posted November 01, 2002 12:12 AM
Working at home has completely changed my life. Before, I can remember my husband walking in, and me just walking out. Sophia, our daughter, would know mom during the day, and dad at night. That's it. Granted, she's only 14 months old right now, and we're only into our 3rd year of marriage, but I believe that there's nothing like family bonding.
Anyway, stress completely overwhelmed us. We never had time for "US"; there was only time for work, baby, and sleep...if we were lucky. Night after night we would argue about something before going to sleep. It really wears you out. So, I decided to look into working from home. The possibility looked grim. How in the world were we supposed to make ends meet with one income? The uncertainty of that second pay being there was really hard to swallow. I came home one night to a letter on the table saying, "Remember when we had to scrape pennies together just to fill the gas tank and get a loaf of bread?? Having fun together was staying home and playing Scrabble, or tickling each other until we pee'd our pants??? I miss you. Love, Jon". I sat there and cried. That's when I decided that working from home was the ONLY way to do things.
We were tired. Tired of missing each other, tired of dealing with all of the added stress. So, we prayed together about it, and we feel the Lord has, once again, taught us to lean wholly on Him.
Now, I'm a wonderfully happy wife, mother, and HomeStyle Specialist with AtHome America. I wouldn't trade it for the world and all of its riches. The Lord is perfect in every way, and all of the glory goes to Him!
Thanks for bringing this up, Cheryl. It helps me to remember why I do what I do.
Jen Martin
------------------ Jen Martin, Loving Each Day I've Been Blessed With! Join the AtHome America Family today! www.athome.comjen_rah@yahoo.com Ask me how you can start YOUR OWN business for FREE!
[This message has been edited by Jenrah (edited November 01, 2002).]
posted November 05, 2002 01:52 PM
There was no other choice...
I've had work related back problems for 10 years. 2 years ago, I finished it off. 1 disc completely gone, several more ruptured. Workmans comp tried to kill me and disability at 100% covered about half the bills. A friend offered to set me up as a data entry op for her business. Slowly but surely I got back up. I still have bad back days. What does it mean to me? It means survival, self respect and continuing to run my home and family. It means everything!
quote:"How has working at home changed your life?"
Working at home has enabled me to be the mother I have always wanted to be, to have the career that I dreamed of, and has empowered me with independence and self respect beyond any other single thing I have ever done in my life!
There is no other title than "WAHM" that can give me ALL of that.
I am happier than I have ever been - waking up each day to a job that I LOVE, able to be home with my beautiful children, and knowing that whatever comes along... I CAN DO IT!
posted November 05, 2002 06:34 PM
Where do I start???
Before: I worked 8:00 to 4:30 - picked up my daughter at daycare and then my son from the neighbors and home by around 5:15 - My husband would roll in at about 6:00 - Cook dinner, eat, clean up, by then it would be 7:00 or after. Kids homework, etc. Give the kids a bath, pick up the house, get everything situated for the next day. Before I knew it it was time for bed - AND NO FUN TIME WITH THE KIDS!!
I was literally a basketcase, very depressed, very grouchy and very, very unhappy. I hated my life and I hated myself. I felt like I was a bad mother (and I really was) because I had no time to spend with the kids. My weekends were even taken up because I had all the things to do (like laundry, housecleaning) that I never had time to do during the week!!
Now:
I wake up and drive my kids to school, go home and pick up the house, make the beds, do a load of laundry, etc. then work my work at home job (legal transcription. I then pick up my kids from school at 2:30, we go home, sit down and go through their backpacks, I fix them a snack, we sit down together and TALK!!! I actually have time to PLAY and SPEND TIME WITH MY KIDS. I then get dinner ready and the kids help me and it is not a rushed thing and we have fun making dinner together each evening. After dinner we all pitch in and get it done and I've still got over 2 hours before it's bathtime.
I am now happy, relaxed and feel that I am a much better mother. My kids will testify to that!! (And a better wife!!).
The main reason I am home is because every day that I dropped my daughter off at daycare I would drive to work with tears streaming down my face because I wanted to raise my child, I didn't want someone else to do it.
I do have to work and make a certain amount each month but I am making that much and I will never go back out into the workforce!! I am home forever.
posted February 27, 2003 03:47 PM
YES!!! I am finally doing what God put me on the earth to do - stay home and raise my daughter and all the domestic chores!!
------------------ Steve Proud Daddy of Lizzie Moderator - Telecommuting Moms
posted February 28, 2003 05:04 AM
How has it changed my life?
It's changed my life, changed ME, my attitudes, my self-esteem...so much!
