A few months ago I interviewed for a side hustle. That’s right, I was interviewing for additional work, additional time from my family and additional stress. I’m lucky that I have a full-time job and a secure income, so why was I interviewing? I was interviewing because I wanted to see if I could do it. I wanted to see if I, as a consultant, could land a job by myself, based on my own talent, and if I could thrive doing it.
AND I DID! I got the job! Woo-hoo!
Then reality set-in. A dream job it is not, it’s actually quite different from what I thought it would be (imagine that!) But, I’m successfully consulting for an organization part-time. AND, I’ve realized that I could do this full-time if I wanted. It turns out, marketing knowledge is a highly valuable commodity that I’ve been taking for granted for awhile now!
But let me get to the point of why I’m sharing this post. During the interview I was asked why I wanted the job. One of the interviewers was an older gentleman with the most soulful eyes and, knowing my story he asked me “Why do you want to take on more work when you have a young family and two small kids?”
When he asked that question, it went straight to my soul. I literally had to stop myself from tearing up. Then, I answered as honestly as I could. I said “Wow, great question. I want to take on this job to see if I can be my own boss. To prove to myself I am capable of being a consultant and to see if I want to take the next step to consulting full-time.” then, I said “I’m actually doing this for my family. I want a more flexible schedule and to work for myself and this is the first step in that process.”
The question still haunts me today. I was literally AFRAID to make a move because I was AFRAID I couldn’t do it. And the silly thing is I KNOW I can, but fear is strong and the unknown is scary. Honestly, I’ve wanted to try working for myself for years, but I’ve been afraid to go it alone because my family is dependent on my income. Well, now I’ve had a taste of being independent. I know I can get jobs, and I think the timing is right for me to make a change.
As a mother of two young kids, I’m constantly being torn by my work commitments and spending time with my family. Do you feel that way? How do you handle it? Are you looking for a change too?
Woman in Process 