This post was created in partnership with Kids & Company.
This January I wrote about finding my joy again. I was hustling harder than ever while running my own business and there was barely any down time in between. I wasn’t laughing, I wasn’t playing, I wasn’t stopping.
Where had I taken a wrong turn? When did I lose my joy?
We are now three months into 2018 and I am taking a minute to reflect and see if I have stuck to my goal.
I have found joy, and am actively moving towards my goals. But my joy came in a surprising way, in the form of a new family member. For years our kids have been begging us to get a dog. For a long time we kept saying no. It just seemed like too much more work to be piled on.
But eventually the idea of adding a puppy to our already busy house started to make more and more sense. So, in January we welcomed our newest member, Oliver into our family.
Truthfully, half of me was worried that the idea of getting a dog was a pipe-dream, and half was sure it was the right decision. I had visions of this little guy (we knew it would be a boy to balance out all of the girls in our home), sleeping in my home office while worked, getting me outside more to keep the seasonal blues away, bringing us together as a family, and helping our son Holden get past his fear of dogs.
Well someone must have been smiling down on our family from above because not only has Oliver brought all of those dreams to life, but he has brought so much more joy to our home. Oliver is an old soul and he has forced me to create the balance I so badly needed.
But as far as the rest of my 2018 list goes, am I following through? Yes, well mostly.
Am I delegating? Yes! I have now created a team of three other people at Nesting Story and I have finally found my groove as a team leader. I am also taking full advantage of the time I have during the day while our twins are in daycare at Kids and Company.
After all of the drop-offs I exercise outside with Oliver and then get all of my work done before everyone is home, so that evenings and weekends are dedicated to my family.
Have I been playing? Kind of. Last week I finally went skiing, something I have been wanting to get back into for ten years now. I have even signed up for a 10k run in May (more on that another day).
I am continuing to go after what I want, by creating a beautiful and functional home, while purging all of the stuff that was clutter in our lives.
Although I am making great strides towards these goals, I do have to make sure I am constantly checking in with myself, asking if I am experiencing joy, and balancing my time properly.
Finding a childcare that not only gives me time to build my career, but that my kids also love, has been such a wonderful aspect to having more of a work/life balance. Kids & Company has the flexibility I need with my schedule, but also the unique programming, learning opportunities, from-scratch meals and sense of community they provide fills me with such confidence in my choice in childcare.
With locations all across Canada, Kids & Company is a high-quality care and early development centre that parents can trust and kids will love. It started under the leadership of two moms (one with 8 children!), who felt there was a need for flexible care options in a setting with amazing teachers, community, proven development programs and an understanding of today’s families.
Whether it’s their Grab ‘n’Go snacks, parent workshops, or their complimentary care for date nights and shopping days outside of regular hours, nothing has been forgotten.
Here’s where it gets exciting… right now Kids and Company is waiving the registration fee (a $150 value) for Nesting Story readers! Just email amcnaught@kidsandcompany.com to access this exclusive offer.
One waved registration per family for a newly registering child before December 31, 2018. Subject to availability.
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Kids & Company. While compensation was provided, all opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not necessarily indicative of the opinions of Kids & Company.
