Work, work, work, work, work!
Let me start by saying, as a Momma, we all WORK. We all have a full time job with dozens of overtime hours. Whether we go to an office for 8 hours or 2 hours, work from home, stay at home with our kiddos, we are all working. We are badasses. We manage to 'hold down' a job, career, household whatever you do, all while keeping our tiny humans alive. It is important to recognize that. Even not as a momma, we all have some sort of a way to make a living.
First of all, I think the entire process of choosing a career is a bit taboo. I mean there you are 18 years old, graduating high school and having to decide which 'field' you want to spend $80,000+ to earn a degree in, without having any real way to determine if it is going to be a good long term choice for you. That is awful! Don't get me wrong, some of us get lucky, we just know what we want to do and it works out great for us in the end. However, not everyone is that lucky. How do we change this for our children? How do we help them make the most informed decision that will help their long term happiness?
For many of us has work has drastically shifted for 2020 and a lot of us are unsure as to what 2021 will bring for our careers. About a month and a half ago, Mollie shared a post with us questioning why we love our jobs. What makes us feel valued as an employee? Is it possible to greatly dislike your 'career' but enjoy your 'job' because of how you are treated? Is that even possible? If it is, do you stick to it because of how you feel or no because it is just not something you are enjoying? I feel like all of us have been in a position that we just couldn't stand going to work everyday. I know I have!
What makes you get up each and every day? Is it truly that you enjoy your job? Is it that you feel valued and appreciated? Or is it just that you get to bring home a paycheck and it isn't all that bad? I think at the end of the day, you have to decide what is important to you and at which point is it fine to look at other opportunities?
I know this post is a little 'rambly' but truly when we started this blog I thought to myself, how am I going to introduce the workin' part? We knew the pieces we wanted to include in the workin' part but how do you introduce it given it means SO many different things to different people? Ultimately I want people want to feel empowered to change their work life if they are unhappy, Don't be scared! Case and point below-
I was working a job that I had found as what I will call a 'filler' job. I had been a nanny for a family near and dear to me and they ended up relocating. I applied for a position at an early childhood center that I knew based on my credentials would hire me. (Almost a bachelor's degree in ECE? You don't often find that in our world) I ended up staying with said company for seven years. I worked my way up from teacher to management roles, but honestly, I have NO clue why I stayed: comfort, too scared, not knowing my own worth, the families, my peers? No idea. I respect and appreciate the time I was with the company and I learned so much about myself while working there, but I just knew that I didn't want to be there. I wasn't appreciated, I wasn't challenged or supported. I had been unhappy but just kept sticking it out.
Flash forward to the birth of my daughter. Hormones are high, mom guilt is at an all time high, and I return to work. I just instantly feel defeated. I remember as a grown woman crying to my mom about how miserable I was. I lost my love for the field I had been so passionate about for so long. I started looking for jobs, completely outside of my field, I was burnt out. One day, I get a message on LinkedIn. It was Mollie, reaching out saying she was impressed by my resume (a compliment already and you don't even know me?! OK!) and asking if I would be willing to come in for an interview. I accepted, scared out of my mind. The interview was amazing, I felt the spark come back, the spark that got me into the field to begin with. Not to mention, what did I have to loose?! I was already miserable so worst case scenario I would be miserable with a shorter commute and a bit more pay!
Fortunately, I fell in love. With everything, my leaders, my teachers, my families, everything. I felt valued, supportive, respected and so much more. I was eager to be successful because my success was everyone's success and that was recognized and valued.
I share this because it is important to recognize your why behind what you do every single day. Life is sooo long but also way too short to do something you aren't satisfied in. Even if you spent $80,000+ because you SWORE that was what you wanted to do when you got older, it is ok to change your mind. Don't fear the change, but also evaluate why you aren't happy. Is it your environment and your leaders? The field you chose? Just the people you are surrounded by? Whatever the reason may be, take a step back and start looking! Any good leader is going to continually be building their pipeline and looking for phenomenal talent. Go find yourself a Mollie (and Richard and Cyndi and everyone else that makes my day in and day out fun and rewarding!) You deserve to be happy. To answer my own question above, we guide our children to follow their heart but more importantly we reassure them that in ten years if they aren't happy it is ok to start over. Despite social norms and expectations. Your children deserve to see you happy and to see you in control of that happiness.
Cheers to (positive) change and happiness in 2021!
- Sierra
Center Director, The Learning Experience Gurnee
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