Part-Time Prowess

Courage comes from doing the things that scare you. Courage, and respect, come when you take that leap and you risk looking dumb. This is also where wisdom comes from. Prior to actually taking the plunge, I had spent years fantasizing of only working part time. Oh the life I dreamed I would live if I was free of the 9 to 5 prison. But the math of one part-time income supporting a household size of three never quite ended in the green. Each time the budget ended in a negative - I would throw away my aspirations for a more fulfilling and balanced life and resign to the notion that full-time employment was the only path forward. Well ask and you shall receive. It wasn’t long before my family required me to take the leap.

In December 2021 my younger son started suffering from Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures (PNES). Managing a full time job combined with trying to care for a child with high needs and still being a person and caring for my own needs was not happening. My life was in shambles and no arena of my life was getting the dedication it deserved. So I made some changes. In March 2022 I resigned from my full time job in favor of a part time role and my fledgling business. Folks, for a good while this choice felt like stupidity. But 1.5 years into it I can recognize this leap I took as courage. I bet on me, my beautiful family, and my tiny business. These past 1.5 years I have hustled and networked and most importantly, I have loved. I have learned to honor my desires and have transformed a mediocre existence into a life that regularly takes my breath away - and I’m just getting started.

I would like to be very transparent in that much of this insight has come from Think 3D Solutions’ Leaders of Tomorrow and Author of my Life courses. Shameless plug: this organization has been transformative for me and the effort I give to living my life with intention. The lessons shared in Think 3D Solutions’ leadership courses have elevated my mindset, and my life, to a level I didn’t even know existed. If you are in a place where you are ready to analyze your beliefs and actions and commit to making changes to effectively lead your life- I highly recommend signing up for the next Leaders of Tomorrow cohort.

Without further ado, I present to you the lessons I’ve learned as a part-time breadwinner:

1. My life wasn’t mediocre because I worked full-time.

Working 9 to 5 I always felt like I never had enough time to give to my family, my hobbies, or myself. In reality, I worked 40 hours per week. Including the time I spent getting ready for work, driving to work, and thinking about or decompressing from work - only about 38% of my time each week was actually dedicated to work. This means it wasn’t a lack of time that left me dissatisfied each night - it was a failure to use the other 62% of my week intentionally. My life was mediocre because I was living mediocrely. And even though I was working with colleagues I adored, supporting a population I loved, through services I was passionate about, I assigned my dissatisfaction to my job because I didn’t assign time for my other passions outside of it.

This didn’t get any better when I switched to part time. Even with work now only accounting for 28% of my time I still spent the other 72% of my week stressing about how much time that 28% took away. It wasn’t until I started assigning and protecting time for my family, my happiness, and my growth, in the same way that I did for work, that the 28% was no longer inhibiting me living my best life. If you struggle with this as well, ask yourself these questions:

• How can you design your days to serve you?

• What do you need your mornings to do for you? Your lunch breaks? Your evenings?

Assign, protect, and honor this time and you will reap such a huge return on your investment.

2. Who you surround yourself with, and how you interact with them, matters.

I surround myself with people who uplift me, support me, and genuinely love me. These people are change makers. They are doers who don’t let anything hold them down and will do anything to lift me up. These people remind me of my worth and my ideals when I begin to stray. They hold me while I’m down and don’t let go until I’m up. They also challenge me to improve. They check me (ever so lovingly) when I’m out of line and support me as I course correct. These people don’t just say my name in a room full of opportunities, they grab me by the hand and bring me into the room. These relationships take work. You don't just get these relationships because you want them, you have to pour into them and be vulnerable to keep them vibrant. I saw this meme the other day that said something along the lines of the depth of a friendship is how willing you are to be inconvenienced. While that’s a bit cryptic for me, it did make me think. I am so thankful when the people I cherish give me the opportunity to show up for them. My heart feels full when they share their burdens and their pain with me and allow me to help uplift them, encourage them, and carry them forward. I fully embrace the phrase, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” Take note of the people you allow in your life. Did the above paragraph sound like them? Did it sound like you? If either of those answers are no, I want to let you know you deserve to have someone show up for you that way, and to have the opportunity to do it in return.

3. No one else needs to understand your choices.

This has been one of my favorite lessons. My personal definition of success is so far from the beaten path. What this means is when I share with people how I am spending my time or what I am working towards, I get a lot of scrunched noses and shrill “WHY’S?!” in response. At first, the offense was real - but this was only because I was insecure about my desires. What I’ve found is that my choices do not have to make sense to anyone else. In fact, these responses now serve as proof for me that I am living in a way that is authentic to myself. My life, my goals, my choices are not for you to understand, but they are for me to honor. This is not to say I disregard all feedback. If the person is coming from a place of love or concern, I will take the time to analyze if their feedback or advice would help elevate my mission or hinder it. If it’s the former, I implement. If it’s the latter, I disregard.

4. Say yes to the things that scare you.

Quitting my main means of financial security was scary. It was the kind of scary where you just close your eyes and jump and hope you come out okay. And you know what, I did. But the joy you get from honoring your values is something special folks. So I made it my 2023 New Years Resolution to say yes to six things that scared me. There is so much growth that comes from sitting in discomfort. This commitment alone has changed the trajectory of my life. I have served as a treasurer for a local school board campaign, completed interviews with national media outlets, and participated in meetings at the White House with Domestic Policy Advisory staff. All of these commitments terrified me, but they also lit a raging fire in my heart. And with each opportunity I capitalized on, I also formed connections with people who inspire me. The people who are doing the things I know I will soon be doing too. See, people take note when you get vulnerable and you take these big steps. You become a person they want to know too - and from there the opportunities just multiply. The growth, the connections, the courage. If an opportunity excites you but you are scared of what it requires of you, JUST SAY YES. Once you say yes, the only thing left to do is to do it. And do it you will, my friend.

Until next time loves,

Sarah Houska