I have been thinking, talking and sharing a lot about being a working stay at home mom lately. Deciding to keeping-up with my consulting business while caring for Z full-time at home was something I fell into. It all started when Z was just a month old when a longtime client reached out to work together on a couple positions. It was probably the hardest thing I have ever done, balancing between all that is new about motherhood and managing a client.
Recruiting is my bread and butter, has been for the past 12 years but what I truly enjoy (and is just as hard) is working on this blog and doing personal shopping for some new mama clients (which I just started doing). I made a conscious decision that whatever took time away from my little mini had to be something I was passionate about and brought me joy, but also kept a little bit of the old me, while contributing to our family. Which brings me to September's "Mamas that Rock", a regular series that will give you the low down on some pretty amazing women that are doing it all on top of being mamas. They inspire me and I hope that by sharing their stories, they inspire you to follow that dream and have it all.
Mia Eliza of JoyBound Apparel, mama of to two (gorgeous) boys, who found herself choosing joy in her everyday life and wanting to share that way of life. She is talented, charming and a beauty.
This mama's Instagram is truly an inspiration on how to be the contributor of joy into your own everyday life. And her cute designs are a sweet reminder to look at the brighter side. Check out what I learned from her when I picked her brain...
{Me} How was Joy Bound Apparel born? When?
{Mia} When I was in the early stages of pregnancy with my youngest son, I remember sitting in my little office at the computer thinking about how our lives were about to change. How going from one child to two while staying on the same income would strain us. I knew I needed to find a way to help my husband with the finances while still staying home with my two boys.
There were some ideas that would have worked just fine but they all left me with the same feeling. Emptiness. I had zero passion for these jobs. The only way they would add to my life would be to help out with a bill or two. But I wanted more. I wanted to do something that I was excited about. Something that I always dreamed of doing but never felt like I had it in me.
I wanted to start a clothing brand. But not just a clothing brand. I wanted to start a clothing brand with heart. Something that went beyond vanity. I knew that if I was going to start something that I felt good about, it needed to give back in more ways than one. Clothing with a message, something that encouraged its wearers to live a fuller, more joyful life. You see, this world we live in can be scary sometimes. It’s stressful to watch the news and see the sadness that fills the air. But we each hold the power over our own attitude.
Will we be positive and encourage a spirit of optimism in those around us or will be allow ourselves to be consumed by the worlds spirit? The choice is ours for the taking.
And that’s how the idea of JoyBound Apparel was born. Do good, feel good, look good. That is the thought behind my brand. When you buy a shirt from JoyBound Apparel, $1 goes to charity. Who doesn’t feel good when they can give to those in need? And when you feel good on the inside, it shows. It’s a beautiful little cycle that I hope all those involved can benefit from.
{Me} Where are you located?
{Mia} JoyBound Apparel is an online based company that I run from the tiny office in my home here in South West Florida. However, I am outgrowing this space very quickly. I don’t know how long I will last running this from my home office but I’m excited to find out! You can also find us online at: www.joyboundapparel.com
{Me} How did you come up with the name?
{Mia} I have/had a blog titled BabyBound. When I started it, my husband and I were living in Bolivia as volunteers and I was desperately wanting to become a mother and start a family. It felt so close yet so far away. So I started a blog to deal with those feelings. Shortly after, we learned we were pregnant with our first son. Over the next year I realized that my life wasn’t really Baby Bound. Yes, that was a big dream of mine but it went far beyond that. Now we had a family, but it didn’t end there. I realized that my biggest goal was to live a JoyBound life. To create memories with my loved ones of laughter and bliss. At this point, I decided to change the name of my blog to JoyBound. That name meant so much to me. When I made it a point to look at all of the little things that added to my joy, I was just a happier person. I felt strong in knowing that the choice of living a fulfilled life was mine and I wanted to share my mission with others. I wanted other people to realize what I realized. Being JoyBound is a choice that each and every one of us can make. And it’s contagious!
{Me} I know you must have a full plate but what do you like to do in your free time?
{Mia} You said it right! My plate is SO full. But I think it’s so important, especially when running a company that focuses on encouraging a JoyBound attitude, to do things to refuel yourself. To refill the well, so to speak. Spending quality time with my husband is so important. He really is my best friend. So just sitting down after the babies are asleep and talking on the couch for hours is one of the most therapeutic things I can do. We also spend tons of time as a family walking through outdoor malls, going to the children’s museum and eating out more often than we should.
{Me} Tell me about your experience on being a mama? Everything you imagined?
