The question I get most often is, “How do you do it all?” And my answer is consistently, “I don’t.” Working mamas often have to make tradeoffs. For me, that means realizing that I can’t pursue all things at once. Whether that’s due to time, emotional, financial, or relational constraints. Still, there are times when I get to do AMAZING things! Recently, the amazing thing was traveling to Brazil to speak about diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA).
Catch my Instagram recap video below:
Desiree Coleman-Fry in a recap of her speaking trip to Brazil
As a DEIA professional, I loved the opportunity to meet Brazilians from all walks of life to understand their experiences and viewpoints. I was honored to share my knowledge within various academia, business and governmental settings. I also had the opportunity to learn about culture and Afro-Brazilian history while I was there.
The trip was a whirlwind and it simply would not have been possible without my husband’s support. He is the person who made magic happen on my behalf. He took up the slack at home and supported the kids – which enabled me to travel to Brazil. And while it worked out this time, there may be times when it doesn’t. Part of my growth journey is learning that that is ok.
There are so many working mamas who have dreams and ambitions. And there may always be a tug of war between family and career. However, accepting that tension can help mothers understand the trade-offs in a given situation. So, if work is more demanding in a season, identifying tweaks to create time could be optimal. If family demands require more attention, then prioritizing time to address that could prove fruitful.
There is no one-size fits all for working mamas. Let’s never lose site of that.
