Big thing no. 1:
I’m going to ignore the date on my last blog post and simply say hello. Back to school season is finally behind us. It was a bit of a rocky start with a lot of big changes for our family. After much thought and conversation and prayer, Dan and I ended the summer anticipating that three of the four girls would be attending school this year. But in the end, after some hard stuff the two oldest are in school and Birdy and Elizabeth are still home for school. It’s been a tough few weeks, but I’m feeling totally at peace with where our family has landed. And everyone is doing so well now. I hope to share more on all of those decisions at some point. But feel like I need to settle in to our new normal a little more before I do.
Big thing no. 2:
This weekend, I had the opportunity to fly to Dallas for my dear friend MeRa Koh’s Confidence Photography workshop. It is an intensive 2-day workshop focused on photography and giving moms more confidence with their cameras. It’s a small class of about 17 women–at all levels of experience. The class felt like a turning point in my photography and has stirred so many things in my creative heart. Not only that, the friendships formed in just two days are something so unique and special. I can’t wait to share some of my photographs and thoughts with you. MeRa is holding another Confidence workshop in January. Give yourself a great Christmas present and sign up.
Big thing no. 3 (and an invitation):
Another change that has happened for our family in the past few weeks–and that I’ve been waiting to share here–is that I’ve made the big and somewhat intimidating decision to become a consultant with Arbonne. Arbonne is a company whose products I’ve been using for the past several years after hearing about them from a close friend of mine. I went to a presentation at her house and left feeling so compelled that I needed to be paying closer attention to the products that my family and I were using and putting on our skin, especially as my girls were getting close to the age of make-up and blemishes and beauty woes. There is so much junk out there that is so bad for our bodies and we’re slathering it all over. And I knew I didn’t want to be exposing my family to those things.
To be honest, I am not a product girl at all. I never washed my face. Ever. Even as a teen. Never as an adult. I remember standing at the Clinque makeup counter one day, picking up some mascara or something that I liked and having the sales lady question me about my skin and what I used to wash my face. “Whatever soap is in the shower?” I said. I think I heard her gasp and clutch her chest.
But the products I started getting from Arbonne not only were safe and pure, but also made my skin feel fantastic, and people were noticing. But that was just part of the story for me. And part of what has made me feel so passionate about starting this business.
Many of you who are longtime readers have heard my story about postpartum depression following Birdy’s birth. It was a really dark time when I struggled to pull myself out of the funk I was in. There were so many things that attributed to my healing, but one significant part of it was coming to the realization of how important it was to step back and take care of myself a little more. For me, those moments were stolen each night before bed–as I began to create a ritual of caring for my skin. Just those five or ten minutes standing in front of the bathroom mirror, sink filled with warm water, seemed to pour over into better sleep, better health, and the slow climb out of the darkness.
It’s so simple to share something with other people that you already love. And I care so deeply about encouraging my mama friends, and all of you to find those moments for yourself, however they may come.
But several weeks ago when I was forming a new and dear friendship with another mama at my church and began getting to know her better, I discovered that she was not only working for Arbonne, but extremely successful–while still managing to do so many things I loved as well–homeschooling, being home with her kids, having time. Hearing her story pricked something in my heart. The company was based on a model of leadership that made sense to me–it is not about pushing products, but about changing lives, helping women use their gifts and grow across all areas of their lives. It’s about providing hope for financial stress, and time stress.
Am I still working in social media? Yes. But the beauty of Arbonne is that it fits into the nooks and crannies of our lives. For me it’s about helping other women, and using and stretching the talents and gifts that I know I’ve pushed to the back burner in my life. And it’s most importantly about helping my family with the daily stress of financial strain. It’s about easing burdens. And hope and healing and leadership and growth. And I’m so excited to see what’s ahead as I step out in this journey.
So here’s the invitation for YOU. Tonight, I’ll be online in a private Facebook group sharing a little bit more about the opportunities that are available with Arbonne and some of my favorite products that my family and I use. Whether you are curious about the beauty and healthy living products that are pure, safe and beneficial for your family, or this story sparked just a bit a curiosity in your heart about what opportunities Arbonne might have for you, I’d love to have you join me on Facebook tonight. Right now, I am just stepping out. I’m putting together a team of amazing women to work with closely and I know there are so many of you out there that would fit perfectly in that group. If you think “I would never do this”, or “this is so not my personality”. Or “this is not my thing, at all”. Let me just tell you that is exactly how I felt. But this introverted, non-salesy, non-high-maintenance girl knows it’s possible. Anyone can do this. It’s not about being something you’re not. It’s about making it fit perfectly for you.
Interested in joining me tonight? Shoot me an email and let me know what your Facebook email is, and I’ll add you to the group. All it requires is checking notifications and following along for a short time as I share more of the story with you. Want to know more, ask more questions or just can’t make it tonight? Let me know (hello (at) mommycoddle (dot) com) and I’m happy to jump on the phone or email, or chat with you at another time. And, just because…I’ve decided to send out a little package with some samples and goodies to the first 10 people that email me.
I’m pressing ‘publish’ on this blog post with both prayer and excitement at what’s ahead. And I know that many of you are part of that story.
xo. molly
Here’s a short mp3 from my dear friend Lindsey Hepburn who invited me to be part of Arbonne. I think you’ll love her story:
