#sweetlife

I'm turning 35 years young this June, and I'm actually excited about this. I feel as though I am achieving the goals I set for myself in my twenties and early thirties. I am where I want to be. Oddly, it took my sister being on a five week vacation for me to realize this. My sister is my person, without her I would be lost; and honestly, I felt lost for five weeks while she was away. Yes, she lives in Vancouver and I live in Ottawa, but when she is even harder to reach and I can't talk to her twice a day or text her hourly it changes my mood and I become very blue. She is my sounding board, the person I use to brain storm and she knows me better than almost anyone. So when she was away recently I had to brainstorm on my own. And wow, did I ever think, ponder, make plans and goals for myself, by myself! I thought she had such a great life, where she could travel for such a long stretch of time with her husband and not have to worry about work (she runs her own successful marketing/social media/media/image branding company …she is doing great things this one!), she doesn't have children yet so that is a big difference between her life right now and mine, as well. I was jealous. But while she was away, a comment she made really resonated with me.

It was a Saturday morning and I was in the thick of it with my two young girls. The breakfast routine had just finished and the oven was preheating for our weekend ritual. Saturday is my baking day with my oldest daughter. Baby C was napping I think or maybe even just playing in her play area. I was still in my bathrobe, which I tend to sport until about 10:30 on the weekend when my sister Face Timed me. I was giving her a play by of our activities that morning, and she said simply and so heartfelt, "You have a sweet life."

Why did I need someone else to tell me this, for me to sit back and let it all soak in? Regardless, it did, and I've been thinking about those words ever since. I have worked very hard to get to where I am, not only with my career, but family as well. It is work. It's good work, but it doesn't come so easily as some might think. So while I waited for my sister to return to Canada and was jealous of her sweet life, it gave me pause, and time to think about all my efforts for the life that I have created for myself and for my family. It has also given me the opportunity to think about where I want to go.

I have felt for the longest time that I was stuck. In the sense that I am waiting for my life to begin. I am a big procrastinator as well. Sometime life gets in the way and next thing you know you are turning 35 and looking back at your twenties wondering where they went. Well, where they went was in setting me up for my thirties and my life now. This is what I have realized. They were not wasted at all. I did not get here by skipping over my twenties. In my twenties I finished my formal design education. I strategically selected job opportunities that would lead me to my current job that I love so much, and has given me massive creative control and freedom within the company. I met and married my husband, without whom none of this would be possible and we certainly would not have these two beautiful daughters who bring us so much light and joy every day, even on the rough days. I wouldn't trade any of this for trips around the world. And so, I stopped being jealous of my sister's vacation. I stopped wishing for things to be different with my life and continue to create the path that allows me time to be grateful for my beginnings. I reflect. I blog.

xo