be meaningful and productive. I reached out to my friend and (then) Ireland travel partner Kirsten Alana with a bold idea – why don’t we go to Paris instead? She responded with a swift and resounding YES, and I did a happy dance. It’s been almost exactly a year since I was last there (avec ma famille) and I’m missing it greatly. I couldn’t wait to share my news with you this week, and then…the terrorist attacks in Brussels occurred.

While I’m feeling sorrowful and anxious, I will not be changing course. In fact, I feel more inspired to travel than ever before. I feel a responsibility as a human being, as a woman, and as a mother, to demonstrate courage and perseverance in the face of fear. I believe strongly in the sentiment above, and will forever encourage my children to see the world (I’m very proud that they’re already one passport stamp in at three years of age). The places and people I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing over the years have changed how I live my life. I’m a more tolerant, cultured, enlightened person. Sure, some of those things can come with age (I’m thirty-six)…but my travels have accelerated my maturity. I refuse to allow these horrific events to derail my dreams, my beliefs, and my desire to travel. Paris, mon amour…I’ll be seeing you soon.

image courtesy of ashley ludaescher photography

living in limbo

moioncarousel

 

Living in limbo feels a bit like a carousel ride…going in circles while also navigating ups and downs. Like most people, I enjoy carousels, but let’s face it – it’s mostly about going around and round until the music stops and the lights dim. It’s been quite the ride since we chose to sell our house and set out on a new adventure. While we made the decision to forge a new path, that path has yet to present itself, and I’m growing increasingly impatient and frustrated.  It’s been a year or more now that we, as a family, have found ourselves unsure of our direction. As someone that yearns for control over much in life (as ridiculous as that can be), I’ve had the hardest time with all of it. Limbo has become a place of unfulfillment, sadness, frustration, isolation and general “meh”-ness for me. It’s been a struggle to live with this mentality – it’s not healthy. While I’m not fully sure of how to overcome this mental state, I’m determined to do so.

I know that by trying so hard to maintain “control” of our lives, we can miss out on amazing things. Just because we hope for certain things to happen, doesn’t mean they’re meant to be. I’ve been looking to my children a lot, acknowledging and appreciating all that they can teach me. They begin each day with such an innocence and excitement, not tainted by what lies behind or ahead of them, and blissfully unaware of any situation or stress. They are engaged, focused, and deliriously happy. They’re enjoying the ride, because we’re on it together–when or where it stops is irrelevant. So for now, I’m going to do my best to embrace this time in our lives. I’ve gotten off the horse and am going to try the swan seat for a while. After all, I’m sharing the ride with the people I love the most in this world, and they’re keeping me from jumping off.

being boss

boss-keytag

 

I was born to be an entrepreneur. It became clear at a very young age that I would always follow my passions and forge my own path. Thankfully, my parents fostered this independent spirit and supported my (often very lofty) dreams. Some of my earliest memories consist of inventing “businesses”. First it was a nail salon in my basement (at the ripe old age of eight), where I charged my friends ten cents per nail. Then came my door to door custom bookmark venture, which was lucrative enough to fill my piggy bank and fund my very first business cards! I actually found one in my memory box recently, and had a good laugh over the name. What was my very first business name you might ask? TA-DAH! Yep. While my business name has seen many alterations over the years, my purpose has remained the same–being boss.

My entrepreneurial status didn’t become official until 2007, when after paying my dues and learning from the best in the retail + interior design fields, I launched my own firm and incorporated. I decided to take the leap and build my wings on the way down, as they say. It was equal parts exhilarating and terrifying. I took on a part-time job at a fine linens boutique to supplement my income until I grew my client base to a sustainable level. Side note: as fate would have it, that’s where I met my husband. I hustled hard, and through word of mouth, gained more clients, and in turn, more confidence. I was (slowly but surely) earning a living, making ends meet, and pursuing my passions. I was fortunate to do so, and still am.

Fast forward nine years later and I’m still hustling. Even with a good portion of the financial burden lifted thanks to my husband’s income, it hasn’t altered my drive or entrepreneurial spirit. It hasn’t affected my desire to be my own boss, to push myself harder, and to never settle for satisfactory. Of course there are days when I want to quit…when the work is overwhelming, when I don’t feel appreciated, when I’m exhausted (i.e. the work/life balance myth). Both the burdens and rewards fall on my shoulders – that is the price I pay for autonomy. I alone hold the keys to my failures, and my successes, and that is a powerful feeling–one that I can’t ever imagine giving up. If you’ve dreamed of being your own boss, pull the trigger. Don’t let fear hold you back. The end result isn’t necessarily the marker of your success – it’s the guts and glory of accepting the challenge (and continuing to do so when the going gets rough). That, as the cool kids say, is BOSS.

you hold the keys

vintage-keys

 

I have a favor to ask of you. Just as I did last year, I’m conducting a reader survey. It’s quick + easy – only ten questions! Your feedback will help me to give you more of what you want. To focus on what you enjoy most, and what I do best. This is your chance to tell me, in your opinion, what is or isn’t working. I’m so excited for what the new year holds – I’ve got big plans. This space wouldn’t be what it is today without you all…you hold the keys to my growth + success. So if you could, give me the gift of your thoughts this holiday season. For those of you who are so kind to take the time to answer the survey by December 5th, I’ll randomly pick one reader to send a special gift to as a thank you. MERCI!

thank you to all who participated + congratulations joy searles!