As many of you know I went on a ‘business’ trip to Phuket Thailand
in December with a fantastic bunch of like-minded business owners. This was my
first time travelling and it was a huge eye opener to the big wide world
outside of my little ‘bubble’ that has consisted of babies/children, business
and Autism for the last seven years.
I found it very challenging and I was completely out of my
comfort zone. It was confronting. I learned more about myself than I cared to
know. I had time to reflect. Time to be myself. Time to go to the beach
whenever I felt like it (and the toilet for that matter without an audience or
children walking in and out). Freedom. A whole week of talking with adults. No
repeating instructions over and over and over again. No screaming…
I built new friendships. We cried together and laughed
together. I made memories with people that ‘got it’ and new the joys and pains
of owing a business. I got fresh insight into my business from an outsider’s
point of view and hopefully did the same for others in our group. I had time to
work and plan without the distractions of day to day life.
But I also had fun. There may or may not be footage floating
around of me screaming on a huge elephant as it went down a mountain (ok small
rocky hill but my butt cheeks were on the poor thing’s shoulder blades and
there was very little to hold on to!!). There may also be footage of me
screaming on a flying fox… and white water rafting (oh and on a moped but don’t
tell mother as you are not supposed to do that in Thailand as you will die. P.S. I
didn’t die).
We went to see tigers too but left feeling rather rubbish
about supporting what is basically cruelty to animals. The poor things were
clearly drugged, on cement floors most of the time and were hit on the feet
with rods when they didn’t perk up for tourist photos… far from ‘clean and
natural’ as advertised. I did get a cute photo though…
So what now?
It is time to give back. Time to make my mark on the world.
Time to move with purpose and direction. With clear measured goals without just
‘winging it’ and hoping for the best (although knowing me I will continue to do
this in business as it is a part of who I am and you never know if you don’t
try in the first place!). Time to face fears and challenges head on. Fail. Fail fast and fail forward.
Time to embrace who I am. Time to be a sponge, to learn. To live out loud. To educate. Inspire,
Encourage. Uplift. To be a sounding board for my team and people around me on
the bad days and to motivate them on the good days. To live. To love. To be me…
warts and all.
Time to find who I am outside of my day to day ‘bubble’… and I imagine
this is a struggle for any mum, if you have even had the chance to stop long
enough to think about it. (Just to be clear; I love my life, I love my children, I
love being a mum and I love where I am at… but after having time away, I want
more; for them, for me and for others around me).
So here’s to 2015. Here’s to my road to discovery.
I can honestly say I have never been so excited to start the
New Year! I have goals and a vision that I am finally ready to release in the next
week or two. I feel ready to meet 2015 head on with a plan to make a difference.
Just this week three new consultants have joined our rapidly
growing team of fantastic women who genuinely support and care for each other.
I look forward to building this culture of support. It is exciting to see them
work together and encourage each other on their journeys as mums and as Little
Wooden Toybox Party Plan consultants. I can’t wait to have more mums join us
and become a part of something bigger – something I will announce soon when it
is clearly transferred from my head onto paper/screen.
In the meantime, keep in touch, follow us and keep
supporting us… and I will bring you more news soon!
Bring on 2015
ox
