This is me..."The laid plans of mice and men"

Welcome to my rant about life...

Sometimes life bites!  It isn't fair and never goes according to plan.  When I was going to school I had many plans about what I thought I would do when I finally finished - get my master's, become a Landscape Architect, get a job doing some kind of restoration work etc - but, as Robbie Burns said, "the best laid schemes o' mice an' men / Gang aft a-gley."  Life threw me a curve - derailed me and left me unsure of everything...

In November 2004 when it was discovered that I had MS----all my life plans began to grow fuzzy.  Coming to grips with my diagnosis and has been a long and painful journey for me...I became frozen with fear!  I began to doubt ... fear everything.  I was afraid of the future and what it might bring.  I suddenly had no idea what I should do - I began to panic  and after graduation Idecided that I needed to get a job - any job - that would offer me great benefits ... Just in case. 

I began working and even though I liked my job I quit after a year because I had begun to feel like my life was slowly draining out of me.  I worked full time all week long and would come home too exhausted to do anything that required more than 3 brain cells and I would spend my weekends doing whatever housework, laundry, shopping etc that needed done and little else. I battled bone-deep fatigue, pain & chronic sleeplessness - I felt I had lost my self and my life.  I had no idea what to do - I only knew what I was doing wasn't working.

So...I quit my job and began to search to find a some kind of work that would allow me some flexibility in the hours and days (and still be work I would enjoy).  We looked into buying a Wild Bird Store (a dream of mine) but researched indicated that we/I would need to work about 12 hours a day / 6-7 a week to have the store be profitable so that idea was tossed out.  We also looked into starting a home-based Internet business but I realized that I had neither the expertise nor the desire to run that kind of business.   

After looking for a part-time office job for the past several months I have come to the conclusion that most (98%) part-time jobs come at with 1/4 of the pay I would make doing the same thing full time, no benefits and are boring data entry , reception type jobs.  I knew that I wanted a job that would allow me the flexibility to set my own hours, allow me to meet new people and  afford me the down time to rest when I needed to and volunteer at the East Lake Washington Audubon Society when I wanted to.

I am so happy to say that I officially became a "Mary Kay" consultant last week!!!!  I am excited about this new challenge - It is something COMPLETELY different for me - many people will be shaking their heads and saying, "but she doesn't even wear make-up", "she is too shy and doesn't like to talk to people she doesn't know", she not that kind of Girly-girl - she's the "dirt under her nails...Garden Girl type", and all that's quite true!  I will not even try to deny any of it and I know there are those who will "snicker" or "cringe" at my decision but that's okay!!!  Is this where I thought I would be...no but sometimes life demands that you step off the path you were on and choose another!   

I do use Mary Kay skin care and I love MK's satin hands and spa line!  I think that it is a great product and so I will be comfortable and confident about selling it.  I don't claim to know much about make-up or Direct Sales but then again...I didn't know much about being a Mum before I was and that turned out great...so I feel I have a good shot at it!

Don't worry - I have decided that I WILL NOT ask any of my family or friends to host parties for me or even buy any MK products from me but I do hope that everyone will wish me well.  I am nervous and excited about this new adventure!  I am not sure how I will do but after to talking to Mike, Jessica and Dana about it I feel very confident!  I don't think Mike will be able to retire off my MK millions but I think I will be successful at it!!! 

I really wanted to try something "outside of my comfort range" and I do believe I found it - I am a long ways off course from where I thought I would be right now but I am a very happy and lucky girl (thank you Mike - you've given me the space and support to wobble and wail as I've struggled to accept my disease, my limitations and my altered future.)

I am so happy to be jumping into this with my good friend Dana - she is the person who recruited me and we are excited to be doing this together.  She has already been so supportive and helpful.  Thanks Dana - you are the best!!!

Check out my MK new website at:  www.marykay.com/nthomson.

I hope everyone is having a GREAT WEEKEND!

PS:  Hey Jen, thanks for reminding how great "fresh cut grass" smells and Dana, you are right - Blue skies and daffodils are one of Springtime's best features.  Thanks for sharing guys!

Nancy

Comments

[A]

Congratulations Nancy! Mary Kay skin care products are wonderful. I only wish I lived close enough to buy mine from you. I know you can do anything you set your mind to. Here's wishing you good luck, a good Sunday and lots of sunshine always.

[D.D.]

I'm so excited for you and to see you talking about it here. You are going to be a wonderful consultant because you have a big heart. You already have your I-story what you did before MK and its great one too. I'm still working on mine. I'm so happy we are going to be able to go to all the events together, we are going to have so much Fun!
love you lots,
Dana

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