One of the biggest things it's truly changed for me is my ability to dream again. We all want so much for ourselves, our spouses, our children, and many times life has a way of beating you down and making you think that there's no way you'll ever accomplish your dreams... so you put them away. The real achievement that I've accomplished with Watkins, the very real money that I'm making, and my ability to continue to do that AND make it grow, has given me back the opportunity to work toward my dreams...AND get them! My trip to Ireland was one of those "dreams". Watkins sent me a large postcard with pictures on it that I hung on my wall--and sent me a monthly "tracker" to keep track of my progress and my group's progress. I signed an "agreement" that I would go to Ireland. That trip's coming up next month--and I'm waiting for my ticket in the mail right now--and it's all expenses paid. Other dreams are coming true too--from the greenhouse I've been building, to the backyard pool I bought last year, the porch swing I always wanted for cuddling on cool summer nights...making plans for a vacation home...
Working at home has changed the relationship that I have with my son. As a single mom, I've never had much time to spend with him--he's been shuffled to the babysitters, the daycares, more sitters, since he was just six weeks old. I remember three long years where I only got to see my son for a half hour in the morning, and a half hour at night. When I first started my home business with Watkins two years ago, there were three days a week that my son didn't see me at ALL, because my hours were so long, and by the time I got home, he was already in bed. Now, we can spend time together--and he's my pool-shooting buddy, my beach-bum buddy, my fishing pal, and I am fully aware of just HOW much I missed out on...he's an awesome kid. We have time to talk now, and I get to hear "the scoop" on the girls, the friends, his hopes, his fears, and I have the kind of relationship I always wanted to have with him.
My relationship with my boyfriend has changed a lot too--I think he has a newfound respect for me, seeing how committed I am to working hard to make my business grow. He's gotten used to seeing me put in a lot of effort into my business, and is excited when he sees my monthly checks growing, and I know he's proud of me, too. He knows that a large part of my business is helping others achieve, and knows I spend a lot of time training, and although that means I give up some of my "social life", he also supports me in what I'm doing (I imagine it helps that I supported HIS last business venture!).
The way I view myself has changed greatly. I realize now that I am a woman who has power--power in my life to change the things that I want to, power to be strong, self-assured. I view myself as a professional woman now--something I never did when working for someone else. I make important decisions easily now--and I'm decisive in a way that I've never been before. I know what I want, and I'm not afraid to go out and GET it. I know that I can be a mom, a spouse, a businesswoman, and succeed in all those arenas--that I have the internal tools to do that. I'm proud... to be ME.
posted February 28, 2003 06:27 PM
Working at home came about because I didn't have a choice and it all happened within one year. In a 6 month period my recently widowed mother (who had early onset Alzheimers) came to live with us (which she did until her death 7 years later). My husband (who was employed with American Express) lost his job (as did all the others who worked for the company) and struggled to find another. I had a two year old at home, less than $600 month income, a mortgage and the future looked bleak.
There was a time when I had $1.20 and needed to make a decision whether to buy toilet paper or milk (sounds easy? think about it for a minute *g*). Utilities? I'd call everyone to convince them to leave the lights, gas, etc. on, then have such a big phone bill I couln't pay it either. *lol*
I had learned to wheatweave that summer and I thought, wow, wheat is cheap in Kansas and I really like doing it so I'll make and sell the wheatweavings. *another g* Nothing is ever that simple, but sometimes you don't have choices and I didn't.
That summer my son and I went out and hand cut about 1/2 acre of wheat--I was sooooo excited, now I could make lots of designs and sell them. I made lots of designs, I sold them and made enough extra to buy both toilet paper and milk...big deal!!! *lol* But I ran out of wheat by November (big time in the craft industry)
I wish there was room to tell you all the marketing things I did that autumn to make enough money to survive--but it would take a book. I wish I could tell you how hard it is to deal with an alzeheimers parent while trying to work, booking shows, trying to write a how-to book and selling designs to magazines..but that's another story.
But I did, the business expanded and expanded and I eventually sold it when mother died and I needed some time to myself. (started another business within two years) but I never looked back and I really love business, my husband helped by taking up the slack with my mom and little girl. He worked part time but never again found a really good job. That's okay with me.
Building a home based business is hard work and before I enjoyed some success I fell into every get rich quick trap around. When I started Wheatcraft I learned how to really build a business--so I speak from some experience.
*sigh* things are always easier in the remembering.
