Greetings from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania! Things have been busy. I am still a working mom of three, working full time who is trying to make a difference. I do a lot of things and try to be present so that I can learn from them. I share them on this blog so that we can learn together.
Below are some thoughts, hacks, and/or lessons that I have learned from navigating my world.
Pursue Happiness
There’s a lot written about in the self-help industry and discussed with therapists about the flaws sof pursuing perfection. Phrases like, “perfect is the enemy of the good” resound. And it has been made abundantly clear that we ought not be pursuing perfection. If that is true, then what should we be pursuing?
According to American values, we should be pursuing happiness. Indeed, the Declaration of Independence says this, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
So, perhaps this year, as working moms, we should take a page out of the Founders’ book and pursue happiness—at work, in our personal lives and with our kids. That's what I intend to do.
I began this year pursuing happiness with my kids in the Bahamas and I am not sorry. It was the best way to create an energy shift for me and my new family. Transitioning from a family of five to a family of four has been challenging, especially since the kids and I live in the same house that we shared with their father. Although doing that has been the right decision. There have been struggles.
If I'm not careful, our existence can be a function of missing who is no longer there instead of celebrating our lives. To combat that, I have been taking my children on new experiences, like the cruise so that they know that we will survive and even thrive despite their father's departure. Our lives have been challenging. So, I have intentionally embraced fun in a more deliberate way and have tried to make their dreams come true.
It has taken more work and commitment since I returned from my trip. Because while I was away, my ex sought and obtained Alimony Pendente Lite. I learned about it as soon as I hit domestic waters. Talk about a vacation buzz kill! After learning that I had a decision to make. Would I pursue happiness without ceasing or would I cower, take cover, and cry?
I shed a few tears. However, my resolve has not ceased. I realize that my kids deserve a mom who enjoys life. And so I choose to focus on this thought. I am blessed to live this life with my kids. I play that on repeat all day long.
Because of them, and in honor of the creator, I am also committed to desperately seeking happiness in spite of it all. The Bible says, "Seek and ye shall find."
Stay tuned to learn how this pursuit unfolds!
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