Once in a while we get blessed with an “Aha” moment. Those moments can be big or small, mind-blowing or just a newly discovered thought. Working from home off and on the last few years has been a journey to say the least. It’s pushed me to new levels of being, helped me to understand more issues about myself that I didn’t even know existed, and showed me that sometimes, you just have to fail a bunch to understand that you are staying true to your individual course.

My Journey To Today

Nearly 11 years ago I met my husband. I was waiting tables on the late shift when the man of my dreams walked in and sent chills and butterflies throughout me all at once. It was a feeling I never knew before, and if you’ve had them, you totally understand.

At that point, I had no goals, no real ambitions, and no feelings on how I would be spending my next years let alone my next days. I was living for the moment, enjoying the spontaneous, and not caring much at all about my health, let alone my life ahead.

This month at Habitual Balance, we’re looking back. After looking back a lot at this year in the last few posts, I’d like to go way back and travel with you on my journey to becoming a full-time reseller and blogger writing to you today snuggled on my couch with my two poofballs curled up next to me.

Life has changed a lot since then, but alas, so have I.

Related: How Self Reflection Helps You Grow as a Person

A Little Bit About Me

When I say that I’m not an emotional person, I have to explain it a little more. Death doesn’t phase me much anymore, and sadness comes in many different forms. However, when I sit back and think about where I was in my life during our initial meet, and where I am now, tears pool in my eyes…I should probably invest in some teeny tiny umbrellas.

They’re not tears of sadness, but not all of happiness either. They’re more of a disbelief that life has led me to this point in such a weird and winding way, and I’m just overwhelmingly grateful for that.

Once I met my partner in this life, I realized a few things. I’d need to focus more on my well-being, understand who he was, and learn how to become better together as the years flew by.

Working from home was never on my to-do list, I didn’t even know at that point that it was a thing, let alone going to be what I did primarily in my future years, and mainly because of the fact that I wanted to do all I could to find something that would allow me to continue providing as a part of my family during and after my childbearing years. I longed to stay home with my pets, and in the future, our kids.

So, after a bunch trial and error, I finally figured out something that I could make work. It felt incredibly refreshing.

Reselling And Blogging – Working From Home

I grew up selling things. Anything and everything that I could get my tiny entrepreneurial hands on. I wanted to make ends meet before I knew what it meant. Give me a plastic cash register and I’ll give you my business plan.

Once sailing through 20-30 dead end jobs, it struck me that one thing remained obvious throughout them all. I was bored. I’d start every job, every career, (including my career as a 2x college dropout), elated and prepared af. Then, a few weeks would turn into months, and before the years end I’d always make a run for the next opportunity ahead of me.

This got old after awhile, causing me to grow more bored, and in turn, burnout from misunderstanding what was staring me in the face. I would be respectful to my employers, but would grow irritable on the way home knowing that I could offer so much more than I was.

The “Aha” moments started to come one after another, far spread throughout years but finally after several ideas failed, one ultimately stuck. Reselling became my thing, and blogging was where I grew fond of writing once again, just as I did as a child.

Once I had dealt with family members passing, a sick pup and heartbreak of many forms, there was one consistent thing that remained at the top of my thoughts each one of those nights as I lay awake staring at the ceiling.

“Thank God I work from home.”

Related: Path To Productivity: My Struggle With Planning And The Perfect Hot Cocoa Recipe

Working From Home Benefits

If I never had the opportunity of doing so, with the help of my husband working alongside me to build my dreams, I may not have gotten to be with my loved ones in their last days, or take care of my dog when he needed me most. I may not have been able to grind all day and all night on my business, so that my dreams that are still unfolding could ultimately be fulfilled.

I also may not have began to understand mental health and how important it is to us all. How our physical and mental strength play off of one another, and I may not have had time to read about, listen to, and learn of the ways that I can improve all of these things before becoming ready to welcome another life into the world.

Working from home has many ups and downs, although many think there are solely ups. I’m here to confirm that I’ve been through a lot of both, and although there are days where I still get frustrated at my employer (lol), I bring myself back to reality by reminding myself that through this all remains the fact that I get to work for myself.

What To Consider When Looking At Working From Home

If you’re on the brink of if you want to quit your day job, here’s a few things to consider.

Have you craved more time with your loved ones? Do you even have time for your significant other at the end of a long work day? Is there a hobby, a desire that you’ve been longing to try out before you hit 30, 40, or 50 years old?

Perhaps you tell yourself that you’ll work out the rest of the month, quarter, or year to ensure you retain benefits, or maybe because someone told you “right now is not the best time.” I’m not suggesting you make harsh decisions on pay cuts or upsetting a family member, but I am hoping to reach you today in encouragement.

I encourage you to be strong, be brave, and forge ahead. Be the change you want to see in the world. Do what feels right to you, this is your life and you deserve to live it the way you choose to. (Within reason, obvs.!)

If you have a dream of working from home, for yourself, or remotely for your company, stop holding yourself back. Start out this new year with an improved version of yourself. Take care of your mind, body, and soul and begin to allow enough time in your day to breathe in more brain space. Stay flexible. Keep moving. Knowing your thoughts are valid in your path ahead is more rewarding than you can imagine.

Just imagine if you actually put them all to use.

…See you next year, my friend.
-Shelby <3

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Thank You For Reading “Working From Home And How It Has Molded Me”

Thank you for reading today’s post about why I work from home. What has your path looked like? Let me know what resonates with you. If you have a suggestion for what our next post should be let us know. Don’t forget to check out our sister site Rooted Drawers.