A LITTLE ABOUT ME…
I grew up in Northern California and come from a large, funny family that is fiercely-loving — we are a bunch of loud critical thinkers that believe in raising a family, working hard, and living simply. My dad would often say, “quit your b—ing and get to work.” That proclamation used to make me crinkle my nose. However, the older I get, the more I realize my dad was right about a lot of things he instilled in us. Do you ever feel like it takes time to catch up on such life tutorials? There’s a sweet humility that comes with full circle lessons, dad talks, and experiencing life outside of the family nest. I would say that humility is a prerequisite for an honest and grace-filled life.
“Life has a funny way of making a fool out of you” is probably one of my favorite quotes because it makes me laugh with finger-pointing truth. It’s taken me years and much foolery to find where I’m at today with less stubbornness and authority. For me, that means motherhood comes first, it’s my most important role. I used to have differing beliefs about the hierarchy of what must come first. I traded career and money at the cost of family and intimacy. I put income and external recognition above family too many times to count and it didn't make our lives any happier.
As I've gotten older, paired with the pressures of the last few years, life's circumstances have obliterated my old belief system of hustle and rewired my values in a hard, messy, and beautiful way. It's taken me years to recognize how important it is to make a home as a woman, raise our son, and put my career 3rd or sometimes in 4th place. This change hasn't come easy, it's been a unique journey of letting go and letting in. What we've gained, as a family, is harmony -- to me, that is priceless. Family life comes first and I care a great deal about living a slower paced that life that feels nurturing and genuine from the inside-out.
Which means I am teaching less these days and offering photo sessions around our family life. I hope we can find each other on the mat and in life. I trust that we will meet one another exactly where and when we need — right on time.
God Bless.