Joyceb
[This message has been edited by joycejb (edited February 28, 2003).]
posted March 02, 2003 10:06 PM
I can't even begin to tell you what a difference working at home has made for me and my husband. With us, money wasn't the primary issue, although my husband was out of work when I got started. Having something of "my own" to be proud of, and pour my energies into has really energized me. I think about it as I'm drifting off to sleep, dream about it etc etc. And my dh is SO proud of me. He asks about my progress all the time. I'm very busy at church, Bible study, etc, so I didn't really think I needed my own "thing," but I was wrong!
Jennifer Donovan Create, Celebrate and Preserve Family Memories www.onceuponafamily.net jenndon@yahoo.com
posted February 20, 2004 02:39 AM
All these posts have been fascinating. We are all free and DARN does it feel exilarating!!!!
How has working at home changed my life? Well, life was really quite depressing before. I graduated from college with two hard earned degrees; one in graphic design and one in computer science. Unfortunately, I graduated right at the kick off of the job market crash and after months of miserable temp work, I found a job at an insurance agency. This was my life - then and now:
- Rolling out of bed at 6 am - Scrambling to find clothes - Kissing my sleeping child and wishing I could spend the day with him. - Driving through endless traffic (Denver has the 3rd worst traffic in the country) - Parking at work and having to walk a half mile to get to the front door. - Getting in a crowded, stuffy, smelly elevator with blank expressionless faces around me. - Generating the same reports each day in the Insurance Agency that I worked. Feeling more like a robot than a creative being. - Completely unappreciated - Being penalized for pumping breast milk for my young son during my break and having to work an extra half hour every day to make up for it. (no penalties for smokers on their breaks though.) - Feeling like I was kissing butt all the time for fear of being laid off like so many others. - Feeling completely helpless to live by a very structured schedule with very few days off per year. - Looking up at my new son's pictures posted all over my cubicle and tearing up while wishing desperately I could be there with him. - After a long day of work and a traffic jam on the way home, I would come home to a messy house, dishes, a very tired husband who had to then work his night shift.
I really felt like I was missing my son's life. Like I was a slave to the dollar bill and nothing more.
This is my life now:
- Roll out of bed at 11 am. - At my leisure, I might do a little paperwork, answer emails, etc., sometimes while still in my bathrobe. - Instead of a cramped little cell (cubicle), I have a large home office with a tv and stereo. - The majority of my day is spent with my son and doing the things I enjoy. - If I want to take a few days off, or go on a trip, I don’t have to get approval from anyone. - No one can tell me what to do; I work when I want, play when I want. - I think about the pompous, pretentious people I used to work for and I have to laugh now because I know I’m making more than them and working probably 1/10th the time they are.
I’m still humble though. If my business vanished tomorrow, I would still never go and work for someone again. I would start another home business!
[This message has been edited by Misssile (edited February 20, 2004).]
[This message has been edited by Misssile (edited February 20, 2004).]
posted April 15, 2005 12:24 AM
Working at home now has changed my personality for the better. I'm happy and actually feel more accomplished while I'm probably working harder than when I had a job out there. It's certainly a positive change and I welcome it each and every day.
The pressure out there can be crazy. Not that there isn't pressure working at home. At home you don't have 10 people in micro management showing their ideas and rules onto you. Working at home is wonderful. You learn many things and aquire a certain discipline that is certainly beneficial to you and those around you.
posted May 02, 2005 11:26 AM
Emerald Passport - I got started a week ago. Before i joined this business, i tryed coastal and liberty league. None of them worked out for me, i never got qualifed, because i didn't have good support. But with Emerald Passport, i have all the support i need with my director, and our weekly training calls just for our team. I hope to get qualified by this week, and start making some serious money. I am happy i got this oppourtunity, because i don't like MLM. This is nothing like MLM, i don't like working paycheck to paycheck in the coporate world. I love helping people make money, while i am making money. It's the best feeling! http://www.onlinecashbiz.net/
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posted October 31, 2002 11:04 PM
The real achievement that I've accomplished with Watkins, the very real money that I'm making, and my ability to continue to do that AND make it grow, has given me back the opportunity to work toward my dreams...AND get them! My trip to Ireland was one of those "dreams". Watkins sent me a large postcard with pictures on it that I hung on my wall--and sent me a monthly "tracker" to keep track of my progress and my group's progress. I signed an "agreement" that I would go to Ireland. That trip's coming up next month--and I'm waiting for my ticket in the mail right now--and it's all expenses paid. 
Other dreams are coming true too--from the greenhouse I've been building, to the backyard pool I bought last year, the porch swing I always wanted for cuddling on cool summer nights...making plans for a vacation home...