Can We Push Ourselves Too Hard?

A few weeks ago, I found myself at a very swanky venue on Manhattan’s Lower East Side mixing and mingling with Supermodel Christy Turlington for the launch of Avon’s latest fragrance, Step Into Sexy. I was on assignment for Momtrends. As I stood among other media personnel with a cocktail in my hand (always), I found myself talking about my day job (a Socio-emotional Therapist for teens in foster care). One of the ladies turned to me and said, “You have the best of both worlds. You get to do what you love during the day… and in the evenings. You figured it out!”

{Christy Turlington Burns. Me.}

On the subway ride home, I got to thinking… 

Let’s see… Motherhood + one full time job + several Freelance gigs (check the column to your right) + a social life = errr, anyone have a calculator so that I can tally all of this up? 

Make no mistakes about it, I love what I do, both as my day job and as a Writer. Heck, I’d write for free and I have written for free (all you PR people reading this, feel free to disregard the latter statement. #ThankYouVeryMuch). Both of my jobs allow me to be a blessing to others. It's my purpose. This may sound strange, but I feel as though this is exactly where I'm supposed to be at this very moment in my life. But it's a constant grind. I know this. I write blog posts while commuting on the subway and/or compose them in my mind while taking a shower or working out. It's constant multi-tasking. All the time. All day and almost everyday. 

I'm busy with motherhood, my day job, freelancing/ media related events, socializing, and sleeping (in that order). But THIS is what I wanted. And THIS is what I want. I wouldn't have it any other way at this very moment in my life. (You can't have it all and still have a full 8 hours of sleep every night, right?)

While I don’t feel like I’ve “arrived” at all, I can envision my career trajectory and it looks good. To me. I feel as though if I keep pushing and grinding through for the next few years, I’ll get “there.” Eventually. 

(Although, a huge part of me feels as though I should never quite “arrive,” but should always be striving for something more and something greater. Because there is always something more to learn. And do. Right?)

THIS is my dream. And I feel blessed that I can live it out everyday. Not everyone can say that they are so lucky. 

I learned (and am still learning) how to side hustle my side hustle and, as a single mother, the extra income is pretty darn sweet.

Is the constant push tiring? Yes, sometimes.

But is it worth it? Totally.

What are you grinding for?