What a month it has been! From the Second Lady wearing a Hope Design Ltd. brooch, launching the #ShopMilitary movement, attending #MIC2018 Military Influencer Conference, attending the AUSA annual conference, receiving incredible endorsements for #ShopMilitary, to participating in a congressional round table on behalf of military spouse and veteran owned businesses.
Seriously, when on earth did I find the time to be a mom, a friend, and a wife?! My husband laughed at me today as I blitzed from one end of the house to the other. He asked why I was running in our home and I asked him why there weren’t enough hours in the day.
PHEW!!!
There were so many new friends made, adventures experienced, and network connections with whom I need to follow up. It has been an amazing whirlwind!
I initiated a movement: #ShopMilitary, where my military spouse and veteran peers can share their work and gain visibility with civilians. We are showing people how they can best support our entrepreneurial efforts, giving us the fulfillment we need to find peace within this crazy lifestyle.
This movement is now 1 month old, and gaining momentum much faster than I could have anticipated! I had no idea that #ShopMilitary would fly this quickly. It leaves me spinning with an assortment of emotions. I am thrilled to see others light up with delight upon understanding the movement to support fellow military spouse and veteran-owned businesses. If I am being really honest with myself, I am legitimately terrified, because, you know, I started a thing and everyone is watching. It brings me back to my memories of being of Top Chef, where I knew I had gotten myself into something big. Fortunately, this fear is tempered with gratitude, as I have received endless support from so many.
As a military spouse, I have forged a career of going it alone at times, being tough as nails in difficult situations. It is hard for me to ask for help. I try to reserve the ask for occasions when I really need it…like asking for emergency contacts at a new duty station. All that to say that the support has come in so many forms. none of which I could anticipate.
Lifelong friends are stepping in, offering their skill set and advice to see me through.
Thank you Uncle Walt.
Great friends from the past are reconnecting to voice their validation of my efforts.
Thank you, Tyler.
New acquaintances are jumping in with all their heart. Thank you for proving that military wives are a sisterhood, no matter the circumstances.
Thank you, Wendy, Jen, Morgan, Megan, Jenna, Crystal, Lindsey, Morgan, Carolyn, and Anna.
As I sit here and sip my Monday latte and furiously crush the keys before picking up my kiddos from school, I can't help but remember what I was once told:
“Your future self is looking at you right now in memory; make sure you like what you see.”
I sure hope I smirk when I see this post pop up in Facebook’s time hop in a few years. Wouldn’t it be great if this roller coaster of a month was just a ‘humble beginning’?
In the past, I have tried to imagine where Hope Design Ltd. would be in several years. No matter how big I dream, the reality is always just a bit better than I imagined. If this holds true, I had better buckle up, as #ShopMilitary is destined to be so much more.
#MondayMusing #PersonalJourney #ProfessionalDevelopment #HopeDesignLtd #ShopMilitary
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