Zazzle has selected their favorite Christmas card designs this holiday season and I’m excited and honored to be part of this group.
I’ve now learned to create for myself but validations of my work is certainly welcome.
Hey, I’m a real person and it’s amazing to get noticed and recognized.
Designs from these collections have made the Editor’s pick if you want to check them out, here they are below.
View the full HolidayZ Design Challenge Winners post here.
I’m always so grateful when people applaud my work. As a designer, I’ve had my share of doubts around my abilities.
If you know my story, you would know that I had my 4 children, closely, one after the other. I took 1 year maternity leave for each. (Benefits of living in Canada).
Someone once asked me, “How is it going back to work after such a long maternity leave?”
Well…I answered it by saying “I’ve been blessed that the employer I’m going back to supports family life”…but I guess that didn’t really answer it.
Along with the benefits there were certainly challenges for taking such a long leave. Financially, emotionally, mentally but on this post I’d like to talk about what it did to my self-confidence.
Missing four years of work takes it’s toll.
We gain so many things becoming mothers, it’s a calling of the tallest order. In my experience, it has been both the most beautiful and the most challenging thing in the world.
I’ve once mentioned on another article that “I noticed that I …started getting too lost in my children’s world”. Speaking from experience, it’s easy to find yourself hiding behind them.
Don’t get me wrong, we have to accept that we need to dedicate a lot to our children. They’re not going to feed and change themselves. But don’t forget that children will grow up. I had the tendency to forget this myself, I always thought they’d stay over dependent forever.
I forgot that and they’ll eventually want to spread their own wings.
As they grow, we can’t forget to grow as well. There are benefits for the family when we as parents work on improving.
With that in mind, I started asking, what would I want to tell them. Better yet, what would I want to SHOW them. I chose to grow and light the spark within me.
Instead of waiting for opportunities to come, I decided to make a choice and move towards elevating in different aspects of my life — starting with my craft.
It may have started with becoming an entrepreneur. But in doing so, I have become more resourceful and a life long learner. It has driven me to develop in so many ways.
Did you know I can cut hair now? I can make home made bread, build a website, watercolor, design on murals and cars. I continue to execute big projects and lead teams in organizations, speak in front of audiences and mentor young people to help them as they mature. And everyday I learn more ways to love my family. Which has always been the root of it all.
So if you want the secret to destroying self doubt. I say arm yourself with knowledge, wisdom and take action. Everyone won’t love everything you put out there, but the difference is that you did it. You created, you grew and took action.
Let’s continue to be grateful. I still hope to grow; I think I’ll learn another language next. How about you? Let me know in the comments below.
Thanks for reading I hope you like this enough to try it and share it with your friends, click here to sign-up to my email newsletter. (Don’t worry I hate spam, your information is safe. Unsubscribe anytime).
Affiliate Disclosure: I’m proud to be an approved affiliate to products I truly believe in. I may earn a commission from some of the links at no extra cost to you, the consumer. I truly appreciate your support.
Absolutely loves this post! Motherhood is a “calling of the tallest order” couldn’t be more true. I only had on mat leave to come back to and, wow, how things changed within 18 months. You might be going back to a different envurnmonet, but the journey changes you in ways you could have never imagined. Thank you for speaking your truth and sharing your heart! 💖
Thank you…so right..It is a journey that is transformative. I had to learn what I gained and harness the power of this new perspective, because it truly is a new lense.
Thank you for sharing your experiences. You have always been a role model I look up to and I am always at awe at how you do it all!. Being at that stage right now with my second child, it’s a great reminder not to forget ourselves. You’re right, motherhood is the hardest but most rewarding calling in this world. You are a beautiful person inside and out who has such amazing talents. Keep doing what you’re doing and keep touching people’s hearts. 💟
Thank you Arlene! This is so kind…Oh…by the way…I wish but I don’t do it all…Just what matters to us and also not on my own. I’ve learned the power of “the ASK”. Letting those that love me that I can’t do it without them.
Don’t forget..I’m here for you too…:). You’re wonderful, and I look up to you as well.