It’s funny how in times of sharing in someone’s excitement that there can be all sorts of mixed emotions that we can experience underneath the surface, joy as well as overwhelm, and happiness alongside chaos. All of the feels, all at once, right?
I shared in my last blog about reflecting on our journey of the last year, and how we’ve journeyed from financial insecurity to being able to send my husband to Africa for a month to visit his family, do charity work, and take care of business. Well, Romeo headed off on July 28 for five weeks in Cameroon! It’s very exciting to think of all the things that he’ll get to do, all of the connections, reunions and tapping back into his culture that he’ll be a part of – and then on the other hand those of us left here to continue on as “normal” are surrounded by so many mixed emotions… all while missing him very much.
As a coach, I can look at this situation and realize that it’s very normal, and even healthy, to be experiencing all of these emotions. I can be so excited for my husband, and also overwhelmed with taking care of two littles 24/7, while maintaining my business. The good news? It’s just a season. But in this season, I have to be more aware of my budget – not just where the money needs to go, but also where I’m dedicating my time and energy.
At the time of writing this, he’s been gone for 2 weeks. We’re almost halfway through! And as I look over these last two weeks of feeling like life sort of got turned upside down and inside out with our routine, going into solo parenting with him being gone, I realize how much I truly appreciate the routine and structure that I normally have. I realize how much his support and presence is stabilizing in our family, and how much it makes it possible to achieve our goals and raise our family when we’re working together.
In realizing how much his support matters, it made me start thinking; Not everyone has this same support built into their relationships. BUT. It can still be available if you know where to look. Whether you need guidance on the best next step to take, support on a regular basis, or someone to help you work on your mindset, that kind of encouragement is possible for you! Here’s a caveat though: If no one knows you need help, no one can help you. If I’m being honest – and vulnerable – the first week that Romeo was gone was utter chaos. I was attempting to come across put together publicly, but I was definitely feeling unraveled and quite unhinged internally. This creates unrealistic expectations, and also throws off our internal resources! It wasn’t until I reached out to my friend for help in the second week that I started to find some semblance of balance. Not the “normal” that I’m used to… but can I tell you how good it feels to accept help from someone I trust to be there for me??
Friend, today I want to encourage you to be brave. If you’re feeling stretched thin, unraveled, or even just a little lost… reach out for help. I’m here to help you take your next best step and embrace the best version of yourself!
