It’s a new year and a new decade. The social feeds are full of pictures of friends, family and celebrities looking back 10 years. What their lives were like 10 years ago. Everyone is looking back to look forward, so I thought I would do the same.
My life was completely different 10 years ago. I was a stay at home mom helping my husband launch his company. My children were aged 14, 13, 11 and 7. The pre-high school years – I may have blocked out some of this!
Since then, I officially went back to work in my field of accounting. Then went from working full-time in accounting to working full-time on my side-hustle. I went from having no real income, to making a decent income to back to nothing! I guess, that leaves me in about the same place as 10 years ago. However, I am now working hard at moving my company forward in a way where we can serve artists and help them grow amazing companies or side-hustles.
My children are of course, all 10 years older. One graduated from college and is working and living in a different state. Two are finding themselves and recently returned to school to continue working on degrees. The youngest will graduate from high school and is entering the Army in June.
I went from a full-time parent to parenting being just my side-hustle. Although, maybe that wording isn’t quite right. But the thing with parenting is if we do are job, we no longer are needed. And that is slowly what has happened. Moving forward, it will continue to be even less of something I actively do. (Not that my children will move from being a priority in my heart, just that they will not need me in their daily lives anymore!)
It has been an interesting decade. One where the labels I was given by society changed and the changed again. My guess is the next decade will be the same experience, one of constant change and new labels.
I would like to say I have a complete plan for the next 10 years, but what I know from looking backwards, is I didn’t know I would be here today. That I would be both excited and sad about the changes in my life. I am sure there will continue to be new additions in my family and friends over the next decade and I will unfortunately probably lose some too.
My family lost my sister, my father-in-law and my brother-in-law over the past decade. Their presence is missed every day, but more so over the holidays. There is a keen awareness of the people not in the room while we celebrate. It brings both sadness and oddly, gratitude when we get to gather now. Sadness for those missing. Gratitude for having had them in my life in the first place as well as gratitude for being gifted with the time to spend with my family.
There is the real possibility my kids will get married and start their own families over the next decade. I may add the label of mother-in-law and possibly grandma to my list. I had great roll models for these labels and will gladly add them if that is what happens.
But with these changes comes the shift in me and my husband going from part of my kids primary family to their extended family. It’s an odd shift to make. I now cherish the moments when my children sleep in my home. I know these days are limited. As my son walked out the door this past holiday I wondered if he would ever stay over in our home again. 🙁
The changes are never ending and the emotions felt with them are strange and new. Looking back to look forward the only thing I am certain of is change. And my job is to learn to grow and adapt and love the journey these changes will bring.
Wishing you love, hope, growth and happiness in 2020 and beyond. Enjoy the journey you are taking.