Today is the first day back to school for my children after 6 months, being with them on business days week in week out. I wanted to write something about this, as parents and especially women we have been burdened with the childcare during Covid. Causing our businesses to struggle under the strain of ‘one more snack please mummy’ & the damned home schooling.
Covid took it out of me, my mental state and this constant barrage of ‘we must look good all of the time’ to attract work & be a 'wonderful parent'.
Well you know what, it is hard work being perfect isn’t it? It doesn’t exist, I managed to do a course on sustainability leadership, finish off my lectures for my students, wind down a team that was in chaos during Covid, managing those expectations and liaising with the CEO on being ethical to the group I represented, all this whilst building a new business, doing Webinars and hoping that the boys don’t burst in on me mid flow as I talk about re-wiring the economy or circular systems!
Oh, I’m no super woman, it has been tough I will admit it, I wish that there was a superhero cape to get through all of this, there isn’t. Just hard graft and indeed a certain focus that I lack sometimes in taking on too many things at the same time, thanks to my good friend Ed for pointing that one out!
It hasn’t been an easy ride for many of us, I am so glad that I started going towards my purpose of sustainability 3 years ago, I would be very worried right now if I hadn’t developed myself further.
The world of work I see will transform to accept more diversity of age, life stage, background etc, I was reading how this is so needed for companies to innovate. We do not need more like ourselves, we need people with different ideas, different takes on life. Government would do well to head this new way of being with the world too, but don’t get me started on politics, we may be here a long time. Focus Rachel!
The ability to juggle as I have been frankly doing for my entire parenting life is a great skill to have. I have had to be very agile in how I go about things, granted it doesn’t always pay off & that’s another thing to actually congratulate ourselves on. In making mistakes we learn big time, this is a part of innovating and learning. I always say to my students during the entrepreneurship unit, celebrate your mistakes for they are the very thing that will make you more resilient.
Perfection is a myth, no one sees the background to your journey, they just see the wins.
So today a skip in my step feeling twenty years younger I take on the next part of my journey towards sustainable futures. Now I know it will not be prefect – but I will learn and grow. Going now into things with a possibility of focus and a more considered manor, less headless chicken style.
To be honest I will damn well pat myself on the back for being a 40 something who grows and develops herself rather than accepting the state of affairs. All part of being a stoic. Check out my years of experience from within industry, my ability to teach others, to relate to people, my background in textiles, print, design, my geekiness in sustainability and learning, I could go on, but if you are interested check out my profile or have a zoom call with me.
I am great but I am not perfect, that’s the beauty of being human not a superhero.
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