Like all of you lovely readers I am a real person dealing with a real life and all of its ups and downs. Times of busyness and times of peace, different stages of family life and different stages in work life.  I was aiming for full-time self-employment with this concept of the Professional Countrywoman and then as often happens, life took an unexpected turn.  An opportunity popped up that was too good to miss. I had been working part time in role which suited me well. I was dealing with good old fashioned country hospitality, food, gardening, events, beautiful historic buildings and contributing in a small way to the appreciation of our rural roots.  I then was offered a full-time management position which after much thought I accepted and so have found myself totally immersed in the role for the past year.

It just reinforces the message that what the Professional Countrywoman’s life is all about. There are some seasons when we are really busy focussing on a big role – and that is where I am just now.  But even in that place all of the other things that are important to us continue to go on and if we’re not careful we neglect those really important parts of our lives.  Family, friends, our own health and well-being, our professional and business lives – all of those things that make us who we are.  It has been a real lesson for me to see how quickly I got out of balance, stopped exercising (too busy), stopped being in control of what I ate (give me food now!) and stopped doing a lot of the things I loved such as gardening (what month is it even?).  My friends probably only vaguely remember me.  These are the important things and of course the PCW way is to be able to wisely consider what is important in whatever season you are in your own life and make recalibrate your life accordingly.  Planning systems and structures and putting them into practice is still the best way to do that.  So it’s been a big lesson for me to get my own act together and practice what I have been preaching!

This past week I met a woman who inspired me to remind myself what is important and to get back into sharing news of those beautiful and useful things that make our busy lives easier and more beautiful, and sharing the stories of those women in business who are producing those products or services. Whatever the season.