By Jessica | Leave A Comment
photo by luis mimunoznajar
One of the reasons I have pursed working virtually and part-time from home is because I want to spend more quality time with my son. However, when I started blogging and networking with moms, it didn’t feel like work. I genuinely enjoy making the connections, supporting others’ ideas that I’m passionate about, and thinking creatively.
The fact that I get paid to do this is the icing on the cake.
You might remember my post about allies. I was having a phone conversation with one of the women I consider my ally, Arianne of To Think is To Create and we were talking about “paying our dues” while we toiled at cutting our teeth in the social media world. We had this blind faith for that old cliche -
Do what you love and the money will come.
That some way, some how if we kept at it and had an open mind, the right opportunity would come along. Now for some people, this happens sooner than for us. However, Arianne and I both agreed that – cliche alert -
Everything happens for a reason.
Arianne and I both made the decision to stay home to be moms, but we’ve found that blogging, creating buzz online, and working with companies to strengthen their brand among moms is what makes us tick. It’s something that’s just for us, as individuals. We’re wives, we’re moms…and she’s Arianne…and I’m Jessica. Doing what we love makes us feel whole. I think Arianne said it best when she gave me the following analogy:
“It’s like we’re living in a house that we always thought had only one floor. Then suddenly one day we find out the house goes 10 stories high and there are all these places we never realize existed, but were there all along. These places to discover and explore and love and pursue about ourself were always there, but we were just living in one tiny corner of the house, not realizing how much more we could have.”
When she said that to me, I asked her to please write that down for me so that I could share this pearl of wisdom with you. Marketing, business development, and foster community are what makes us tick. But to be a Chief Mom Officer, that doesn’t have to be what makes you tick. Come out of that tiny corner of your “house” and explore those passions you have, combine those with your talents and skill set, and find out who needs that to succeed. And please share your similar experiences here in the comments. It’s likely your story will inspire someone else.
Also, I want to extend a HUGE congratulations to Nichole Smith of The Guilty Parent. She was hired as Chief Mom Officer of BabySpot.com this week! Way to go Nikki!
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Jessica Smith is Chief Mom Officer for Wishpot.com, Founder of ChiefMomOfficer.org, and the Celebrity Business blogger for Sparkplugging.com. You can also find her talking about all her latest projects, thoughts, and ideas at her personal blog Jessica Knows.
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Great post and so true. And as a Christian Mom I have to say that I absolutely love the work at home revolution that seems to be sweeping the nation (western/Northern hemispheres?) It is Proverbs 31 all over again. I think for years Christian women have been embittered towards the 31st chapter in Proverbs but the vast opportunities to help provide for our families while at the same time being able to stay at home and be there for them that the internet has provided is like nothing before. It’s made many of us feel like just because we are at home we don’t suddenly lose our voice in the world (in fact sometimes it gets bigger than it was before) and that we don’t have to give everything up (an income, influence, communication with other adults and still have community with other moms in similar circumstances) in order to do it.
Because of my relationships forged through the internet I am no employed by one of America’s most successful Mom bloggers, Ree Drummond. I also am in the embryonic stages of creating a path to a career as a portrait photographer. While I still have a long way to go down that road to finally “arrive” I am on that path… and if you had asked me what my potentials were more than 2 years ago I can honestly tell you that I would have hopelessly answered, “I have no idea.” I always knew I wanted a career after raising my children but I didn’t know what it would be. Now, because of opportunities brought on by just being myself, pursuing my passions and making friends online I do know and it’s more than a possibility. It’s a probability. That feels really incredible.
So timely and absolutely true! I never realized all of the options available to me. Yes, when I came home to work, it was by accident but once I was here I knew I never wanted to leave. I figured I would contribute a little bit to our income and have fun at the same time.
Three years late I am still having fun. What I’m doing definitely doesn’t feel like work to me. I’m doing what comes naturally and finally using all of my talents to do what I enjoy the most.
