This feisty little girl is my reason "WHY." Why, despite my degree in history, my master's in european history, and the "Fulbright Scholar" award on my resume, I'm choosing to leave my teaching career and build a business with Arbonne.
My 19 month old is hilarious, spunky, stubborn, and cuddly only when exhausted.
She loves Monkey's Friends, Noisy Orchestra, pushing her babies around in her stroller, and playing Noah's Ark Little People.
And every morning as I rush her out the door by 7:15, explain "Mommy can't read that right now,"and hurry her to the car rather than let her play outside, I grow weary.
As I watch the clock on my desk at school reach 4pm, 4:15pm, 4:30 pm and later, and I promise myself that "one day of working late won't matter to Collins," and that one day turns into most days, I grow heavy-hearted.
As I sneak out of the house several nights a week, and most Sunday nights, to grade papers, hearing Collins cry after me, I grow regretful and resentful.
I AM MISSING IT. My daughter is growing up in the blink of an eye, and I only spend two to three hours a day with her.
So THAT is my why.
I am choosing Arbonne, a company devoted to helping people find freedom in their life, flexibility in their careers, and joyful fulfillment in selling products that grow a business and hold the potential to transform lives.
Is the business difficult? Yes. Some people reject you, even people who are close to you and you swore would support your new business. Others judge you for "selling lipstick." But many people thank you for introducing them to unrivaled products that help restore health, promise safe ingredients in a scary, chemically-laden world, inspire beauty and confidence, and offer hope for a career with financial benefits and flexibility to prioritize family.
I was in Las Vegas this weekend at the Arbonne training conference, and I heard the company's leading women explain the story behind their "why" for joining Arbonne: of a woman growing up homeless and finally finding stability with Arbonne; of a mom who was constantly traveling for work, so her children played "work" by rolling the suitcase through the house; of women who were able to alleviate their husbands' financial pressure to provide in a world that is increasingly expensive when salaries are remaining stagnant. All of these women found Arbonne because someone was bold enough to tell them about the business.
Are we as consultants perfect when we want to share the business opportunity? Far from it. But when we see what Arbonne's potential is for our families, HECK YES we want to share that opportunity with a world of overworked, underpaid, financially stressed people.
If you had asked me two years ago if I would be an Arbonne consultant, I would have laughed at you. I probably would have told you it was a pyramid scheme. And honestly, the several months before I went to training in Vegas, I was searching for evidence that the company was a scam. I'm a skeptic by nature, and I just couldn't believe the company was solid. But after hearing the CEO, the product developers, the Chief of Sales, most of whom are female, I was impressed. Like "call my husband, my mom, and everyone I know immediately to explain how I'm sold on Arbonne" impressed.
So, as yesterday was Mother's Day, this little girl who made me a mother is my "why."
Happy Mother's Day, everyone. If you have a pretty great "why" like I do, I'd love to chat.
erika.mosteller@gmail.com
