But Darling, What If You Fly?

My story of how this business was started, the internal struggle between doing the "right thing" and taking a leap of faith.

If you have read the previous blog posts you know that with my first little guy I did not have the greatest start to motherhood. Pregnancy came with a few scares/tests and worries, labour was long and crazy, birth was scary and not my plan and postpartum...well thats where this begins.

I was in a rough spot emotionally, hormonally all while trying to fake being ok as a new mom. Very few knew of my struggles, and my mom my husband and my best friend, who had her baby just 2 days before me (no we did not plan it that way) were my rocks.

Once I ventured out of the house and got active in the mom community I started to feel more at peace about being a new mom, about my struggles and started to feel some normalcy in my day to day. That on top of my Dr. prescribing me an anti-anxiety medication made a world of a difference.

Fast forward to 2017, on mat leave with my second son and as each day passed wondered what we were going to do. Early years centres? Drop ins? Visiting family? I missed that "mom tribe" connection. I knew I needed more.

With the support of friends and family I decided to host a small get together with some songs and a footprint craft. I put it out on a facebook group to see if anyone was interested I hit send and put my phone down and walked away and thought "oh boy this will be embarassing if no one says yes". After an hour of keeping myself occupied I picked up my phone closed one eye and opened the post. 136. 136 moms had said yes! I was overwhelmed and almost in tears. Maybe it was the post partum hormones or maybe it was that I wanted to change the lives of other moms, the way mine was changed with my first little guy.

I planned songs, I planned crafts and asked a few community partners to help out. I was prepared. I was nervous. I was excited! I walked in to our first meeting, not knowing who was coming, not knowing if I was going to be able to deliver what was promised and would the other moms like me?

The first event we had a few moms, maybe 4. The one after that a few more. I planned a few other activities, partnered with a few more community spaces and the events began to grow. I felt so fullfilled, like I was making a difference. Moms had pulled me aside to thank me for giving them and their little ones something to do. I was making new friends, hearing stories of other moms struggles and feeling like a source of support. Then reality set in.

My mat leave was coming to an end. I had to go back to work. I had a job, a good job. What was I going to do? Was it foolish of me to not go back to work? Could we continue living on one income if this didnt work? I didnt feel like it was the responsible decision to leave my job. I have never run my own business, how am I going to do this.

The voice in the back of my mind kept saying "go for it, you can do this". I knew that I needed to feel this sense of fulfillment each day and I felt on top of the world working with moms and babies. This also gave me the flexibility to be there for my family.

After weeks and weeks of weighing out the pros and cons, talking it over with friends and family, my decision was final. I knew what I had to do.

I made the decision to jump in with two feet, put my everything in to this business and make The Common Moms the place for moms to be. I will tell you I have never been more proud of myself, happier with my decision or thankful that I have been given this opportunity.

The ups and downs of running a business can really get the heart pumping but at the end of the day it is all worth it. Every. Single. Second.

Women are full of amazing ideas, the drive and the hustle it takes to run the world! If this anxiety filled, non business minded mom of boys can do it, you can to! If you are on the fence about jumping in with two feet, I say go for it! The sky is the limit and dont let anyone give you a ceiling.