Going through changes

Needless to say, things have been incredibly busy on my side trying to plan and organise everything for our Little Donut's arrival while finishing off things at work. I always love this time of year - the festive feel of the office while you are wrapping up your work for the holidays, spending time with family and just enjoying the end of another year. But this time round it feels incredibly strange, because in some ways it feels as if I am putting a portion of my life on hold while another portion is going to start one of the most exciting journeys yet.

I have always been career focused and I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that my sister and I grew up with two working parents who really embodied a strong work ethic. We used to love going with my parents to work and helping them where we could. It made me excited for my own career (not that we understood back then how challenging work can be). I've had a plan on where I would be in my career and this year was the first step into the role that I have been planning for since I was 16 years old. It's incredibly exciting and I'm really enjoying the responsibilities of running a division.

To get a taste of it and then go off on maternity leave for 5 months has been quite difficult to wrap my head around. At the end of a year, I always reflect back on the year and then look ahead to the new year ahead. The new year is going to be a journey that will be unlike any other before. I am not thinking about myself and for once, my career aspirations are ones that I find falling to the bottom on my list.

This post seems so odd - while I am typing it I am wondering where I am going with it and I actually just want to delete it. But I realise that I obviously came here to get things out and process the changes I am going through. I feel that there is a big shift in my identity, who I know myself to be is not necessarily who I am anymore.  Maybe it is because part of how I define myself is through my work and now my primary identity is going to be Mommy to my Little Donut.  As much as we shouldn't be identifying ourselves by our jobs or the roles we play in other people's lives, I am really excited to take on this new role.

I am looking forward to the changes - seeing how I change and how much I am going to learn in the new year. I think it is going to be the best year yet!

Big Hugs,
Charlene XXX