Sense of Self

Notice the radio silence on the blog these last few weeks? That’s because I made a huge, major, ginormous, life decision. 

I quit my job, 

my 9-5. I am no longer a “square,” as my best friend and entrepreneur extraordinaire once called me. My last day is this Friday and I am nervous as all get out. I am going to be staying home with my two children and working on my Mother-in-Law’s antique business with her. But that isn’t all I will be doing. I will be working on the concept of “me.” 

Truth

 Since becoming a mother, I have lost the identity of being Emily. It isn’t something to be disappointed in, but absolutely not something to be ignored either. Truth be told, I really like me. 

• I like that I am a cheerleader for my friends. 
• I like that I have a creative urge that needs to be nurtured regularly. 
• I like that I hold grudges, but encourage forgiveness to my friends. 
• I like that I feel spiritual when I am nourishing my body properly. 
• I like that my friends are confident in my wine selections and will come to me for recommendations. 

Ultimately, I want to be ME again. I don’t want to be my business title. I don’t want to be “mom,” “wife,” “friend,” or “daughter.” I want to be EMILY again. 

As author Danielle Laporte puts it, “Love yourself like you life depends on it. Because it does.”

I intend to. 

Death and Beginning

I haven’t experienced many deaths in my 31 years. My grandmother when I was 8, my family dog when I was 17, and my husband’s grandfather before we were married. As an adult, we've lost my Aunt Joan, the kindest woman I’ve ever known, my step-mother’s father, a WWII veteran, passed away just before Christmas, and most recently, my husband’s uncle. The older I am getting, the more I am witnessing these losses.

My relationship with these losses feels so heavy and emotional, but also like they are not mine. I see the sadness and suffering of people I love very much, but does it also belong to me? I feel like an fraud when I weep for the losses. I weep for the absence of life, I weep for my hurting family, and I weep for the realization that maybe they didn’t get to do all that they set out to do. I, then, start to look inward.

Why is it that it takes a loss to help us to see what is important? A death that makes us shift our priorities? The end of something to help us begin again with purpose?

2017 has not started out as I would have liked. Things are hard at work. Things are hard at home. Schedules don’t allow for much self-care (2017 cliche?). That all changes now. 

Things I am doing for me:

• Personal Training – Getting fit and taking control of my health
• Food Consumption – Significantly reduce the amount of animal products I consume
• Education – Seriously consider going to school for Holistic Nutrition
• Mindfulness – Meditation and mindfulness solo and with my family
• Relationships – Monthly date nights with my husband, one-on-one time with each son, reach out to family and friends more regularly outside of social media
• Minimalism – Reduce the crap and clutter in my home and office that doesn’t have meaning or create joy in my life

Mercury is retrograde; is there any better time to discover what is working and what isn’t? 

About The Simple Choice

Hi, I am Emily. I am a wife, mother, daughter, and friend. I am on the prowl for a simple way of being. I am certain simplicity is the key to life. This space represents that journey. In addition to that journey, this is a space for inspiration, motivation, and positivity.

I have found myself surrounded by people who inspire me in so many ways: entrepreneurs, squares, artists, moms, dads, children, grandparents, chefs, vegans, professionals, job seekers, and adventurers (some holding several of those titles)! I take lessons from each of them because they are all powerful and amazing teachers, whether or not they know it. They inspire me to be my best self. I think they have stories to tell, lessons to teach, and gifts to give the world. This is where I would like to do that, to capture their motivation and inspiration.

The Simple Choice is about gathering thought leaders with different stories and backgrounds to inspire others as they have inspired me. Just regular people who say, think, and do amazing things.

Stay tuned.