One of the very best things about being a mother is the constant reminder that you are only human, after all. Mistakes made, sharp words, promises broken, your flaws all laid out for observation once they are old enough and capable of seeing you as the human you are. Kids are an everyday reason to push yourself…. and forgive yourself.

There are so many reasons people will try to tell you why direct sales, party plan, networking marketing is the future. Money, trips, autonomy, no glass ceiling. I agree, all those reasons are enough. As the years go by and I settle into Norwex as a career, I am the most grateful for the ability to be present. I have always been able to be home, present in physical body, but at the peak of my work, like any entrepreneur, I was seldom dialed in and focused on my children. “Working at home” is a hilarious concept. Taking care of the house IS work. Then try to take care of a house and then take on running a business that generates multi-millions of dollars in sales per year while your kids put on a tap-dance performance RIGHT NOW. (They aren’t trained, read: they don’t know how to tap dance.) There will be ugly moments. We still have ugly moments, but I have finally learned that just because Norwex and Motherhood are flexible jobs, it doesn’t mean they are optional jobs.

Doing the work is not optional

but,

Shutting it off is not optional.

Setting goals and having a purpose for this work is not optional.

Flexibility is not optional.

Grit, that’s not an option either.

Turning off all the distractions, ignoring what the others around me are doing more, better, faster…..there is no option but to opt out of the comparison game. That will kill you slowly and smother your joy.

So while kids push you to become a better version of yourself, so does a commitment to a career in direct sales. Both are an everyday reason to push yourself…. and forgive yourself.