Lesson #1: Flexibility

This weekend I made a plan. I made a plan to make time for everything that is important to me. I prioritized. I made a schedule. And it worked!

It worked, that is, until life happened. I woke up this morning psyched and ready to implement my new disciplined life. Then I realized that it was an unusual day because starting today, Monday’s I take Halle to lapsits at the Princeton Library. Then I got an email from a friend reminding me that we had invited them to dinner tonight. And suddenly four of my eight planned work hours were trashed for work.

The day kicked my ass. This, however, is primarily due to my not planning flexibility into my schedule. If there is one have learned as an entrepreneur… And if there is one thing I have learned as a mother… Things DO NOT go according to any plan.

This is not necessarily a bad thing. And it does not mean one should not plan. But it does mean that you cannot get bogged down in the plan – and that is what I did. I felt stress because I felt I was failing this idea I had of how my day should go. What was meant to take away my stress actually amplified it.

The lesson I take away from today is that tomorrow, I will go wholeheartedly after my plan for how my day should look. But I will trust in the curve balls the universe throws, remembering this time that they are there to show me a beauty and depth to life that I might never discover on my own. I will embrace the unforeseen and accept the outcome, whatever that may be.

SECOND Child?

Ok, so I only have one baby. But I call this blog my "second" child because in so many ways my business has been like a baby to me. Many entrepreneurs would understand this. You conceive of an idea, you incubate it, you give your values as best you can, teach it how to act, help it grow, and then it's off on its own.

My husband and I co-founded the business -- while we were dating but before we were married. So in that sense, I also feel like our business has helped prepare us for our little baby girl. We've learned how to work together and to disagree and to understand each other. Mostly. It wasn't and isn't always the easiest, but it has brought us together so deeply. The business in many ways I think prepared us for Halle.

My baby girl is my number one. My experience as an entrepreneur and my relationship with Michael have helped to shape who I am. This blog will be my chronicle of what happens when they all come together.