This April, spring break took a twist I wasn't expecting. While visions of poolside lounging danced in my kids' heads, reality involved a different kind of family adventure: helping my 81-year-old parents move apartments in Philadelphia. Needless to say, "relaxation" wasn't exactly on the agenda for anyone!
Throw in a crazy busy work week on top of that, and you've got the recipe for a potential breakdown. But here's the thing: thanks to the flexibility of remote work (all I needed was my trusty laptop and Apple TV!), I managed to juggle it all. It was chaotic, yes, but by the end of the week, a powerful feeling washed over me – gratitude.
This experience was more than just packing boxes. It was about staying true to myself and implementing my post-pandemic promise: to travel more with my kids and extend work trips for personal exploration.
So, when a potential client requested a New York meeting that same week, I saw an opportunity. Day trip, anyone? My 12-year-old daughter was thrilled to take a break form helping with the move and jump on a train with me! She got a front-row seat to my world, observing my sales pitch for a hotel project/model room in a SoHo warehouse. The amazing hotel team peppered her with questions and gave her a front row seat for the demo.
After the demo, we celebrated with lunch at the Soho Grand, where my daughter spotted a favorite influencer (major fangirling ensued!). We capped off the epic day with a matinee on Broadway and a two-hour shopping spree at Macy's.
I share this story because It was a stark contrast to the pre-pandemic me, constantly wrestling with guilt. Back then, work trips meant rushing home, my mind split between presentations and bedtime stories. I always felt divided - When I was working, I tried to downplay the demands of motherhood and what I was missing while at work. At home, I'd try to silence the itch to explore, pretending to be fully present when a part of me craved adventure.
As Glennon Doyle says, This way of life requires living in integrity: ensuring that my inner self and outer self are integrated. Integrity means having only one self. Dividing into two selves—the shown self and the hidden self—that is brokenness, so I do whatever it takes to stay whole. I do not adjust myself to please the world. I am myself wherever I am, and I let the world adjust.”
