Please DON’T judge my messy garage 😉 . These are my confessions of a Stay at Home, Work from Home, ambitious mama…. and former scrub hoarder 😉
Operation Downsize, Nesting, and Garage remodel in full effect…. {long but worth it post ALERT!}
Before Mike deploys and comes home to us becoming a family of 4 we decided to use a few days of his leave to put a major dent in our home “projects”, downsize, and get prepared.
Going through everything has jolted some major feelings of gratitude and reflection.
One in particular… a box of my nursing scrubs, books, and supplies. Friends…. I LOVED being an ICU nurse and honestly thought I’d continue to work in the hospital once we had Mac, but as many mamas can tell you something shifts within you once that tiny human is placed in your arms and you are blessed with the gift of getting to raise them.
I worked at the bedside in the ICU until I was 38 weeks preggars with Mac, and 32 of those weeks were on night shift.
And once she was born I was faced with the choice of going back, and although the part of me who had my identity wrapped up in my role as a nurse, who worked hard for my degree, and was proud of my career wanted to go back, a new part of me had been born alongside MacKenna that couldn’t imagine handing her off to anyone else for 12-13 hours at a time.
Don’t get me wrong though… as much as I wanted to be with my daughter 24/7 I was also painfully aware that if I was going to make this choice and stay home, I HAD to have something for me.
Not just for my own good, but for the good of my marriage, sanity of myself & those nearest to me, and to be the strong independent example I wanted Mac to have that I had growing up, that taught me & instilled in me such strong work ethic.
All this backstory to share this…
I sit here today having been a stay at home parent for 5+ years about to welcome our 2nd child into the world. For 3 of those 5 years I have also built from the ground up my own health and wellness business FROM HOME with Mac at my side, during 2 deployments, away from all family, and make as much now as I would if I were still working full time at the hospital and it continues to grow.
I am 18 weeks preggars and instead of putting on these scrubs you see here, and getting ready for a 12 hour night shift, I am home with my soon to be deployed hubby, my daughter, and actually enjoying my pregnancy.
I am able to design our lives, and work my business around what best serves the needs of our family. Putting them first, while also contributing financially to our future.
For this I consider myself blessed and oh so very grateful that I didn’t cave to the opinions and doubts of others or even my own ego that told me that the only way to be “successful” or “happy” was to have a “real” career and stay with nursing.
Again… I LOVED being a nurse and will forever cherish all I learned about the field, myself, others, & the value of life, but the only constant in life is change, and my path took me in a new and unexpected direction.
There have been bumps along the way and MASSIVE opportunity for growth. I’ve failed, stumbled, doubted myself, but I keep getting back up and it’s taught me more than I could ever imagine, and has provided me the freedom I always wanted to explore, travel, and fully live and experience life, surrounded by some of the most uplifting people I’ve ever known.
So to some it may seem I’ve “sold out” my career and degree to “sell” shakes and workout programs… to them I say you have no clue what I REALLY do.
To others you may think that’s great for you Jacks…. BUT I could never ______”
To all of the above I say…. your life will only be limited by the way YOU CHOOSE to see yourself, your circumstances, and the world. If you desire something deeply enough and are willing to back that desire with determination you can create anything you dream up!!
And I hope you do.
Now if you know anyone who is in need of some size small and medium scrubs let them know I have some I’m looking to get rid of
And if you’d like to learn more about this crazy journey I’m on, and have the opportunity to be mentored by me to start yours message me here on the site or CLICK HERE or shoot me an email @ jaclynraefitness@gmail.com
** I proudly partner with Beachbody and it must be said that in no way can they or I guarantee your success. The only person who can do that is YOU. All results both physical and financial are based on your own efforts, time, and skill. IMO… If you’re full of heart and hustle you will succeed **