WHY: so, I'm a nurse (isn't your sister a nurse? your little sister?)

Happiness is...

when what you

THINK

what you

SAY

and what you

DO

are in harmony.

So, if I think exercise is important, and I tell you that exercise is valuable, then I should GO FOR A RUN.  This is what will make me happy.  Just a totally random example, obviously... :)

But sometimes what I think is not even in harmony with itself, causing some problems.  For example, I think that babies should be at home with their moms, but I also think that women should be able to have successful and fulfilling careers.  When I was a new mom, a few people told me that they were not surprised that I went back to work because I was a "career person."  This was interesting to me because I did not feel like a "career person;" I felt like an "I want to stay home with my baby person."  To be clear, I went back to work when Annie was a baby  because we needed the money.

At the same time, as Annie and Maren got older, I learned that working has non-monetary value as well.  I think working keeps me interesting and engaged in the world.  I never feel like I need a break from the girls because I always appreciate the time with them.  I also seem to do better (health, money, organization, etc.) when I am busy - even in college, my best semesters were the ones when I took 18 credits.

So, in conclusion, I need to work and make some money; but I also want to work.  In my dream world week, I would love to work 20-25 hours at a job that is personally fulfilling and pays me fairly, volunteer a few hours, play with my kids after school, and have flexibility.

Enter A New Career.  I have been extraordinarily lucky in my career because I have had jobs that felt more like true callings and I have been exposed to a ton of different, satisfying experiences.  My concern has been My Next Job, which would look something like this: $60K, a rigid ~50 hours a week including nights and Events, lots of ass-kissing fundraising, and lots of personnel management, which I hate (oh and I am bad at it as well).

So, nursing.  Lots of options that do not involve management.  Flexible, part-time options.  Decent starting salary.  When I leave, I am finished - someone else takes over and I get to just go home. And I get to help people (I had to feel like I was "helping")!  Coming to nursing started as a "head" decision as opposed to a "heart" one, but somewhere along the way, it started to feel a lot like another calling.  And, yes, isn't it adorable how I am following in my little sister's footsteps?!