My Story
I have worked my ASS off for my degree. Student loans, transferring school, voluntary internships, job after job, driving 1.5 hours each way just to get to my fieldwork site- you name it! All for that degree in therapy so I can help people and teach them all the things. Well I earned it! A Master's Degree in Mental Health Counseling. Time to keep working (9 years later) and get your license, because a small house worth of student debt, two degrees and a 10 year resume isn't enough to qualify me to do therapy. (HA) Should I start in Georgia? Probably not because I'll move halfway through the 3 year window. So we move to Maryland. Guess what? I don't meet their licensure requirements and guess what else? You can't work as a counselor in Maryland without a license.
Long story short. I applied for my LAPC in Washington D.C. and plan on starting my journey towards licensure when it is approved. In D.C. Which is an hour commute. UGHHHH...
As I'm stressing over the job hunt, I start looking for daycares. I discover another hurdle. $600-$1000 per week for two children in full time care. Yeah I just said $31,200-$52,000 PER YEAR on daycare.
I'm sorry, what?
So looks like I'm seeing clients nights and weekends when I don't need full time daycare because even if I could afford it- I'd really have to do more than just 'break even'. We just decided as a family that I will have to stay home for a while. So many women do it, right?
Yeah, a lot of women do it. Give up their entire identities to keep little humans alive. I mean I worked for nearly 10 years for my career and just in a moment decided: yeah okay, I will stay home. That's hard, I mean that's really fucking hard. How can I justify missing every moment of Marilyn's new life just to break even? I am so incredibly lucky to be even considering the stay at home life, but I can't say that it doesn't pull at me every damn day.
Workin' Moms is that show that recently came to Netflix that both Mike and I enjoy...
"They're right to feel crazy because what we're doing is crazy," Reitman said. "The expectations on all of us to be full-time workers but pretend we don't have kids and to be full-time mothers and pretend we don't have a [career] is unrealistic and complicated and to look good while doing it all, it's a feat that not many can pull off."
"There's an identity crises -- a lot of us become mothers and all of a sudden we're expected to become these selfless people. That's not a really natural process. That, for me, never felt organic."
https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Family/creator-netflixs-workin-moms-postpartum-moment-fueled-binge/story?id=61610818
If you've never seen it, please educate yourself and watch it.
She's right. The creator of this show is right with every single scene that is written. I literally live eat and breathe what happens in this show and it's amazing because she has turned MY life into comedy. MY LIFE! I struggled to pump when I first went back to work. I remember when I went back to work after Cambria was born and in my first week there was a mobile orientation we had to go on. That means take a bus around for two days touring the area. How in the world am I supposed to pump, store and keep breastmilk fresh for my baby? I pumped on this bus with the bus driver sitting in his sit with full view to my boobs. (You know, with that mirror they can see pretty much everything) And talk about the constant argument over what the baby is being fed? I mean come on, it's my kid! Why are we having this conversation? All of these things...
I remember fighting with the daycare center about when to feed Cambria so that I could time my lunch breaks to spend my only free time breastfeeding her because I was so worried that my supply was cut off. By the way- they didn't actually give a shit, they would feed her before I came because 'they didn't want her to starve'. Without going into a shame session- we moved her from that day care center.
It's also hard to literally take 10 years of work towards one career and just drop it to be a mom and pretend like I know what I'm doing. I literally question myself everyday. My identity is who knows what, who knows where! So I just was looking for something that I can identify with, something that interests me, something that creates more purpose. I have so many people tell me that being a mom is one of the most important jobs I can have. I 100% agree. But for someone like me, I still feel like I want more.
Why is it SO DAMN HARD to be a mom and have a career (outside the home)?
I'm determined to make it easier.
I had the opportunity to start my own business in March. As most people know, and you can see in my previous blog posts that I have been an Independent Distributor for Advocare and have always been very passionate about their products. I still love their products! I just really wanted to take advantage of such an awesome business opportunity.
Did you know that I get notifications EVERY DAY for a new member hired onto our team? Did you know that this business has been running for 18+years, they can't keep product in stock (it's that popular) and some of my up-line earners earn THOUSANDS of dollars monthly?People assume that Network Marketing in itself a scheme, a scam, something that won't provide any return. Just in my first week I made commission, I'm on my way to my first promotion, and I'm constantly getting support and tips from the people that made those thousands. It's literally blowing my mind. Everyday Mike comes home and asks about how the girls and I are doing and instead of whining about my insane day, it's filled with the new leads and customers I ALREADY have with my business.
There's something really exciting about owning your own business. I wake up everyday and look at my calendar to see what I have scheduled for myself. I love the flexibility this offers me, too. If I don't make my weekly goals, I won't get fired. My success depends solely on me!
So I'm already glued to my screen like literally every person reading this, why not make some money out of it. Let me tell you after 1 week I know I will be getting a check next month!
Ok....enough with the sell sell sell! Let's talk about how I've been feeling. It's hard to explain myself to people who have seen my journey but not because I'm ashamed. It's because I am ecstatic to share this really cool opportunity, not to mention the products. I haven't been this excited about something in a while. I hope that one day I can share with my girls the intense opportunity that is owning your own business. My goals increase by the week. This week it's share the life changing products with new people but next month it's going to be pay off my credit card bill! I mean how cool is that!
I think most importantly I'm happy. I'm really excited about my new business and I really hope if you've read this much, you are just as excited and you consider talking to me about making your dreams reality, too. If you'd like more info, please feel free to email me at rpotocki315@gmail.com
Until next time, xo.
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