when a job offer is so much more....

Four days ago I received a job offer.  And it was a big deal.  A far bigger deal than I had even realized it would be.  For it was the first time in a long time that I had been evaluated and recognized for my professional skills.  For the first time in a long time, I was being seen as an individual, rather than being defined by a relationship to someone else.

Over the years, I can see that I have lost sight of who I am.  When I met Jerry 12 years ago, I was a strong and independent woman with a pretty developed sense of self.  Since then, I have become more and more defined by the roles that I play in relation to other people: a wife, a mother, a military spouse. It's not that I'm unhappy in these roles.  In fact, they have all enriched my life beyond measure.  But still, I feel like I've lost grasp of who I am outside of those roles.  Something I know that many people, especially women, can relate to.  The added layer of being a military spouse further distances me from the elusive self.

So when I received this job offer, I felt a spark being re-lit inside of me.  I was finally going to have something that was all mine. I have done a significant amount of rewarding and meaningful volunteer work over the past several years, but it has always been tied to my roles as a military spouse and parent.  And while I will proudly continue to volunteer, there is something different and exciting about the opportunity to have a career of my own again.  I have missed that independence.  I have missed being able to financially contribute to my family.  I have missed a part of me. 

As I begin this new (and hopefully rewarding) chapter of my life, I am also making a commitment to myself. A commitment of self-care, self-exploration and self-enrichment.  A commitment to find things that *I* love in life, things that make me happy outside of taking care of my family.  A commitment to find a hobby other than 'taking showers' (because they are fun/relaxing things that I enjoy, but don't do as often as I like!).

Part of this commitment will be writing regular blog posts, because it is something that I do enjoy.  I'm not exactly sure what 'regular' will look like, but I'm pretty sure that it will be more frequent than once every six years!   

I appreciate anyone taking the time to read this and welcome feedback on how *you* take care of yourself or what challenges you face in maintaining your sense of self.