After having a baby last April, I re-evaluated what success means to me. My time was more limited than before, and I chose to spend any “free” time I had working on things I was passionate about. I started focusing more on freelance writing and consulting, a cookbook, my food blog, non-profit work in the food space, and other food-related projects. I finally returned to the gym and loved having that time for myself. All this is fulfilling, but I find it takes tremendous discipline to juggle childcare, self-care, and self-employment. For example, how do I know if my day was a success? Does it mean I went to the gym? How about if I didn’t burn the roasted chicken? What about making it to all my meetings on time or completing my to-do list for the day? Does it mean my baby only had one diaper blowout instead of three? Some of these successes feel bigger than others depending on the day.
To keep track of everything, I started setting realistic daily and weekly goals in my planner to recognize my successes as I go. I break my goals down into smaller, more manageable milestones so that I can celebrate the incremental wins on the path to a long-term achievement. I find this is essential to stay motivated and keep the long-term goal in sight while recognizing that real life doesn’t really care about my lofty long-term goals. Real life cares that I take care of my babies. That I prioritize my physical and mental well-being while a never-ending to-do list swirls around me. That I do my best to meet people, discuss ideas, and create something out of nothing…creatively and consistently.