There have been times in my life when I have been so busy and have felt so overwhelmed with life. Times when I felt like I was juggling 10 to 12 balls and I couldn’t really catch any of them. I am sure many of you have felt this way too. If you think back on your life, it doesn’t take much to pull up these memories. Memories such as bringing home a new baby, starting a new job, moving across the country, graduating from college…..or all of the above at the same time!! (Oh, dear!)
I have also learned that different seasons in life can be busier than others. Right now I am in a phase of life that I thought would be less complicated than it has been. I have been a stay-at-home mom for 22 years. I have done a lot of work to earn money out of my home through the years, but mainly stayed home to raise my five kids.
Almost exactly two years ago, I entered the workforce and opened my own business. This is a path that I had never thought of previously. It has been an amazing and beautiful journey but so many things have been new and uncertain. This path has been filled with doubt, worry, and lots of work, also. I have often felt very overwhelmed from running a business and working and still being Mom and wife and running our home.
As I have gone through this transition in my life, I have had to accept that some things were going to have to give. Things such as dinner being on time, the house being clean, taking care of the kids, all of the norms were not norms. I felt like a giant HOT MESS everyday! Now I really don’t know anyone that wants to be a hot mess or feel out of control. But as I navigated this new road I felt like HOT MESS was my new norm. I decided to cut out many things, which helped. My husband stepped in and picked up a lot of the slack, which was wonderful. But overall, my life of 22 years was fading…and I was beginning this new life.
I knew I would feel out of control for awhile, so I really tried to allow myself kindness and love. I decided that I would honestly just be the best HOT MESS that I could be. Meaning, I would get up each day and fight life’s battles. I decided that I would struggle until I found a way to make each thing work. I would juggle my life the best that I could everyday. I accepted the fact that everything would not get done and that was okay. I knew I was doing my best and that was enough. Does any of this sound familiar? Have you ever felt like this? Maybe you are feeling like this right now.
One of the parts that I love most about our Ruby Bucket Retreat is that we always pick a theme to plan our retreat around. It is so fun to decorate and plan each detail. For our last retreat, the theme was “I am Enough”. It was such a powerful retreat and we felt like everyone could relate.
For our 2020 spring retreat, we wanted to have a theme that celebrated you and how amazing and unique you are. We kind of struggled to really come up with the exact words to simply express that. But….we found it, and it’s good! Are you ready……..(this is so exciting!!)
The theme for our 2020 Spring Retreat is “Royally Flawsome!”
The theme for our 2021 Spring Retreat is “Royally Flawsome!”
Have you ever heard the term “flawsome?” I am sure you can figure out what it means. It has been a term that has been floating around for awhile. Flawsome is an adjective. It is when an individual embraces their “flaws” and knows they’re awesome regardless. I definitely know that I am not a perfect person in any shape or form, but I do know that there are many wonderful things about myself. See, I am flawsome! This is something that I try to teach my children—that they are not perfect but are so great anyway. They are flawsome! YOU are FLAWSOME!
So this brings me back to the introduction. One of my dear friends (and a Ruby Bucket Babe) told me we should do a retreat on being a HOT MESS!! I joked with her that yes, we could just dump all my dirty laundry that is in my laundry room right now on the floor with a big stack of my dirty dishes! (LOL) That could be the main decorations. No one wants to see all of that! That’s why there are doors on laundry rooms. Stephanie and I could show up in our bathrobes and with curlers in our hair. No one wants to see that either. But when Stephanie mentioned “flawsome,” I instantly thought of this conversation with my friend. And this brings me to the deeper meaning of being a hot mess and being flawsome.
We all go through times of conflict, worry, and struggling. We all juggle many balls every day and feel like we are barely able to catch them and sometimes may drop all of them. But we keep trying…just like I have struggled to keep my head above water as I navigate this new life with a new career. I have come to appreciate, through my personal journey, that I am awesome at many areas and am weak in a few. I see this beauty in all of you around me. You are so amazing and accomplish so much. The world is blessed because of all that you add each and every day.
Spring Retreat 2021 is April 23-24th. Please join us for Take 2 of “Royally Flawsome!”
Join us at Ruby Bucket Retreat April 17-18, 2020 to celebrate you. Join us for two beautiful days full of welcome gifts, yummy treats, classes, prizes, a shopping boutique, crafting and make-n-takes. But the best thing will be the laughter, visiting and sisterhood as we spend time together. You’ll come with your worries and will leave refreshed with your ruby bucket filled. Come, let us spoil you. You are worth it, for you are Royally Flawsome!