Recently I asked the Making Work at Home Work blog ring bloggers this question:
What has been the toughest challenge you faced over the past year as a work-at-home mom and how did you solve it?
Over the next few posts I'll be sharing their responses! Scroll down for another response.
Teresa Huff had this to say ...
One of the biggest challenges I’ve had to overcome as a work at home mom is fear. Fear of failure, fear of making a wrong decision, fear of making a fool of myself, fear of making a client mad…whatever the reason, it rears its ugly head and tries to convince me that I can’t. I used to believe it a lot. But the last few years I’ve learned that fear doesn’t need to dictate my decisions. Fear doesn’t provide opportunities and open doors I never thought possible. Fear doesn’t lead me to find the perfect career fit for me. Fear doesn’t get me anywhere or make me any better at what I do. I’ve learned to develop confidence in my skills and abilities. I’ve learned to ask God for guidance and then listen when He gives it (although that is still a constant challenge!) I’ve learned to build a support network of other professionals in my field, seek opportunities to continue learning, and help others along the way.
It didn’t happen overnight…and building confidence is a process I’m still working on. But experience, successes, and even some failures have made me more confident in my abilities. It’s not the end of the world to fail and it doesn’t mean I’m bad at my job. I have learned that it’s ok to stand up for myself. I’ve learned to weigh the pros and cons, calculate the risks, and make a confident decision based on what is best for me and my family. I’ve learned that it is a good thing to keep my family a priority and expect my clients to respect that. I’ve learned that I can be a professional and still work from home in my sweats with a sick child home from school on the couch and a toddler digging through the pantry for a snack. Sometimes I have to swallow fear and jump in. I have adopted the mindset of, “If I don’t try, I know it won’t happen. If I try, at least I stand a chance.” I have learned to TRY.
"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7
Teresa Huff is an independent consultant who specializes in grants & strategic planning.
Thanks Teresa! What about you - what has been your biggest challenge?
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