Moments of Musing

Chalk it Up to Luck … or Hard Work?

Filed Under: career, family, hard work, inspiration, luck, motivation, positivity, work, work hard //


Sometimes when speaking with my husband about our life, I call ourselves lucky. But then I remember how much hard work we’ve put in to get here. 

I think about hyperventilating and feeling overly anxious when I had to go back to work after my first maternity leave. 

I think about crying in the shower thinking up plans to be able to live a life more closely aligned with my vision of motherhood. 

I think about my plans, my hopes, my dreams. 

I think about what I did each step of the way to lead to me to the next step.

I think about how much studying, hard work and perseverance I put in and practiced to get to where I am today.

I think about my husband’s difficult transition into civilian life. (Side note: The military does not help as much as they should but that’s a post for another day.)

I think about his decision to get a college degree to better our future. 

I think about his decision to get his MBA to advance his career.

And then I think about his life story and how hard he has worked to get to where he is today.

So though I do think sometimes luck plays a part in life, I don’t think we would have gotten anywhere near where we are without putting in effort.

While I don’t know where exactly our journeys will take us, I am trusting our decisions and growing more and more excited (while still a little nervous) for us. We have worked hard to become the people, couple and parents we are. And we won’t stop working to become better.



6 Ways to Transform Weaknesses Into Strengths

Filed Under: motivation, positivity //


This is an adapted version of my Fairygodboss article.



We each have our weaknesses, but that doesn’t make us weak. And the good thing is there are ways to turn each weakness into a strength. First, be honest with yourself about what your weaknesses are. Then, begin working on them.

Here are some key ways you can transform your weaknesses into strengths:

1. Appreciate your vulnerabilities.
Oftentimes, one’s vulnerabilities are seen as shortcomings or soft spots, but that is not necessarily the case. It’s true that vulnerabilities are raw and messy. But where there are vulnerabilities, there is also depth and truth. There is openness and honesty. There is opportunity!

2. Face your fears.
Admit that you are afraid.  Then, decide how you can and will deal with that fear. Instead of letting your fears take over you, take a leap of faith and take over your fears. You will likely find out you can do more than you had ever thought possible — and enjoy yourself while doing it.

3. Grow from your mistakes.
No one is perfect. If you are human, you have made a mistake or two (or a few… but who’s counting?). What one does after making a mistake is what sets apart those who want to challenge themselves to change and those who will remain complacent and continue making the same mistakes. Don’t be complacent, but also, don’t be too hard on yourself. Learn from your mistakes. Perceive them as lessons learned or growing pains. Chances are you will come out a better version of yourself than if you had never made the mistake at all.

4. Embrace your discomfort.
Recognize what makes you feel uncomfortable. Find out why that is figure out what do about it. You’ll want to channel that discomfort that’s keeping you from doing something you’re interested in into a discomfort that will push you to try something new. Apply that to everyday scenarios, and see what great change comes of it.

5. Celebrate your differences.
Don’t shy away from what makes you stand out; instead, highlight it. While having similarities is important, differences make us each unique. There is value in not blending in and instead standing out. Having new and different ideas, varying perspectives, and ways of being can foster more productivity and creativity. 

6. Take good care of yourself.
This is sort of a catch-all for whatever other more specific weaknesses you might have (i.e. unhealthy indulgences and/or bad habits). We are all works in progress, but life is not limitless. Tune into your weaknesses and use them as fuel for self-care for your mind, body, and spirit. Only then can you begin to live a life guided by good and positivity!

Mompowered

Filed Under: inspiration, motherhood, motivation //

Happy March! March is Spring’s month, and therefore, symbolizes a month of new beginnings. Fresh starts. Change. This is also the first day of Women’s History Month. So, what better day than today to re-launch my blog, which celebrates all things woman, mom, wife, and more? It has a new name, Moments Of Musing (M.O.M.), new(ish) look and facebook page. 

Though it feels scary to put my words out there for all to read, it’s also freeing. I have my baby boy and my always-supportive family, especially my husband and brother, to thank for giving me the courage.
Becoming a mom has been the most rewarding (and tiring…but that’s neither here nor there) life experience thus far, and I’m confident it will not be topped. Last week, I got home from work a bit exhausted but pushed that exhaustion aside to play with my baby; soothe him when he was crying because he was tired; lay next to him until he fell asleep for his nap; and then immediately missed him while he slept and pretty much stared at him until he woke up. 

…How quickly my feelings had shifted from being centered around my exhaustion to being centered around the most important person in my life–my son. That night was just another reminder that as exhausting as it may be and as guilty as I may sometimes feel, I know deep in my core that I was born to be a mom. 

That I will love being a mom more than all else. And that I am a great mom. These realizations of my ability, worth, and love have been groundbreaking. When stress feels unbearable, just looking into my baby’s eyes takes it all away and grounds me. He has that effect. Motherhood has had that impact. To make me realize that the unimportant really is unimportant and the important that much more valuable. 

Of all the hats I’ve worn, “Mom” has become the most exciting and empowering one. I grew a human, care for him, provide for him, and I am responsible for helping to mold him into the person he will become. I don’t know of a greater privilege and honor than that. I truly don’t think one exists.

It’s no surprise that since becoming a mom, motherhood has become my #1 writing topic, so I wanted my blog to reflect it more. It feels more authentic this way. I will still be writing about non-motherhood topics, as well, so don’t worry if you’re not a mom! I don’t want you to feel left behind or left out… that’s the last thing I want. ❤

It is my sincere wish that all of you who are reading–moms or not–trust yourselves enough to know that you are good enough, not just for motherhood but for ANYTHING. After all, our greatest powers lie within us.

Be sure to follow along on facebook and instagram 🙂 As always, thank you for reading.