{Mia} Hmmm. I’m trying to think of a way to sum this up without writing a novel. The one word that comes to mind is ‘more’. In every single way, motherhood is more. The good times are better than I could have ever imagined. The hard times are more challenging than I could have ever imagined. And at the end of the day, the gratitude in my heart is so much greater than I could have ever imagined. Motherhood is just more.
{Me} Best & Worse advice you got as a new mama?
{Mia} I think the best “advice” I ever received about being a mom came in the form of an example. Watching my mom and aunt as I was growing up, it has shaped the kind of mother I am or at least, strive to be. They didn’t always have it easy (to say the least!) but they always made it a point to have fun with us. To take us places for us to experience and enjoy life. They had a very go-with-the-flow attitude and I think in many ways, it helped them maintain their sanity. The worst advice? I’m having trouble thinking of that. I know I have been told some absurd things along the way but I guess it’s good that I can’t remember it because, I never used it!
{Me} What do you wish someone had told you about being a mom?
{Mia} I think something every mama-to-be should know is that, sometimes you will feel like you’re not doing things right. You may feel like a total failure and that everyone else is doing it better. But that’s okay! All that means is, you want to give your children the best of you. And you are, even if you don’t feel like it. So cut yourself some slack and just live every day as fully as you can and love on your kids with all your heart. In the end, that’s all that really matters.
{Me} Favorite place to shop for your two boys?
{Mia} This one is easy. Janie and Jack for dress clothes and the Gap for play clothes.
{Me} How would you describe your style?
{Mia} I asked a few family members to help out with this question. Everyone said the same thing. Classic. And according to my sister in law ‘sleek, modern, but still classy’. I wear a lot of darker colors and simple pieces like, pencil skirts, white button downs, jeans and simple tops. But I like to throw in trendier items like a heavy neckalace, funky heels or a fun hair accessory.
{Me} Go-to outfit for an important meeting?
{Mia} Do pajamas count? No? lol I work from home and my meetings are done over the phone. But I would have to say that when I do have to meet someone face to face, you will most likely find me in a black, high-waisted pencil skirt, pumps with a pointed toe, and for me, my white logo tee works since it’s what I do for work. A statement necklace and coordinating bracelet finishes off the look. How about every day?
{Me} Favorite date night?
{Mia} This is the part where I might put you all to sleep. When it comes to date night, I’m pretty low key. My favorite date night would have to be, going to the bookstore in my favorite outdoor mall and looking through magazines and books while chatting with my husband about life – where we are now and where we see ourselves in the future. All while sipping on a white mocha and splitting a giant chocolate chip cookie (70/30 of course!) Then we finish it up by walking through the shops hand in hand. It’s simple but it gives us to catch up in a way that’s hard to do in other settings.
{Me} Advice for the mama that has an idea and wants to go for it?
{Mia} I have two completely different ways of looking at this. Part of me wants to say ‘go for it! Give it all you’ve got and don’t look back.’. But realistically I have to say that it’s so important to calculate the risks.
Being a mom means you have other tiny people whose interest and needs come before your own. After you figure out the startup costs, ask yourself ‘if this doesn’t work, can I afford to lose the money I’ve put into it?’. Put all of your thoughts on paper, the costs, your mission statement if you can think of one to start off with, your goals. Think about it for a day and then reread what you wrote down. Still seems like a good idea? Then go for it! But hey, I’m no expert. I’m just learning through the process right now. Ask me again this time next year ;)
{Me} Tell me the big secret, how do you balance it all?
When it comes to most people’s idea of balance my thinking is this; the secret is, there is no secret.
{Mia} I’ve had to learn that there is no set of rules or enough tips in the world to teach someone how to balance everything. I think the important thing is to remember that some days will be great and other days will be hard. Super hard. But as long as your priorities are in order, you can come out a winner. In other words ‘make sure of the more important things’. For me this means, God, family, friends and even myself. Work should have its place.
Especially when you work for yourself and “live” in your office, you need to learn when it’s time to turn it off and focus on what’s really important in life. Each of us gets to choose what takes priority in our lives. When I take care of what’s most important and then fill in the rest of my time with the less important things, my body and mind reflect that. It’s a good feeling.
So daily I ask myself, have I made time for the more important things today? Where did I put my heart? Since children learn from example, can I be proud of what I taught my son today by my actions, attitude and where I put my attention? If the answer is no, then I know that I will just have to try a little harder the next day.
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Pretty incredible, huh? I think so.
Stay tuned for a giveaway this week!
xo
Natalie