Like you, I love connecting with people and at first I didn’t think being at home would work because I had heard so many horror stories about it being lonely. Yes, but only if you allow it to be. I’m finding I talk to more people in a day working at home than I did in the commuting world.
Now working at home has taken on a new life and new meaning for me. I’m exploring skills that I had thought were rusty or unimportant. I’m proving that I have more to offer than what someone might think. I’m also proving to my own children, especially my daughter that there are no limits to what she can do as long as she loves what she chooses.
Take what you have. Use it. Make it your own and share it with the world.
Nice post. Beautiful words bu Arianne. I have always believed in the notion that “everything happens for a reason.” I’m a writer. I’m a communicator by nature. Communicating is what I have wanted to do my whole life. The written word and the spoken word. My loves. I once read a quote by Candance Bushnell (creator of Sex and the City) that “to become what we knew we were meant to become” is the greatest thing in the world. What it is we are meant to become is different for everyone… but one thing that holds us “mommy bloggers/mommy media people” is motherhood.
I have always loved blogging and it really excites me to think that I could one day make a living from the “skills” that I have learned through blogging and social media. I almost feel like I don’t know how to do anything else, but that doesn’t matter; I don’t WANT to do anything else! Another big part of it is validation that you can be a mom AND have a brain AND stay home!
Wonderful post — what a beautiful, poignant discussion about “our” world. I like what Audrey says — that no matter who or what we are; what we do professionally, *where* we do it (the pantry so as not to wake baby, anyone?!); or when (late nights RULE!) — the tie that bonds us all is motherhood. As much as I have done in my career (or *will* do), I am forever grateful — and will attribute volumes — to my daughters. The lessons I’ve learned about balance, priority, patience, and diligence since having them is tantamount, I feel, to whatever success I happen to enjoy. So maybe it’s OK right now for my 5-year-old to play Hannah Montana’s “Best of Both Worlds” for the 147th time this week — this time, with a nod to my fellow online Moms.
I love that analogy of the 10 story house! It really is exciting when you realize just how much room there is to explore and to think about the possibilities of what you can do with all of that (cyber)space!
And, Jessica, I also like what you said here:
“I genuinely enjoy making the connections, supporting others’ ideas that I’m passionate about, and thinking creatively.”
One thing I’ve noticed about being a WAHM is that there is a LOT of support from other WAHMs. That’s not something you usually see in CubicleWorld which tends to be competitive in some industries. One of the things that really helped me when I started my VA biz was the connection with other WAHMs and other VAs. Between Twitter and niche forums like Mom Masterminds (http://www.mommasterminds.com) and VANetworking (http://www.vanetworking.com), I found nothing but encouragement and advice and support…and I’ve even made a few friends online which is really nice because being a WAHM can get lonely sometimes.
The emotional rewards of being a WAHM are often greater than the financial rewards.
Love this…and your blog insights.
I am a WAHM (used to be a school counselor) who started blogging for ZoomAlbum and have recently embraced that I am blogging for me (with the perks of getting paid to evangelize what I am passionate about). Being a queen of TMI (too much information) and an insanely busy adhd mom of 2, blogging, twittering, being a part of amazing social networks excites and inspires me. Thank you for continuing to reinforce that…I am truly grateful for inspiration you provide. My house has limitless floors and additions are being added constantly. (Now, to stay organized???)
I agree 100%. I just told someone I don’t work for the money, I work because I’m passionate about it. The money is just the cherry on the top, and I never buy ice cream just to get the cherry.
This said, I said no to something today that eventually would have made a lot of money, but I wasn’t passionate about.
It was a tough decision even though I know it was the right one. It’s hard to make these decisions sometimes – to follow your heart, and say no to money we all need for our daily lives. But… I’m now on the way to explore the “new rooms” and learn something else, and to do the things I’m truly passionate about.
Great Article!! Love it!! We are super excited to have Nikki on board!