GUILTS Of Being A Mompreneur....or Just Mine?

Whether you are a stay at home mom or you are a working mom, being a mom is one of the hardest jobs and the most amazing jobs at the same time. 

As a stay at home - working mom, aka Mompreneur, I’ve come to realize that there is a lot of ‘baggage’ or ‘guilt’ that comes with it.  Of course, it is my decision to do what I do and I couldn’t be happier with the success of being a mom and running my own company, but never expected the ‘guilt’ that would accompany it.

We’ve all heard about ‘mommy guilt’. It is powerful and does take its toll, whether it be small or large, on all mommy’s working in and out of the house.   If you have set boundaries and guidelines for yourself and stick to your priorities, the stressors of ‘mommy guilt’ don’t play a factor too much.   I think there will always be ‘second guessing’ but the guilt subsides because the ultimate goal is to succeed for your kids, yourself and family as a whole.  You make & set your goals, make your own schedule and manage your day accordingly, having the best of both worlds, being a mom and successful businesswoman.

I read an article on Parenting.com that I always go back too, ‘Kiss Mommy Guilt Goodbye’.  You don’t have to be a business mom to have ‘mommy guilt’, being a mom is a full time job in and of itself!

Another guilt I never expected was ‘Wife Guilt’.  While my husband is the most supportive man, my biggest cheerleader, the ‘guilt’ of not spending enough time with him plays a huge role in the success of our relationship and marriage.  He gets just as excited for the opportunities, press and orders as if he just ‘closed the deal’ himself.  But getting to these points consumes long hours at night and time on the weekends for me to ‘get the job done!’ There were some fights and arguments about letting the business take over our personal lives and time for each other, I got it, I didn’t want that either.  

 

We do schedule ‘our’ time together. This may not seem romantic or personal, but it actually is.  We have our weekly date-night!   This is our time, no work, no kids, a few drinks and nice dinner.  It is exciting, because I look forward to that night during the week from Sunday night on.  We take turns cooking the dinner and just get to enjoy each other in the middle of a hectic week.

So, the third, most powerful and upsetting ‘guilt’ I’ve endured is the ‘Me Guilt’.  Really never thought I would make myself feel guilty, if that makes sense.  The sleepless nights, long and unpredictable days = stress, stress, stress!  Again, people will say, you do it to yourself, and to an extent yes, but I think all moms go through this, not just the ‘mompreneur’ in me.

I was a Division I athlete. I enjoy sports, playing hard, sweating and the burn.  I exercised my whole life, lost the baby weight after my first in 6 weeks (w/c-section) and even became a smaller size (your body does crazy things when & after you are pregnant).  

I don’t get my hair cut/trimmed hardly ever (twice in last 15mos)!  Pedicure… what’s that?  Shopping.. if it’s not at the grocery store, not sure what that means!  After baby # 2, I still am 15 pounds over my normal, clothes-fitting self (baby # 2 turned 3 in May).

I’ve let ‘me’ go…. Not sure where she went, but she is ‘in there’ and ready to come back.   I want to feel good and be happy about ‘me’.  Feeling stressed, tired and overwhelmed, that ‘me’ is not going to be back and that makes me feel very guilty.  I want to look in the mirror and say, ‘you are smart, attractive, and an amazing M.O.M’!

I’ve pledged to bring ‘Me’ back. No more feeling guilty about Me. If I can figure out and conquer the Mommy & Wife Guilt’s (that work for me/my house), I sure am going to succeed at this.  I decided while it’s the start of the holiday season, this is the best time for ME.  I like a good challenge, who’s with me?

Our M.O.M community is huge and we really need to rely on and take advantage of the support that is out there for us.  So, here’s too making the next 3 weeks (Thanksgiving goal) a success. I cannot wait to introduce Me to you!

One of our new features is going to focus on M.O.Mliving, so we will see great posts and inspiring stories on how to live smart while being a M.O.M.

Please Comment, share your thoughts and what work(s) for you as a M.O.M on any of the 'guilts'.